Gold
A precious metal par excellence, gold has fascinated people for thousands of years.
Gold - photo credit Marieclaire.fr
Etymology and history of gold
The term "gold" comes from the Latin word " aurum ", which gave rise to the adjective "auriferous", meaning "containing gold".
According to various studies, gold appeared 4 billion years ago but was not discovered by man until 6000 BC. Due to its brilliance, rarity and lack of oxidation, gold was quickly coveted by civilizations. The metal was used in goldsmithing in ancient Egypt and as currency in ancient Greece. Pre-Columbian civilizations gave it a sacred character. Gold was then used as a monetary standard.
Characteristics of metal
Precious metal gold - photo credit Les Echos.fr
In its pure state, gold has a stainless and soft character, which requires combining it with other metals to improve its rigidity.
Properties :
- Chemical symbol: Au
- Atomic number: 79
- Hardness: 2.5 on the Mohs scale
- Original color: metallic yellow
Gold bars - photo credit Niessing
The colors of gold
Yellow gold: alloy between pure gold on one side, and silver and copper on the other.
Rose gold: alloy between pure gold on one side, and mainly copper on the other.
White gold: alloy between pure gold on one side, and nickel zinc or palladium on the other.
Gold bars - photo credit Niessing
The gold hallmark
Certifying the metal content, here gold, the guarantee hallmark is a mark issued by houses accredited by the State. The hallmark is affixed by the State from 3 grams of gold.
999 thousandth gold is used for gold bars.
|
GOLD appellation |
Content |
Punch symbol |
|
999 thousandth gold or 24 carat gold |
99.9% pure gold and 0.1% metal alloy |
Seahorse |
|
916 thousandth gold or 22 carat gold |
91.6% pure gold and 8.4% metal alloy |
Eagle head |
|
750 thousandths gold or 18 carat gold |
75% pure gold and 25% metal alloy |
Eagle head |
To learn more about gold mining