Gold in the Modern Era

Abstract

The period 1820 to the present has been molded by the consequences of great scientific discoveries and technological developments. The Industrial Revolution, begun in Britain in the latter part of the eighteenth century, spread during the nineteenth century to mainland Europe and to the Americas and other parts of the world. Initially based on the steam engine, that is, on iron and coal, the Industrial Revolution was further stimulated by the development of electrical power, the internal combustion engine, the telegraph, telephone, radio and television, and at the midpoint of the twentieth century by the jet engine and atomic power, all combining to create the vast industrial enterprises and communication and transportation systems familiar to everyone today. In this development geology, especially coal, ore, and petroleum geology, has played an indispensable role.

L’or est de tous les âges. Proust, 1920