'I wish god rains gold and money and make me rich overnight'; No! this is not a prayer of a person talking to the almighty but a reality in Antarctica. Antarctica which is known for its plethora of volcanoes recently grabbed the headlines. Mount Erebus, one of the most intense and southernmost active volcanoes on Earth, is estimated to release roughly 80 grams of gold daily, worth about $6,000. Scientists discovered that its gusts of gas are loaded with tiny crystals of metallic gold.
As per reports, as Mount Erebus is spewing lava and gas, the gold dust can travel far and wide with researchers finding traces of gold in the air up to 621 miles from the volcano. Mount Erebus is located above a thin slice of crust, allowing molten rock to easily rise from Earth’s interior. As per NASA, Mount Erebus regularly emits plumes of gas and steam and sometimes expels rock (bombs) in strombolian eruptions. Mount Erebus overlooks the McMurdo research station on Ross Island and has a lava lake in the summit crater that’s remained active since 1972. Because the volcano is in a remote location, researchers monitor it using satellites.
Reports suggest that Mount Erebus is one of three volcanoes that form Ross Island, and it's said that it was erupting when it was discovered in 1841 during the voyage of Captain James Clark Ross, who carried out important magnetic surveys in the Arctic and Antarctic and discovered the Ross Sea and the Victoria Land region of Antarctica. Scientists still observe the volcano through the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory and conduct field campaigns to look for extreme life forms. The largest Antarctic settlement-McMurdo Station, operated by the United States is located about 25 south of Mount Erebus and is within sight of the volcano.
