The book in scientific and artistic form on the basis of historical documents for the first time tells about Russian gold, the work of the people in gold crafts, discoveries and inventions for gold mining until the middle of the X! X century. The reader will find here information about the creation of the first gold fields based on the discovery by Erofei Markov of indigenous gold in the Urals, about the works of M.V. Lomonosov as an innovator in the gold industry, about the discovery of the Ural steiger L.I. Brusnitsyna, which made it possible to create a new industry - gold mining from placers.