Gold, Other Precious Metals Slowly Moving Up from Earth's Core: Study

In a discovery that upends long‑standing notions of Earth’s deep interior, researchers have found compelling evidence that gold and other precious metals are slowly migrating from our planet’s core into the overlying mantle and even making their way into the crust via volcanic eruptions.

A detailed isotopic study of Hawaiian volcanic rocks reveals signatures of core‑derived material, suggesting the core and mantle are far more interconnected than once believed.

Geochemists from the University of Göttingen analyzed samples of basaltic lava from Hawaii’s hotspot volcanoes, employing state‑of‑the‑art mass spectrometry to measure ruthenium isotopes. They found unusually high abundances of the isotope ^100Ru, known to be more concentrated in Earth’s core than in the surrounding mantle rocks.

“When the first results came in, we realized that we had literally struck gold,” said Dr. Nils Messling, a post-doctoral researcher in Department of Geochemistry at University of Göttingen, Germany.

This is the first time scientists have clearly found signs of material from Earth’s core in lava at the surface. Along with ruthenium, they also found small amounts of other metals like gold, platinum, rhodium, and palladium. These metals likely came from the same deep source below Earth’s crust.

About 4.5 billion years ago, during Earth’s early days, heavy metals sank to the center and formed the core in an event called the “iron catastrophe.” Scientists used to believe that once these metals were trapped in the core, they stayed there, separated from the outer layers of the Earth by a thick boundary nearly 3,000 kilometers deep.

But this new discovery challenges that idea. It suggests that, over millions of years, heat and movement near the boundary between Earth’s core and mantle cause small amounts of metal-rich liquid to rise upward. Pushed by heat and pressure, this material slowly moves through the thick mantle and can reach the surface through volcanoes, like the ones in Hawaii.

“Our findings show that the Earth’s core is not as isolated as previously assumed,” said Matthias Willbold a professor at University of Göttingen, who co-authored the study.

This study also has important practical applications beyond its academic value. It shows that precious metals like gold and platinum can slowly move from deep inside the Earth to the surface. This helps us better understand how and where metal-rich areas form.

With this knowledge, experts could more easily find places where these metals are likely to be found. It could also help mining companies improve their methods for locating and measuring rare metals. In the future, this research might lead to smarter and more sustainable ways of using Earth’s natural resources by learning how nature gathers these metals over millions of years.

Though we’re still far from directly accessing Earth’s core, studies like this show that even the deepest parts of our planet are not completely cut off rather they are silently shaping the surface world in ways we are only beginning to understand.

The article is authored by Kanishka Yadav, an intern with Deccan Chronicle