mineral

Gold-bearing Quartz

Auriferous Quartz (SiO2 with Native Gold inclusion)

Hardness: 7 (Quartz) / 2.5-3 (Gold); Color: Milky to translucent white with rusty iron staining and metallic yellow flecks; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).

Hardness: 7 (Quartz) / 2
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified March 17, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed via hydrothermal processes where mineral-rich hot fluids circulate through cracks in the earth's crust, cooling to deposit silica and precious metals. Often found in orogenic belts and can date from Precambrian to Cenozoic eras.

Uses & applications

Primary source of gold ore for industrial refining; also used for high-end jewelry (gold-in-quartz) and as popular mineral specimens for collectors.

Geological facts

Quartz is the most common host mineral for gold. Historically, 'quartz mining' was the term used during the California Gold Rush to distinguish hard-rock mining from easier placer (river) mining.

Field identification & locations

Identify by looking for 'rusty' iron-oxide staining on white quartz, which indicates mineralization. Look for metallic yellow streaks that do not shatter when poked (malleable). Commonly found in quartz veins within metamorphic rock terrains.

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