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Plate tectonics got an early start

The chemistry of minerals preserved in Australian rocks suggests tectonic activity for Earth’s earliest eon

By Sid Perkins

- More than 2 years ago

The chemical composition of ancient crystals now found in Australian rocks bolsters the notion that tectonic plates may have jostled across Earth’s surface more than 4 billion years ago.

Rocks in the Jack Hills of Western Australia hosted zircon crystals that contain tiny mineral inclusions, such as the one denoted by the arrow in the false-color inset. The zircons and inclusions are more than 4 billion years old and contain evidence suggesting an early start for tectonic activity on Earth.
EVIDENCE INCLUDED Rocks in the Jack Hills of Western Australia hosted zircon crystals that contain tiny mineral inclusions, such as the one denoted by the arrow in the false-color inset.