Gold processing | Britannica
History. The history of gold extends back at least 6,000 years, the earliest identifiable, realistically dated finds having been made in Egypt and Mesopotamia c. 4000 bc. The earliest major find was located on the Bulgarian shores of the Black Sea near the present city of Varna. By 3000 bc gold rings were used as a method of payment. Until the time of Christ, Egypt remained the centre of gold production.