mineral
Gold Nugget
Gold (Au)
Hardness: 2.5-3 on Mohs scale; Color: Golden yellow, sometimes reddish or whitish depending on purity and alloyed silver/copper; Luster: Metallic; Crystal System: Isometric (cubic); Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: Very high (19.3 pure)
- Hardness
- 2
- Luster
- Metallic
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Physical properties
Hardness: 2.5-3 on Mohs scale; Color: Golden yellow, sometimes reddish or whitish depending on purity and alloyed silver/copper; Luster: Metallic; Crystal System: Isometric (cubic); Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: Very high (19.3 pure)
Formation & geological history
Forms in hydrothermal veins associated with quartz, often weathered out and deposited in alluvial placer deposits in streams and rivers over millions of years
Uses & applications
Used primarily in jewelry, investment bullion, electronics, and dentistry
Geological facts
Gold is extremely malleable and ductile; a single gram can be drawn into a wire one mile long or beaten into a sheet of one square meter.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its high specific gravity (feels heavy for its size), golden color that does not tarnish or streak black, and malleability rather than brittleness
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