Scientists find seismic role in formation of large gold nuggets

Forces unleashed by quakes squeeze quartz enough to generate electric fields, driving formation of deposits

Chunky gold nuggets tend to form far underground along fracture lines that run through quartz, but the reason why has never been nailed down.

Now, scientists have proposed an explanation for the effect: the immense forces unleashed by earthquakes squeeze quartz enough to generate electric fields, which in turn drive the formation of the precious deposits.