Gold is a chemical element; it has symbol Au (from Latin aurum 'gold') and atomic number 79. In pure form, it is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal, a group 11 element, and one of the noble metals.
Gold was generally used for a couple thousand years solely to create things such as jewelry and idols for worship. This was until around 1500 BC when the ancient empire of Egypt, which benefited greatly from its gold-bearing region, Nubia, made gold the first official medium of exchange for international trade
Gold is element 79 and its symbol is Au. Though the name is Anglo Saxon, gold originated from the Latin Aurum, or shining dawn, and previously from the Greek. It's abundance in the earth's crust is 0.004 ppm. 100% of gold found naturally is isotope Au-197.
Gold's captivating beauty and unique properties have captivated
humanity for millennia. Early evidence of gold's use dates back to
6,000 BC, with civilizations around the world using it for jewelry,
adornments, and religious objects.
Egyptians highly revered gold, associating it with the sun god Ra and
using it extensively in funerary practices and pharaonic treasures.
Romans valued gold for its beauty and durability, using it for coinage
and intricate jewelry. Throughout history, gold has served as a symbol
of wealth, power, and status
Beyond its ornamental applications, gold's unique properties, including its high malleability, ductility, and resistance to corrosion, have led to diverse industrial and technological uses.
Gold is primarily found as the pure, native metal. Sylvanite and calaverite are gold-bearing minerals. Gold is usually found embedded in quartz veins, or placer stream gravel. It is mined in South Africa, the USA (Nevada, Alaska), Russia, Australia and Canada.