Posted on 09/10/2011 10:57:34 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Ultra high precision analyses of some of the oldest rock samples on Earth by researchers at the University of Bristol provides clear evidence that the planet's accessible reserves of precious metals are the result of a bombardment of meteorites more than 200 million years after Earth was formed.
During the formation of Earth, molten iron sank to its centre to make the core. This took with it the vast majority of the planet's precious metals -- such as gold and platinum. In fact, there are enough precious metals in the core to cover the entire surface of Earth with a four-metre thick layer.
The removal of gold to the core should leave the outer portion of Earth bereft of bling. However, precious metals are tens to thousands of times more abundant in Earth's silicate mantle than anticipated. It has previously been argued that this serendipitous over-abundance results from a cataclysmic meteorite shower that hit Earth after the core formed. The full load of meteorite gold was thus added to the mantle alone and not lost to the deep interior.
To test this theory, Dr Matthias Willbold and Professor Tim Elliott of the Bristol Isotope Group in the School of Earth Sciences analysed rocks from Greenland that are nearly four billion years old, collected by Professor Stephen Moorbath of the University of Oxford. These ancient rocks provide a unique window into the composition of our planet shortly after the formation of the core but before the proposed meteorite bombardment.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
I'll be digging in my back yard if anyone needs me...*SMIRK*
Just for fun...
Where Does All Earth’s Gold Come From?
‘The Creator, Our Father’
Oh come on , you’ve told us about that garden. I bet it’s potatoes you’ll be digging for.
Supernovas.
LOL! :)
Don’t feel bad, remember what happened to Midas.
they made this movie about these guys that went to the core of the earth!! probably they could get some on their way!
And with that, all scientific inquiry and rigors of proof are shut down. Is that really how you want to live your life?
Wallop! You’re posting on the wrong thread, LOL! :)
>> And with that, all scientific inquiry and rigors of proof are shut down.
Not really — we still get to figure out HOW God did it! That’s one of the reasons He gave us intellect and free will — so we could study His creation in as much detail as we can, and understand better each day His awesome power and intelligence.
The ground?
I dunno but I know it’s in a bank in the middle of Beverly Hills in somebody else’s name.
“A natural mind cannot understand the supernatural things of God. You accept and enjoy it. He spoke creation into existence.”
God gave us the gifts of free will and curiosity. Why would he do this if he did not intend for us to explore the wonders of his creation?
>> A natural mind cannot understand the supernatural things of God.
Not all of it, of course; that will not happen while we’re here. But it can’t be denied that we understand *more* of what God made every day — as God intended.
If we could capture a meteorite, would an average one contain lots of gold?
I guess this blows the theory all the gold in Ft Knox is Tungsten. Also found this on wiki.
Because of tungsten's high melting point, it is not commercially feasible to cast tungsten ingots.
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