Shocking discovery of the birth of a giant gold block

(NLDO) - Australian scientists discovered that large gold blocks in nature have a fierce history.

Gold naturally forms in quartz—the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust—and sometimes, between quartz veins, miners find large, intact chunks of gold rather than scattered fragments.

That is almost scientifically absurd.

A large block of gold naturally formed in a quartz vein - Photo: MONASH UNIVERSITY

According to Live Science, a research team led by geologist Chris Voisey from Monash University (Australia) searched for the origin of the unusually large gold blocks.

Before humans found it, gold had a long journey underground.

From deep within the planet's crust, hydrothermal fluids carry gold atoms up and push them through quartz veins.

Theoretically, this means that the gold particles will be evenly dispersed throughout these quartz veins.

However, about 75% of the gold humans mine appears in lump form, and sometimes giant gold blocks are found.

According to an article published in the scientific journal Nature Geoscience, what was behind the formation of these gold nuggets was an earthquake disaster.

Dr Voisey said there were two separate clues that helped them solve the mystery of the gold blocks.

First, the largest gold masses occur in orogenic gold deposits, which are deposits formed during mountain-building events, including a series of earthquakes.

Second, quartz is a piezoelectric mineral, meaning it generates its own electrical charge in response to geological stresses, such as those created by earthquakes.

A full process has been recreated: Earthquakes fracture rocks and push hydrothermal fluids up quartz veins, filling them with dissolved gold.

In response to the pressure of the earthquake, the quartz veins simultaneously create an electrical charge that reacts with the gold, causing the gold to precipitate and solidify at specific points where there is a "bait" of pre-deposited gold particles.

This discovery once again shows that most of the precious jewelry we use - from gold to diamonds, gemstones - have a more violent origin than we think.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/phat-hien-chan-dong-ve-su-ra-doi-cua-khoi-vang-khong-lo-196240904110912902.htm