246 METALS. 81. Aurum. 
81. AURUM. Of a reddifli-yellow colour 
tarniflied by the air, fofcifli and very tenacioiis> 
not fonorous, exceedingly malleable and duftil^* 
fpecific gravity 19,300; burning in a red heat 
with a fea-green light, and melting at a white 
heat: Ibluble only in nitro-muriatic acid and 
giving the fohition a yellow colour: when melt- 
ed with borax producing a ruby-coloured glafs* 
Gold- 
vativum. Not combined with other minerals, very ponderous, duc- 
tile, vifible in its matrix. 
Aurum nudum. Syn. nat. xii. 3,^. 151. ». t. 
Aurum nativum. Wall. jyft. a. p. 335. n. i. 
Native gold. Phihf.Tranf. 1796.^.45. 
Native gold. Kirncan ?nrner'. 2. p 93. Schinetjjcr 2. p. 23. 
Native gold, ^humjon chem. 4./. 21. 
Native gold. So’u.crSy Brit. min. 1 1 1 1. r. 32. 
pound in the hand of a ttreain flowing from mo" utGrogian reaf 
Arkknx) in the county of Wicklcnu in Ireland, in Corn-wall 
Scotland, in the mines of Pe-u ar.d Chili, Ne-w Spain, 
Siberia, ’Granjylvama, Spain, Hungary, France, and my*" 
countries qI Europe, generally near the furface or mixed wiw 
fand in the beds of rivers : it is rarely found quite pure, bu^ 
almoft always mixed with filver, copf)er, or other fubftances> 
giving more or Icfs variation to its appearance or colour : 
form is generally common, or imbedded in its matrix in v*' 
rious lhapes ; foraeiimes it has decufl'ating grooves on its fuf' 
face, or is cellular or plumofe, or rcfembling teeth, branche^j 
briilles or hairs: in its cryllallized Hate it is ufually in fman 
aggregate b-lided tables with a right-angled 4-lidcd P'''^^ 
ending in a p-;int or teiminated at each end by an imperfect 
4-fided prifinj in cubes, or fimple 3-fided or double 4-iidc‘^ 
pyramids ; it has no perceptible taile or fmell, and docs no^ 
alter or Jofc its luftre by any expofurc to the air or watef- 
its malleability is fuch, that one grain of gold may be beaten 
fo thin as to cover 56^ fquarc inches; lb malleable, that a® 
ounce of gold upon filver wire is capable pf being extended 
niore than 1300 miles; and fo great is its tenacity, that* 
gold wire 0,078 inch in diameter is able to fupporc a weigb^ 
of 1 5,007 pounds avoirdupoife without breaking. The largeH 
lump of native gold known was brought tiom Wicklo-w, 
weighed 22 ounces ; and contained in 24 parts, fine gold 2I9* 
fine filyer ij, copper and iron alloy pj. 
