The oldest rocks on the earth are in Quebec, have discovered a group of Canadian and French researchers.
The samples of these rocks were collected in 2017 near the municipality of Inukjuak, in Nunavik, according to a statement from the University of Ottawa published on Thursday.
Photo courtesy professor Jonathan O’Neil – University of Ottawa
After analyzes carried out at the University of Ottawa and at Carleton University, the researchers determined that these volcanic rocks date from 4.16 billion years.
“This confirmation positions the Nuvvuactuq belt as the only place on earth where there are rocks formed during the Hadéen, during the first 500 million years in the history of our planet,” said Professor Jonathan O’Neil of the University of Ottawa in the press release.
Photo courtesy professor Jonathan O’Neil – University of Ottawa
To determine the age of these rocks, found at the top of 55e Parallel, researchers combined petrologie, which studies the mechanisms of rock formation and geochemistry, which studies the distribution of chemical elements.
Photo courtesy professor Jonathan O’Neil – University of Ottawa
Thus, they used two methods of radiometric dating which concluded at the same age for rocks, or 4.16 billion years.
Photo courtesy professor Jonathan O’Neil – University of Ottawa
“Understanding these rocks is going back to the very beginning of our planet. This helps us better understand how the first continents formed and reconstruct the environment where life could have emerged, “said Professor O’Neil.
Photo courtesy professor Jonathan O’Neil – University of Ottawa
