2020-03-30, 0.02 grams natural gold nugget on the balance scale

Alluvial gold, also known as placer gold, refers to small particles of pure or nearly pure native (natural) elemental metallic Gold that have been eroded from their original rock formations and deposited in riverbeds, streambeds, floodplains, beaches. This process typically occurs due to weathering and erosion over time where the heavier gold settles out during water flow events such as floods creating concentrations of these particles which can be recovered through panning or other mining techniques.