A recent scientific study has revealed that gold is seeping from the Earth”s core, the largest reserve of gold on the planet, into the surface, particularly in the volcanoes of Hawaii. Conducted by a team from the University of Göttingen, this research identifies an unprecedented link between the Earth”s metallic core, located more than 3,000 kilometers beneath the surface, and volcanic activity.
The study, published in the journal Nature, highlights that this core contains over 99.999% of the gold and other metals that have remained trapped since the planet”s formation approximately 4.5 billion years ago. The researchers discovered that some of this gold, along with other precious metals, is able to migrate towards the surface through volcanic eruptions, indicating that the core does not operate as a completely isolated system.
According to Dr. Nils Messling, one of the researchers, “When we received the initial results, we realized that we had literally found gold. Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is filtering into the Earth”s mantle.” This finding prompts a reevaluation of the concept of the Earth”s core as a closed system.
Furthermore, Professor Willbold, who was involved in the study, pointed out that this discovery significantly alters our understanding of the origin of essential strategic metals. However, it remains uncertain whether this connection has existed since the planet”s inception or is a more recent phenomenon.
To detect the presence of gold in Hawaiian volcanic rocks, the researchers did not search for gold directly but instead looked for ruthenium, an isotope that serves as a marker for the Earth”s core. The team identified an excess of the isotope 100Ru in the volcanic rocks of Hawaii, which is characteristic of the core and distinct from that found in the mantle. This breakthrough was made possible through ultra-high precision techniques developed by the University of Göttingen.
Previously, the isotopic differences had posed challenges for measurement. However, the data confirmed that a portion of gold and other precious metals is indeed filtering from the core into the mantle and eventually reaching the Earth”s surface.
