Latest news with #geochemistry
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists 'strike gold' in shocking discovery from Hawaiian volcanic rocks
A German university, Göttingen University, has literally "struck gold" in recent findings from volcanic rocks. A new study of these volcanic rocks from Hawaii, that leaked out from deep under the lithosphere, contained various precious metals. Dr. Nils Messling of the Göttingen University's Department of Geochemistry said in a news release they were surprised when the test results came in. "When the first results came in, we realized that we had literally struck gold! Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is leaking into the Earth's mantle above," Messling said. Largest Gold Deposit In The World Worth $83 Billion Found In China Approximately 99% of the Earth's gold is buried deep in the Earth's Metallic Core, far out of humankind's reach. Read On The Fox News App The gold is currently buried about 1,800 miles deep in the core. The discovery of this ruthenium, which was formed and locked down with gold, might be a telling sign that these volcanic rocks are coming from deep within the Earth. Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Erupts With 1,000-Foot 'Lava Fountaining' "Our findings not only show that the Earth's core is not as isolated as previously assumed. We can now also prove that huge volumes of super-heated mantle material – several hundreds of quadrillion metric tonnes of rock – originate at the core-mantle boundary and rise to the Earth's surface to form ocean islands like Hawaii," said Professor Matthias Willbold in a news release. There is a way to test for isotopes of ruthenium, especially when differences are small variations of the same element. The isotopes of ruthenium in the Earth's core are slightly different from those on the surface, with the difference being too small to really detect. However, new procedures developed by researchers at the University of Göttingen have made it possible. "Whether these processes that we observe today have also been operating in the past remains to be proven. Our findings open up an entirely new perspective on the evolution of the inner dynamics of our home planet," Messling said in a statement. With these precious metals beginning to leak to the Earth's surface, it could suggest that the supplies of gold and others important for renewable energy came from the Earth's article source: Scientists 'strike gold' in shocking discovery from Hawaiian volcanic rocks
Fox News
6 days ago
- Science
- Fox News
Scientists 'strike gold' in shocking discovery from Hawaiian volcanic rocks
A German university, Göttingen University, has literally "struck gold" in recent findings from volcanic rocks. A new study of these volcanic rocks from Hawaii, that leaked out from deep under the lithosphere, contained various precious metals. Dr. Nils Messling of the Göttingen University's Department of Geochemistry said in a news release they were surprised when the test results came in. "When the first results came in, we realized that we had literally struck gold! Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is leaking into the Earth's mantle above," Messling said. Approximately 99% of the Earth's gold is buried deep in the Earth's Metallic Core, far out of humankind's reach. The gold is currently buried about 1,800 miles deep in the core. The discovery of this ruthenium, which was formed and locked down with gold, might be a telling sign that these volcanic rocks are coming from deep within the Earth. "Our findings not only show that the Earth's core is not as isolated as previously assumed. We can now also prove that huge volumes of super-heated mantle material – several hundreds of quadrillion metric tonnes of rock – originate at the core-mantle boundary and rise to the Earth's surface to form ocean islands like Hawaii," said Professor Matthias Willbold in a news release. There is a way to test for isotopes of ruthenium, especially when differences are small variations of the same element. The isotopes of ruthenium in the Earth's core are slightly different from those on the surface, with the difference being too small to really detect. However, new procedures developed by researchers at the University of Göttingen have made it possible. "Whether these processes that we observe today have also been operating in the past remains to be proven. Our findings open up an entirely new perspective on the evolution of the inner dynamics of our home planet," Messling said in a statement. With these precious metals beginning to leak to the Earth's surface, it could suggest that the supplies of gold and others important for renewable energy came from the Earth's core.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Earth's core holds a vast reservoir of gold - and it's leaking towards the surface
You might think the Earth's largest gold reserves are locked up at Fort Knox. But Earth's core is rich with the precious metal – and it's slowly making its way up towards us, according to a new study. Ultra-high precision analysis of volcanic rocks show Earth's core is 'leaking' into rocks above. And it's bringing gold and other precious metals with it. Dr Nils Messling, at Göttingen University's Department of Geochemistry, said: 'When the first results came in, we realised that we had literally struck gold! 'Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is leaking into the Earth's mantle above.' More than 99.999 per cent of Earth's stores of gold lie buried under 2,900km (1,800 miles) of solid rock, locked away within the Earth's metallic core and far beyond the reaches of humankind. The team analysed rocks on the island of Hawaii, specifically looking at traces of the precious metal ruthenium (Ru). Compared to the Earth's rocky mantle, the metallic core contains a slightly higher abundance of a particular isotope called 100Ru. That's because this ruthenium, which was locked in the Earth's core together with gold and other precious metals when it formed 4.5 billion years ago, came from a different source than the scarce amount that is contained in the mantle today. These differences are so small it was impossible to detect them in the past. Now, new procedures developed by the research team made it possible to analyse them. The unusually high 100Ru levels they found in lava on the Earth's surface can only mean that these rocks ultimately originated from the boundary between the Earth's core and mantle. Professor Matthias Willbold, who also worked on the study, said: 'Our findings not only show that the Earth's core is not as isolated as previously assumed. 