CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Throughout the long history of gold, the golden ore has arguably been the most popular commodity. Gold discovery has been a persistent shadow of the development of human societies of many cultures from the ancient bronze age to the modern eras since it was utilised in early civilizations as a symbol of prestige and to honour the gods.
No culture or time period in human history can deny that gold discovery changed the way the human kind started to perceive value. Discovered gold has long been associated with riches and power, from ancient Egypt through the Aztecs, China's numerous dynasties, and the Grecian and Roman treasure hoards. Discovered gold served as the foundation for the modern world economy as both a kind of money, either gold coin or gold bullion and its value has always been a measure of wealth.
The oldest piece of discovered gold that is now known to exist was just recently found by archaeologists close to Varna, Bulgaria, where gold has always been prized for its distinctive and alluring qualities. A piece of ancient gold jewellery has an estimated age of 6600 years and it's one of the most important pieces of gold discovery in human history to date.
Most metals cannot share such unique features as gold can. Due to its chemical stability, the golden precious metal was one of the first metals to be extracted from streambeds of sand and gravel, where it naturally existed as a pure form. Gold was highly valued in early civilizations for a number of reasons, including its aesthetic appeal, resistance to corrosion, several faces, and versatility. Many cultures also knew that gold and silver deposits come together with other minerals, making this precious metal the most wanted.
Ancient civilizations appear to have acquired gold and silver from a variety of resources e.g. from the Middle East. Ancient cultures valued gold and lavishly embellished their temples and tombs in respect to their gods and important individuals.
Perhaps, the most famous ancient mined gold production - in ancient Egypt - dates back to 3100 BCE, during the predynastic period, making the Ancient Egyptians one of the first civilizations to be extracting gold ore extensively. Although the precise beginnings of gold mining and "the golden age" in predynastic Egypt are unknown, the ancient Egyptians almost certainly harvested mined gold and silver from alluvial deposits throughout that time.
The tomb of Tutankhamun of the 18th Egyptian dynasty, discovered in 1922 by English archaeologist Howard Carter, is arguably the most well-known pure gold find in Egypt (and in history). King Tut's inner casket, which weighs about 110.4 kilograms (243.4 lbs.), is one of the artefacts that were made of solid gold, and used to be one of the most significant artefacts for the Ancient Egyptians.
During the Roman Empire, gold became a form of currency and the Aureus ("aurei" - the Latin word means "golden"), a gold coin of ancient Rome, was introduced. Originally, the Aureus was worth 25 pure silver Denarii and it was issued regularly from the 1st century BC until the early 4th century AD.
In 312 AD, Constantine the Great introduced another gold coin - the gold Solidus - in an effort to reestablish scarcity and trust in Roman currency which became a new monetary backbone in Europe. Constantine's establishment of a stable monetary system, in contrast to the Romans who had abandoned it, aided in laying the groundwork for the Byzantine Empire to become the next great global power. But how was all the gold used to mint all gold coins acquired? Let's explore gold mining history now.
Alluvial or placer mining was one of the earliest methods used to find raw gold. Historical records indicate that the first large-scale placer mines for gold extraction were established during the Roman Empire around 25 BC. The process involves using water as hydraulic mining to extract, move, concentrate, and recover heavy minerals from deposits of sand and gravel found in alluvial or placer deposits. Mining in placer mines relies on the high density of gold, which enables it to sink faster than lighter siliceous minerals in water. This technique is used to extract deposits from areas such as gold-bearing sands and gravel, which accumulate in rivers and streams when the current slows down. The basics of placer mining have remained largely unchanged over time, although advances in technology have been made, including modern hydraulic mining.
During the great gold rush of the 19th century, miners adopted the panning method. This involved adding a substantial amount of water to a pan along with a few handfuls of dirt or pebbles that contained gold. By washing and sorting the gravel in the pan, the miner would leave the heavier minerals and trap gold dust and larger pieces of the precious metal behind.
Later, miners began using a device known as a "rocker" to extract greater quantities of ore than could be achieved through panning. This method, which was more effective than swirling the mixture around, involved pouring water over gravel placed on a perforated iron plate. This caused smaller particles to pass through the holes and onto an apron that spread them evenly across rifled pieces of wood or iron, arranged perpendicular to the bottom and sides of the cradle. As the material moved through the cradle, gold was trapped on the riffles and could later be extracted.
As the demand for larger-scale operations arose, miners in the UK started using drilling and blasting methods to break up "benches" of rock near the surface of the earth, and transport smaller ore-containing pieces for further separation from the waste rock. Nowadays, modern open-pit gold mines cover a vast area and use immense mining equipment. Open-pit mining is currently one of the most commonly used methods for gold extraction and finding other metals.
