Skip to main content

Story: Gold and gold mining

Alluvial gold

Image
Alluvial gold

These gold nuggets have been mined from river gravels in Otago. The gold has been beaten by boulders in flood waters, then folded back over countless times to give these flattened shapes. Dark impurities visible in the larger nuggets are black mineral sands (possibly magnetite) and the lighter impurities are quartz grains.

Using this item

Private collection

by Frazer Perry

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Gold and gold mining – Where you find it, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/8597/alluvial-gold (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 2 March 2009.

Comments

Kyle
18 March 2013
i think that the gold and alluvial gold is the best that i have seen