In a groundbreaking scientific discovery, researchers have uncovered evidence that Earth’s core is leaking gold and other precious metals to the surface, challenging long-held beliefs about the planet’s interior and its level of geological isolation. A team from the University of Göttingen in Germany conducted an isotopic analysis of Hawaiian volcanic rocks, revealing trace elements that likely originated from deep within the Earth's core.
According to their findings, over 99.99% of Earth's gold and precious metals, including elements like ruthenium, have remained locked in the metallic core since the planet’s formation 4.5 billion years ago. However, recent data published in the journal Nature suggest that a small but measurable quantity of these core materials is now making its way to the surface through volcanic activity.
The team focused on volcanic rocks from Hawaii, formed by lava plumes rising from the Earth's mantle. These samples were analyzed using advanced isotopic tracing techniques, which identified unusually high levels of a specific isotope of ruthenium a rare element more common in core material than in the upper mantle or crust.
“When the first results came in, we realized that we had literally struck gold,” said Dr. Nils Messling, geochemist at the University of Göttingen. “Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is leaking into the Earth's mantle above.” This finding disrupts the prior assumption that Earth's core is a completely sealed-off reservoir, separated from the rest of the planet by roughly 3,000 kilometers of solid rock. The study shows that core-derived material is reaching the mantle and, through volcanic eruptions, even the surface forming islands like Hawaii.
Co-author Professor Matthias Willbold added, “Our findings not only show that Earth’s core is not as isolated as previously assumed, but also that huge volumes of super-heated mantle material several hundred quadrillion metric tons are originating from the core-mantle boundary.” This discovery has opened up a new frontier in geoscience. Scientists can now use ruthenium isotopes as a novel tracer for understanding core-mantle interactions, offering deeper insights into Earth’s inner dynamics and geological evolution.
While the study shows that Earth's core contributes to the formation of ocean islands and surface geology, it also raises new questions. Researchers are uncertain whether this leakage is a recent or long-standing phenomenon in the Earth's history. “Our findings open up an entirely new perspective on the evolution of the inner dynamics of our home planet,” the authors noted. Though it's unlikely that gold will start flowing like lava any time soon, the fact that precious metals are rising from Earth's core changes how scientists understand the planet’s structure and evolution and may someday change how we mine and manage Earth’s most valuable natural resources.
