Nugget to come back home

The 23.36kg (723oz) Ausrox Gold Nugget is returning home to the Goldfields, to be put on display at the WA Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Found in the Eastern Goldfields early last year, exactly where, of course, known only by the prospector who discovered it, the nugget is the second largest found in the region, behind the famous Golden Eagle.

It is also believed to be the third largest nugget ever found by a metal detector, behind the Hand of Faith Nugget at 875oz and the Normandy Nugget at 819oz.

The biggest nugget ever found was the 2316oz Welcome Stranger in Victoria in 1869.

With a current gold value of more than $1 million, and nugget value far more, the Ausrox’s American owner has agreed Goldfielders should get to see the monster nugget in person.

WA Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder manager Zoe Scott is very excited at the prospect.

She said it had taken months of negotiation, but thanks to gold dealers Ausrox Gold – which originally purchased the nugget – the Ausrox would arrive here in November.

“I am absolutely thrilled, there was some discussion it would go on display in Perth, but our vault is secure,” Ms Scott said.

The nugget will be displayed in the museum’s state-of-the-art gold vault.

“It will be terrific for the community to be able to come and see what came out of the ground right here,” Ms Scott said.

“It is a huge coup for the museum and we are enormously grateful to the Ausrox Gold directors, who have been so helpful.”

The nugget has been on display at the Melbourne Museum for 12 months and more recently at the famous Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in the United States.