Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

Gold

2026-06-24T06:25:57Z

Yostomabagel: Add link to first mention of value.

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{Metal
|name=Gold
|sample=
[[File:GoldSample.png|256px|center|frameless]]
|color=6:6:1
|graphic=gold_bar_sprite.png
|uses=
* Make [[black bronze]] at [[smelter]]
* Make [[electrum]] at [[smelter]]
* Make [[rose gold]] at [[smelter]]
* [[Metalsmith's forge|Metal crafting]]
|ore=
* [[File:ore_gold_sprite.png]] [[Native gold]]
|properties=
* [[Material value]] 30☼
* [[Material science|Impact strength]] 350 MPa
* [[Material science|Shear strength]] 100 MPa
{{firemagmasafe|yes|no}}
* [[Melting point]] {{ct|11915}}
* [[Boiling point]] {{ct|15141}}
* [[Ignition point]] none
* [[Solid density]] 19320 kg/m³
* Liquid [[density]] 17310 kg/m³
* [[Specific heat]] 129 J/kg·K
* [[Color]] gold
}}{{av}}

'''Gold''' is a high-value, relatively common [[metal]]. It has the fourth-highest [[Item value|value]] of any metal, tied with [[steel]]. The only [[ore]] of gold is [[native gold]], which yields '''gold nuggets''' when mined. Each gold nugget can be turned into four gold [[bar]]s at a [[smelter]] or [[magma smelter]] by a dwarf with the [[furnace operating]] labor enabled. Gold is [[fire-safe]] but is ''not'' [[magma safe]].

Gold may be combined with other metals at a smelter or magma smelter to form several [[alloy]]s:

* [[Black bronze]] = Gold + [[Silver]] + 2× [[Copper]]
* [[Electrum]] = Gold + [[Silver]]
* [[Rose gold]] = 3× Gold + [[Copper]]

None of the gold alloys have a greater material value than gold itself, but may prove useful if gold is particularly scarce on a map. Further, if gold nuggets (material value 30) are smelted directly with a low-value [[silver]] ore such as [[galena]] (material value 5) or [[tetrahedrite]] (material value 3), it will produce eight bars of [[electrum]] (material value 20) for a net gain in total value.

Refining gold nuggets produces 4 bars, which can result in significantly increased value compared to the original nuggets. However, in some cases, it may be advantageous to make furniture directly from gold ore, since it requires no [[fuel]] and uses a labor, [[Stone carver|stone carving]], that is more easily trained than [[blacksmithing]]. Native gold furniture may also be useful to satisfy a [[noble]]'s [[Noble#Needs|needs]] for their own specific, high-value rooms. To use native gold for furniture and the like, you should place a stone [[stockpile]] allowing only native gold near your [[Mason's workshop]] (native gold furniture, blocks, etc.), [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]] (native gold crafts), or [[Mechanic's workshop]] (native gold mechanisms) and enable "gold nuggets" ('''not''' "gold") using the {{menu icon|y}}: <tt>Stone use</tt> menu. To avoid wasting gold nuggets, assign your stockpile to 'give' only to one specific workshop, and disable non-economic use upon completion.

Note that a dwarf who has a [[preference]] for gold metal will not be particularly impressed by items crafted from native gold nuggets, and vice-versa.

Gold cannot be used to make weapons or armor directly, but can be used for [[artifact]]s. Gold armor will protect poorly; maybe half as well as [[bronze]] (due to lower impact fracture/yield ratio). For weapons, edged attacks will perform even worse than [[silver]] (due to lower shear fracture), while blunt attacks will have less than 1% more momentum than silver (despite having almost twice the [[density]]), and the extra weight will exhaust the wielder faster.

====History====
Gold used to be one of the three metals (with [[copper]] and [[silver]]) used to mint [[Currency|coins]] for the dwarven [[economy]], and has the highest value of the three.

<gallery widths=253px>
File:Gold.jpg|A gold bar.
</gallery>

{{Translation
| dwarven = limul
| elvish = ithi
| goblin = ongong
| human = abli
}}

{{gamedata}}
{{metals}}

Gold

2026-06-24T06:24:19Z

Yostomabagel: Minor prose adjustment; remove "in fact" aside.

