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| Gold nugget |
| Object Type: Mineral |
| Chemistry Formula: Au |
| Dimensions: Centimetres: 16 x 10 x 7; 2.056 kg |
| Museum ID Number: M24261 |
| Image Number: ROM2004_1037_1 | | |
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Description:
This extremely large gold nugget is one of the ROM’s most prized specimens. It weighs 2.06 kilograms and contains about 60 troy ounces of gold (the troy ounce is the traditional unit of weight for precious metals). The nugget was once a large piece of quartz vein rich in gold. It had been subjected to the pounding of pebbles and cobbles in rushing river waters, which powdered and washed away most of its brittle host quartz, leaving the gold, being malleable, to be pounded into this aesthetic shape. One can imagine the gold fever experienced by miners when nuggets of this size were found! |
Location: Greenville; California; U.S.A. |
Object History: Gift of McIntyre-Porcupine Mines Limited in 1961 |
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