Mount Erebus in Antarctica can spew out about 80 grams of gold a day. The picture shows lenticular clouds hovering over the “Erebus” volcano in January 2004. (AFP/USCG/AFP)
[The Epoch Times, April 22, 2024](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Zhang Ting) Money does not grow on trees, but in remote areas of Antarctica, money can “fall from the sky.” This may sound a bit bizarre. There are a large number of volcanoes in Antarctica, and one of the active volcanoes spews gold dust (also known as gold dust) that has monetary value. It is estimated that the volcano can drop about 80 grams of gold a day, worth about $6,000.
According to “IFL Science”, this active volcano that can release gold is “Mount Erebus” in Antarctica.
Antarctica is an ice-covered land with extremely cold temperatures, but it also contains fiery volcanic activity. “Erebus” is one of the most ferocious volcanoes in Antarctica and one of the highest active volcanoes in Antarctica. With an altitude of 3,794 meters (12,448 feet), it is the southernmost active volcano in the known area of the Earth.
The volcano frequently emits plumes of gas and steam. During past volcanic activity, it has ejected partially molten rock known as “volcanic bombs.”
The strangest thing is that scientists have discovered that the gas emitted by the volcano contains tiny crystals of metallic gold. U.S. geologists have found particles ranging from 0.1 to 20 microns in volcanic gases and up to 60 microns in nearby snow. It is estimated that over the course of a day, the volcano spewed approximately 80 grams of gold, worth approximately $6,000.
The gold powder floated far and wide. Antarctic researchers have detected traces of gold in the air 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from the volcano. (Further reading:5 rare coins in the world are very valuable. Chinese silver coins are worth 1.38 million)
Although no one will yet make a fortune from the gold dust released by Mount Erebus, many gold deposits originate from volcanic rocks, so if geologists understand how volcanoes concentrate the metal, they will be better able to find gold deposits .
“Erebus” is named after the personification of darkness in Greek mythology. It is said to have been erupting when Captain James Clark Ross first saw it in 1841.
If you look closely at satellite images of this behemoth, you’ll notice a slight hint of red in its summit crater. Notably, there is a hot lava lake that has been bubbling here since at least 1972.
According to the science magazine “New Scientist” (New Scientist), the lava of “Erebus Volcano” spews hot gases, which carry gold and other substances that volatilize at 1,000 degrees Celsius. After contact with air, the gas cools to below 100°C, precipitating many materials, including metals such as zinc and copper. This happens within a meter or two of the hot lava.
Philip Kyle of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology believes that gold from volcanoes may have crystallized on the crusty surface of the lava.
In addition to ejecting gold powder, Mount Erebus also attracted global attention due to an air crash. On November 28, 1979, Air New Zealand Flight 901 hit the volcano during the flight, killing all 257 people on board. It was one of the worst air disasters in New Zealand aviation history.
Editor in charge: Lin Yan#
