Ancient Rocks in Canada Are Almost as Old as the Earth Itself

Due to the movement of the tectonic plates of the earth, the crust of our planet is constantly recycled, which makes rocks and minerals since its first days incredibly rare. It is frustrating for geologists, since the Hadean rocks at the surface level (rocks of more than 4.03 billion years) could provide a significant overview of the first geological stages of $ 4.5 billion on earth history.

In a study published today in Early landResearchers from Canada and France suggest that the green stone belt of Nuvvuaguactuq (NGB) – rocky training in northeast Canada – contain Hadean rocks dating back to around 4.16 billion years. Although this date differs from the previous controversial research identifying the NGB rocks as old as 4.3 billion years, it nevertheless reinforces the wider theory according to which the rocky formation hosts the remains of the first crust of the earth. If the new study is true, it could have important implications for our understanding of the oldest history on the planet.

“Many questions remain concerning the first crust of the earth due to the scarcity of the rocks and minerals of Hadean (> 4.03 billion billion). Professor Jonathan O’Neil, explained in the study.

One of the most common ways to date rocks is via radiometric datingwhich consists in measuring the radioactive decrease of isotopes – different versions of elements. The assertion that certain NGB rocks could have up to 4.3 billion years is controversial because some researchers argue that the isotopic data on which the estimate is founded can in fact be the result of “subsequent geological mixture process” instead of the real age of the rock, according to an American association for the progress of science statement.

In the new study, O’Neil and his colleagues studied ancient rocks in the NGB called metagabroic intrusions. In simple terms, these metagabbroic intrusions interrupt older basaltic rocks, a characteristic affirmed by the researchers allowed them to combine different isotopic analyzes to reveal a lower age limit for this older material. More specifically, the data involving the decrease in Samarium isotopes in neodymetric isotopes have constantly highlighted a minimum age of 4.16 billion years.

It remains to be seen if the question of the real age of the NGB will never be really settled. The recent study intervenes in the wake of New research on prehistoric fingerprints, also considered controversial due to its meeting technique. More broadly, the two articles emphasize the importance of critically assess the methods of meetings, in particular those which could support historical implications important for humanity and our planet.