Scientists Stunned as Antarctica’s Mount Erebus Emits £5,000 of Gold Dust Daily!

Antarctica's Tallest Volcano Ejects Gold Dust

Antarctica’s discoveries continued to baffle scientists daily, but Mount Erebus stood out. After years of research, the unusual activity of Antarctica’s tallest volcano, Mount Erebus, was said to release gold dust worth £5,000 every day. While volcanoes were known to produce molten lava, this one emitted gold dust, sparking both excitement and curiosity. Scientists were constantly observing this bizarre event to uncover its secrets and understand what processes contributed to the volcano’s gold emissions. Let’s explore what researchers discovered about this extraordinary phenomenon.

Extraordinary Daily Gold Eruption

Located on Ross Island, Antarctica's Mount Erebus was believed to have released about 80 grams of crystallized gold daily, worth around £5,000. The gold dust particles were smaller than 20 micrometers and were carried up to 621 miles (about 1,000 kilometers) by volcanic gases. Conor Bacon, a postdoctoral research scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University in New York, told Live Science in an email, "Erebus, which loomed over the McMurdo research base on Ross Island, had been continuously erupting since at least 1972."

Secretive Geological Processes

Knewz.com explored that since 1972, the Mount Erebus volcano has been erupting. It was discovered by Captain Sir James Clark Ross in 1841. Experts observed the eruptions as a mix of gas and steam. The volcano sometimes ejected tiny rocks in a process called strombolian eruptions. The gold dust formed when the lava rose and merged with the cooler air, crystallizing the gold for a few hours before it was released into the atmosphere. Bacon explained to Live Science , "One of its most interesting features was the persistent lava lake that occupied one of [its] summit craters, where molten material was present at the surface. These were quite rare, as they required very specific conditions to ensure the surface never froze over."

The Mount Erebus Disaster

The majestic Mount Erebus had turned deadly in 1979 when an Air New Zealand sightseeing flight crashed into the volcano due to poor visibility caused by a weather condition called 'whiteout.' All 257 passengers and crew on board had lost their lives, as reported by Weather.com . The event was widely covered by news channels and had been named 'The Mount Erebus Disaster,' highlighting both the beauty and danger of this remarkable volcano. After the incident, visitors were strictly warned to follow specific guidelines and avoid getting too close to the active crater.

Remotely Monitory Volcanic Activities

Besides close monitoring, scientists used various advanced techniques to detect and study gas emissions and other unusual activities. According to NPR.org , some of the tools used included seismographic detection, tiltmeters, remote sensors, satellites, drones, acoustic monitoring, LiDAR, and InSAR. These techniques helped measure even small changes in ground height or temperature, even in hard-to-reach areas. Experts also used sound equipment to identify the type of eruption and track the volcano's behavior in real time.