Active volcano in Antarctica spewing $6,000 worth of gold dust every day

  •  An active volcano in Antarctica spews gold constantly
  • Scientists have estimated it released $6,000 in gold dust daily
  • The flecks have been found some 600 miles away

Published on Apr 26, 2024 at 7:32 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

Last updated on Apr 30, 2024 at 6:00 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Tom Wood

While money doesn’t grow on trees, it seems gold does spew from an active volcano in Antarctica.

Yes, you are reading that right – one of Earth’s most active volcanoes spews $6,000 in gold dust on the daily.

Mount Erebus is located in Antarctica – it was discovered by Sir James Clark Ross in January of 1841 and named after one of his ships.

And one fact about it will get you in the flow.

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The active volcano releases specks of crystallized gold among the usual gas, steam, and rock you’d expect.

These are spewed into the Antarctic air daily – and some of the tiny glittering flecks get further than you might think.

In fact, some of its luxurious alternative lava was found over 966km (600m) away from Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on Earth.

Aside from spitting gold, Mount Erebus is notable for being the highest active volcano in Antarctica out of 138, with a summit reaching 3794.1504m (12,448 ft).

Per stats from 2017, nine of them are reportedly active.

Mount Erebus is one of three volcanoes forming Ross Island and providing heat amid the frozen landscape.

And it’s a beautiful vista that is part of the inspiration behind this 262-foot concept yacht that was inspired by an active volcano.

“Erebus…has been continuously erupting since at least 1972,” Conor Bacon of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University in New York, said in an interview with Live Science.

Scientists still study the glittering peak via the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory and also hunt for extreme forms of life.

Satellite surveillance has recovered a lake of lava that’s been bubbling since 1972, per IFL Science.

And, as well as the Au, it also spews partially molten rock aka ‘volcanic bombs’, gas, and steam.

Some of the things the Koenigsegg Gemera runs on – fuel from a volcano.

Scientists have calculated that the volcano spews around 80 grams of gold a day, equivalent to around $6,000 per day.

In other volcano news, a futuristic $10 billion driverless city is being built near an active Japanese volcano – and it’s almost ready for residents to move in.

Some of the images in this article were created using AI.

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London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the experienced content creator and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms and coveted brands. When her OOO is on you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym or exploring the city she loves.