Gold is a precious metal that has been present since the creation of our planet. It was created in the universe by a collision of neutron stars and thus ended up in the molten core of the earth.

 

 

Where does gold come from?

The story behind where gold comes from is absolutely fascinating; scientists believe that gold was produced by supernova nucleosynthesis and the collision of neutron stars. It would have been present in the dust from which the solar system was formed. Because the Earth was molten when it formed, almost all the gold present in the early Earth likely sank into the planetary core.
Gouden halsketting - Gouden juwelen zijn zeer kostbaar.

How does it come to exist?

Gold is at least as old as our planet, but it wasn't made here. The production of gold requires fusion reactions in the core of stars. For that, the star must be sufficiently heavy, with a mass over 8 times that of the sun. These large stars die in an explosion or supernova in which heavy metals are formed. Then dust particles containing tiny pieces of gold are catapulted into space. Those dust particles end up in the clumping matter around a star that forms a planet.



So, all the gold on Earth was created when a large star exploded and the dust particles entered the gravitational field of our sun when the planets in our solar system were formed.

Discover the BAUNAT gold jewellery collection

How do other types of gold form?

Gouden halsketting - Gouden juwelen zijn zeer kostbaar.
We mix gold with other materials to make it stronger and turn it into jewellery. By doing so, we create three different kinds of gold: yellow gold, white gold and

red gold. They all consist of the same kind of the same type of yellow gold at the base. Then we add other materials to get the colours white gold and red gold. With white gold, we add an alloy with palladium, silver or zinc, which gives the jewellery a white colour. With red gold, we add an alloy with copper and zinc and the jewellery takes on a light red-pink colour.

Read more about the types of gold

Most gold is found in America, Canada, Australia, China, Russia or South Africa.

Where can gold be found?

Gold is one of the most precious commodities on our planet. It sits in thin layers deep underground and is mined in the form of raw chunks or grit. Gold can also be extracted from water streams or from the beds of rivers. The water always rubs off a piece of the soil or rocks, in that sludge there can be small grains or nuggets of gold. In places where the river flows more slowly, the gold grains sink to the river bed.



Raw gold is melted and poured into certain shapes, for example ingots. As the gold cools, it hardens again and settles to the mould. We can then make shapes and jewellery with it.



Gold is mainly found in areas where earthquakes often occur or where there is volcanic activity. During an earthquake, the pressure in the rock along the fault can briefly drop, causing the water in the rock to evaporate in a fraction of a second. Substances that are dissolved in the water, such as gold and silicates, then precipitate. Gold veins can be formed in this way, although it can take up to a hundred thousand years.



You can find small gold flakes all over the world, but it is not equally distributed everywhere. The areas in which real gold prospectors have the greatest success are located in  America, Canada, Australia, China, Russia and South Africa. Enormous lumps of 10 kilograms have already been taken out of the ground there.



Looking for a beautiful gold jewellery or a ring? In the BAUNAT collections you are guaranteed to find a piece that is perfect for you.

Learn more about precious metals

Gold is at least as old as our planet, but originated in the universe. Besides gold, there are several other precious metals, the best known of which are silver and platinum. Others are ruthenium, osmium, iridium, palladium and rhodium. Precious metals are metals that are not or only slightly subject to oxidation. They occur in nature and barely react with other substances. This means that precious metals will not rust and are resistant to certain acids.


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