Farmer finds £3bn worth of gold on his land - but doesn't get a penny

A farmer discovered £3 billion worth of gold buried underneath his land - but he won't get to keep a single penny of it. Michel Dupont, 52, was walking along a stream on his farm when he saw an unusual glimmer in the water. Initially Michel was baffled as to what he might have found, so decided to investigate further.

As he rifled through the soil, Michel discovered fragments of gold. It soon became apparent that Michel could have found around 150 tonnes of gold nuggets.

Speaking to the Daily Galaxy, Michel said: "I was just doing a routine check of my land. Then I saw this strange shine in the mud. When I dug a little deeper, I couldn't believe what I was holding in my hands."

Government representatives in the Auvergne region of soon caught wind of the find, and barred Michel from mining the gold. The find is considered one of the biggest in recent French history, but because the gold was discovered in the soil, Michel won't get to keep a penny, .

Should Michel now want to mine on his land, the government would have to authorise it. Before then, technical and environmental impact studies would have to be carried out. The law is said to be designed to protect the ecosystems, especially in rural areas or areas of high ecological value.

Michel said he was "disappointed" that any plans to mine the land faced a roadblock but understood the local government wanted to show "caution". He added: "They told me nothing can happen until all the tests are done."

Michel says his life has been changed by the discovery. He has become an "open book" with people already scrambling to buy land nearby in a hope to get lucky".

The massive find has split locals in Michel's village. Environmental groups are concerned about the impact large-scale mining could have on the area.

While there are people living nearby who believe that it presents a chance to revitalise the area and bring in jobs and boost the local economy. Speaking to Lagarda, one resident said: "We love our countryside for its tranquillity."

The resident, who fears the discovery will lead to a huge change for people living in the area, added: "'I hope that all this will not disrupt our daily life."

Residents point to a similar case in French Guiana, where a massive gold discovery resulted in a tug-of-war between environmentalists and business. The project, which would have become the largest gold mine in France, was eventually blocked by the Bordeaux Administrative Court of Appeal due to environmental concerns.

The single-largest gold nugget found in France is thought to have weighed in at around 534grams. It was found by a shepherd named Clément Trouillas in 1889.

He was said to have been throwing stones at an animal in the hamlet of Les Avols when he noticed something heavy, reports Goldmarkt. It was then he realised he was in fact handling a nugget.