Golden leaves are not always a metaphor - Money.pl

id=”inContext_disabled”> 2013-10-24 18:30

id=”inContext_disabled”> [Photo: sxc / cc / deloan]

small amount of gold contained in the leaves of the trees indicate deposits of this metal – reports New Scientist. “

In Australia, it is difficult to locate new deposits of gold and other minerals, as a large part of the area covered by a layer of material from erosion. It masks what is deeper.

Melvyn Lintern and his colleagues at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), who studied the eucalyptus leaves they discovered that the trees can be used to locate gold deposits located at a depth of 40 meters below the surface. Small amounts of gold are dissolved in water, then absorbed by the roots of the trees. At the end of the gold goes to the leaves. Because the metal is toxic to plants, insulate it with crystals of calcium oxalate.

gold content in the leaves is very low. According Linterna to get a sufficient amount of gold in the ring need 500 trees growing on the bed. In a more scientific language means that the content of 100 parts per billion in the leaves, and 50 – in the branches. To detect gold at all, the researchers had to use a synchrotron, produces X-rays.

According to the study authors

leaf analysis can help companies looking for new gold deposits in hard to reach locations. It can also be used to search for other metals, such as copper or platinum. Lintern said, moreover, that some companies are already aware of the existence of gold in the leaves, but kept it a secret.

Last year, scientists from CSIRO announced that the search for precious metals may also help ants and termites. Digging deep corridors, insects are on the surface of particles containing gold of the layer around the bed properly and collect them in mounds. Gold can also be found in the bodies of termites, and in particular in their excretory systems. (PAP)

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