Can coal and gold be found in the same place?

[lyn1509]

Specifically, would it be geologically possible to find gold in a coal mine or vice versa?

[Romeo]

Gold and coal cannot be found in among each other - that would not be possible because of the different ways in which coal and gold are formed. But they could possibly be found close to each other, i.e. in the same geographical area.

[Clanad]

I think Romeo's use of the word cannot is to imperative... Partly or wholly decayed organic matter often goes through a stage which creates an activated form of carbon that is known to attract and capture metallic gold.
This is the reason why most coal seams contain small amounts of gold, and so do many peat bog deposits. Even the compacted partly decomposed organic matter underneath swamps have been found to contain unusually pure form of gold. Plants, particularly certain trees, bushes and cat tails, can draw gold out of the soil through their roots. Once inside the plant, the gold is pushed out into the leaves where it can reach concentrations sufficient to be detected and measured by sensitive assay technology.
It is true, however that the nature of most coal deposits tends to make it unlikely that any significant amount of native gold would be released into the environment in spite of carbon-induced concentrations within the coal itself. There are stories about small amounts of placer gold being found in the natural drainage from coal seams, but these deposits are generally not economically sufficient to warrant investment...

[spangle111]

What looks like gold can often be found in coal mines - this is commonly known as fools gold and is, in fact iron pyrites (spelling?). My husband was a miner once upon a time and my  brother still is and this was one of the first pearls of wisdom they brought back from the pit!