Unlocking Earth’s Secrets: Study Reveals Hawaii’s Volcanic Rocks May Hold Clues to Gold Leaking from the Core

New research reveals that gold and other precious metals are seeping from Earth’s core into the layers above. This process eventually allows these metals to reach the surface, particularly in areas like Hawaii, which formed from volcanic activity.

The study, which spanned three years, analyzed Hawaii’s basaltic rocks. These rocks originated from magma rising from the ocean floor. The scientists discovered heavy metals in the rocks, supporting a long-standing theory that the core is linked to the mantle, the layer between the crust and the core.

Geochemist Nils Messling from the University of Göttingen, the lead author, emphasized the significance of these findings. He stated, “This is the first strong evidence that some of the core is actually ending up in the mantle.”

Most gold on Earth—over 99.95%—is believed to be trapped in the molten core. This core formed about 4.5 billion years ago, thanks to heavy metal deposits accumulated during meteorite impacts. However, this study suggests a small portion is escaping to the surface.

Messling noted, “Our findings reveal that huge volumes of super-heated mantle material indeed come from the core-mantle boundary and form oceanic islands.” By analyzing volcanic rock samples from the Smithsonian Institution, researchers used various methods to extract precious metals, particularly ruthenium, known for its rarity.

The study found that the mantle contains almost no ruthenium. This metal originated in meteorites that merged during Earth’s formation and became part of the core. The presence of ruthenium in the volcanic samples indicates some material has indeed transitioned from the core.

The team looked for specific isotopes of ruthenium, which were abundant during Earth’s early days. The presence of these isotopes in volcanic rocks supports the notion that some of the rocks formed from core material. Such evidence is crucial because it hints at interactions that shouldn’t occur according to previous scientific understanding. The core and mantle are expected to remain separate due to their different densities.

Interestingly, this process of metal leakage is thought to have been happening for billions of years. If ongoing, it suggests even the gold humans have mined could have originated from the core itself. However, the quantities involved would be quite small.

Researchers outside the study reacted positively. Professor Helen Williams from the University of Cambridge highlighted the exciting implication that the mantle plumes, responsible for hotspots like Hawaii, contain core-derived materials. She noted, “This confirmation adds a significant piece to the puzzle of Earth’s internal processes.”

Jesse Reimink of Pennsylvania State University reinforced the importance of this research. He stated that recent discoveries have illuminated the likelihood of chemical exchanges between the core and mantle, adding credibility to Messling’s conclusions.

Overall, this study not only challenges previous understandings of Earth’s internal structure but also suggests that valuable resources like gold may be more dynamically involved in Earth’s geology than we ever knew.

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