Scientists at the University of Göttingen in Germany have reported evidence that metals such as gold and ruthenium are slowly leaking from the Earth’s core to its surface. Their study examined lava samples from Hawaiian volcanoes Kīlauea and Lo‘ihi and found chemical signatures consistent with material from deep inside the planet.
The Earth’s core is thought to hold up to 30 billion tons of gold, a quantity worth an estimated €2.77 trillion. Only a trace escapes to the surface. As co-author Matthias Willbold explained, “We’re talking about traces, not nuggets.”
Although the amounts are tiny, the implications are not. Ruthenium isotopes provided the key. Elevated levels of 100Ru in lava indicated that even fractions of less than 0.3% of core material were reaching the surface. This means the Earth’s core is not completely sealed from the mantle and crust, as once assumed.
Windows into the planet
These microscopic leaks change how geologists understand Earth’s internal processes. Over millions of years, trace elements may mix with surface rocks, subtly shaping volcanic chemistry and crustal composition. Volcanoes are more than dramatic features; they are openings into otherwise unreachable parts of the planet.
Hotspot regions such as Hawai‘i, La Réunion and the Galápagos help scientists trace how materials travel from near the core to the crust. By comparing samples, researchers can refine models of how the planet’s layers interact. The study also points outward. If such leakage occurs on Earth, similar processes could influence the geology of Mars or Venus.
Record-breaking discovery in China
While German researchers studied microscopic signals, geologists in China may have identified one of the largest gold deposits in history. In Hunan Province, the Wangu gold field has revealed more than 40 gold-bearing veins about 1.9 kilometres underground.
Initial surveys placed the resource at 300 metric tons. New assessments suggest a far larger figure, nearly 1,000 metric tons, valued at around US$83 billion. Chen Rulin of the Geological Bureau of Hunan Province said, “Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold.” Visible gold in samples is rare and usually signals a deposit of very high grade.
Most gold deposits worldwide are considered strong if they measure 8 grams per ton of rock. The Wangu site is reported at 138 grams per ton, nearly 5 ounces in a single ton of ore. That is a level rarely recorded in modern mining.
If confirmed, the deposit would surpass South Africa’s South Deep mine, which contains about 900 metric tons. China already produces around 10 percent of global supply, and this discovery could strengthen its role further.
A finite resource
Humans have mined around 53,000 metric tons of gold. Another 50,000 may exist, but it is increasingly difficult to locate. The easy-to-access deposits were extracted long ago. What remains is deeper, dispersed, or in remote environments that are costly to develop.
Some experts argue the world is nearing “peak gold,” where new discoveries decline. Yet the Wangu deposit complicates that view. The Hunan government has already launched an “integrated exploration” programme, with 55 boreholes drilled so far, and aims to add more than 110 tons of reserves during its current five-year plan.
How gold forms in such abundance remains debated. The prevailing model involves hot, mineral-rich fluids filling rock fractures, but this does not explain large nuggets. Chris Voisey of Monash University remarked, “While this theory is widely accepted, it doesn’t fully explain the formation of large gold nuggets, especially considering that the concentration of gold in these fluids is extremely low.” His team and collaborators at CSIRO and ANSTO suggest earthquakes may provide the missing link, with sudden pressure changes forcing dissolved gold to solidify.
From atomic sheets to future reserves
Beyond the mines, scientists are testing gold’s properties in the laboratory. In 2024, researchers created a single-atom-thick layer of gold called “goldene.” “If you make a material extremely thin, something extraordinary happens – as with graphene,” said Shun Kashiwaya of Linköping University. “The same thing happens with gold. As you know, gold is usually a metal, but if single-atom-layer thick, the gold can become a semiconductor instead.” Such properties could lead to new uses in electronics, unrelated to jewellery or finance.
An asteroid worth trillions
Looking even further afield, NASA is preparing to study Psyche, a large asteroid in the belt between Mars and Jupiter. First discovered in 1852, Psyche is thought to be the exposed core of an ancient planetary body. Research suggests that 30 to 60 percent of its 165,000 square kilometre surface is metallic, containing iron, nickel and possibly vast reserves of gold.
Its estimated value reaches €700 trillion, more than the GDP of all countries combined. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, launched in 2023, is scheduled to arrive in 2029. It will orbit the asteroid, mapping it with cameras and sensors. The aim is not mining, but learning how rocky planets formed.
A gold rush beyond Earth?
The idea of mining space resources excites investors and policymakers, but practical and legal barriers remain. Space mining requires technology that does not yet exist on a large scale, and the risks of flooding Earth with cheap gold could destabilise economies.