If an ore deposit is situated far beneath the surface, requiring the movement of a substantial amount of rock or waste, other techniques must be employed, but that may result in an increase of gold prices. Underground mining is more expensive than open-pit mining and necessitates specialised equipment that depends on the geometry of the orebody (its size, shape, and direction), the grade of mineralization, the strength of the rock components, and the depth of the deposit.
It is interesting to note that gold production in laboratories is possible. Additionally, artificial gold can be created from other elements. However, this process involves nuclear reactions and is so costly that it is currently not profitable to sell the gold created from other elements. Typically, gold is produced from other metals - usually platinum, which has one less proton than gold, or from mercury, which has one more proton than gold.
By bombarding a platinum or mercury nucleus with neutrons, one neutron can be knocked off or added, which can result in gold through natural radioactive decay. It should be noted that much of the gold created from other elements is radioactive, which poses a hazard to humans and cannot be sold commercially. Furthermore, after a few days of radioactive decay, the radioactive gold is no longer gold and changes back to other metals again. To maintain gold's integrity, a nuclear reactor and chemical decontamination of the radioactive metal are required. Bottom line: nuclear gold bars or silver coins? Very unlikely.
Based on this process, it is evident that creating non-radioactive gold costs significantly more than what can be earned from selling e.g. the gold bars. Thus, creating gold from other elements is currently an expensive laboratory experiment and not a practical commercial activity. Perhaps technological advancements will eventually make the creation of gold in nuclear reactors or - perhaps - fusion reactors a profitable economic venture.
Modern day gold may be present as large gold deposits known as lodes, or veins, in fractured rock. It can also be dispersed within the Earth's crust. Most lode deposits are formed when heated fluids circulate through gold-bearing rocks, picking up gold and concentrating it in new locations in the crust. Chemical differences in the fluids and the rocks, as well as physical differences in the rocks, create many different types of lode deposits.
It is highly probable that the gold will be found alongside other valuable minerals, such as quartz and silver. Many mining companies that sell gold and silver from their mining efforts will also sell the other minerals as well.
Gold is also found in small waterways that have run through these rock and mineral formations. When the current is strong enough for streams, rivers and brooks to accomplish it, the water will carry pieces of gold, often referred to as small nuggets or flakes, down through the path. As the gold is carried from the formation down the waterway, pieces settle on the beds or floors and eventually get covered in dirt and sand.
The biggest gold deposits in the world
The biggest gold deposits in the world
AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng gold mine, located southwest of Johannesburg in South Africa, is presently the deepest gold mine in the world. The operating depth at Mponeng mine is below the surface by the end of 2018. Ongoing expansions are expected to extend the operating depth further to approx. 4.3 km. The deep underground mine employs a sequential grid mining method. The shaft-sinking process at Mponeng commenced in 1981, while the gold plant complex and the shafts were commissioned in 1986.
Whilst panning through sediments and sands, panned raw gold appears brassy yellow and bright. If you suspect it is gold, hold your hand between it and the sun to create shade over the gold. If it still looks bright in the pan, there is a good chance that it is genuine gold. Raw gold has a smooth but bumpy texture, caused by the gold tumbling through rivers and streams. When you hold it in your palm and place a rock of equal size next to it, real gold feels noticeably heavier.
Be cautious of flakes of “false gold” – iron pyrite. It breaks apart easily when you scratch it with a fingernail in the gold pan. Gold nuggets or gold flakes have a shiny surface that glimmers as it is twisted in the light, but it does not sparkle. Fool's gold twinkles and sparkles in the light, reflecting the light and creating a glittery effect in the pan. Real pure gold is bright yellow with a shiny, metallic surface and natural beauty - even tiny gold dust.
A gold rush, also known as gold fever, occurs when a discovery of gold, sometimes accompanied by other valuable minerals, leads to a surge of miners hoping to strike it rich. While most diggers and mine owners did not profit from gold mining, thanks to gold value, some individuals were able to amass substantial fortunes, and merchants and transportation facilities reaped significant benefits. The increase in the world's gold supply resulting from these rushes fueled global trade and investment. Historians have extensively documented the mass migration, trade, colonisation, and environmental impact associated with gold rushes, particularly those in the 19th century.
The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in California in 1848 sparked the largest sudden influx of people seeking to mine and extract gold from a particular area in history (so-called the California Gold Rush), with people from all over the world, known as forty-niners, flocking to California. This rush led to the swift settlement of California by Americans and its admission to the union in 1850.
