Earth’s Core Leak: Gold Seeping into the Crust
Recent research has uncovered a fascinating phenomenon – Earth’s core is leaking out precious metals, including gold, into the mantle and ultimately into the planet’s crust. This revelation comes from a study of isotopes found in volcanic rock that has surfaced from deep within the lithosphere.
Geochemist Nils Messling from Göttingen University in Germany expressed the excitement of the discovery, stating, “Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is leaking into the Earth’s mantle above.”
While a small amount of gold can be found in Earth’s crust, the majority of this precious metal remains sequestered in the planet’s metallic core, estimated to be more than 99% of the total gold on Earth. This vast reserve of gold in the core is said to be enough to cover all of Earth’s land in a layer 20 inches thick.
During the planet’s formation, heavier elements sank into the core, a process known as the iron catastrophe, while additional gold and heavy metals were delivered to the crust through meteor bombardment. The recent discovery of ruthenium isotopes in volcanic rock from Hawaii further supports the theory that siderophile elements, including gold, are leaking out of Earth’s core.
While the rate of gold emergence is not significant, the discovery sheds new light on Earth’s geological processes and the interconnectedness of its core, mantle, and crust. This insight may also have implications for understanding similar phenomena on other rocky planets.
Geochemist Matthias Willbold, also from Göttingen University, remarks, “Our findings not only show that the Earth’s core is not as isolated as previously assumed, but also reveal the origin of vast amounts of superheated mantle material that rises to the surface, forming ocean islands like Hawaii.”
The groundbreaking research has been published in Nature.
