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12 Gold and Silver

Gold’s Allure The California Gold Rush proved that humans are drawn to the mineral as a bee is to honey, and that they will go to great lengths to obtain what prospectors often called “the color.” It is no wonder. Gold has been revered since antiquity, as the gilded ancient tombs of kings and queens can attest. The Sumerians, who lived in present- day Iraq, were among the first civilizations to fashion gold jewelry, while the ancient Egyptians became tremendously wealthy exploiting vast veins of gold found in nearby Nubia. The first gold coins were minted in 560 BCE, in Lydia, a kingdom in present- day Turkey. Gold was so important, and human greed so pervasive, that alchemists in Greece and elsewhere spent lifetimes trying to change other metals into it. Prior to its discovery in America, most of the world’s gold had come from the Mediterranean region and from Africa. The present-day African nations of Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal had so much gold in their rivers and streams that their kings traded it for another important commodity—salt—which is essential

for human life. Experts say that between 500 and 1600 CE, West Africa exported about 8 tons (7.25 metric tons) of gold a year. In 1324, Mansa Musa, the ruler of the African kingdom of Mali, set out on an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, which awakened the world to the vast riches of his kingdom. Musa’s caravan carried with it 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of gold. Many civilizations, including those that thrived in Egypt and Asia, also prized silver, which was often called “white gold.” They used the metal to create decorative religious objects and jewelry. Both gold and silver played a major role in the development of the Americas and the subjugation of its native population. When Christopher Columbus returned to Spain

Gold by the Numbers Atomic number: 79 Atomic symbol: Au Atomic weight: 196.9665 Phase at room temperature: solid Melting point: 1,947˚F (1,064˚C) Boiling point: 5,137˚F (2,836˚C) Silver by the Numbers Atomic number: 47 Atomic symbol: Ag Atomic weight: 107.8682 Phase at room temperature: solid Melting point: 1,763.2˚F (961˚C) Boiling point: 3,923.6˚F (2,162˚C)