Article Title: Scientists discovered that Mount Erebus is the only known volcano to release metallic gold in solid form.
14-03-2025
Geography Prelims Plus
Context
It is Antarctica’s southernmost active volcano located onRoss Island, towering 12,448 feet above the icy landscape.
Nomenclature- Mount Erebus was named after the Greek god Erebus, the deity of darkness, by Sir James Clark Ross, a British explorer who discovered the volcano during his Antarctic expedition in 1841.
It is the2ndtallestvolcano in Antarctica, after Mount Sidley.
Type-It is a glaciated intraplate stratovolcano, part of thePacific Ring of Fire.
Last eruption –2025
Gold Emission–Itemits micro-crystals of gold. These particles, as small as 20 micrometers, are carried by volcanic gas and have been detected over 600 miles away.
Daily emissions amount to around 80 grams, valued at $6,000 (roughly Rs 5 lakh), produces about 64 pounds of gold annually, valued at around $2 million.
Crystallization in Extreme Cold -When the magma reaches the surface, the freezing temperatures of Antarctica cause the gold to solidify instead of remaining in gas or liquid form.
Mining this gold istoo dangerousdue to the volcano’s unpredictable eruptions.
It is home to a colony of approximately 500,000Adelie penguins.
Because of the remote location, activity is primarily monitored by satellites.
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