An Australian prospector has discovered a gold nugget worth around $160,000 near the remote town of Tibooburra.
The man, who chose to remain anonymous, spent several days searching the area with a metal detector. He said persistence led to the discovery and that he nearly walked past the nugget, ABC News reports.
“You dig up a lot of rubbish — nails, horseshoes,” he said.
In mid-October, as he was preparing to finish searching for the day, his metal detector picked up a signal. After digging about 10 centimeters into the ground, he spotted a bright yellow gold nugget.
The nugget weighs more than 1.2 kilograms and contains about 940 grams of pure gold. At current prices, it is estimated to be worth around $160,000.
Metal-detecting equipment retailer Greg Spangler said that in 20 years he had seen only one other person find a nugget weighing more than a kilogram, with most prospectors typically discovering only small flakes.
“We have a tongue-in-cheek ‘Ounce Club,’ but not many people make it into the ‘Kilo Club,’” Spangler said.
He added that soaring gold prices this year have attracted more people to prospecting.
Beyond the possibility of making money, he said the hobby also offers fresh air and solitude.
“You get up in the morning, you’re the first one to see the sunrise. It’s very peaceful,” Spangler said.
Gold prospecting has taken place around Tibooburra since the late 1880s and remains popular with visitors. Prospecting on public land is currently suspended due to native title proceedings, although some private stations still allow gold hunting for a fee.