Happy 40th birthday to this lucky, lucky guy. The question on my husband's birthday is always: What do you get for the man who has nothing? My husband isn't a shopper; he buys food and, lately, diapers. He recently declared that he has enough pants to last the rest of his life.
What is Gold? Native gold is an element and a mineral. It is highly prized by people because of its attractive color, resistance to tarnish, and its many special properties - some of which are unique to gold. Its rarity, usefulness, and desirability make it command a high price.
There is a big debate with mineralogists as to the definition of a mineral. In common usage anything from the Earth that is one element is called a native element and not a mineral, eg gold, silver, copper. But lots of scientists say that everything is a mineral. And the majority of these elements are extracted for our use from minerals that are compunds. Rarely do we find native elements in nature. I would suggest you scan the chapter of the text or your notes to find out who is teaching you what.