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2d ago

Study Confirms Earth's Core Leaks Gold and Precious Metals Into Mantle

Researchers using innovative ruthenium isotope techniques identified core-derived material in Hawaiian volcanic rocks, challenging long-held assumptions about core isolation.

Göttingen researchers detected tiny traces of ruthenium with unusual isotopic makeup in Hawaiian lava.
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Overview

  • A groundbreaking study published in *Nature* has confirmed that Earth's metallic core is leaking trace amounts of gold and other precious metals into the mantle via mantle plumes.
  • Scientists detected elevated levels of the isotope 100Ru in Hawaiian volcanic rocks, a signature that can only originate from the core-mantle boundary.
  • The findings were made possible by new high-precision ruthenium isotope analysis methods developed at the University of Göttingen, enabling detection of previously undetectable differences.
  • The study also reveals that massive volumes of super-heated mantle material rise from the core-mantle boundary to form ocean islands like Hawaii, offering a rare window into deep-Earth processes.
  • While these processes are confirmed to be ongoing, researchers note it remains unclear whether similar core leakage occurred in earlier geological eras.