Figure 5: Cross sectional view of a “watermelon seed” style gold nugget in a sawn slab of gold-bearing conglomerate. The dark grey-green color is likely a product of thermal metamorphism, hornfels, of the original rock. Note the crenulated texture around the edge of the nugget. Encircling the nugget is a cloud of very fine gold, likely remobilized during burial or metamorphism. Such dispersed gold is common around in situ nuggets at Comet Well and Purdy’s Reward.
Figure 5: Cross sectional view of a “watermelon seed” style gold nugget in a sawn slab of gold-bearing conglomerate. The dark grey-green color is likely a product of thermal metamorphism, hornfels, of the original rock. Note the crenulated texture around the edge of the nugget. Encircling the nugget is a cloud of very fine gold, likely remobilized during burial or metamorphism. Such dispersed gold is common around in situ nuggets at Comet Well and Purdy’s Reward.