Barnaby worries about Gold

Gold has been mined for more than 6,000 years. The latest estimate for all the gold in the world - the gold above ground, that is - is 171,300 tonnes, which would fit into a cube with sides of just over 20m (67ft). Or, to put it another way, would reach to 9.8m above ground level if exactly covering Wimbledon Centre Court.

The first gold coins were minted in about 550 BC under King Croesus of Lydia - a province in modern-day Turkey - and quickly became accepted payment for merchants and mercenary soldiers around the Mediterranean. Until recently, all the gold that had been mined throughout history was still in existence in the above-ground stock. That means that if you have a gold watch, some of the gold in that watch could have been mined by the Romans 2,000 years ago. The way gold is being used in the technology industry today, however, is different.

The British Geological Survey states that about 12% of current world gold production now finds its way to this sector, where it is often used in such small quantities in each individual product, for example to gold plate electrical terminals, that it may no longer be economical to recycle it.

In short, gold may be being "consumed" for the first time and may eventually run out.

Of course you can consume Barnaby's ebooks as often as you like with no fear that they will ever run out. In fact, you could visit www.barnaby-wilde.co.uk right now and download another copy. Some of them are even 'Free' to download.