Significant metal working and mining appears to have started at least 7,000 BCE with copper and lead - both (once) appear in surface | near surface deposits that can be chased back and are relatively easy to smash out and cold work when (near) 'pure'.
Ready to work gold nuggets are what they are and are rarer to find.
Metal work evolved with mining, chasing surface veins back, and this started in a significant way for first lead|copper, then tin, then other metals.
There's a recognised pre Bronze "Copper Age", then Bronze, then Iron.
Gold is shiny, beyond that it has a limited utility until the age of electronics; it's a bit soft for weapons or armour, a bit rare for sealing pipes, a bit non reactive for easy chemisty^H Alchemy, etc.
Ready to work gold nuggets are what they are and are rarer to find.
Metal work evolved with mining, chasing surface veins back, and this started in a significant way for first lead|copper, then tin, then other metals.
There's a recognised pre Bronze "Copper Age", then Bronze, then Iron.
Gold is shiny, beyond that it has a limited utility until the age of electronics; it's a bit soft for weapons or armour, a bit rare for sealing pipes, a bit non reactive for easy chemisty^H Alchemy, etc.
Lot's of fun for decorations.