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For what it's worth Gold has always been regarded as the most important metal because of its rich colour, malleability and durability. In the bible it is the first metal to be mentioned as Adam and Eve didn’t have to go far to find it, as it says in Genesis 2:10-12. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden and from thence it was parted and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pisin that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold and the gold of that land is good. Alluvial Gold or as it is sometimes termed “Placer” gold was easily found by primitive man as he was able to find gold in its free form in river beds and streams in the form of nuggets. Man linked gold with the sun God who provided heat and light so it was a very small step for him to associate gold with religion, it became an essential commodity and was included in all of the ceremonies of early civilizations. Gold became an essential part of economic life, in fact it reaches back to 650 BC when King Gyges established the first mint to put a seal on his kingdom. These lumps of gold were an alloy of about 75% of gold and 25% of silver they called it electrum. It was about 200 years later when the Lydian King Croesus became the first to use coins of pure gold with his stamp as a guarantee of weight and purity. Gold is a very heavy metal so jewellery not only looks good but it feels good and that is very satisfying. Gold weighs considerably more than lead, for instance lead has a specific gravity of 11.4, the specific gravity of gold is 19.3. Gold has so much more to offer than the physical properties, it far outweighs any other material for its nobility as shown by so many great men down the ages who have used it to display their wealth to the world. Decorating their tables with gold plates and vessels, showing off their women in necklaces and ornaments knowing full well that these items would never tarnish or diminish unlike the lady wearing it. Gold is an inert substance it does not combine with oxygen in the air so it will never oxidise after years of lying in the ground and always appears as bright as the day it was minted, as can be seen in the great temples and pyramids around the world. Even strong acids do not effect gold with the one exception of “aqua regia” which translates into royal water so named because it can, dissolve the noblest of metals gold. Cont. See Gold the Story II and III and IIII etc. |