Gold is one of man's favorite minerals. For thousands of years people have wanted to have this mineral. It is valuable because it is a beautiful shiny metal, it has many uses and it is hard to find. Because of these things, people are willing to pay large amounts of money for this mineral.

Gold is a fairly soft metal that can be easily shaped, or malleable. It is a very heavy mineral that is yellow with a bright metallic luster. Luster is the way a rock or mineral reflects light.