Editing Native gold

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'''Native gold''' is the only [[ore]] of [[gold]], a precious [[metal]]. Native gold is very common in [[stone layers|igneous layers]], a bit less in [[sedimentary layer]]s.

When mined, hunks of native gold are called ''gold nuggets''. Gold nuggets can be [[smelter|smelted]] to produce 4 gold [[bar]]s. Gold nuggets can also be smelted with a [[silver]]-bearing ore to create the [[alloy]] [[electrum]]. Using low-value silver ores ([[galena]] and [[tetrahedrite]]) in this reaction will result in a net value increase for your fortress (electrum bars are each less valuable than gold bars, but you will have twice as many total bars). 

Native gold is just as valuable as metallic gold, so if you have a decently skilled stonecrafter and did not start your metal industry yet, native gold [[mug]]s are very good to quickly boost the value of your starting fortress and/or buy stuff from an early caravan. However, melting the gold will make far more bars and generally more wealth.

=== In Real Life ===

Native gold is not technically an ore; it's merely chunks of mostly pure metallic gold, naturally formed.  As gold is an extremely unreactive metal, this is by far the most common form in which gold is found in nature.

[[File:Gold (Portland Mine, Cripple Creek, Colorado, USA) (17017274056).jpg|thumb|center|300px|Native gold.]]

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