An Australian man, using only a cheap metal detector, has found a 4.6kg rock containing gold worth A$240 000 ($160 000).
According to the BBC, the man, who prefers not to be named, was searching for gold in the Victorian goldfields – the heart of Australia’s gold rush in the 1800s – when he discovered the rock.
Darren Kamp, a prospecting store owner in the city of Geelong, explained to the BBC that a man wearing a large backpack walked into his store seeking an evaluation of the rock. Normally people come in with fool’s gold or other rocks that look like gold, Mr Kamp said.
‘But he pulled this rock out and as he dropped it into my hand he said, “Do you think there’s A$10 000 worth in it?”’
‘I looked at him and said, “Try A$100 000”.’
The man then told Mr Kamp that the rock was only half the find.
‘I was just gobsmacked … It’s a once in a lifetime find.’
On inspection, the 4.6kg rock contained 2.6kg of gold – the biggest find Mr Kamp had seen in 43 years on the job. After appraising the specimen, Mr Kamp bought it from the man, who told him that he was looking forward to spending the money on his family.
‘Oh, the wife will be happy’, he reportedly said.
Discoveries of this sort are rare, according to the BBC. However, due to Australia’s large gold reserves, many of the world’s most impressive nuggets have been found there.
[Image: James St. John, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34369741]