What is a nugget in geology ?
Nugget : definition
A nugget is a small mass of native metal (silver, platinum, but especially gold), with blunt shapes, present in certain alluvial deposits. "Flakes" are small nuggets (less than 2-3 mm); they are sometimes present in sufficient quantities to constitute deposits : the placers.
Large nuggets of gold were once melted down, until savvy (and wealthy) collectors and museums bought them for more than their weight in gold. It is thanks to these patrons that some of them have come down to us. The prospect of discovering exceptional nuggets and, at the same time, fortune, triggered the countless gold rushes that mark the history of the world. But what exactly about these mythical nuggets?
The fabulous "Beyers and Holterman plate" or "Holterman's nugget" holds the record in all categories with 285 kg for 1.42 m high. It was discovered at Hill End (New South Wales, Australia) in 1872. However, it appears to be an exceptionally rich piece of gold vein and not a true nugget. Like all the others at that time, it was melted into ingots...
The champion of the official nuggets is the Molvague nugget and its 95 kg, followed by the "Welcome Stanger" with its 70.9 kg of gold discovered in 1869, then by "Désiré", a giant nugget of 68.08 kg, a another Welcome of 63 kg, "Blanche Barkley" of 54.5 kg, "Precious" and its 52.6 kg... All were found in the second half of the 19th century in Australia, in the states of New South Wales and Victoria.
Large nuggets of gold were once melted down, until savvy (and wealthy) collectors and museums bought them for more than their weight in gold. It is thanks to these patrons that some of them have come down to us. The prospect of discovering exceptional nuggets and, at the same time, fortune, triggered the countless gold rushes that mark the history of the world. But what exactly about these mythical nuggets?
The fabulous "Beyers and Holterman plate" or "Holterman's nugget" holds the record in all categories with 285 kg for 1.42 m high. It was discovered at Hill End (New South Wales, Australia) in 1872. However, it appears to be an exceptionally rich piece of gold vein and not a true nugget. Like all the others at that time, it was melted into ingots...
The champion of the official nuggets is the Molvague nugget and its 95 kg, followed by the "Welcome Stanger" with its 70.9 kg of gold discovered in 1869, then by "Désiré", a giant nugget of 68.08 kg, a another Welcome of 63 kg, "Blanche Barkley" of 54.5 kg, "Precious" and its 52.6 kg... All were found in the second half of the 19th century in Australia, in the states of New South Wales and Victoria.