Mining for gold and then turning that precious metal into wearable jewellery dates back to ancient Egypt and one of the earliest recorded gold mines is in Nubia. The Romans mined for gold from 25 BC and used hydraulics, or high pressure water jets to shift material from the rocks and move the sediment, the water containing the sediment was then passed through sluice boxes to separate water and gold. Under the Romans the mining was controlled by the state and profits were ploughed back into the growth of the empire. When the Romans came to Britain they carried on their mining operations and there is still one Roman gold mine in Wales.

Probably the most famous period of gold mining is the nineteenth century gold rush in America. The California gold rush in particular was a product of a group of miners that became known as the forty niners, as the gold was first discovered in that area in 1849. The rush attracted people from China to Europe, all of whom came in search of gold and the dream of becoming rich. The early miners used panning, where water and gold slurry were picked up by dipping a pan into the stream. Later, more intense mining methods were developed and were eventually used in gold mines around the world.

Dirty Gold

Eighty percent of the gold that is mined in the United States and elsewhere goes to make jewellery. In recent years there has been some controversy over mining practices, particularly in places like South Africa, gold that is mined at the expense of communities and people’s lives is known as dirty gold. There is a big move for jewellery makers and retailers to sign an agreement that supports only responsible gold mining. The Golden Rules campaign is aimed not just at jewellery makers and retailers but to ordinary people who buy gold jewellery. The campaign asks that people use their consumer power to question where the gold has come from and if the retailer is careful about not using dirty gold.

The Uses of Gold

Gold is the most popular and sought after precious metal and until the closing years of the twentieth century, the value of many world currencies was judged by what was known as the gold standard. The gold industry is huge and the use of gold is not limited to jewellery making. People buy gold and have it made into gold bars for investment purposes as gold is a metal that tends to increase in value. Gold can be used in some foods and it is used to make gold thread for decorative purposes. Gold is a soft metal and is beaten and cut to be used as decorative gold leaf, which was often used in churches. Gold is a good conductor of electricity and therefore has widespread industrial and electronic uses – although there is some controversy over this within the electronic industries. In spite of controversies gold is used in electrical contacts because it is highly resistant to corrosion and it is a non-toxic substance.