Igolide liyinto yamakhemikhali enophawu i-Au (kusuka esiLatini: i-aurum) nenombolo ye-athomu engu-79, okuyenza ibe ngesinye sezakhi zezinombolo ze-athomu eziphakeme ezenzeka ngokwemvelo. Ifomu elihlanzekile, liyinsimbi ekhanyayo, ephuzi ngokubomvu, ewugqinsi, ethambile, ethambile futhi edayisekayo. Ngokwamakhemikhali, igolide liyinsimbi yokuguquka kanye neqembu le-11 element. Ingenye yezinto ezingasebenzi kakhulu zamakhemikhali futhi iqinile ngaphansi kwezimo ezijwayelekile. Igolide livame ukwenzeka ngesimo samahhala se-elemental (native), njengama-nuggets noma okusanhlamvu, emadwaleni, emithanjeni, naku-deposits alluvial. Kwenzeka ochungechungeni lwesixazululo esiqinile nesici somdabu sesiliva (njenge-electrum), esihlanganiswa ngokwemvelo nezinye izinsimbi ezifana nethusi ne-palladium kanye nokufakwa kwamaminerali okufana ne-pyrite. Ngaphansi kokujwayelekile, kwenzeka kumaminerali njengamakhemikhali egolide, imvamisa ane-tellurium (ama-tellurides egolide). Igolide limelana nama-asidi amaningi, yize lichitheka ku-aqua regia (ingxube ye-nitric acid ne-hydrochloric acid), eyakha i-tetrachloroaurate anion encibilikayo. Igolide alincibiliki ku-nitric acid, elincibilikisa izinsimbi zesiliva nezisekelo, impahla osekuyisikhathi eside isetshenziselwa ukucwenga igolide nokuqinisekisa ubukhona begolide ezintweni ezisansimbi, okwenza igama elithi acid test. Igolide lincibilika nasezixazululweni ze-alkaline ze-cyanide, ezisetshenziselwa ukumbiwa kwezimayini nokuqothulwa kwamandla kagesi.