The Porcupine Gold Rush in the Timmins, Ontario area was the most successful gold rush in North America, requiring more substantial mining operations and expensive equipment to acquire discovered gold than other rushes. Although it peaked in the 1940s and 1950s, it is still active today and has produced over 200 million ounces of gold, making it home to some of the world's largest gold deposits of the modern day. Other significant gold rushes occurred in the 19th century in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Chile, South Africa, and Canada.
NASA states that gold is a "critical strategic resource" in space. Many satellites carry gold-coated mylar sheets to shield them from solar heat. Meanwhile, a thin layer of gold on an astronaut's helmet visor deflects solar radiation. Satellite microelectronics that transmit data worldwide depend on gold components to ensure dependable, corrosion-resistant, and static-free performance, NASA claims.
As it happens, there is a colossal asteroid containing enough gold and other rare metals. The Psyche asteroid - situated between Mars and Jupiter - unlike most rocky, icy asteroids is full of other metal ores, including discovered gold, iron, and nickel. The estimated value of all that metal is about $700 quintillion. If that wealth were shared among all 7.6 billion earthlings, each individual would receive approximately $92 billion.
An unmanned NASA spacecraft is scheduled to head to Psyche in late 2023 to investigate the asteroid, which measures about 140 miles in diameter and is one of the most significant objects in the asteroid belt region of space. However, you should not start spending those Psyche billions just yet. An expert warns that we could be decades away from mining gold and other rare metals in space because science and technology are not yet fully developed.
In a 2009 NASA mission, a rocket slammed into the Moon, and a second spacecraft analysed the explosion, revealing that the lunar surface contains a variety of elements, including discovered gold, silver, and mercury. Nevertheless, space exploration will be a new era in precious metals mining for "the space gold bullion" production in the future. Not only for the U.S.A., but many other countries as well.
Gold mining dates back to ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans who used different methods to mine gold, including panning, sluicing, and using hydraulic mining techniques.
Gold is mined using various methods such as placer mining, hard rock mining, byproduct mining, and gold ore processing. Placer mining involves extracting gold from alluvial deposits using tools such as pans, sluice boxes, and dredges. Hard rock mining involves extracting gold from underground mines using drilling, blasting, and tunnelling techniques. Byproduct mining involves extracting gold as a byproduct of other mining activities such as copper or silver mining. Gold ore processing involves extracting gold from its ores using techniques such as cyanide leaching, carbon adsorption, and electrowinning.
Artificial gold production involves creating gold using chemical processes, which is not a common practice due to its high cost and low efficiency.
Gold mining has a rich history, and some interesting facts include that South Africa is the largest gold producer, gold was used as currency for centuries, and the California Gold Rush of 1849 sparked a population boom in the United States.
The future of gold mining is dependent on various factors such as gold prices, environmental regulations, technological advancements, and political stability in mining regions. With the increasing demand for gold, especially in emerging markets, gold mining is expected to continue, although mining companies may need to adopt more sustainable practices to meet regulatory and societal expectations.
Gold mining can have significant impacts on the environment, including soil erosion, water pollution, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity. To mitigate these impacts, mining companies often implement environmental management plans and follow strict regulations. Some mining companies have also started using innovative technologies such as bioreactors and nanotechnology to reduce the environmental impact of gold mining.
Gold is found in various regions around the world, including South Africa, Russia, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Gold deposits can occur in different geological settings, including veins, alluvial deposits, and disseminated deposits.
The amount of gold left in the world is difficult to estimate accurately. However, according to the World Gold Council, the total amount of gold ever mined is around 197,576 tonnes, with an estimated 54,000 tonnes still underground.
Gold mining can have economic benefits for mining communities and countries, including job creation, tax revenue generation, and infrastructure development. Additionally, gold is used in various industries such as jewellery, electronics, and medicine, which provides additional economic benefits.
The gold mining industry faces various challenges, including declining ore grades, increasing energy costs, and social and environmental pressures. Mining companies must find ways to overcome these challenges while still maintaining profitability and sustainability.
This content has been created by XTB S.A. This service is provided by XTB S.A., with its registered office in Warsaw, at Prosta 67, 00-838 Warsaw, Poland, entered in the register of entrepreneurs of the National Court Register (Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy) conducted by District Court for the Capital City of Warsaw, XII Commercial Division of the National Court Register under KRS number 0000217580, REGON number 015803782 and Tax Identification Number (NIP) 527-24-43-955, with the fully paid up share capital in the amount of PLN 5.869.181,75. XTB S.A. conducts brokerage activities on the basis of the license granted by Polish Securities and Exchange Commission on 8th November 2005 No. DDM-M-4021-57-1/2005 and is supervised by Polish Supervision Authority.
Changing the language affects the change of regulator
