April 24, 2014: Gold Crystal

[xoxoxoBruce]

A single crystal of gold weighing 7.7 ounces.

It's the size of a golf ball, but a lot more valuable: Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory's Lujan Neutron Scattering Center have verified that a heavy piece of gold, found years ago in Venezuela, is, in fact, a single crystal of the valuable element — and it's worth an estimated $1.5 million.

The lump of gold, which weighs 217.78 grams (about 7.7 ounces), was brought to Los Alamos to confirm whether it was a single crystal of gold, or a more common multiple-crystal structure. "The structure or atomic arrangement of gold crystals of this size has never been studied before, and we have a unique opportunity to do so," Miami University geologist John Rakovan said in a statement.

link

Actually I believe that should be 7.0 ounces, as gold in measured in 31.1 gram Troy ounces, rather than 28.35 Avoirdupois ounces.