mineral

Gold-bearing Quartz

Lode Gold in Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Quartz) / 2.5-3 (Gold); Color: Milky white to tan with metallic yellow inclusions; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Structure: Hexagonal (Quartz) / Isometric (Gold); Cleavage: None

Hardness: 7 (Quartz) / 2
Color: Milky white to tan with metallic yellow inclusions
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified February 5, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Quartz) / 2.5-3 (Gold); Color: Milky white to tan with metallic yellow inclusions; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Structure: Hexagonal (Quartz) / Isometric (Gold); Cleavage: None

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal processes where hot, mineral-rich fluids circulate through crustal fractures, depositing silica and gold during cooling; common in Precambrian and Paleozoic metamorphic belts.

Uses & applications

Primary source for industrial gold mining, jewelry (gold-in-quartz cabochons), and high-value mineral specimen collecting.

Geological facts

Quartz is the most common 'host' for primary gold deposits. The California Gold Rush was largely driven by the discovery of these 'mother lodes' in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Field identification & locations

Identify by looking for distinct metallic yellow flecks that don't shatter when poked with a needle (unlike pyrite). Commonly found in riverbeds or near mountain quartz veins in California, Alaska, and Australia.

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