Native element prized since prehistory. Extremely malleable and ductile; one ounce can be drawn into 80 km of wire. Color: Golden yellow. Luster: Metallic. Streak: Golden yellow. Cleavage: None. Hardness: 2.5-3. Transparency: Opaque. Crystal system: Isometric Cubic. Chemical formula: Au. Specific gravity: 19.3. Formation: Forms in hydrothermal quartz veins, placer deposits, and epithermal gold systems. Common geological settings: South Africa, Australia, USA, Canada, China; found in quartz veins and alluvial/placer deposits. Common look-alikes and related entries: Pyrite, Chalcopyrite, Mica flakes.
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These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
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GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:37:06.742295+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
Native element prized since prehistory. Extremely malleable and ductile; one ounce can be drawn into 80 km of wire.
How can you identify Gold?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Golden yellow; lustre: Metallic; streak: Golden yellow; Mohs hardness: 2.5-3; cleavage: None; crystal system: Isometric Cubic; transparency: Opaque. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Gold form?
Forms in hydrothermal quartz veins, placer deposits, and epithermal gold systems.
Where is Gold commonly found?
South Africa, Australia, USA, Canada, China; found in quartz veins and alluvial/placer deposits.
What is Gold commonly confused with?
Gold may be confused with Pyrite, Chalcopyrite, Mica flakes. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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