Gold is a soft metal that can be easily bent and hammered without breaking. Au, the symbol for gold, comes from the Latin word aurum which means gold. Gold is known as the Noble Metal because it does not rust or tarnish.
Gold is measured in troy ounces, a measurement which originated in Troye, France which was an important trading center in the twelfth century. One troy ounce is 1.097 ounces.
The purity of gold is described in the Karat System in which 100% pure gold is 24 Karat, 75% is 18 Karat, and 41.6% is 10 Karat.
Gold was first discovered in Montana in 1858 at Gold Creek near the present-day town of Deer Lodge. In 1862 there was a major gold strike on Grasshopper Creek which resulted in the boom town of Bannack. In 1865, Bannack became the territorial capital and today it is a ghost town managed as a state park.
Pyrite
Pyrite has a shiny, brass-yellow color that has often fooled people into thinking that it is gold. Pyrite is harder than gold and, unlike gold, pyrite is not malleable.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of museum exhibits. More from this series:
Mineral Museum: Montana Minerals (Photo Diary)
Mineral Museum: Bisbee Copper Minerals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Nevada City Assay Office (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Gems and Minerals as Art (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: California Gems and Minerals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: South American Gems and Minerals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Gold (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Some Minerals (Photo Diary)