Australian scientists found that eucalyptus trees in the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia, which are drawing up gold particles from the earth via their root system and depositing it in their leaves and branches, can help researchers to search for minerals, a latest research statement from CSIRO, Australian national science body, showed Wednesday.

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

CSIRO geochemist Dr Mel Lintern described how the eucalyptus trees to draw up gold particles from the earth.

"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, " Lintern explained.

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

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.

According to the statement, 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 meters underground and under sediments that are up to 60 million years old.

And Dr. Lintern confirmed by sampling and analyzing vegetation for traces of minerals, researchers 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," he said.

"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," Dr. Lintern added.