Million dollar gold store in the volcanic heart of New Zealand

Geological scientists found large amounts of gold and silver in reservoirs in many New Zealand volcanoes.

Geologist Stuart Simmons from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA and colleagues discovered that a molten lava stream warmed the water beneath the Taupo volcanic region in New Zealand. Boiling water flows down the nearby rock and accumulates dissolved metals like gold and silver.

Deep lake filled with gold and silver in the volcanic heart in New Zealand.(Photo: Jacob Surland / Flickr.)

While the stones below the ground contained only a small amount of gold, the scientists found six reservoirs deep hundreds of meters full of sparkling gold and silver . The highest density of gold in water is 0.02 mg / l and silver density reaches more than two mg / l. The findings were published on Geothermics in early July.

According to the team's estimates, the amount of gold and silver that can be exploited from one of these reservoirs is worth up to $ 6.3 million annually. However, the mining process requires the development of new mining technologies so as not to affect the potential of turning heat into electricity.