Largest Gold Nuggets Discovered: Welcome Stranger And Hand Of Faith Gold nuggets are naturally occurring large masses of native gold found in alluvial deposits. Often they are concentrated by watercourses and recovered by placer mining. In other instances, gold nuggets are found in piles of residue in sites where mining operations once took place. Gold: Gold, in its elemental form, does not cause irritation and is not toxic even when ingested. In fact, it is used as a component in some alcoholic drinks and as a food additive. However, ionic chemical compounds of gold (example, gold chloride) can be extremely harmful to the kidneys and liver. Platinum: Findings by the U. Wollaston's and Tennant's discovery of the element involved the discovery as well of the other elements in the platinum group. With an average mass fraction of 0.05 parts-per notation in the continental crust, osmium is known to be one of the least abundant elements in the Earth's crust. It is found in nature in natural alloys or as a pure element. This composition was meant to make the coins more durable and harder and thus resist dents and scratches, as, again, they were originally intended for circulation. On the obverse of the Krugerrand is the face of Stephanus Jonannes Paulus Kruger, fifth president of the South African Republic (note the surname Kruger and the South African currency Rand were combined to give this precious metal coin its name). Clothing (silver ions are mixed with the polymer to make yarns). 9. Medicine (silver compounds and silver ions have toxic effect on some viruses, fungi and bacteria, but not on humans). 10. Currency or coinage (as in silver bullion). The principal sources of silver are copper, lead, zinc and gold ores. There are three known kinds of gold standard that have been adopted since the early 1700s - the gold specie, gold exchange, and gold bullion standards. Following is the definition and a brief historical account of each. Gold Specie Standard: In this gold standard, the unit of currency is linked to the gold coins that are in circulation.