This Antarctic volcano emits gold worth $6,000 everyday

Mount Erebus, one of the world’s most active volcanoes located in Antarctica, reportedly emits approximately 80 grams of gold daily, amounting to nearly $6,000 in value.

This phenomenon is a part of the volcanic activity that sees pockets of gas containing crystallized gold released into the atmosphere each day, as reported by IFLScience.

Gold dust dispersal and geological features

The gold dust from Mount Erebus can be found as far as 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) away from its towering height of 12,448 feet.

The volcano is known for its unique geological position, situated above a particularly thin slice of Earth’s crust.

This allows molten rock to rise more easily from the planet’s interior, facilitating not only the emission of gold but also various gases and steam.

Regular volcanic activity

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observatory notes that gold dust is just one of many elements being expelled by Erebus.

The volcano is active regularly, producing gas plumes, steam, and occasionally ejecting rocks in strombolian eruptions—a type of moderate volcanic eruption with continuous low-level activity.

Tragic history associated with Mount Erebus

Mount Erebus is also infamously known for the tragic Mount Erebus disaster.

On November 28, 1979, Air New Zealand Flight 901 collided with the volcano, resulting in the deaths of all 257 people on board.

The flight was a part of a sightseeing program offered by Air New Zealand, which included an 11-hour tour from Auckland to Antarctica and back.

This tragic event remains one of the deadliest in Antarctic history and highlights the dangers associated with flying near active volcanic regions.

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