Gold is attractive for many reasons, not only because of its shine or its worth in the market. Ralph Waldo Emerson once explained that the real purpose of wanting gold is not to have gold. It is done to ensure freedom and benefit for all.” However, that does not fully explain how powerful it is. Gold has led to wars, helped build empires, and caused many people to become obsessed. Because it is rare and strong, gold is seen as a sign of wealth and is also useful due to its non-corrosive, highly conductive, moldable, and durable nature.
Over the years, humans have extracted more than 216,000 tons of gold, which could be made into a cube measuring only 22 meters across. A lot of the gold used today was first used in ancient times. Even so, we have barely explored the ocean’s depths. It has been discovered by scientists at the University of Göttingen that almost all of Earth’s gold is found deep inside the planet’s core. If all the gold in this treasure trove was spread evenly, it would cover the Earth with a layer of gold that is 1.5 feet thick.
What is the reason for its existence? Gold is attracted to iron and easily bonds with it. When Earth was forming 4.5 billion years ago, gold and iron sank into the core. It has remained stuck there all this time.
Still, there is some good news. Studying isotopes in volcanic rocks from Hawaii and Baffin Island, scientists found proof that material from the core is gradually moving upwards. It appears that gold can sometimes be pushed by plumes from the core-mantle boundary into the crust, where we could eventually discover it.
If you want something faster, try asteroid mining. Bodies like Psyche, which contain a lot of precious metals, could be worth quadrillions of dollars in gold and other resources. No matter if we search the universe or rely on Earth’s slow changes, gold is still just as hard to find and just as appealing.
