Does gold have a scent?

[Jeff.L]

Interesting question my 11 yr old daughter brought up. She asked me if gold has a scent, so you could have a dog to find it? I thought it was a great question, that I dont have the answer for.

[mikeg10]

Last time I watched an old episode of Gold Fever they had Snoop Dog the gold sniffin hound. But that's just part of the show I think. I know that lead has a distinct smell as well as iron sometimes. I haven't noticed a smell of gold but from the other two examples it might be possible. Unfortunately I've yet to find a big enough chunk of gold to test! Good question tho!

[TerryC]

I asked that very question here a few years back. If it did, I would have a pack of hounds on the payroll! TTC

[Jason in Enid]

No. It doesn't have a scent.

[dave wiseman]

This has been asked many times on all the gold forums....Some of the oxidized sulphides associated with quartz gold would have a odor.Everyone says it's not possible to train a dog to find gold.I think otherwise.Dosen't mean you'd find a fortune or enough ore to make a mine.

[placertogo]

Remember that locations which catch gold also catch lead, iron, and other heavies. Also, crevices have various organic material in them as well as gold. I expect a dog could be trained to point on scents of those materials and this may lead to gold. Certain plants are known to thrive in gold bearing areas. Again, this may not necessarily be due to presence of the gold itself but to heavy nutrients which are concentrated in the same locations as the gold. There are also plants as well as bacteria which can retain gold as part of the uptake of nutrients. I have done fairly extensive mossing for gold and have found that certain species of moss will collect gold better in a given area than other species of moss. I suppose a dog could be trained to differentiate between these different types of moss using the sense of smell. Also, different plants have different root structures and some roots are better gold holders than others. Again, a dog could be trained to point on certain plants. There is still much unknown about the so called "sixth sense" of both man and animal. Keep an open mind.

[ivan salis]

while gold itself may not have a scent (* being a "noble" metal it does not break down as other metals often do )--lead and silver both oxidize , copper decays (greenish) , iron rusts --metals that gold is often alloyed with when its made into jewelry might * have smells due to them decaying - copper , silver , lead and iron to me do have all have "smell" of decay. ( somewhat) -- and anything that has a "smell" humans can detect , dogs can be trained to find - since their sense of smell is much , much better than a humans.

silver sniffing dogs --why not?-- silver does oxidize (break down ) and that process should give off a odor of sorts.

[ohiochris]

Yeah it has a scent , it smells like dirt

[Marchas45]

Nope! No Scent but "A Gleam In Your Eye"

[GrayCloud]

Gold itself is an inert metal, therefore it emits no odor. Silver is not totally inert and will admit an odor.

[kuger]

I can tell ya that when burning Merc off it smells like burnt almond............whoops!!Yes,I do know...personally

[GrayCloud]

What are we a gonna do with you Kuger?

[kuger]

What are we a gonna do with you Kuger?

Yea,do enough I guess its bound to happen....who needs teeth or hair,or sanity

[mcscs]

smells like money.