Modern Alchemist: American Startup Claims It Can Turn Metal into Gold
For centuries, alchemists chased the dream of chrysopoeia—the transformation of base metals like lead or mercury into gold. Once dismissed as mystical fantasy, this ancient pursuit is being reimagined by a Silicon Valley startup, Marathon Fusion, which claims it can turn mercury into gold using cutting-edge nuclear fusion technology. This bold announcement, detailed in a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed paper published in July 2025, has sparked intrigue and skepticism in equal measure. Could this be the dawn of a new golden age, or is it too good to be true? Let’s explore the science, the claims, and the implications of this modern alchemy.
The Science Behind the Claim
Marathon Fusion’s approach hinges on nuclear transmutation, a process where one element is transformed into another by altering its atomic structure. Unlike the mystical cauldrons of ancient alchemists, this method uses high-energy neutrons produced in a fusion reactor. Here’s how it works:
- The Process: The startup proposes bombarding mercury-198 isotopes with fast neutrons (with energies above 6 million electron volts) inside a fusion reactor. This transforms mercury-198 into mercury-197, a radioactive isotope that decays into stable gold-197—the only naturally occurring, stable form of gold—over a few days.
- Fusion Context: Fusion reactors fuse hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium) to produce helium, energy, and high-energy neutrons. Marathon’s innovation involves incorporating mercury into the reactor’s “breeding blanket,” a component typically used to produce tritium fuel from lithium. By using mercury-198 as a neutron multiplier, the reactor can simultaneously generate energy and gold without compromising fuel self-sufficiency.
- Scale of Production: Marathon estimates that a one-gigawatt fusion power plant could produce up to 5,000 kilograms (11,023 pounds) of gold annually, worth approximately $600 million at current market prices (around $3,388 per troy ounce).
This isn’t entirely new—trace amounts of gold have been produced in particle accelerators, like CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, which created 29 picograms over four years. However, Marathon’s method aims to be scalable and economically viable, a feat no previous attempt has achieved.
Who Is Marathon Fusion?
Founded in 2023 by Adam Rutkowski, a former SpaceX propulsion engineer and Princeton Plasma Physics PhD candidate, and Kyle Schiller, a former science policy fellow at Schmidt Futures, Marathon Fusion is a San Francisco-based startup focused on advancing fusion energy. The company has raised $10.9 million, including $5.9 million in seed funding from investors like 1517 Fund and Anglo American, plus $4 million in U.S. Department of Energy grants. Its mission is to develop technologies that enhance the viability of fusion power, and this gold-producing side project emerged from research into optimizing tritium production.
Why This Matters
If Marathon’s claims hold true, the implications are staggering:
- Economic Boost for Fusion: Producing gold as a byproduct could double the revenue of fusion power plants, offsetting high capital and operating costs. This could accelerate the development and deployment of fusion energy, a clean, near-limitless power source.
- Beyond Gold: The same transmutation process could produce other valuable materials, like palladium, critical minerals, or medical isotopes, broadening its applications.
- Global Impact: With gold valued at over $550 million per gigawatt annually, this technology could reshape energy economics and even influence global commodity markets.
The Challenges and Skepticism
Despite the excitement, significant hurdles remain:
- Radioactive Byproduct: The gold produced is initially radioactive, requiring 7 to 18 years of storage to become safe for use. This adds complexity and cost, though Marathon argues it’s a manageable economic tradeoff.
- Unproven Technology: No commercial fusion reactor exists to test Marathon’s “digital twin” computer model, which simulates the process. Fusion itself remains experimental, with projects like the UK’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) not expected until 2040.
- Scientific Validation: The research, outlined in a preprint paper titled Scalable Chrysopoeia via (n, 2n) Reactions Driven by Deuterium-Tritium Fusion Neutrons, awaits peer review. Experts like Dr. Ahmed Diallo from Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory praise its potential, but others, like Stony Brook University’s Jiangyong Jia, call for real-world prototypes to validate the claims.
- Economic Viability: While the numbers sound promising, the costs of building and operating fusion reactors, coupled with the handling of radioactive gold, could diminish profitability. However, the technologyස
Conclusion
Marathon Fusion’s claim, while groundbreaking, faces significant practical and technological challenges. The dream of turning mercury into gold may be closer to reality than ever, but it’s not without its caveats. With a focus on simplicity, sustainability, and personalization, this diet could transform the economics of fusion energy and spark a new kind of gold rush—if it proves feasible. For now, it remains a tantalizing possibility, blending ancient alchemy with modern science.
