UPI – It may seem like a fantastical notion, but in Antarctica, a phenomenon occurs where gold seemingly rains from the sky. Nestled amidst the icy expanse, Mount Erebus, a fiery volcano, stands as the southernmost active volcano on Earth, offering a contrast of warmth amid the frozen terrain.
According to a 2017 study, Antarctica boasts a staggering 138 volcanoes, approximately nine of which are reported to be active. Among these, Mount Erebus reigns as the most prominent, with a summit elevation of 3,794 metres.
Erebus is part of the trio of volcanoes that comprise Ross Island. Legend has it that it was in the throes of eruption when it was first sighted in 1841 during Captain James Clark Ross’ expedition. Ross, renowned for his magnetic surveys in both the Arctic and Antarctic, named the discovery after his ship, HMS Erebus.
Even today, scientists meticulously monitor Erebus through the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory, conducting field campaigns to explore its extreme environments for signs of life. Positioned approximately 25 south of Mount Erebus, McMurdo Station, the largest Antarctic settlement under the operation of the United States, stands within view of the volcano.
Satellite imagery captured since 1972 reveals a mesmerising lava lake continuously bubbling within the heart of Mount Erebus, as reported by IFL Science.
The volcano regularly pumps out plumes of gas and steam and has been known to eject boulders of partially molten rock known as ‘volcanic bombs’.
While volcanic bombs are exciting, it’s the bursts of gas spraying tiny crystals of metallic gold that surprise scientists, who estimate the volcano spews around 80 grammes of gold a day – that’s worth around USD6,000.
The gold has been found hundreds of miles away from Mount Erebus. Antarctic researchers have detected traces of the gold dust in ambient air up to 621 miles away from the volcano.
