When earthquakes squeeze quartz crystals, the mineral generates electricity that attracts gold particles. Pierre Longnus via Getty Images Earthquakes may help prospectors strike gold: When these ...

"Remarkably, the gold had a tendency to deposit on existing gold grains rather than forming new ones." This is because, while quartz is an electrical insulator, gold is a conductor. Once some gold is ...

Humanity’s fascination with gold stretches back thousands of years. Gold mining is described in ancient Greek and Roman sources, and gold rushes – especially in the 19th century – played a powerful ...