Overview

• A study published in Nature shows elevated ruthenium-100 in Hawaiian basalts originates from Earth’s core, confirming a leak of gold and other precious metals into the mantle.
• Researchers at the University of Göttingen developed ultra-high-precision techniques to distinguish core-derived ruthenium isotopes in volcanic samples.
• Massive mantle plumes carry several hundred quadrillion metric tonnes of superheated rock from the core-mantle boundary to form ocean islands like Hawaii.
• The core-leak hypothesis may explain anomalies in surface distributions of gold, platinum and other rare metals and could refine mineral prospecting strategies.
• Scientists are investigating whether this core-to-surface transfer has been continuous over millions of years or represents a more recent geologic phenomenon.