Dating gold artifacts applications for noble gas analyses of gold

Abstract

Native gold contains gases that were incorporated when gold crystallized or that were implanted into the crystal lattice as decay products of uranium, thorium, and potassium. These elements are present in gold as trace elements. The quantity of⁴He produced by U and Th decay depends on the time when gold crystallized and can, thus, be used for detecting mineral fakes and, perhaps, faked ‘objets d’art’. Gold is also present in meteorites. In particular, meteorites, which represent rocks from the martian crust are of interest because magmatic activity and occurrence of liquid water in the past might have resulted in gold enrichment by hydrothermal fluids and water derived sedimentation. It is anticipated that gold deposits will eventually be detected on Mars.