Text: GOLD: FACTS AND FIGURES Historical Facts Since the beginning of time, gold has maintained a significant status to all civilisations The ancient Egyptians worshipped the sun, which was seen to represent gold The Chinese saw gold as the yang of the sun (silver being the moon¹s ying) The Inca¹s called gold the sweat of the sun Gold has been used as a currency for 5000 years Alchemy Alchemists symbol for gold is the same as that used for the sun - a simple circle There are at least 63 variants on the alchemists symbol which were used between 12-18th century In some cultures, for example China, alchemy was seen to be intrinsically linked to the search for eternal life Gold Mining Gold is extremely rare - all the gold that has ever been mined would fit underneath the Eiffel Tower and would be only be 19m cubed South Africa is the greatest gold producer in the world today More than 90% of the world¹s gold has been produced since the Gold rush, USA 1848 75% of the world¹s gold mined each year is used to make jewellery Gold Properties Gold is extremely heavy - one cubic foot weighs half a ton 1 ounce of gold could be drawn out into a single strand approx 60 miles in length Gold is measured in carat with pure gold being 24 carat In its purest form gold is very soft and therefore rarely used in this state Gold is a pure metal and it is not affected by air, heat, or moisture and it is these properties that have made gold bullion such a valuable commodity Because of its indestructibility, gold is used in the electronics industry to create 10 billion tiny electrical contacts each year The world¹s dentists use over 60 tons of gold every year as it is non toxic, malleable and unaffected by wear and tear Gold for Medicinal Purposes Gold can be found in very small proportions in the body In some cultures gold is eaten for its medicinal properties It is regularly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, chronic ulcers and tuberculosis as well as other ailments Gold as Our Heritage The permanence of gold has made it synonymous with heritage, passed down from generation to generation. Unlike currency, gold is perceived to be a permanent wealth and is regularly bought in large quantities during times of crisis. The traditional 50th wedding anniversary gift is gold Key Dates Connected with Gold 4000 BC first used in Central and Eastern Europe 3000 BC Egyptians beat gold into gold leaf and alloy gold with other metals 1091 BC China legalises squares of gold as a monetary unit 1848 US gold rush begins 1873 Gold discovered in South Africa 1900 US adopts gold standard for its currency 1933 US goes off gold standard

See Also:

Source: