A Kazakh herder stumbled up on a 17-lb gold nugget in the shape of the Chinese mainland, Chinese media reported Friday.
The herder, Berek Sawut, found the nugget on Jan. 30 but was afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep it, since it likely came from a mine owned by the government, the New York Times reports. It’s the largest nugget of its kind to be found in the Xinjiang region, home to more than 600 gold mines. So far, nobody has confiscated the nugget.
The nugget is not solid gold, but is instead a mixture known as “dog-head gold,” which is natural gold ore mixed with quartz.
[NYT]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Who Will Be TIME's Person of the Year 2023?
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- The Dirty Secrets of Alternative Plastics
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
