certain __________ metals like gold are found as pure metals rather than ores in the earth. complete the sentence.

The completed sentence is: Certain unreactive metals like gold are found as pure metals rather than ores in the earth. This is because metals such as gold have low reactivity and resist corrosion and oxidation over geological time, allowing them to occur in their native or pure metallic form naturally. These native metals can be found as nuggets, flakes, or wires within rock or sediments, unlike most metals which are found as compounds or ores. Other metals that can be found as native metals include silver, copper, and platinum group metals, but gold is the most common example of a metal found in pure form due to its chemical stability and resistance to weathering.