Ever since its discovery 5,000 years ago, gold has been treasured for its unmatched luster, beauty and intrinsic value. Today, gold continues to enjoy widespread appeal as an investment and storehouse of value. Gold is an internationally recognized monetary and financial asset held in reserve by major governments. It is so rare that all the gold ever mined could fit into a cube measuring just 20 yards on each side.
Gold is a heavy, yellow, metallic chemical element.
It is a precious metal, with a high degree of ductility and malleability, that is used in the manufacture of a wide range of products including jewelry, electronics, and coinage. Gold forms in high temperature hydrothermal quartz veins. These veins carry the gold to the earth's surface through super heated solutions and this material deposits in fissures to form ore bodies. Erosion of the host rock by wind and water washes the gold from the ore bodies. Some of the gold stays near the vein and water carries some of the gold into rivers and streams.