Unprocessed Gold Images
Gold Nuggets

How Do Gold Nuggets Look Like

Raw, unprocessed gold is a beautiful thing. It is worth it to learn as much as possible about it to better understand and appreciate it.

“Unprocessed” or “raw” gold, is gold in its natural state. As found in nature. Thus, by definition, it is not refined. So, even if it can be of super high karat fineness, in reality, it is a naturally formed, high concentration gold bearing alloy.

This material is in nature in different size and type of particles. These particles can be loosely classified by their size and shape, from smaller to larger, as gold dust, gold pebbles, gold flakes, and gold nuggets. There are plenty additional terms used too.

On the other hand, gold is the element of the periodic table named “gold”, symbol Au, element number “79”. So, gold, strictly speaking, by definition, is pure. All else is an alloy.

The images below are presented for visualizing the different looks unprocessed gold can have. The looks have to do with the gold karat fineness of the metal, the different elements and proportions part of the alloy, as well as how the particles were formed.

On top of the above, most often, mineral particles are trapped within the gold particles, plus often iron stains and even iron particles. Very often the mineral particles are quartz but can be volcanic material and other matters.

If the particles have tumbled on the river for a long time, like in placer gold, the particles then to be very rounded, with no sharp edges. If the gold particles were under a glacier, most likely the particles will be flatter and more jagged.

As you can see in the images, it is hard to assign a specific color and shape to gold nuggets, or any unprocessed gold. There are so many variables. The main constant is that “gold” or “yellowish” tone of the metal.

In the pictures below I am showing the material as I classify it at the time of buying it from the public. I usually keep the unprocessed gold in the lot it came from, especially if they came from the same place. That way I can better learn the elements present in this naturally formed alloy.

Generally speaking, most unprocessed gold is very close to 18K in fineness after all it is said and done. However, it is common to find 21K nuggets. Much less common to be higher than 22K. As you can see in at least one of the images below, unprocessed gold can be of as low as 10K fineness. So, unless scientifically tested, it is hard to ascertain the fineness of an unprocessed gold lot. The best way to determine an unprocessed gold lot fineness is by melt and assay.

If you are interested in learning more about gold nuggets, I recommend you read as much as possible about the subject. Maybe buy some samples and play with them. Look at the gold nuggets from multiple angles, test it, observe every grain with a loupe. All this will make you familiar with this wonderful material.

Gold Flakes from Washington State