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Story: Life in hot springs

Champagne Pool, Waiotapu

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Champagne Pool, Waiotapu

The bright colours at Champagne Pool near Rotorua are caused by trace amounts of arsenic and antimony. These are extracted from the water by sulfur precipitating in the pool. The ridges around the pool are composed of sinter (fine-grained silica). The pool and its margins are teeming with microbial life.

Using this item

GNS Science, Extremophile Photo Collection

Reference: DCP_1501

by Bruce Mountain

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Bruce Mountain, Life in hot springs – Extremophiles, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6453/champagne-pool-waiotapu (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bruce Mountain, published 2 March 2009.