The prospector and miner both take advantage of the differences to find and separate the gold, Attributes of Gold Gold is very valuable. That is why most people devote so much thought and energy to it's exploration and exctraction. Gold has served as a form of money for thousands of years. Coins and currency have come and gone, but gold has remained valuable throughout time. Alaska is rich in gold.
Gold is also shiney, making identification easy.
Once you have seen natural gold, it is easy to recognize thereafter. Gold is softer than other rocks. It doesn't rust or oxidize. Normal acids won't dissolve it. All of these things are true, but they don't help the miner or prospector.