Gold
Native Gold · Precious Metal / Collector Mineral
Crystal System
Cubic (Isometric); habit is typically octahedral, dodecahedral, or more commonly irregular arborescent, wire-like, or massive nuggets
Mineral Group
Native Elements
Chemical Formula
Au (may contain trace Ag, Cu, or Fe as alloys)
Formation Process
Primarily Hydrothermal (precipitated from hot fluids in quartz veins) or Sedimentary/Placer (accumulated through weathering and water transport)
About This Crystal
Highly reflective, metallic specimen with a rich buttery yellow to golden color. Features a hackly surface texture with some crystallization visible. Opaque with a bright metallic luster; may show a dark tarnish or be embedded in a rocky matrix.
Physical Characteristics
Color: Gold-yellow; Streak: Golden yellow; Cleavage: None; Fracture: Hackly; Specific Gravity: 15.5–19.3 (very heavy); Magnetism: None; Fluorescence: None
Optical Properties
Opaque (not applicable for refractive index); highly reflective; exhibits typical metallic luster without pleochroism or birefringence
Hardness & Durability
Origin Region
California (USA), Yukon (Canada), Victoria (Australia), Witwatersrand (South Africa); found in hydrothermal quartz veins or alluvial placer deposits
Hardness & Durability
Mohs hardness: 2.5–3; extremely malleable and ductile; high stability except in presence of mercury or aqua regia
Care & Maintenance
Clean with warm soapy water; avoid contact with mercury (which forms an amalgam). Store separately to prevent scratching due to high malleability.
Rarity & Value
Rare to Very Rare in native specimen form; value is primarily determined by spot market price of gold, with significant premiums for well-formed crystalline structures
Special Characteristics
Extreme malleability (can be flattened without breaking) and exceptionally high density/weight for its size
Lore & History
Historically the ultimate symbol of wealth, power, and the sun across almost all ancient civilizations. In traditional lore, it is associated with the solar plexus chakra and believed to represent abundance, vitality, and purification.