Mark, Amanda, and I went to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science yesterday for the special GOLD exhibit. I have a longstanding affinity for yellow gold, only affirmed by my discovery that though platinum clutters our jewelry stores, yellow gold is first in the rest of the world (and history). Besides a bracelet from Barbados and a ring from Nantucket, I added 22K earrings to my collection my second day in India, while I was still doing currency conversions at half-price. Whoops. Since it is a science museum, though they had collection of gold wealth through the ages, we learned 90% of gold that's been taken from the earth has come since 1848, and 40% of that from S. Africa. All the gold refined throughout history would fit in 60 tractor trailers (semi-trucks). It is now extracted at the ratio of one ounce to 3 tons ore, leeched in molecular form with cyanide and mercury. You can imagine the health and environmental hazards. 14K is 56% gold.
IMAX was our special add-on. Producers of the 1996 Everest film have made a new film, The Alps, telling the story of one John Harlin intent on climbing the same north face route of Swiss Eiger that claimed his father's life when Harlin was nine. It was cooked for emotional effectiveness, marinated in music by Queen, but stunning in IMAX format, just stunning.
1 comment:
A beautiful photo, Hannah! Thanks for sharing all of our nerdy gold information. It was a great day--thanks for joining us! I'm glad you keep adding to your jewelry collection--remember, 78% of the yearly gold supply goes toward jewelry!
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