Flow boiling-driven intensive growth of critical minerals during short-lived events.

Abstract

Enrichment of critical metal tellurium (Te) in shallow crustal settings is often linked to hydrothermal boiling, yet the mechanisms driving Te-silica co-precipitation under dynamic fluid flow conditions remain unresolved. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that boiling during fluid flow triggers intensive enrichment of Te and silica at rates >14× faster than non-boiling systems. Boiling induces volatile loss, destabilizing Te complexes, promoting silica polymerization, and facilitating nucleation and growth of native Te alongside amorphous silica. In contrast, non-boiling systems exhibit minimal Te and silica deposition. Boiling in dynamic hydrothermal systems thus drives mineralization through kinetic processes at amorphous silica sites for nucleation, low vapor/liquid regimes with short residence times, and fast growth rates that bypass classical equilibrium controls. Short-lived geologic events within the shallow crust may trigger such a process. Thus, our results offer a framework for reinterpreting Te-bearing epithermal deposits and optimizing exploration strategies for green technology resources.