In What Soil Is Gold Found?

Gold, which makes up about three billionths of the Earth's outer layer and is therefore a very rare substance, has been considered one of the most valuable natural resources throughout history. For this reason, from past to present, humanity has always had a great interest in gold, and this interest continues today.

Humans have constantly sought to find gold that has been considered valuable by nearly every civilization. As a result of these studies, they developed many ways to find this precious metal. It has always been the most important point to follow the plants and the soil, in short, nature. 

The precious metal, called gold, is mostly found in small flakes or thin strips in rocks instead of large pieces. While the gold in the rocks is almost always found in pure form, the large pieces of gold are called bullion and the small pieces are called gold dust.

What Color Does Gold Come From Soil?

Soil color or changes in soil color can be helpful in finding gold. Intense iron-containing soils are mostly yellow or red tones. These soils can also be black in color when the iron is not oxidized. Gold can also be found in soils with iron or other heavy metals. Also, some soils or rocks may have a lighter color than the surrounding soil or rocks due to acid from underground sediment deposits. This gives a clue that the gold may be near that rock or soil.

What Type of Soil Does Gold Occur?

The first soil type that comes to mind when gold is mentioned is 'black sand'. Although it cannot be said that there is definitely gold in the place where there is black sand, it is known that this soil type contains many minerals and heavy metals. Since gold is one of the heaviest metals, the soils most sought after by gold seekers are black sand. Soils containing volcanic ash and red soils, which are mostly seen in deserts, are also the lands that gold seekers often look for. 

Although gold can be found in many rock types, it is mostly found in quartz rocks. As important as this may seem, the quartz rocks are so abundant that more information is needed. Therefore, looking at quartz known as dirty or rotten will increase the probability of finding gold. In addition, brown or orange pieces in dirty quartz are a sign of being close to gold. One of the characteristics of dirty quartz is that it is brittle. Dirty quartz rocks can be easily broken with a hammer or shovel. When these rocks are broken, thin strips of pure gold can be reached.

The points where different types of rocks come into contact are another sign that gold may be nearby. The pressure that arises when different rock types come together at a 90 degree angle and the high temperatures resulting from this pressure cause cracks in the rocks. Gold is also liquefied by being exposed to this heat and is pushed towards the surface. In this process, it may cool down gradually and appear in a solid form.