The price of gold has risen from $60.35 per ounce in mid-November, 1972, to $91.25 per ounce in mid-April, 1973. The present high price has caused considerable speculation as to the underlying reasons for the sudden increase and what effect it may have on the international monetary situation. This precious metal has been eagerly collected and mined for more than 6,000 years because of its desirable physical qualities and its relative scarcity. Although some economists refer to it as a "barbaric metal," the expanding use of gold in the electronics industry attests to the fact that it is an important contributor to our modern technological society. Because of the present great interest in gold, this issue of The ORE BIN features a wide variety of information on gold, with contributions by mining engineers, economists, and Department staff.