Chapter 1: The Historic Find

In Australia, the largest gold nugget ever recorded was unearthed, and its current value would be astronomical. While the era of gold fever may have faded, the allure of these precious metal nuggets continues to captivate treasure seekers globally. It's no surprise that discovering such a treasure is still seen as a quick route to wealth.

[Photo: DerHexer, Wikimedia Commons, CC-by-sa 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Despite the dwindling natural reserves of this valuable metal, remarkable nuggets are still being found. Interestingly, the record-breaking nugget was discovered 155 years ago. How heavy is the largest gold nugget? Read on to find out.

Is This the World's Largest Gold Nugget? #shorts #gold #history #record #science #money #story

The largest gold nugget was found in Australia. The origins of gold discovery in Australia trace back to 1814. A few decades later, the settlers experienced an overwhelming obsession with this precious metal. The gold rush in Australia, which commenced in the 1850s, can only be likened to the Californian gold rush. It all began when James Regan and John Dunlop stumbled upon several ounces of gold in a stream near Ballarat. Within two years, the population in Victoria state surged by several hundred thousand.

[Photo: Jinesh P.S, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons]

The Welcome Nugget was the first significant nugget discovered in Ballarat. Gold prospecting was a demanding yet lucrative task. On June 9, 1858, Cornish miners uncovered a large nugget in Ballarat, later known as the Welcome Nugget.

This nugget, discovered at a depth of 55 meters, measured around 49 cm long, 15 cm wide, and 15 cm high, resembling a horse's head. It weighed an astonishing 2217 ounces, nearly 69 kg! To this day, the Welcome Stranger remains the largest nugget ever found.

However, it is not the record holder. That title belongs to the Welcome Stranger, an enormous nugget found in 1869. Two Cornish prospectors, John Deason and Richard Oates, made this historic discovery. On February 5, Deason was prospecting near his home in Dunolly when he struck something hard. The metallic sound confirmed it—he had discovered gold.

[Photo: State Library Victoria, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

The nugget was immense. Deason initially struggled to extract it, and when he called for assistance from Oates, they successfully retrieved the colossal piece of gold. At that moment, one of them exclaimed "welcome stranger," which became the nugget’s name.

The nugget, embedded in quartz, weighed 3123 ounces (97.14 kg) before it was cleaned. After processing, its weight decreased to an impressive 70 kg (2268 ounces). It was sold for £9,000, with an additional £436 for the gold extracted from the quartz.

What became of the largest gold nugget? The Welcome Stranger was melted down shortly after its discovery. The ingots were sent to Melbourne and then shipped to England on February 21, 1869. They were deposited in the Bank of England.

Chapter 2: Other Notable Gold Nuggets

The two largest nuggets were found during the early days of the Australian gold rush, but significant specimens continued to emerge later, both in Australia and worldwide. Not all were melted, allowing some impressive nuggets to be preserved for posterity.

The largest remaining nugget is Pepita Canaã, discovered in 1983 in Brazil's Sierra Pelada by miner Júlio de Deus Filho. It originally weighed 60.82 kg and, after removing surrounding rock, its weight was recorded at 52.33 kg (1682 ounces). The Central Bank of Brazil purchased this remarkable nugget, which is now on display in a museum.

Another significant nugget, Balszoj Triugolnik, or the Great Triangle, was found in Russia's Ural region in 1842 by Nikofor Syutkin. It measured 31/27.5/8 cm and weighed 36.2 kg upon extraction, eventually weighing 32.94 kg after processing. It is exhibited in the Kremlin as part of a permanent collection of jewels and metals.

Returning to Australia, the Hand of Faith was discovered by Kevin Hiller in 1980 near Kingower. This uniquely shaped nugget weighed 875 ounces (24.8 kg) and was acquired by the Golden Nugget casino in Las Vegas, where it is displayed in the lobby.

[Photo: FF23-fr, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Another remarkable find from Australia is a 25.5 kg nugget discovered in Kalgoorlie in 1995. This nugget, containing approximately 90% gold, is now housed at the Perth Mint museum.

[Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Lastly, the Crown Jewel, discovered in 1922 in California by the Sonora Mining Company, weighed 16.4 kg after being cleaned and is also part of a permanent exhibition at Ironstone Vineyards Heritage Museum.

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