How earthquakes create most of the world's gold deposits

A new study looks into the valuable mineral's Earth-rattling origins

Thanks to earthquakes more than 80 percent of the world's gold deposits were formed.
(Image credit: ThinkStock/iStockphoto)

It turns out it doesn't take a fairy-tale goblin to spin gold. All you need is a considerable dose of seismic activity.

How gold actually forms has always been something of a mystery. Some studies suggest the metal came from meteorites pelting the planet long ago. Others show that the element can be drawn from the excrement of toxin-gobbling bacteria.

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Chris Gayomali is the science and technology editor for TheWeek.com. Previously, he was a tech reporter at TIME. His work has also appeared in Men's Journal, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among other places. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.