A discovery dating back to 1,400,000,000 years ago has completely changed scientists’ understanding of the Earth’s geographical history.
Researchers have unlocked more secrets from the past after a new find has changed everything we thought we knew about the Earth’s history.
It has been uncovered that the world’s largest iron ore deposits, which form part of the Earth’s crust, formed significantly later than previously thought.
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These deposits are located in the Hamersley Province of Western Australia and were formed between 1.4 to 1.1 billion years ago.
It forms one of two pieces of crust that are part of Archaean Eon, which dates back to 3.8 billion to 2.5 billion years ago.
The second piece is located in southern Africa.
A new study has now found that the formation process of the deposits was actually triggered by a breakup of the supercontinent Columbia.
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The supercontinent is thought to have existed around 2,500 to 1,500 million years ago and it’s thought that when it broke up, it released mineral-rich fluids which would have been vital for the creation of iron ore deposits.
In a statement, the study's lead author Liam Courtney-Davis, a geochronologist and postdoctoral associate at the University of Colorado, Boulder, said in a statement: “The energy from this epic geological activity likely triggered the production of billions of tons of iron-rich rock across the Pilbara.”
Linking the deposit formation to the break of the supercontinent has shed some new light on the geological history of the Earth.
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This insight will arm scientists with more knowledge and could help with future exploration under the Earth’s surface.
The iron ore created after the break up of Columbia is an essential part of steel production, which supports other industries around the world.
Courtney-Davis went on to add: “The discovery of a link between these giant iron ore deposits and changes in supercontinent cycles enhance our understanding of ancient geological processes and improves our ability to predict where we should explore in the future.”
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This means that the information learnt from the study of the deposits could help geologists in the future to predict where other mineral deposits might be uncovered.
As a result, this could lead to more sustainable mining practices and more efficient methods of extracting these minerals moving forward.
Scientists are particularly excited about this find as they believe it will highlight the importance of tectonic movements in forming mineral deposits.