'We can now also prove that huge volumes of super-heated mantle material – several hundreds of quadrillion metric tonnes of rock – originate at the core-mantle boundary and rise to the Earth's surface to form ocean islands like Hawaii.' The findings mean that at least some of the precarious supplies of gold and other precious metals that we currently have access to may have come from the Earth's core. It's believed that when the Earth was forming, gold and other heavier elements sank down into its interior. As a result, the majority of gold we currently have access to on the Earth's surface was delivered here by meteors bombarding our planet. Other elements that could currently be 'leaking' out of the core include palladium, rhodium and platinum. Despite the findings it's unlikely these precious metals are emerging at a particularly fast rate. It would also be impossible to drill down to where the Earth's core begins – approximately 2,900km (1,800 miles) - to access the gold contained down there. The findings were published in the journal Nature. Earth has an unusually high proportion of precious metals near the surface, which is surprising, as they would usually be expected to settle down near the core of the planet. Until now, this has been explained by the 'late veneer' theory, which suggests that foreign objects hit Earth, and in the process deposited the precious metals near the surface. New computer simulations from the Tokyo Institute of Technology took into account the metal concentrations on Earth, the moon and Mars, and suggests that a huge collision could have brought all the precious metals to Earth at once. The researchers believe that this happened before the Earth's crust formed – around 4.45 billion years ago. The findings suggest that Earth's history could have been less violent than previously thought.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Integral Metals Identifies Area of Interest at the Burntwood Project Through Advanced Geochemical Analysis
Geochemical Pathfinder Ratios Outline New Rare Earth Exploration Zone in Southern Burntwood Complex CALGARY, Alberta, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integral Metals Corp. (CSE: INTG | OTC: ITGLF | FSE: ZK9) (the 'Company' or 'Integral') is pleased to report on the results of a comprehensive rock geochemistry program conducted at its wholly owned Burntwood Rare Earth Element (REE) Project in northern Manitoba. This work is part of the Company's exploration strategy to refine vectoring tools for targeting REE-rich zones associated with carbonatite and syenite intrusions. The Burntwood Project is centered on a structurally complex alkaline intrusive system that includes foliated syenites and localized carbonatite phases. To better understand the mineral potential of this system, Integral undertook a detailed grid survey in 2024 that included rock geochemical sampling, processing 438 rock samples collected across the intrusive complex. Laboratory results confirmed elevated concentrations of light rare earth elements (LREEs), with total REE content (ΣREE) in some samples exceeding 3,800 ppm. Several samples contain lanthanum values greater than 1,000 ppm and cerium concentrations over 2,500 ppm, placing them among the highest in the dataset. These REE-enriched rocks are also associated with elevated levels of pathfinder elements including strontium, barium, niobium, and thorium, which are elements commonly enriched in carbonatite-hosted REE systems. Integral applied principal component analysis (PCA) and K-means clustering to reduce complexity and isolate patterns indicative of mineralization. This multivariate approach identified a distinct geochemical cluster of samples (Cluster B – Syenite Mineralization) with elevated REEs, high strontium and barium values, and depleted in zirconium and hafnium, which is a geochemical fingerprint consistent with carbonatite affinity. Overlaid with samples containing total REEs over the 95th percentile, an area of interest (Figure 1) within the alkaline complex has been identified as being prospective for REE mineralization. 'These results represent an important step in our understanding of the Burntwood system,' stated Paul Sparkes, CEO of Integral Metals. 'We now have a rock geochemistry model that will help us pinpoint where to look next. By combining modern statistical tools with geoscientific interpretation, we're turning regional-scale data into actionable targeting.' The Company is integrating these results with geological mapping performed by the Manitoba Geological Survey (MGS), along with additional datasets collected by the Company, to define targets for the next phase of exploration. Integral Metals will provide further updates as additional datasets become available from the 2024 survey program. Qualified Person The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Jared Suchan, Ph.D., VP of Exploration at the Company, and a 'Qualified Person' as defined by National Instrument 43-101. For a discussion of the Company's QA/QC and data verification procedures and processes, please see the technical report entitled, Technical Report on the KAP Property, Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories, Canada, a copy of which may be obtained under the Company's profile at Figure 1 The area of interest within the Burntwood Lake syenite-carbonatite complex, identified based upon multivariate analysis and statistical thresholds of the 2024 rock geochemistry dataset. On Behalf of the Board Directors Paul Sparkes Chief Executive Officer 825-414-3163 info@ ABOUT INTEGRAL METALS CORP. Integral is an exploration stage company, engaged in the business of mineral exploration for critical minerals, including gallium, germanium, and rare earth elements, with the goal of contributing to the development of a domestic supply chain for these minerals. Integral holds properties in mining-friendly jurisdictions in Canada and the United States of America, including the Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Montana, where it has received regulatory support for its exploration efforts. Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words 'could', 'intend', 'expect', 'believe', 'will', 'projected', 'estimated' and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the Company's future plans and prospects. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information, including, in respect of the forward-looking information included in this press release, assumptions regarding the future plans and strategies of the Company. Although forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among other things, the risk that the Company's business prospects and priorities may change, whether as a result of unexpected events, general market and economic conditions or as a result of the Company's future exploration efforts, and that any such change may result in a re-deployment of the Company's resources and efforts in a manner divergent from the Company's current business plan or strategy. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Recreated The Ancient Chemical Reactions That May Have Sparked Life
Life on Earth probably began in warm, underwater 'chemical gardens', rich in hydrogen and iron. Researchers from Germany have now simulated this environment in a vial, and found that archaic life forms that live in the deep sea today can thrive under these primordial conditions. It's difficult to imagine how life kicked off on our planet. In ecosystems today, life is so deeply entwined with itself that very few creatures live directly off Earth's raw materials. That has been the case for a very, very long time. But the first organisms on an otherwise lifeless planet would have had to make do with what the mineral environment had to offer. There was little to no oxygen, and no photosynthesis. As you can see in the video below, some deep sea organisms still live this way, surviving on hydrothermal vents at depths where the sun don't shine. Borrowing electrons from hydrogen as it spews from the Earth's core, the deep-sea microbes follow a recipe more ancient than the genes they use to conduct it, called the acetyl CoA pathway. It is the only method for carbon fixation – processing inorganic carbon into organic compounds – that can be re-created without enzymes. But when this recipe was first written, in Earth's early years, seawater contained a whole lot more dissolved iron than it does today. A team led by geochemist Vanessa Helmbrecht of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany wanted to test how much of a difference this dissolved iron would have made, by simulating these ancient ocean conditions in the lab. "The ancient occurrence of hydrothermal iron-sulfide rich deposits in the geological record extend into the early Archaean eon (4 to 3.6 billion years ago) and exhibit fossil features interpreted as some of the oldest signatures for life on Earth," the team writes in their paper describing the experiment. "However, links between abiotic H2 [dihydrogen] production in iron-sulfide chemical gardens simulating [primordial] hydrothermal systems and early life are scarce." A single-celled microbe of the order archaea, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, was selected as the test subject for these simulations. It was first collected from a hydrothermal vent off the western coast of Mexico, where, using the acetyl CoA pathway, it relies on carbon dioxide and hydrogen as its primary sources of energy. "Abiotic H2 was a potentially important electron donor and CO2 served as a key electron acceptor for the first cells," the team explains. "Anaerobic organisms that use the H2-dependent reductive acetyl CoA pathway for CO2 fixation are modern representatives that have preserved vestiges of the first metabolisms." The experiments placed M. jannaschii into a miniature version of the deep sea hydrothermal vents, neatly contained in a glass vial. By injecting sulfidic fluid into water devoid of dissolved oxygen, they formed a black precipitate that grew into a chimney structure within 5-10 minutes. At high temperatures, the iron and sulfur in this microcosm formed the iron sulfide minerals mackinawite (FeS) and greigite (Fe3S4). When iron sulfide is hydrated, H2 is released. Though quite different from its modern home, M. jannaschii thrived in this strange environment. "At the beginning, we expected only slight growth, as we did not add any extra nutrients, vitamins, or trace metals to the experiment," Helmbrecht says. "As well as over-expressing some genes of the acetyl CoA metabolism, the archaeans actually grew exponentially." The M. jannaschii cells tended to hang out right beside the mackinawite particles, in a scene much like some of the earliest traces of life found in fossil specimens. These chemical gardens, the scientists think, fuelled Earth's first microbes. This is evidence that the recipe for acetyl CoA metabolism emerged from the extreme and energy-limited environments where Earth life may have struck its first sparks. "Our study points to mackinawite and greigite chemical gardens as potential hatcheries of life, primordial environments that could theoretically support a continuous evolution of the first metabolizing cells," the authors conclude. The research is published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. Mystery of T. Rex's Debated North American Origins Finally Solved Wild Chimps Appear to Administer 'First Aid' to Each Other Scientists Discover Oldest Reptile Tracks, Rewriting Evolution Timeline
