A gold bar produced in Western Australia weighing more than 500kg has claimed the Guinness World Records title for the world's largest gold bar.
The Perth Mint created the 521.2kg bar using Australian gold, refined to a 99.999 per cent purity. Raw material were first refined to a series of large gold bars, loaded into a specially designed mould and heated to 1,400°C. After hours of controlled cooling, the record attempt emerged.
The achievement broke the previous world record of 300 kilograms, set by a mint in Dubai two years ago.
The Perth Mint is one the city’s major tourist attractions. Visitors keen to see the mega gold bar up close can do so from late September, available as part of the Gold Tour, which also includes exhibits such as a one tonne gold coin, and a live gold pour.
Mint chief executive Paul Graham said, "Naturally most people work out that the metal price alone is over AUD$100 million (US$70.3 million), but something that unique, it's never been done before.”
The Mint said the spectacle would help showcase the expertise of its local refiners and Australia's gold industry to the world.