The world’s tallest volcano which spews a daily amount of gold that is worth a small fortune has long left scientists baffled.
Mount Erebus in Antarctica emits all the expected plumes of steam, gas and rock bombs. However, as reported by the Daily Star, what has left boffins scratching their heads is the crystallized gold it is emitting.
The tiny specks of gold coming from the volcano are thought to be worth around £5,000 each day – and the real life ‘gold dust’ has been found as far as 621 miles beyond the site.
One of Antarctica’s 138 active volcanoes, it’s known for emitting pockets of gas containing approximately 80 grams of the gold. Standing at 12,448 feet tall the volcano sits above a thin slice of crust.
Experts from NASA, the American space agency, say this means molten rock easily rises up from the Earth’s interior with gold particles carried to the surface and crystallising.
Scientists have suggested that these particles then travel through the air, as the “gold dust” has been found 621 miles away from the source. . The volcano also occasionally spits out rock in strombolian eruptions.
It’s thought to be the southermost active volcano in the world and overlooks the McMurdo research station on Ross Island. It’s by far Antartica’s most famous peal even though it’s not the most prominent.
It also has a lava lake in the summit crater that has been active since at least 1972. Because of the remote location, activity is primarily monitored by satellites.
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