Geologists: Quartz and Earthquakes Can Form Giant Gold Nuggets

Humanity's long-standing fascination with gold spans millennia. Ancient Greek and Roman texts detail gold mining practices, and gold rushes, particularly in the 19th century, significantly influenced the modern world. This dense, lustrous metal is frequently found in quartz veins, as both minerals precipitate from hot, underground fluids due to variations in temperature, pressure, and chemical composition.

While the process of gold and quartz formation is well-understood, the mystery of how large gold nuggets form remains intriguing. Gold dissolves in natural fluids at a very low concentration—around one part per million. So, how does it accumulate into massive nuggets weighing tens or even hundreds of kilograms?

Recent research published in Nature Geoscience provides a possible explanation involving the unique electrical properties of quartz and the effects of seismic activity. Quartz is a piezoelectric material, meaning it generates an electric charge in response to mechanical stress, such as compression or stretching. This property is relatively rare among minerals, with quartz being the most common example.

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Under seismic stress, quartz generates piezoelectric voltages that can draw gold from surrounding fluids. The study found that gold deposits onto quartz surfaces and forms nanoparticles. Interestingly, gold tends to clump onto existing gold grains rather than the quartz itself. This is due to quartz's role as an electrical insulator, whereas gold conducts electricity. The electric potential from the quartz attracts additional gold to existing gold grains, similar to industrial gold-plating processes.

This laboratory observation aligns with geological findings. Significant gold nuggets have been discovered in quartz veins where gold-bearing fluids flow through faults in earthquake-prone regions. The piezoelectric effect of quartz during seismic activity could lead to the extraction of gold from these fluids. As the process continues, the deposited gold attracts more gold, resulting in larger nuggets over time.

Over millions of years, this repetitive process may contribute to the formation of exceptionally large gold nuggets found in quartz veins. While this explanation is not exhaustive, it sheds light on one of the factors influencing the formation of these extraordinary geological specimens.