Native gold (Au) is the metallic element in its pure crystalline form — the most prized of all collector metals. Gold occurs as wire, leaf, dendrite, octahedral, and crystalline aggregates in hydrothermal quartz veins, alluvial placer deposits, and orogenic shear zones. The Witwatersrand (South Africa), Carlin (Nevada), and Yangshan (Gansu) belts are major modern producers.
Key Facts
- Mohs hardness 2.5–3 — very soft.
- Isometric; cubic and octahedral crystals are rare collector pieces.
- Specific gravity 19.3 — among the densest natural materials.
- Highly malleable and ductile; chemically inert.
- Forms wire, leaf, dendrite, and crystalline habits in quartz veins.
Notable Localities
Round Mountain (Nevada), Eagle’s Nest (California), and Hartberg (Romania) yield iconic gold crystals. Yangshan (Gansu) and Jiaodong (Shandong) host Chinese deposits.
Found at these Localities
- Bou Azzer District (布·阿扎尔钴矿区)
- Kalgoorlie–Boulder (卡尔古利金碲矿)
- Săcărâmb (Nagyág) (萨卡拉姆布金碲矿)
- Ouro Preto Region (欧鲁普雷图矿区)
- Cripple Creek District (克里普尔克里克金矿区)
- Xiaoqinling Gold Field (小秦岭金矿田)
