World’s tallest volcano spews gold every day despite being covered in ice, scientists baffled

The tallest volcano in the world is spewing daily gold dust worth a small fortune. Among the gas and steam flows and rock bombs, scientists have discovered tiny particles of crystallized gold that are released from the Antarctic volcano Erebus.

The infamous gold-spewing volcano was discovered in 1841 by Captain Sir James Clarke Ross, who christened it on his ship, but has only been active since 1972.

There are 138 volcanoes on the ice-covered continent, but only two of them – Erebus and Deception Island – are considered active. Covered on the outside by ice and snow, Erebus has a lake of hot lava in its summit crater that has been bubbling continuously since 1972. Connor Bacon of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University in New York told Live Science:

“These are actually quite rare cases, as some very specific conditions need to be met to ensure that the surface never freezes.”

Scientists have revealed that during previous episodes of volcanic activity, Mount Erebus has ejected blocks of partially molten rock known as “volcanic bombs”. The volcano, which towers at an impressive 3,700 meters, also regularly spews gas and steam that contain metal. The gas plumes are filled with tiny crystals of metallic gold measuring 20 micrometers. Although tiny, the Erebus volcano spews out about 80 grams of these gold particles every day, worth experts estimate at $6,000.

Gold particles are carried by hot gas at a temperature of 1000 °C to the surface and crystallize on the hard surface of the lava. Scientists suggest that these particles then travel through the air, as the “gold dust” was found 621 miles from the source. Philip Kyle of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology told NewScientist that the formation of the gold was only possible due to the volcano’s quiescent nature.

Because Mount Erebus emits gas slowly, the gold particles have enough time to turn into crystals. He explains that it is a unique process that is impossible in other volcanoes with stronger eruptions.

Mount Erebus also hit the headlines in 1979 when an Air New Zealand flight tragically crashed into the mountain, killing all 237 passengers on board. The flight, which was part of a tourist tour of Antarctica, was due to fly over the continent before returning to Auckland later that day. The aerial tour continued despite weather warnings, resulting in the fatal crash.

Photo: Unsplash

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