Should finders really keep what they found?  This is the question that has been lingering the mind of Beret Sawut, a native Kazakh herder, who stumbled upon a 17-pound gold nugget in the Altay range of northwest China.

Sawut became an instant celebrity and received a barrage of calls after Chinese media reported of his rare find.

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Not knowing what to do, Sawut decided to reject calls and turn his phone off, triggering the idea that he went into hiding.  The discovery of the rare gold that had the shape of China drew nationwide attention.

But Chinese media had found him again.  Sawut said he was concerned that the government might take the gold citing that precious metals found in mines are considered state property. 

But Sawut pointed out, he had found the nugget above ground.

On Wednesday, state media quoted a Chinese official saying the government does not plan to seize the gold nugget from the herder. 

The official added that others who had found precious gems above ground were allowed to keep them.  But the official also did say thee government may offer to buy it for museum display.

Initial tests on the gold reveal it is composed of natural gold ore, mixed with quartz and other minerals.

The Qinghe County Bureau of Land Resources said pure gold of that size could be worth over $310,000 at $1,250 per Troy ounce or about 31 grams. 

Sawut had been reportedly offered 3 million renminbi or nearly half a million dollars for the nugget.  But he said, he would not sell it for anything less than $800,000.  

As people try to put a price tag on the precious metal, Sawut waits if he has the right to keep it.

Tagsgold, herder