Gold Grows On Eucalyptus Trees
Australian researchers confirm that deep-rooted Eucalyptus trees pilfer gold from ore deposits underground and transport them into their leaves.
Eucalyptus tree roots can delve more than 130 feet (40 meters) deep underground in a thirsty search for water. (See "Koalas Climb a Eucalyptus Tree.")
The Nature Communications journal results, reported by a team led by Melvyn Lintern of Australia's CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Evaluation science agency, settle a long-running dispute. Researchers had disagreed over whether gold particles seen in eucalyptus leaves were merely wind-blown or truly represented ore traces transported by roots.
With gold costing more than $1,300 an ounce, miners might want to look hard at these eucalyptus tree findings, the team suggests. Gold discoveries have declined roughly 45 percent over the last decade. (Related: "Will Deep-sea Mining Yield an Underwater Gold Rush?")
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