Gold Nuggets: What They Are, Where to Find Them, and More
For many people, prospecting is a fun hobby to get out into the wilds and look for cool and weird things. For a few, however, it gets a lot more serious than that. They invest thousands of dollars of equipment in hopes of finding coveted treasure, such as gold nuggets. If you are new to the prospecting hobby, you may be unaware of what a gold nugget is or where to find them. If you are curious to know the answers, keep on reading to find out.
What is a gold nugget?
A gold nugget is a piece of naturally-occurring gold that has broken off from its original lode. These nuggets are generally carried around through bodies of water, such as rivers, and collect in different areas. However, nuggets can also be found through mining, as some rocks bear gold veins.
Where do gold nuggets come from?
Gold nuggets are initially part of a large lode of gold crystals. This also means that they are commonly found embedded with quarts due to the high heat that created them in the first place. The reason gold nuggets are present in many streams and rivers is erosion. Over time, the water erodes the rocks, exposing these lodes and the gold they contain. This also means that gold nuggets tend to show signs of abrasion, as they have to travel downstream where they hit many objects before finally settling down.
Are gold nuggets pure gold?
Pure gold is tough to find naturally since it is commonly embedded with other minerals and crystals, such as quartz. For that reason, naturally-occurring gold nuggets are generally about 80 to 90 percent pure, with the remainder composed of other materials.
How much is a gold nugget worth?
The value of a gold nugget will generally depend on the ratio of gold and other rocks found in the nugget itself. For example, an 80-20 ratio of gold to other rocks will be of much less value than one with a 90-10 ratio. Of course, this will also depend on how big the nugget is, meaning the bigger it is, the more valuable it will be.
Where are gold nuggets found?
When looking for gold nuggets, the best places to find them are past mining sites. You will need to invest in specific equipment to find gold in such areas, including a metal detector, as the gold may be too small for the naked eye to spot. However, this does not guarantee that the metal detector will find gold, as other rocks and deposits may shield the nuggets.
Other areas, such as rivers and lakes, may also have gold nuggets. In these locations, years of erosion may have caused any nuggets to become tiny pieces. That means that you would need another method to find gold, such as panning.
Conclusion
We hope you now know a little bit more about gold nuggets. To summarize, gold nuggets are little bits of gold that have chipped off its main lode, carried away by natural and human-made causes before settling in different areas. As such, different areas will have different concentrations of gold, and you will need the right tool if you want any chance of locating gold nuggets for any purpose.
That said, if you are looking to sell gold nuggets, there are many online platforms out there that can facilitate this trade. This can be an excellent hobby that you can make money off, and it can take you on breathtaking adventures.
Gold Nugget Shop is an experienced trader of gold, selling gold to those looking to invest in this precious metal. If you are looking to buy gold in Australia, check out what we have for you.
