Gold Facts
Gold is so malleable that one ounce could be spread into a sheet measuring 100 square feet.
Less than 2% of gold natural comes in the form of a gold nugget. Most is much smaller, sometimes so small that it can’t be seen with the naked eye.
It is estimated that the waters of the ocean holds 8 times more gold than all of the gold mined to date, but currently there is no known method for extracting this gold economically.
All of the gold ever refined in history could fit within a 20 meter cube.
The country of India is the largest consumer of gold, with the vast majority used for jewelry.
The largest gold nugget in existence today is the “Hand of Faith” on display in Las Vegas. The largest gold nugget ever discovered is “The Welcome Stranger”, but it was melted down and no longer exists. Both originated in Australia.
Roughly 50% of gold mined today is used for jewelry, followed by 40% for monetary purposes and 10% for industrial uses.
It is estimated that 165,000 metric tons have been mined in all of human history. More than half of this gold has been recovered in the past 50 years.
China, Russia, South Africa, Australia, and The United States are the top gold producing countries in the world.
Gold is a soft, malleable metal, so most gold used in jewelry is reduced in purity to increase hardness. It is most often alloyed with copper and silver.
Gold commonly forms in microscopic particles within lode deposits. It is often recovered as a byproduct of copper, lead, zinc, and silver mining.
The first documented gold rush in the United States was at the Reed Gold Mine in North Carolina in 1803, although it was likely found by Native Americans long before then.
Gold price reached a record of $1,913.50 on August 23, 2011. However, if corrected for inflation, the price of gold was at its highest point on January 21, 1980 when it reached $850 per ounce.
Gold Bullion is generally 24k in purity, but some people also collect numismatic coins, jewelry and gold nuggets that have not been refined to 24k.
More Interesting Articles About Gold:
Famous Gold Nugget Discoveries
Gold vs. Fool's Gold
How a Gold Trommel Works
Gold has been valued by cultures long before the beginning of recorded history.
Nearly all of the gold mined in history has been melted down. Only a tiny fraction of the gold nuggets ever found remain today, making them highly valued by collectors.
Gold can be dissolved in aqua-regia, a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid.
Gold is recognized throughout the world as a valuable metal representing wealth and power. Of all the elements on earth, the top prize for Olympians is the gold medal.
Nevada produces more gold than any state in The United States; more than Alaska and California.
Less than 2% of gold natural comes in the form of a gold nugget. Most is much smaller, sometimes so small that it can’t be seen with the naked eye.
It is estimated that the waters of the ocean holds 8 times more gold than all of the gold mined to date, but currently there is no known method for extracting this gold economically.
All of the gold ever refined in history could fit within a 20 meter cube.
The country of India is the largest consumer of gold, with the vast majority used for jewelry.
The largest gold nugget in existence today is the “Hand of Faith” on display in Las Vegas. The largest gold nugget ever discovered is “The Welcome Stranger”, but it was melted down and no longer exists. Both originated in Australia.
Roughly 50% of gold mined today is used for jewelry, followed by 40% for monetary purposes and 10% for industrial uses.
It is estimated that 165,000 metric tons have been mined in all of human history. More than half of this gold has been recovered in the past 50 years.
China, Russia, South Africa, Australia, and The United States are the top gold producing countries in the world.
Gold is a soft, malleable metal, so most gold used in jewelry is reduced in purity to increase hardness. It is most often alloyed with copper and silver.
Gold commonly forms in microscopic particles within lode deposits. It is often recovered as a byproduct of copper, lead, zinc, and silver mining.
The first documented gold rush in the United States was at the Reed Gold Mine in North Carolina in 1803, although it was likely found by Native Americans long before then.
Gold price reached a record of $1,913.50 on August 23, 2011. However, if corrected for inflation, the price of gold was at its highest point on January 21, 1980 when it reached $850 per ounce.
Gold Bullion is generally 24k in purity, but some people also collect numismatic coins, jewelry and gold nuggets that have not been refined to 24k.
More Interesting Articles About Gold:
Famous Gold Nugget Discoveries
Gold vs. Fool's Gold
How a Gold Trommel Works
Gold has been valued by cultures long before the beginning of recorded history.
Nearly all of the gold mined in history has been melted down. Only a tiny fraction of the gold nuggets ever found remain today, making them highly valued by collectors.
Gold can be dissolved in aqua-regia, a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid.
Gold is recognized throughout the world as a valuable metal representing wealth and power. Of all the elements on earth, the top prize for Olympians is the gold medal.
Nevada produces more gold than any state in The United States; more than Alaska and California.
Highly Recommended Prospecting Books on Amazon:
The Gold Prospector's Field Guide:
A Modern Miner's Handbook for Successfully Finding Gold
Metal Detecting Gold Nuggets:
The Essential Guide to Finding Gold with a Metal Detector