Your Parents Lied When They Said Gold Doesn't Grow On Trees
Parents beware: You're about to have one less idiom in your repertoire. Scientists in Australia have discovered gold deposits on eucalyptus trees in the Outback. Yes, you read that right -- money can actually "grow" on trees.
By Judith Yeoh — 24 Oct 2013, 09:20 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
Scientists in Australia have confirmed the presence of gold particles in the leaves of eucalyptus plants
The particles are much too small to be seen with the naked eye but have been detected using a type of x-ray that is especially good at picking up trace amounts of metals and minerals.
dailymail.co.uk
However, gold hunters shouldn’t start felling gum trees in the hope of becoming rich. Study leader Mel Lintern told the Brisbane Times: ‘If you had 500 eucalyptus trees growing over a gold deposit, they would only have enough gold in there to make a wedding ring.’
forbes.comThe real value of the study is that nature’s own version of gold leaf could provide mine companies with an inexpensive and environmentally friendly indicator of where to drill test sites.
cnn.comThe finding provides an inexpensive, excavation-free way to narrow the search for more deposits.
Scientists have long had clues that trees and other vegetation pulled gold from the soil and transported it to their leaves, but the evidence wasn’t clear. The gold particles could have stuck to the leaves after being blown there as dust, for example.
To bolster the case that the gold came from soil beneath the trees, researchers conducted a series of field studies and lab tests.
Nature's own version of gold leaf could provide mine companies with an inexpensive and environmentally friendly indicator of where to drill test sites.
Image via dailymail.co.ukThe discovery of new gold deposits worldwide has almost halved in the past decade. The quality of finds is also falling.
The study by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in Western Australia showed levels of the precious metal were highest in trees growing directly over gold seams, one of which was 115 feet down.
Super Pit gold mine at Kalgoorlie in Western Australia is Australia's largest open-pit mine
Image via wikimedia.orgBut there's a catch..
The deposit is about the size of a football field and lies 30 meters or more below ground, but at today’s gold prices it’s too small and sparse to be worth excavating.
So, basically 500 eucalyptus trees growing over the gold deposit would only have enough gold in there to make a wedding ring.
dailymail.co.ukBut the good thing is that the next time someone tells you money doesn't grow on trees, well, you know what to say.
cnn.com