It was supposed to be just another day of filming for Kevin Richardson’s YouTube series, "Finding Your First Gold Nugget." Instead, the veteran Australian prospector struck the find of a lifetime — a massive, 7-ounce gold nugget worth nearly AU$40,000 (US$25,000) — while demonstrating a lesson on where to look for “clunkers.”
Richardson and his wife, Eliza, were prospecting in Western Australia’s Goldfields near Kalgoorlie, a region famed for producing some of the world’s largest nuggets.
The couple isn’t content with random searches. They rely on sophisticated tools such as the Trilobyte app, which overlays geological and historical gold deposit data to pinpoint the most promising spots. This careful research, Richardson says, “dramatically increases your chances” of finding gold.
On their third day in the field, Richardson was showing viewers why it’s important to check under bushes, where large nuggets often remain hidden from decades of prospectors. His metal detector gave off what he calls a “screaming” target — the kind of signal that often yields a tin can or other rubbish.
“You know, I never build my hopes up too high with these sort of targets. Too many times I’ve dug up a bullet,” he admitted on camera. Still, he called Eliza over to film, “just in case.” Moments later, he unearthed a dirt-caked lump that immediately felt far heavier than tin or lead.
“Oh my God! That is gold, look at the size of that,” he exclaimed, before kissing the nugget and dubbing it a “clunker.” Initially estimating it at two ounces, the couple later weighed it back at camp: 214 grams — just shy of 7 ounces.
The irony wasn’t lost on Richardson. He’d long been trying to join prospecting’s informal “1-ounce club,” and instead leapfrogged straight into what he calls the “7-ounce club.”
The discovery capped off a methodical search. Days earlier, Eliza had found a small nugget nearby, convincing them the lease had potential. They then zeroed in on ground with geology similar to active gold mines and methodically worked the terrain, saving the hardest-to-reach, bush-covered areas for last. That’s where the jackpot lay.
Richardson says the find underscores the value of persistence and preparation.
“Too many people buy a detector and just head out anywhere and think they’re going to find gold,” he said. “You’ve got to do your research… and work the ground very, very carefully.”
The nugget will be sold to a gold buyer, but a replica will be made so Richardson can keep a tangible reminder of the day he and his wife struck it big — live on camera.
Check out the full video here…
Credit: Screen captures via YouTube / BK Gold Detecting.