Japan has found a potentially perfect place to build a commercial underwater gold mine – although whether it should is another matter inspiring great global debate. In a submerged volcanic crater off the southeastern coast of Japan, researchers have identified black smoker chimneys and hydrothermal mounds that are actively forging vast quantities of gold. Not only are they spewing out minuscule grains of this coveted material, but they are also creating 'invisible gold' that cannot be seen with the naked eye or with a standard microscope. The gold is instead wrapped up within seafloor materials. Concentrations in ... (full story)