Second Largest Gold Nugget in the World on Display

A gold nugget weighing 25.5 kilograms is currently on display at the Perth Mint in Australia. This weight makes it the second largest nugget in the world today that has escaped melting, and the twenty sixth largest gold nugget ever discovered.

Newmont Mining Corporation’s Normandy Nugget and was found in a dry stream bed near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia in 1995. Information published by the University of Southern California, where the 40 million year-old nugget was examined in 1999, showed it to be 80 to 90% high purity gold.

Perth Mint Chief Executive Officer Ed Harbuz said “It is a coup for the 100,000-plus people who visit our Gold Exhibition annually to be able to see this important cultural and heritage asset symbolizing almost 160 years of gold discoveries in Australia.”

Normandy Mining, now part of Newmont Australia, purchased the nugget in 2000 after the Commonwealth Government objected to attempts by its finder to sell the culturally significant object overseas. It was brought home with the aim of ensuring it remained in Australia for all to see and admire.

Newmont’s Normandy Nugget can be seen in The Perth Mint Gold Exhibition, open weekdays between 9.00am and 5.00pm, and on weekends and public holidays between 9.00am and 1.00pm. Standard adult entry $15; children (4 – 15 years) $5; family pass (2 adults and 2 children) $38. Telephone (08) 9421 7223 for tour information and bookings.