Scientists discovered that Mount Erebus is the only known volcano to release metallic gold in solid form.
It is Antarctica’s southernmost active volcano located on Ross Island, towering 12,448 feet above the icy landscape.
Nomenclature - Mount Erebus was named after the Greek god Erebus, the deity of darkness, by Sir James Clark Ross, a British explorer who discovered the volcano during his Antarctic expedition in 1841.
It is the 2nd tallest volcano in Antarctica, after Mount Sidley.
Type - It is a glaciated intraplate stratovolcano, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The inner crater of the volcano holds the lava lake.
The lake has been continuously active since at least 1972, releasing gases and steam.
Sometimes the lake produces explosions, called Strombolian eruptions, that eject magma and pyroclastic rocks.
The volcano also possesses an inactive side crater.
Last eruption – 2025.
Gold Emission – Itemits micro-crystals of gold. These particles, as small as 20 micrometers, are carried by volcanic gas and have been detected over 600 miles away.
Daily emissions amount to around 80 grams, valued at $6,000 (roughly Rs 5 lakh), produces about 64 pounds of gold annually, valued at around $2 million.
Crystallization in Extreme Cold - When the magma reaches the surface, the freezing temperatures of Antarctica cause the gold to solidify instead of remaining in gas or liquid form.
Mining this gold is too dangerous due to the volcano’s unpredictable eruptions.
It is home to a colony of approximately 500,000 Adelie penguins.
It lies within the sight of the McMurdo Station, a research station of United States.
Because of the remote location, activity is primarily monitored by satellites.
Adelie Penguins
Scientific name- Pygoscelis adeliae.
Discovered in - 1840 by scientists on the French Antarctic expedition led by explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville.
Size - They are medium sized penguins, weighing 3 to 6 kg and standing 70 cm tall.
Appearance - They are distinguished by the white ring surrounding the eye. Males and females are of similar size and difficult to tell apart.
Breeding - Adélies are excellent swimmers. They breed around the entire Antarctic coast and small islands in places where there is exposed rock.
Diet - Local meals (those within 20 km of the colony) consist mostly of fish, amphipods and ‘crystal krill’ (Euphausia crystallorophias),
While offshore meals consist of mainly ‘Antarctic krill’ (Euphausia superba).
Some Adélie penguins are capable of diving to depths of up to 175 m but usually feed within the upper 70 m of the water column.
