Hi guys have not been around for a while but having been saving my money instead, as every time i come on SS i cannot resist buying something! Am a little cashed up so back int he market while spot is low. A question for the gold bugs here please. I purchased some gold nuggets a while ago from one of our regulars and have decided to put them in my spreadsheet, but the program insists I select a karat no from the drop down list. So my question is what karat grading are natural gold nuggets? Cheers Rick
I would suggest (without knowing the origin of the nuggets) 22K. I have a few from Bendigo and Kalgoorlie and I did a couple of tests on a random sample and they were above 22K but the distribution of the gold through the nugget is not a constant. Anyhoo... Long story short - 22K is my suggestion.
yep, 22k. I guess most of your nuggets will be between 90-95% pure, bit of silver mixed in there, maybe ironstone or quartz ect.
If they have been found around the Avoca Goldfields they can be as low as 12-15 carat. Many gold nuggets have a high content of silver from these Goldfields; Generally the colour can be a good indication. Ballarat and Bendigo goldfields around 92-94 percent pure. Beaufort and down southeast around 92 percent. Been prospecting for 25 years
Ive had about 100 Vic nuggets tested with results from the mid to high 90s. Lowest has been 22k but the majority of clean nuggets have tested over 95%. Goldpelican recently onsold some I traded him. He xrf'd them when he first got them and got 98-99 on all 10 bits. XRF is held on for 10 seconds to get an accurate readout (the gold readout decreases and other minerals present go up 10 secs gives it time to level out.) CK and P. Davis have both done testing for me so not just quoting one tester/machine. Other States nuggs I dont have accurate numbers. Sure the Perth Mint would know.
thanks guys it helps me heaps. I spent some time running a station in the Gascoyne and bought heaps of gold nuggets from the prospectors out there at spot or below, never thought to question the purity of them. Very interesting replys
Don't forget that nuggets have a premium value to mass produced refined metal these days, due to their individuality.
