Newmont Mining Corporation

Gold is a rare metal. Its chemical symbol Au, is named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn. The purity of gold is described by its fineness in parts per 1,000 or by the carat scale. Pure gold is 24 carat or 1,000 fine.

The price of gold and other precious metals is quoted in terms of troy ounces. The term "troy" is derived from Troyes, France, a major trading city of the Middle Ages. One troy ounce equals 31.1 grams. In 2009, gold breached $1,000 an ounce, and continues to fluctuate.

Besides being a currency, gold has many uses, including:

• Decoration - Gold has been used for ornaments and decoration for more than 5,000 years. Its resistance to corrosion helps it outlast paint.
• Jewelry - Gold was made in jewelry as early as 3,000BC.
• Gold-reflective Glass - Gold reflects heat and is so malleable that it is used to coat glass with a thin film, which lets through light, but not heat. The use of reflective glass has reduced cooling and heating costs by as much as 40 percent in some buildings.
• Electronics - Gold is a very good conductor of electricity, and it doesn't corrode or tarnish at high or low temperatures. It is used in circuits in calculators, television sets, computers, telephones and other electronics.
• Satellites and Communications - Gold is used in satellites as part of their electronic circuits and as a heat shield.
• Aerospace -Because the metal reflects heat, it is used to protect astronauts, satellites and critical electronic components from damage by hazardous x-rays and solar radiation found in space.
• Medicine - Radioactive gold is used to treat several types of cancer. Gold leaf is used to treat chronic ulcers and is used in surgery to patch damaged blood vessels, nerves, bones and membranes.

• Dentistry - Each year, U.S. dentists alone use about 30 tons of gold for crowns, bridges, gold inlays and dentures because of their high resistance to corrosion and tarnish.