Gold has been used as a medium of exchange by mankind for over 6,600 years. It is a rare mineral that has been revered for its beauty and utility for as long as man has walked on two legs. The precious metal is so rare that it is believed that only about 161,000 tonnes have ever been mined in history! Some experts believe that there are only about 40,000 tons of gold left in the ground to mine. All the gold in the world combined could be molded into a cube that would measure less than 50ft x 50ft x 50ft, or about enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool.
Most of the gold being mined today comes 
from South Africa, but also from Russia, Canada, and the US. The natural scarcity of gold is so great that finding a 5 carat diamond would be much more likely than finding a pure 1oz gold nugget! The world produces more steel in one hour than the amount of gold that has been processed in all of history. Very few metals can tout that kind of potential valuation from a “supply and demand” standpoint, but NONE of them are as rare as gold that also have these other superior properties…
from South Africa, but also from Russia, Canada, and the US. The natural scarcity of gold is so great that finding a 5 carat diamond would be much more likely than finding a pure 1oz gold nugget! The world produces more steel in one hour than the amount of gold that has been processed in all of history. Very few metals can tout that kind of potential valuation from a “supply and demand” standpoint, but NONE of them are as rare as gold that also have these other superior properties…One of the unique facts about gold is that it is practically indestructible- Unlike most other metals, gold does not tarnish, oxidize, rust, or corrode, and is insoluble in nitric acid. This increases the tremendous number of applications we use gold for. Because of its “non-reactive” status, gold is considered a ‘noble’ metal in the realm of metallurgy, or the study of metals. Because of the way we continuously recycle gold, it is likely that we are wearing jewelry that contains trace amounts of gold that was mined thousands of years ago. People sell gold jewelry today as scrap gold more frequently than ever in history because the price of gold has gotten so high.
Today gold is used in all kinds of fields, ranging from currency and decoration to electronics, pharmaceuticals, and more. Its physical properties are remarkable. Gold is one of the best conductors of electricity in the world, especially where harsh temperatures are involved. This along with its chemical inertness make it a very reliable conductor, especially for special use purposes where cost is of no concern, such as multi-million dollar satellites and instruments and equipment produced by NASA. The jewelry industry utilizes over 1,000 tonnes of gold each year, and dentistry uses over 85 tonnes.
Because gold is a very malleable and ductile metal, it is extremely easy to work with. Just one ounce of gold could be hammered into a sheet so thin that it would cover 300 square feet, and light could pass through it; or drawn into a single wire over 50 miles long! And although high carat gold reflects infrared heat almost completely, it can also be used as a proficient conductor of thermal energy. Gold is such a dense metal that one cubic foot weighs about 1,000 pounds.
Gold is rare. It is beautiful, easy to work with, and almost indestructible…. Four attributes which are extremely significant, and nothing can take them away. No other precious metal can match these qualities, and that is why gold commands the value that it does in our market.