Gold and platinum are not uncommon on Earth. But they should not appear here at all, or at least they should not exist in the earth's crust.
These elements, as well as other similar metals, have a natural preference for iron, which is why they are inhaled into the iron core of the planet's melting shortly after the formation of the earth. So, where did the raw materials we used to make expensive jewelry come from?
At present, according to the latest research, scientists have shown that the gold, platinum and some other precious metals that we are exposed to in our lives are from the meteorites of ancient times.
The earth was hit by meteorites, which “embedded†the shiny metal we like today in the early crust.
Meteorite "bombing" the earth
"embedded" precious metals in the earth's crust
The seemingly distant meteorites are closely related to our lives.
Many people wear wedding rings on their hands, gold necklaces on their necks, and even platinum in exhaust-catalyzed exhaust gas purification devices placed on your car, all of which come from a large number of meteorites hitting the earth 3.9 billion years ago. During this period, the earth accumulated a large number of meteorites, gradually forming the precious metals we use today.
Certain metals, such as gold, platinum, nickel, tungsten, thorium, etc., are attracted by the iron at the core of the earth. After the high temperature environment inside the earth begins to function, these elements gradually migrate to the core of the earth and participate in the melting process. . Thus, the source of these precious metal elements in the earth's crust is relatively unusual. Geologists have also put forward some theories to explain this problem. According to relevant research, the original earth of 3.8 billion to 4 billion years ago was hit by an unusual large number of meteorites, thus "embedded" in the early crust. The shiny metals we like today, these metals are absorbed into modern mantles over time as the earth's geological evolution progresses.
200 billion tons of meteorites
Once "smashed" the earth
A research team led by Matthiasville Boulder of the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom conducted rock samples in the southwest of Greenland.
The reason for choosing a sampling point near Greenland as a study is because geologists believe that there are rocks involved in the earliest crustal activity on Earth, and this time point should be large before 4 billion years ago, that is, before the Earth. The period of meteorite impact. Scientists compare these collected rocks to rocks that represent modern mantle structures elsewhere on the planet. If there are significantly fewer precious metal elements in the former sample than in the latter sample, then it can be explained to some extent that meteorite impact is an important factor.
The researchers found significant differences in tungsten isotopes in each rock sample. In this regard, Wilburd believes that we can derive from the time range based on this situation, calculate how many meteorite materials are embedded in the geological movement, and the tungsten isotopic composition we found on Earth today and the current environment. How much contact there is.
By comparing the tungsten isotopes in rocks, it is the most suitable isotope comparison method to date. At the same time, geochemical evidence also indicates that a large number of meteorites hit the Earth 4 billion years ago.
Richard Carlson, a scientist at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, DC, used the same isotope method to study the early geological activity of the Earth. Carlson believes that we currently have the ability to measure the isotope differences in rocks. Using this method to study early Earth tectonic activity can be said to open a whole new window for relevant geological researchers.
According to the researchers' calculations, about half of the current mantle content is supplemented by these meteorite impacts. This ratio does not seem to sound much, but if it is converted to actual quality, it is of the order of 10 to the power of 20. It is estimated that to produce the amount of precious metals found on the current surface, the quality of meteorites that "bombed" the Earth at that time could reach 200 billion tons.
Wilburd said that all the precious metals we use today are from a large number of meteorites from 3.8 billion to 4 billion years ago. At the same time, the water on the earth is also brought to the earth by meteorites. The meteorites may even bring all kinds of elements and conditions necessary for life to the earth.
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