Gold
Native Gold · Precious Mineral Specimen and Precious Metal
Crystal System
Cubic (Isometric), typically forming dendritic, wire, or massive aggregates, rarely well-developed octahedral or cubic crystals
Mineral Group
Native Elements
Chemical Formula
Au
Formation Process
Hydrothermal processes involving high-temperature aqueous solutions moving through crustal fractures, precipitating gold alongside quartz and sulfide minerals
About This Crystal
The specimen shows bright, glittering metallic golden yellow flecks and micro-aggregates embedded within a dark, weathered, iron-rich host rock or gossan matrix, exhibiting a brilliant metallic luster and granular to flaky habit
Physical Characteristics
Color is golden yellow with high reflectivity; streak is golden yellow and shiny; cleavage is none; fracture is hackly; specific gravity is extremely high at approximately 19.3 g/cm3; tenacity is malleable, ductile, and sectile; non-magnetic
Optical Properties
Opaque with a high metallic luster; highly reflective with strong yellow to yellowish-white reflectivity; isotropic (singly refractive) in polished section under reflected polarized light
Hardness & Durability
Origin Region
Found globally; major producers include South Africa, Australia, USA (California, Nevada), Canada, and Russia, typically in hydrothermal vein systems and placer deposits
Hardness & Durability
Mohs hardness of 2.5 to 3, very soft and easily scratched by a coin or copper; exceptionally high toughness and durability against chemical corrosion; does not tarnish or oxidize in air
Care & Maintenance
Clean with warm soapy water and a soft cloth; highly resistant to tarnish and acids (except aqua regia); store separately to prevent scratching due to its extreme softness
Rarity & Value
Rare and highly valuable precious metal; value is determined by weight, purity (karat), and aesthetic appeal as a natural mineral specimen; generally untreated in natural specimens
Special Characteristics
Extremely high density, high electrical and thermal conductivity, excellent malleability and ductility, completely inert to most chemical reagents except aqua regia and cyanide solutions
Lore & History
Gold has been prized since antiquity for its beauty, rarity, and incorruptibility, serving as a universal standard of wealth, currency, and royal ornamentation; in metaphysical traditions, it is associated with solar energy, vitality, abundance, and the solar plexus chakra, though these remain traditional beliefs without scientific backing