Still, Psyche has captured attention. As questions about “who owns space” remain unresolved, the asteroid has come to symbolise the next frontier. The possibilities echo earlier gold rushes, but this time the prize lies millions of kilometres away.
The Earth’s core is thought to hold up to 30 billion tons of gold, a quantity worth an estimated €2.77 trillion. Only a trace escapes to the surface. As co-author Matthias Willbold explained, “We’re talking about traces, not nuggets.”
Although the amounts are tiny, the implications are not. Ruthenium isotopes provided the key. Elevated levels of 100Ru in lava indicated that even fractions of less than 0.3% of core material were reaching the surface. This means the Earth’s core is not completely sealed from the mantle and crust, as once assumed.
Windows into the planet
These microscopic leaks change how geologists understand Earth’s internal processes. Over millions of years, trace elements may mix with surface rocks, subtly shaping volcanic chemistry and crustal composition. Volcanoes are more than dramatic features; they are openings into otherwise unreachable parts of the planet.
Hotspot regions such as Hawai‘i, La Réunion and the Galápagos help scientists trace how materials travel from near the core to the crust. By comparing samples, researchers can refine models of how the planet’s layers interact. The study also points outward. If such leakage occurs on Earth, similar processes could influence the geology of Mars or Venus.
Record-breaking discovery in China
While German researchers studied microscopic signals, geologists in China may have identified one of the largest gold deposits in history. In Hunan Province, the Wangu gold field has revealed more than 40 gold-bearing veins about 1.9 kilometres underground.
Initial surveys placed the resource at 300 metric tons. New assessments suggest a far larger figure, nearly 1,000 metric tons, valued at around US$83 billion. Chen Rulin of the Geological Bureau of Hunan Province said, “Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold.” Visible gold in samples is rare and usually signals a deposit of very high grade.
Most gold deposits worldwide are considered strong if they measure 8 grams per ton of rock. The Wangu site is reported at 138 grams per ton, nearly 5 ounces in a single ton of ore. That is a level rarely recorded in modern mining.
If confirmed, the deposit would surpass South Africa’s South Deep mine, which contains about 900 metric tons. China already produces around 10 percent of global supply, and this discovery could strengthen its role further.
A finite resource
Humans have mined around 53,000 metric tons of gold. Another 50,000 may exist, but it is increasingly difficult to locate. The easy-to-access deposits were extracted long ago. What remains is deeper, dispersed, or in remote environments that are costly to develop.
Some experts argue the world is nearing “peak gold,” where new discoveries decline. Yet the Wangu deposit complicates that view. The Hunan government has already launched an “integrated exploration” programme, with 55 boreholes drilled so far, and aims to add more than 110 tons of reserves during its current five-year plan.
How gold forms in such abundance remains debated. The prevailing model involves hot, mineral-rich fluids filling rock fractures, but this does not explain large nuggets. Chris Voisey of Monash University remarked, “While this theory is widely accepted, it doesn’t fully explain the formation of large gold nuggets, especially considering that the concentration of gold in these fluids is extremely low.” His team and collaborators at CSIRO and ANSTO suggest earthquakes may provide the missing link, with sudden pressure changes forcing dissolved gold to solidify.
From atomic sheets to future reserves
Beyond the mines, scientists are testing gold’s properties in the laboratory. In 2024, researchers created a single-atom-thick layer of gold called “goldene.” “If you make a material extremely thin, something extraordinary happens – as with graphene,” said Shun Kashiwaya of Linköping University. “The same thing happens with gold. As you know, gold is usually a metal, but if single-atom-layer thick, the gold can become a semiconductor instead.” Such properties could lead to new uses in electronics, unrelated to jewellery or finance.
An asteroid worth trillions
Looking even further afield, NASA is preparing to study Psyche, a large asteroid in the belt between Mars and Jupiter. First discovered in 1852, Psyche is thought to be the exposed core of an ancient planetary body. Research suggests that 30 to 60 percent of its 165,000 square kilometre surface is metallic, containing iron, nickel and possibly vast reserves of gold.
Its estimated value reaches €700 trillion, more than the GDP of all countries combined. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, launched in 2023, is scheduled to arrive in 2029. It will orbit the asteroid, mapping it with cameras and sensors. The aim is not mining, but learning how rocky planets formed.
A gold rush beyond Earth?
The idea of mining space resources excites investors and policymakers, but practical and legal barriers remain. Space mining requires technology that does not yet exist on a large scale, and the risks of flooding Earth with cheap gold could destabilise economies.
Still, Psyche has captured attention. As questions about “who owns space” remain unresolved, the asteroid has come to symbolise the next frontier. The possibilities echo earlier gold rushes, but this time the prize lies millions of kilometres away.
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