Editing Mali Empire (section)

===Gold===
Mali's wealth in gold did not primarily come from direct rule of gold-producing regions, but rather from tribute and trade with the regions where gold was found.{{sfn|Gomez|2018|p=107–108}} Gold nuggets were the exclusive property of the ''mansa'' and were illegal to trade within his borders. All gold was immediately handed over to the imperial treasury in return for an equal value of gold dust. Gold dust had been weighed and bagged for use at least since the time of the Ghana Empire. Mali borrowed the practice to stem inflation, since it was so prominent in the region. The most common measure for gold within the realm was the ''[[mithqal]]'' (4.5&nbsp;grams of gold).{{sfn|Niane|1959}} This term was used interchangeably with ''[[dinar]]'', though it is unclear if coined currency was used in the empire. Gold dust was used all over the empire, but was not valued equally in all regions.

By the beginning of the 14th century, Mali was the source of almost half the [[Old World]]'s gold exported from mines in [[Bambuk]], [[Siguiri|Boure]] and [[Gajaaga|Galam]].<ref name=peoplesand/> Gold mines in Boure, which is located in present-day Guinea, were discovered sometime near the end of the 12th century.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Blauer |first1=Lauré |last2=Ettagale |first2=Jason |title=Cultures of the World Mali|year=2008 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish, 2008 |isbn=978-0761425687 |page=25 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LlzKroSA3NcC&q=mali+bure&pg=PA25}}</ref>