Soaring prices spur new generation of Australian gold hunters
Baku, December 30, AZERTAC
In Australia's historic goldfields, 63-year-old Vicki Plumridge was just learning to use her brand-new metal detector, according to Reuters.
But what she found in the forest west of Melbourne made her happy.
"I feel very good, very happy. My heart's singing a nice tune."
"And it is the first time you found gold with this new detector?"
"Yes. And it's the biggest piece I've ever found."
After digging out the small golden nugget, a guide estimated it was around 0.2 grams of gold, worth about $26.
And stories like Vicki's are becoming more frequent.
Hobbyist gold hunters are flocking to Victoria's 3,700-square mile "golden triangle," a hotspot for nuggets.
They're drawn by soaring prices for the precious metal, which has recently hit record highs above $4,500 per ounce.
Enthusiasm is also whipped up by social media posts and popular TV show "Aussie Gold Hunters".
For 39-year-old construction worker Damian Duke the dream is making a big find:
"Seeing what nuggets they're finding out there and what they're actually getting for them is definitely a big boost because that can help us pay off a lot of bills, take kids out, and stuff like that. So it's a big kicker for me."
Business is picking up for places like Gold Centre, a metal detecting equipment supplier northwest of Melbourne.
The Minelab Gold Monster 2000, a popular model costing almost $2,000, sold out across Australia soon after its launch.
Such new detectors have a better chance of finding nuggets, driving prospectors to buy the latest models as soon as they come out.
In Victoria, anyone searching for gold needs a permit from the state government.
Known as the Miner's Right, it allows them to fossick using only hand tools and to keep any gold they find.
Demand has hit record levels this year, with nearly 16,000 issued by November, up from about 11,000 the year before.
That is according to authorities in Victoria, who say there are now more than 100,000 active permits in the state.
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