Gold Leaves on Australian Trees Seen Curbing Costs for Miners

Miners looking for gold in Australia may be able to cut exploration costs after the discovery of bullion particles on leaves and branches of trees in Western Australia that may indicate deposits, scientists say.

Eucalyptus trees in the state’s Kalgoorlie region, about 595 kilometers (370 miles) east of Perth, have been found to draw up water containing gold particles that are one-fifth the diameter of a human hair, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation said in a statement. The gold is likely to be toxic to the plant and is moved to the leaves and branches where it can be released or shed to the ground.