rating of gold

[Bonaro]

24k raw gold happens so rarely that you could say it *never* happens. Statisticly possible but extremely unlikely.
Most raw gold is 18 to 22 k with the majority being about middle of that. Black hills gold has it's distinctive colors because of the high levels of other metals mixed with it.

Testing for those impurites is really not practical because a bigger nugget may have higher purity gold on one side than the other. A vial of 10 nuggets will have 10 different purity levels. This is why a savvy pawn shop, coin shop or jeweler will not buy placer unless they can pay you below spot far enough to cover the (unknown) level of impurities which are certainly present. Coins have a known purity and most coin shops will buy and sell at spot prices (for the amount of actual gold in the coin) plus or minus their premium.

The only way to know the purity is to assay

[Hoser John]

Not rare in kalif or georgia either simply take a gander at the mines and minerals books from state geology depts and see that far more prevelent that most think. Composition reports abound by the millions and am lookn' right now at 2 1/2 oz of righteous dog creek placer at 24 kt and shines righteously from the crik and it was good. Found at $425 spot and was bummed but now 8 years at 1550+++ HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY-John