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This article is written in American English with IUPAC spelling (center, color, defense, realize, traveled; aluminium, sulfur and caesium) and some terms may be different or absent from other varieties of English. According to the relevant style guide, this should not be changed without broad consensus.

This  level-3 vital article is rated B-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale. It is of interest to multiple WikiProjects.

Elements Top‑importance This article is supported by WikiProject Elements, which gives a central approach to the chemical elements and their isotopes on Wikipedia. Please participate by editing this article, or visit the project page for more details.ElementsWikipedia:WikiProject ElementsTemplate:WikiProject Elementschemical elements Top This article has been rated as Top-importance on the importance scale. Physics Mid‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Physics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Physics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.PhysicsWikipedia:WikiProject PhysicsTemplate:WikiProject Physicsphysics Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale. Geology Mid‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Geology, an attempt at creating a standardized, informative, comprehensive and easy-to-use geology resource. If you would like to participate, you can choose to edit this article, or visit the project page for more information.GeologyWikipedia:WikiProject GeologyTemplate:WikiProject GeologyGeology Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale. Mining High‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Mining, a collaborative project to organize and improve articles related to mining and mineral industries. If you would like to participate, you can edit the attached article, or visit the project page, where you can see a list of open tasks, join in the discussion, or join the project.MiningWikipedia:WikiProject MiningTemplate:WikiProject MiningMining High This article has been rated as High-importance on the project's importance scale. History Mid‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject History, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of the subject of History on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.HistoryWikipedia:WikiProject HistoryTemplate:WikiProject Historyhistory Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale. Anthropology Low‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Anthropology, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Anthropology on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.AnthropologyWikipedia:WikiProject AnthropologyTemplate:WikiProject AnthropologyAnthropology Low This article has been rated as Low-importance on the importance scale. Economics High‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Economics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Economics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.EconomicsWikipedia:WikiProject EconomicsTemplate:WikiProject EconomicsEconomics High This article has been rated as High-importance on the project's importance scale. Materials Mid‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Materials, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Materials on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.MaterialsWikipedia:WikiProject MaterialsTemplate:WikiProject MaterialsMaterials Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the importance scale. Rocks and minerals Low‑importance Gold is part of WikiProject Rocks and minerals, an attempt at creating a standardized, informative, comprehensive and easy-to-use rocks and minerals resource. If you would like to participate, you can choose to edit this article, or visit the project page for more information.Rocks and mineralsWikipedia:WikiProject Rocks and mineralsTemplate:WikiProject Rocks and mineralsRocks and minerals Low This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale. Craft Mid‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Craft, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of craft on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.CraftWikipedia:WikiProject CraftTemplate:WikiProject CraftCraft Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the importance scale. Finance & Investment Mid‑importance This article is within the scope of WikiProject Finance & Investment, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of articles related to Finance and Investment on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Finance & InvestmentWikipedia:WikiProject Finance & InvestmentTemplate:WikiProject Finance & InvestmentFinance & Investment Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.

Section sizes Section size for Gold (37 sections) Section name Byte count Prose size (words) Header Total Header Total (Top) 6,366 6,366 450 450 Etymology 2,234 2,234 77 77 Characteristics 4,526 11,422 190 745 Color 2,627 2,627 202 202 Isotopes 1,750 4,269 199 353 Synthesis 2,519 2,519 154 154 Chemistry 7,670 13,002 582 877 Rare oxidation states 5,332 5,332 295 295 Origin 13 12,155 0 679 Gold production in the universe 6,688 6,688 373 373 Asteroid origin theories 3,989 3,989 243 243 Mantle return theories 1,465 1,465 63 63 Occurrence 3,652 6,275 368 587 Seawater 2,623 2,623 219 219 History 15,246 22,718 1,344 1,859 Culture 1,541 7,472 179 515 Religion 5,931 5,931 336 336 Production 831 19,397 24 1,098 Mining and prospecting 6,781 6,781 514 514 Extraction and refining 2,502 2,502 179 179 Recycling 1,832 1,832 76 76 Consumption 2,950 2,950 39 39 Pollution 4,501 4,501 266 266 Monetary use 8,962 18,998 829 1,407 Price 1,173 10,036 86 578 History 8,863 8,863 492 492 Other applications 26 21,511 0 1,218 Jewelry 2,172 2,172 232 232 Electronics 4,432 4,432 393 393 Medicine 7,826 7,826 577 577 Cuisine 3,314 3,314 0 0 Miscellanea 3,741 3,741 16 16 Toxicity 4,006 4,006 248 248 See also 599 599 0 0 References 35 35 0 0 Further reading 1,908 1,908 0 0 External links 1,880 1,880 0 0 Total 142,506 142,506 9,245 9,245

	Gold is a former featured article candidate. Please view the links under Article milestones below to see why the nomination was archived. For older candidates, please check the archive.
Article milestones Date Process Result November 21, 2004 Featured article candidate Not promoted January 24, 2022 Good article nominee Not listed
Current status: Former featured article candidate

There is a request, submitted by Catfurball (talk), for an audio version of this article to be created. For further information, see WikiProject Spoken Wikipedia. The rationale behind the request is: Important.

The four main types of gold mining include placer mining, hard-rock mining, byproduct mining, and gold ore processing that can all negatively impact the environment by changing the hydrology of streams, destroying land, and polluting soil and water with toxic chemicals such as mercury and cyanide. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

Gold not reacting with KOH/NaOH in solution or molten state can be debated, typical etching with KOH will take time, visible in nano scales.

This page has over 12k words of prose, per WP:Article size it should be split. I propose to split the history of gold discoveries into History of gold (this would be in agreement with other element articles like History of aluminium). Additional splits might be necessary. ReyHahn (talk) 11:48, 4 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

The article Gallery of gold art and artefacts was created from many images formerly in gold. Not clear if editors will allow this gallery to stand.--Smokefoot (talk) 16:08, 4 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

While the move might have been necessary for the overall size of the article, moving images does not affect prose size.--ReyHahn (talk) 16:10, 4 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Not seeing the need for a split at this time. Jusdafax (talk) 11:30, 13 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Please refer to the WP:SIZERULE. We are over 12k words of prose.--ReyHahn (talk) 10:27, 15 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

This edit request has been answered. Set the |answered= parameter to no to reactivate your request.

i would like to add some images about gold and more information about them Tttjuejfisdifjnsjfis (talk) 10:24, 15 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

 Not done: it's not clear what changes you want made. Please detail the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. jolielover♥talk 12:24, 15 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]