Earthquakes making gold nuggets in quartz veins

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... Here we use quartz deformation experiments and piezoelectric modelling to investigate whether piezoelectric discharge from quartz can explain the ubiquitous gold–quartz association and the formation of gold nuggets. We find that stress on quartz crystals can generate enough voltage to electrochemically deposit aqueous gold from solution as well as accumulate gold nanoparticles. ...

Gold nugget formation from earthquake-induced piezoelectricity in quartz - Nature Geoscience

Quartz emits a piezoelectric charge during deformation that may promote the formation of gold nuggets within veins in orogenic settings that experience earthquakes, according to a study using quartz deformation experiments and piezoelectric modelling.

www.nature.com

So gold nuggets should be found wherever quartz veins exist in earthquake hot zones. I guess that explains Califonia gold rush?

 

[Voodoo]

Interesting.