where does gold come from

Gold originates from cosmic events such as supernova explosions and neutron star collisions, where heavy elements including gold are formed and scattered into space. These gold atoms became part of the gas and dust that formed the solar system, including Earth. During Earth's formation about 4.6 billion years ago, much of the gold sank to the core, but some remained in the mantle and crust, with additional gold delivered by meteorite impacts after the planet formed. On Earth, gold forms primarily via geological processes like hydrothermal activity, where hot mineral-rich fluids deposit gold in veins and cracks deep within the Earth's crust, and magmatic processes related to magma movement. Gold deposits accumulate over millions of years, often found in regions with specific geological conditions such as ancient greenstone belts, volcanic areas, or placer deposits in riverbeds caused by erosion.