PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

There's gold in them thar trees

2013-10-23
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Emily Lehmann
emily.lehmann@csiro.au
61-395-458-746
CSIRO Australia
There's gold in them thar trees

Eucalyptus trees - or gum trees as they are know - are drawing up gold particles from the earth via their root system and depositing it their leaves and branches.

Scientists from CSIRO made the discovery and have published their findings in the journal Nature Communications.

"The eucalypt acts as a hydraulic pump – its roots extend tens of metres into the ground and draw up water containing the gold. As the gold is likely to be toxic to the plant, it's moved to the leaves and branches where it can be released or shed to the ground," CSIRO geochemist Dr Mel Lintern said.

The discovery is unlikely to start an old-time gold rush – the "nuggets" are about one-fifth the diameter of a human hair. However, it could provide a golden opportunity for mineral exploration, as the leaves or soil underneath the trees could indicate gold ore deposits buried up to tens of metres underground and under sediments that are up to 60 million years old.

"The leaves could be used in combination with other tools as a more cost effective and environmentally friendly exploration technique," Dr Lintern said.

"By sampling and analysing vegetation for traces of minerals, we may get an idea of what's happening below the surface without the need to drill. It's a more targeted way of searching for minerals that reduces costs and impact on the environment.

"Eucalyptus trees are so common that this technique could be widely applied across Australia. It could also be used to find other metals such as zinc and copper."

Using CSIRO's Maia detector for x-ray elemental imaging at the Australian Synchrotron, the research team was able to locate and see the gold in the leaves. The Synchrotron produced images depicting the gold, which would otherwise have been untraceable.

"Our advanced x-ray imaging enabled the researchers to examine the leaves and produce clear images of the traces of gold and other metals, nestled within their structure," principal scientist at the Australian Synchrotron Dr David Paterson said.

"Before enthusiasts rush to prospect this gold from the trees or even the leaf litter, you need to know that these are tiny nuggets, which are about one-fifth the diameter of a human hair and generally invisible by other techniques and equipment."

CSIRO research using natural materials, such as calcrete and laterite in soils, for mineral exploration has led to many successful ore deposit discoveries in regional Australia. The outcomes of the research provide a direct boost to the national economy.



INFORMATION:



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

The hitchhiker antigen: Cause for concern?

2013-10-23
The hitchhiker antigen: Cause for concern? Since antibodies first attained prominence as research reagents in modern biological science labs, researchers have been perplexed as to why one production lot can differ significantly from the next, ...

How are Open Access and MOOCS disrupting the academic community in different ways?

2013-10-23
How are Open Access and MOOCS disrupting the academic community in different ways? New article in SAGE Open compares and contrasts the disruptive tensions of open-access publishing with MOOCs Los Angeles, CA (October 23, 2013) Supporters of open academic content ...

New eye treatment effective in laboratory tests

2013-10-23
New eye treatment effective in laboratory tests Promising new approach may lead to treatments for common eye diseases like neovascular macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy LA JOLLA, CA – October 23, 2013 – A promising technique for treating human eye disease ...

Changes in epigenetic DNA functions reveal how diabetes predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's

2013-10-23
Changes in epigenetic DNA functions reveal how diabetes predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's Mount Sinai researchers hope to exploit findings to develop novel preventive and treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease New ...

Swiss private banking in clinch with high cost level

2013-10-23
Swiss private banking in clinch with high cost level For the international wealth management industry, 2012 was a more benign year than the harsh 2011. Due to favorable stock and bond markets the volumes of managed funds increased, though not returning to pre-crisis ...

The molecular clock of the common buzzard

2013-10-23
The molecular clock of the common buzzard Bielefeld biologists reveal the influence of genes on dispersal behavior This news release is available in German. Be it hibernation or the routes of migratory birds: all animal behaviour that is subject to annual ...

Nanopore opens new cellular doorway for drug transport

2013-10-23
Nanopore opens new cellular doorway for drug transport A living cell is built with barriers to keep things out – and researchers are constantly trying to find ways to smuggle molecules in.‬ ‪Professor Giovanni Maglia (Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural ...

New software traces origins of genetic disorders 20 times more accurately

2013-10-23
New software traces origins of genetic disorders 20 times more accurately In a bioinformatics breakthrough, iMinds – STADIUS – KU Leuven researchers have successfully applied advanced artificial intelligence to enable the automated analysis of huge amounts of ...

Insights into how TB tricks the immune system could help combat the disease

2013-10-23
Insights into how TB tricks the immune system could help combat the disease Researchers have identified a potential way to manipulate the immune system to improve its ability to fight off tuberculosis (TB). TB is a major problem for both humans and ...

Communication with similar people stronger than believed

2013-10-23
Communication with similar people stronger than believed People's tendency to communicate with similar people is stronger than earlier believed, which restricts the flow of information and ideas in social networks. These are the findings that an Aalto University ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Forest trees and microbes choreograph their hunt for a ‘balanced diet’ under elevated CO2

Beyond health: The political effects of infectious disease outbreaks

For tastier and hardier citrus, researchers built a tool for probing plant metabolism

Stay hydrated: New sensor knows when you need a drink

Quantum internet meets space-time in this new ingenious idea

Soil erosion in mountain environments accelerated by agro-pastoral activities for 3,800 years

Optogenetic platform illuminates new antiviral strategies

A new theory explaining oscillations in tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR)

Early antibiotics alter immune function in infants

With the second grant to therapy

Research center developing digital twins for manufacturing

Colombia’s biofortified rice has untapped potential to improve nutrition. And consumers want it

Study shows pregnancy can significantly worsen risk of serious brain injury in women with arteriovenous malformations

Mapping important infrastructure could aid emergency response after hurricanes

Nighttime pistachio snacking may reshape gut microbiome in prediabetic adults

Friendship promotes neural and behavioral similarity

Neural pathway for nicotine withdrawal symptoms

How your DNA reveals your true age with astonishing accuracy

First electronic–photonic quantum chip created in commercial foundry

High-performance scientific computing can compute molecule ground-state energy

Cryo-electron microscopy – Reaction cycle of an enzyme for CO2 fixation decoded

Feeling more extroverted? Study finds you may have learned how to handle daily stress better

Kindness counts—even to a five-day-old baby

Endocrine Society guideline calls for increased screening for common cause of high blood pressure

Macromolecular gene delivery systems: advancing non-viral therapeutics with synthetic and natural polymers

Study finds political instability, environmental conditions, and social inequality accelerate aging

New insights into malaria: Proteins in the blood can reveal the severity of the disease

Delayed hypertension diagnosis and its association with cardiovascular treatment and outcomes

GLP-1 receptor agonists in idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Integrating diet and physical activity when prescribing GLP-1s—lifestyle factors remain crucial

[Press-News.org] There's gold in them thar trees