Mineral

Gold-Bearing Quartz

Auriferous Quartz (SiO2 with native Au)

Hardness: 7 (quartz), 2.5-3 (gold); Color: Milky white to translucent grey quartz with blue-grey tinting from sulfides, featuring yellowish metallic gold flecks and rusty iron oxides; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (Trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).

Hardness: 7 (quartz), 2
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified March 24, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal processes where hot, mineral-rich fluids circulate through crustal fractures, typically during orogenic (mountain-building) events. Most significant deposits are Precambrian or Paleozoic in age.

Uses & applications

Primarily mined for gold extraction. High-quality specimens are used in the jewelry industry as 'gold quartz' stones or kept as collection pieces due to their aesthetic and intrinsic value.

Geological facts

Quartz is the most common gangue mineral associated with gold. The presence of 'rusty' iron staining (limonite) often indicates that sulfides have oxidized, which can be a key indicator for prospectors that gold may be present within the vein.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by looking for 'vuggy' quartz with heavy staining or visible metallic inclusions that do not tarnish. It is commonly found in lode deposits in regions like California (USA), Ontario (Canada), Western Australia, and South Africa.

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