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Scientists Detect Chemical Signals of Rare Metals, Like Ruthenium, in Hawaiian Lava and Point to Possible Leak from Earth’s Core
A new study published in the journal Nature sugests something surprising: part of the gold from the Earth’s core may be rising back to the surface.
The discovery was made by scientists from Göttingen University, who analyzed volcanic rocks from Hawaii and identified traces of ruthenium — a rare metal that, according to the researchers, carries the chemical signature of the Earth‘s core.
A Hidden Clue in the Lava
By studying the composition of Hawaiian lava, scientists detected a specific isotope of ruthenium, 100 Ru, in concentrations that should not be there.
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This isotope is more abundant in the materials that form the planet’s core and almost absent in the mantle. Since the lava comes from the mantle, the presence of this material drew attention.
“When the first results came in, we realized that we had literally found gold,” said Nils Messling, geochemist and lead author of the study.
For him, the data is clear: there is material coming from the core mixing with the Earth’s mantle.
What seemed impossible a few years ago is now gaining strength with chemical evidence.
The isotopic signature of ruthenium, combined with anomalies in tungsten isotopes, reinforces the hypothesis that the Earth’s core is not isolated from the rest of the planet.
The Journey of Gold to the Center
To understand how gold ended up in the core, we must go back to the formation of the Earth. When the planet was still young and its structure was molten, the heavier metals were pulled to the center, where the core formed.
The crust and mantle, on the other hand, were left almost without precious metals.
Later, meteorites that collided with Earth provided a new dose of rare elements. These celestial bodies brought a ruthenium with a different composition.
This difference is exactly what scientists now use as a reference to trace the origin of the elements found in the lavas.
The study shows that the 100 Ru found in Hawaiian rocks comes from the Earth’s deepest interior, not from meteorites. This indicates that the core is exchanging material with the mantle.
Plumes Rising from the Depths
The rocks studied came from mantle plumes — columns of hot rock that rise from the depths. These plumes are responsible for the formation of islands like Hawaii.
The discovery suggests that these columns may have origins very close to the boundary between the mantle and the core.
Until now, this boundary was considered sealed. But new data indicates that it may allow certain elements to leak.
“We can now also prove that huge volumes of superheated material rise to the surface,” said Matthias Willbold, coauthor of the study.
According to him, this reinforces that the core is not entirely isolated, as previously thought.
How Material Escapes from the Core
To explain how core material reaches the mantle, scientists propose two models. The first would be the direct mixing of metals from the base of the mantle with the core.
However, this model brings a problem: there should be an increase in other metals, which has not been observed.
Therefore, researchers propose a second explanation. As the core cools over time, it may crystallize thin layers of metallic oxides.
These oxides, rich in ruthenium and tungsten, would form a distinct chemical layer over the core. Over time, part of this material mixes with the rising plumes.
This model would also explain why gold or platinum are not found in large quantities in the rocks. These metals may be at levels too low to be detected or may have combined with other substances during melting.
This Is Not a Gold Mine
It is important to clarify: this is not pure gold coming out of the volcanoes. What researchers found are traces of elements that indicate the presence of the core in the lava.
If present, gold exists in such small quantities that it does not justify any type of economic exploitation.
What really matters is what this reveals about the Earth’s interior. The discovery shows that the core and the mantle are more connected than previously thought. This could change how science understands the internal dynamics of the planet.
“The Earth’s core is, very slowly, returning its buried treasure,” summarized Messling.
A Continuous Process
By combining isotope measurements, comparisons with meteorites, and models of the planet’s history, scientists have managed to build a strong argument.
They claim that the Earth’s core — until now considered a sealed vault — is, in fact, leaking.
It is not a fast process. Nor abundant. But enough to indicate that material exchange is happening.
“Our findings open a new perspective on the evolution of our planet’s internal dynamics,” said Messling.
He emphasizes that it is still unknown whether this process also occurred in the past, but the clue found in Hawaii may just be the beginning.
One thing is for sure: part of the Earth’s gold did not come only from space. It may also be, silently, rising from the depths.
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