Perhaps one of the most popular elements that many can’t wait to get their hands on is gold. Gold is a chemical element with yellow metallic characteristics and is often valued due to its rarity, flexibility, ability to conduct electricity, corrosion resistance, and more.
When you ask people how you could get gold, they’ll often say that you can get it from a mining company, stream, or even find it in seawater. But the truth is, the origin of gold is quite impressive as it predates the formation of the earth.
If you’re curious to learn more about gold—its origin, process, and how they’re formed, read on. In this article, we’ll give you a closer look into the mysteries of gold so you have an idea of how these rare valuables are formed.
How is Gold Formed?
- Scientists believe that gold was formed way before the earth was formed, all of which occurred in supernovae and neutron star collisions.
- It is believed that the gold sank deeper into the earth’s core and most of which is accessible today only through asteroid collisions.
- You cannot produce gold using alchemy and chemistry since chemicals cannot change the composition of atoms.
What is Natural Gold Formation?
While it is known that the Sun can create many elements, it cannot synthesize gold. This is because you need a considerable amount of energy to gold, and it only happens when a star explodes due to a supernova or when neutron stars collide.
When a star burns through its nuclear fuel, it exhausts and loses its mass through a process called stellar winds. These winds carry the elements, including gold, made by the star until they form another star.
How Much Gold is in the World?
It is believed that we’ve only extracted a tiny fraction of gold from its total mass. In 2016, according to the United States Geological Survey, there seem to be 5,726,000,000 troy ounces that had been produced since the beginning of civilization. And you’d be surprised to know that about 8% of this gold remains in circulation.
Can You Create Gold?
Countless alchemists have tried to turn lead and other elements into gold. But of course, these pursuits were unsuccessful because no chemical reaction could change one element to another kind.
In essence, chemical reactions happen when electrons are transferred between elements, producing other ions and elements. However, the number of protons in the atom defines an element, and with gold, it has about 79 protons.
With that said, no one has ever created gold with existing elements, and only the cosmos—or the stars, rather—can create this incredible and valuable element.
The Bottom Line: It’s Worth Knowing How Gold is Formed to Understand Its Rarity
Gold is considered a valuable and rare element today because no one on earth could alter it from its original form. Only when a star explodes or collides with another will we get to have gold in its purest form.
If you want to get a hold of this rare element, it’s worth checking mining companies and learning more about how these elements are formed and understanding their origin and process.
How Can We Help You?
Newfoundland Gold strives to grow your awareness of the companies that take charge of mineral exploration and mining projects throughout the Land of Opportunity.
With our help, we encourage you to explore Newfoundland mining companies and see what we can do to help you innovate. Learn more about our products and services today!
