Thread: Is Gold an Element in the Molten Core of Planet Earth?

Some of the richest Gold Fields both in resources and Mineable Deposits are located 70 miles North of where I live. Victoria, Australia. In 1852 the struggling Settlement of what was then Southern NSW needed rescuing, along came the Alluvial Gold discoveries. The rest is History. Yes, I have searched for alluvial gold nuggets, using detectors. With my thermos Flasks and cut sandwiches. I enjoyed the picnics in the bush, the fresh air, etc. There's a lot of dirt between the nuggets. I found the dirt, no worries. I've googled of course, but nowhere could I possibly identify the source and probable disposition of the Mother Lode. For that matter, the Age of the Victorian Deposits is also somewhat of a mystery. I assume Volcanic surfacing of the gold in molten form, probably 40/25 million years ago. This is my Guestimate going on known eruptions in this State of Australia. I understand that there have been more recent eruptions, some in the south west ( western Victoria ) as recent as 12/14 thousand years ago. But I believe the gold was brought to the surface layers of the Victorian Crust much earlier. Am I right in thinking this or is it still Scientific speculation at this time? Are the Jury still out? westwind.

From what I see the orogenesis of the Western Australian gold deposits is generally considered to have happened during the Archean http://www.ga.gov.au/image_cache/GA5712.pdf

Most of the Gold deposits we know are archaean, that depends on differentiation of the earth (thats also something what should be discussed here The Origin and Evolution of Continental Crust ). 70% of ALL mineable Gold is lying in Witwatersrand (I think this should be very similar to the australian deposits), which I don't know that good, this is also an alluvial deposit (which has been partialy relocated by some hydrothermal water, which had been also discussed for a long time as source of origin) the source of this gold is in discussion, though the real host rocks are gone by erosion there are some Quartz deposits beneath the source, but this could hardly declare the amount of gold, which was found there. A newer theory is that this could be an archaean "IOCG" like deposit. (IOCG means Iron oxide copper gold in older regions like in australia there can be also a big amount of uranium found). IOCG "like" because of the archaean atmosphere having less oxide so this would be unoxidiced. So very much place for speculations.

What I missed to say Gold is also incompatible to the mantle so it tends to go into the crust, so the main part should be found here. There had been also some calculations how much Gold should be in the crust and there is too much, which has been declared by gold from asteroids which has been also proven by isotopic evidence.

Edit: I have to improve incompatible elements go very easy into the melt but with the outer core being molten there could be gold, and there is, I found this http://discovermagazine.com/2006/sep/innerfortknox

Look at rocks 100ma -140ma.

What's the Host rock and Tectonic setting?

Originally Posted by Geo

What's the Host rock and Tectonic setting?

Host rocks! Thats the word I searched for!

Normally this rocks should be there are possible orogenic but also unorogenic sources but they should be gone like I allready said

For The Geographer. The Alluvial Gold, from ancient water flow in local land formations. ie; Around Ballarat and Bendigo Goldfields in Central Victoria, constituting out highlands being weathered down over thousands of years, soon run out. By 1856 alluvial miners were doing it tough. There was evidence that some of the Gold was from local vertical Clines? and that the seams containing the gold were lodged in convoluted Clines and Anticlines. ie; folds in the Earths Crustial formation. To mine the seams from the deep leads, including ancient stream beds now folded down by surface trauma and subsequently covered by movement of surface soil, Miners from Cornwall, UK, were contracted to come to Victoria with their experience of Deep Lead mining to open up these Goldfields. There are still mines in Central Victoria extracting gold, but from deep down. The real gain for Victoria came from settlement by the men from Cornwall and their Families. westwind.

Originally Posted by westwind

There was evidence that some of the Gold was from local vertical Clines? and that the seams containing the gold were lodged in convoluted Clines and Anticlines. ie; folds in the Earths Crustial formation.

Are you talking about the source of the gold? If so do you really mean clines? or rather something like a lopolith or lakolith? the word cline/anticline is normally just used for sedimentary rocks and I have never heard of a really great sedimentary hosted deposit which is no "paleo placer"

I don't believe gold was formed on earth at all. As I understand it, gold can only be formed under the heat and pressures of a super nova

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=7397200

Well of course, almost everything the earth is made from was formed in other stars. The Universe started with Hydrogen, Helium, and a dash of Lithium. All other elements were created in stars; up to iron in regular fusion reactions, everything heavier in Nova and Supernova. Oh, and man has made many elements that don't exist in nature.