 |
| Gold Nugget Photo by Rob Lavinsky |
Sample No. | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 |
Color | Gold | Brass-Yellow | Pale Brass/Yellow | Brownish/Gold weathered |
Luster | Metallic | Metallic | Metallic | Glassy |
Crystal System | Isometric | Tetragonal | Isometric | Monoclinic |
Composition | Au +Ag | FeCuS2 | FeS2 | X2Y4–6Z8O20(OH,F)4 |
Form | Nugget | Crystalline | Crystalline | Crystalline |
Hardness | 2.76 | 3.75 Avg. | 6.25 Avg. | 2.25 |
Streak | Gold | Greenish-Black | Greenish-Black | White |
Sp. Gravity | 17.8 Avg. | 4.18 Avg. | 4.9 Avg. | 2.8 |
Cleavage | No | Poor/Indistinct | Poor/Indistinct | Perfect |
Fracture | Hackly | Uneven | Concoidal | Micaeous |
Florescent | No | No | No | No |
Phosphorescent | No | No | No | No |
Sectile | Yes | No | No | No |
Malleable | Yes | No | No | No |
Brittle | No | Yes | Yes | Elastic |
Ferro-Magnetic | No | No | No | No |
Para-Magnetic. | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Non-Magnetic | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Transparent | No | No | No | Yes |
Translucent | No | No | No | No |
Opaque | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Mineral | Gold | Chalcopyrite | Iron Pyrite | Weathered Mica |
As you can see from the chart gold has entirely different characteristics then “fools gold.”
According to Mindat.org gold has a specific gravity ranging from 16 to 19 depending on how pure it is.
Hardness is 2.5 to 3.
