We recommend Barnes and Noble for finding out of print copies like this one. While this information give a general location, it is imperative to understand the nature of gold and natural forces that will effect its location. So, let's start with the properties of gold. Properties of Gold Gold is one of the rarer elements on earth, which is one of the reasons why gold is so highly valued. Obviously, we want to locate for areas of high concentration like mineral deposits.
Gold is an extremely noble metal.
What that means is, gold does not react chemically or electrochemically easily. To dissolve gold takes a solution with a complexing chemical like cyanide, thiourea or chloride and an oxidizing agent like oxygen or nitric acid. Since the conditions necessity to dissolve gold rarely occur in nature, most gold will be found it is native form. Finally, gold is a very dense material. The specific gravity of gold is 19.3, which means that gold is 19.3 times heavier than an equal volume of water.