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{Metal
|name=Gold
|sample=
[[File:GoldSample.png|256px|center|frameless]]
|color=6:6:1
|graphic=gold_bar_sprite.png
|uses=
* Make [[black bronze]] at [[smelter]]
* Make [[electrum]] at [[smelter]]
* Make [[rose gold]] at [[smelter]]
* [[Metalsmith's forge|Metal crafting]]
|ore=
* [[File:ore_gold_sprite.png]] [[Native gold]]
|properties=
* [[Material value]] 30☼
* [[Material science|Impact strength]] 350 MPa
* [[Material science|Shear strength]] 100 MPa
{{firemagmasafe|yes|no}}
* [[Melting point]] {{ct|11915}}
* [[Boiling point]] {{ct|15141}}
* [[Ignition point]] none
* [[Solid density]] 19320 kg/m³
* Liquid [[density]] 17310 kg/m³
* [[Specific heat]] 129 J/kg·K
* [[Color]] gold
}}{{av}}

'''Gold''' is a high-value, relatively common [[metal]]. It has the fourth-highest value of any metal, tied with [[steel]]. The only [[ore]] of gold is [[native gold]], which yields '''gold nuggets''' when mined. Each gold nugget can be turned into four gold [[bar]]s at a [[smelter]] or [[magma smelter]] by a dwarf with the [[furnace operating]] labor enabled. Gold is [[fire-safe]] but is ''not'' [[magma safe]].

Gold may be combined with other metals at a smelter or magma smelter to form several [[alloy]]s:

* [[Black bronze]] = Gold + [[Silver]] + 2× [[Copper]]
* [[Electrum]] = Gold + [[Silver]]
* [[Rose gold]] = 3× Gold + [[Copper]]

None of the gold alloys have a greater material value than gold itself, but may prove useful if gold is particularly scarce on a map. Further, if gold nuggets (material value 30) are smelted directly with a low-value [[silver]] ore such as [[galena]] (material value 5) or [[tetrahedrite]] (material value 3), it will produce eight bars of [[electrum]] (material value 20) for a net gain in total value.

Refining gold nuggets produces 4 bars, which can result in significantly increased value compared to the original nuggets. However, in some cases, it may be advantageous to make furniture directly from gold ore, since it requires no [[fuel]] and uses a labor, [[Stone carver|stone carving]], that is more easily trained than [[blacksmithing]]. Native gold furniture may also be useful to satisfy a [[noble]]'s [[Noble#Needs|needs]] for their own specific, high-value rooms. To use native gold for furniture and the like, you should place a stone [[stockpile]] allowing only native gold near your [[Mason's workshop]] (native gold furniture, blocks, etc.), [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]] (native gold crafts), or [[Mechanic's workshop]] (native gold mechanisms) and enable "gold nuggets" ('''not''' "gold") using the {{menu icon|y}}: <tt>Stone use</tt> menu. To avoid wasting gold nuggets, assign your stockpile to 'give' only to one specific workshop, and disable non-economic use upon completion.

Note that a dwarf who has a [[preference]] for gold metal will not be particularly impressed by items crafted from native gold nuggets, and vice-versa.

Gold cannot be used to make weapons or armor directly, but can be used for [[artifact]]s. Gold armor will protect poorly; maybe half as well as [[bronze]] (due to lower impact fracture/yield ratio). For weapons, edged attacks will perform even worse than [[silver]] (due to lower shear fracture), while blunt attacks will have less than 1% more momentum than silver (despite having almost twice the [[density]]), and the extra weight will exhaust the wielder faster.

====History====
Gold used to be one of the three metals (with [[copper]] and [[silver]]) used to mint [[Currency|coins]] for the dwarven [[economy]], and has the highest value of the three.

<gallery widths=253px>
File:Gold.jpg|A gold bar.
</gallery>

{{Translation
| dwarven = limul
| elvish = ithi
| goblin = ongong
| human = abli
}}

{{gamedata}}
{{metals}}