Quakes turn water into gold: study
March 18, 2013 15:50
Midas touch! Earthquakes cause water in faults to vaporise, depositing gold in the Earth's crust, according to a new study.
When an earthquake strikes, it moves along a rupture in the ground -- a fracture called a fault. Big faults can have many small fractures along their length, connected by jogs that appear as rectangular voids. Water often lubricates faults, filling in fractures and jogs. About 10 kilometres below the surface, under incredible temperatures and pressures, the water carries high concentrations of carbon dioxide, silica and economically attractive elements like gold.
When an earthquake strikes, it moves along a rupture in the ground -- a fracture called a fault. Big faults can have many small fractures along their length, connected by jogs that appear as rectangular voids. Water often lubricates faults, filling in fractures and jogs. About 10 kilometres below the surface, under incredible temperatures and pressures, the water carries high concentrations of carbon dioxide, silica and economically attractive elements like gold.
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