A new scientific breakthrough suggests Earth’s molten core may be releasing precious metals like gold into the planet’s surface, and the evidence has been found in volcanic rocks from Hawaii.
In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers from the University of Göttingen in Germany used advanced isotopic analysis to investigate volcanic rocks from Hawaii. These rocks, formed by magma plumes rising from deep inside the Earth, contain unusually high levels of a rare form of ruthenium, a metal more common in the planet’s core than its upper layers.
The discovery challenges long-standing assumptions that the Earth’s core is completely sealed off from the rest of the planet. Since the formation of Earth 4.5 billion years ago, scientists believed that over 99.99% of the planet’s gold and other precious metals became trapped in the core, buried more than 3,000 kilometers below the surface.
But the new findings reveal a small but crucial leak. By tracing specific isotopes within the volcanic rocks, researchers found geochemical signatures that point directly to the core-mantle boundary as the source. The materials appear to rise through deep mantle plumes, eventually erupting as lava at the surface especially at isolated ocean hotspots like the Hawaiian Islands.
The analysis indicates that enormous quantities of superheated rock hundreds of quadrillion metric tonnes are moving upward from the base of the mantle, carrying tiny amounts of metals like gold and ruthenium with them. These discoveries not only alter how scientists view Earth’s interior but also help explain how some precious metals reach the surface.
This new understanding of deep Earth processes highlights that the boundary between Earth’s layers may be more dynamic and connected than previously thought. The results also suggest that volcanic islands like Hawaii are not just formed by surface-level tectonic activity but are shaped by material traveling from the very depths of the planet.
While scientists remain unsure whether this core-leaking phenomenon has occurred steadily over Earth’s history or is a more recent process, the evidence provides a new perspective on how Earth’s inner structure evolves. It also opens up new research opportunities using ruthenium and other isotopes to trace movements between Earth’s core and mantle.
This discovery adds a fascinating layer to our understanding of planetary geology showing that even in the modern age, Earth still has secrets hidden deep below our feet.