Friday, June 17, 2005 More information, please posted at 2:59 PM Japan firm claims world's largest gold bullion bar Japan's Mitsubishi Materials Corp. says it has produced the world's biggest gold bullion bar, a 250-kg block worth about $3.44 billion at current prices. How? Through alchemy? I mean, did they artificially create gold in a laboratory, or is it just extremely difficult to get existing gold to form into a bar? Yes, I really am this ignorant! Comments I'd say the problems are probably in the pouring of the gold and in thermal transfer from the mold. That much liquid gold is likely going to try to cool in smaller chunks. All metals are micro crystalline in molecular structure. A large puddle of cooling liquid metal will freezw in such away that it froms numerous shear planes, and will tend to fracture when moved. Metal casting is largely about molding the liquid in such a way as to reduce or eliminate this shear plane formation. They do similar things with Jet engine turbines, because the blades spin so fast that a fault in casting, like a shear plane, would tear the blade apart at operating speed. By  Sam? at Friday, June 17, 2005 3:43:00 PM   Thanks, Sam?! (Seriously, are you confused about whether or not you are actually Sam, or are you trying to use special characters?) By  Heather Meadows at Friday, June 17, 2005 4:17:00 PM   I'm alternating between ? and ! until I find something better. By  Sam! at Friday, June 17, 2005 5:27:00 PM   Post a Comment

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