An amateur gold prospector in Australia has made an extraordinary discovery after unearthing a gold nugget weighing more than 1.2 kilograms in the country’s remote outback. The rare find is estimated to be worth between $150,000 and $160,000, with the potential to fetch up to $200,000 from a private collector.
According to Australia’s ABC News, the discovery was made at Mount Stuart Station near Tibooburra in north-western New South Wales. The prospector, who has chosen to remain anonymous, named the unusual specimen the “Tibooburra Spud.”
Nugget Contains Around 940 Grams of Pure Gold
The nugget weighs more than 1,200 grams and contains quartz fragments. Testing reportedly found approximately 940 grams of pure gold in the specimen.
Its estimated market value is based on the prevailing gold price. However, its rarity and distinctive appearance could make it more attractive to collectors, potentially increasing the final selling price.
Metal Detector Led to the Discovery
The prospector had spent several days searching the rugged terrain when his metal detector picked up a signal beneath the red soil. After digging through ordinary debris, including old nails and metal fragments, he spotted a bright yellow object in the ground.
The discovery came as a surprise, as gold prospecting often produces little more than discarded metal and small pieces of mineral rather than large nuggets.
Such Large Gold Finds Are Rare
Greg Spangler, a seller of gold-prospecting equipment in Broken Hill, said discoveries of nuggets weighing more than one kilogram are exceptionally uncommon. In more than two decades in the business, he had encountered very few comparable finds.
The discovery has also drawn attention to the long history of gold prospecting around Tibooburra, where enthusiasts continue to search for precious metal.
The “Tibooburra Spud” stands out not only for its gold content but also for its rarity, illustrating how a single promising signal can lead to a potentially life-changing discovery.
