Money does not grow on trees. But gold does, at least according to a group of scientists who have confirmed the presence of the mineral in the leaves of some plants.
Australia based researchers found the gold particles hidden within eucalyptus tree foliage, indicating that gold deposits may also be buried many metres below.
The grains growing within the leaves are approximately one fifth the diameter of a human hair, making the discovery unlikely to start a gold rush. However, it can provide a unique opportunity for mineral exploration.
Geochemists from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRPO) said eucalyptus trees in western Australia are drawing up gold particles from the earth via their root system and depositing it their leaves and branches.
Although the amounts found were tiny, their presence could indicate gold ore deposits buried up to tens of metres underground and under sediments that are up to 60 million years old.
Lead author of the study, Dr Mel Lintern, said the team used CSIRO's Maia detector, a machine that uses x-rays to probe matter in great detail, to search for gold deposits. They were able to produce images of gold found in the leaves, bark and twigs of some of the trees.
Their research, published in the journal Nature Communications,suggested plants were absorbing gold particles found around the soils of eucalyptus trees, Dr Lintern explained.
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