This new research confirms that the oldest rocks on Earth are in northern Canada.
Authors & Designations:
- C. Sole, PhD – Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Canada
- J. O’Neil, PhD – Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Canada
- H. Rizo, PhD – Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Canada
- J.-L. Paquette, PhD – Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, Université Clermont Auvergne, France
- D. Benn, PhD – University of Ottawa, Canada
- J. Plakholm, PhD – Carleton University, Canada
Source: Science, Vol. 388, No. 6754, pp. 1431–1435 (June 26, 2025); DOI: 10.1126/science.ads8461
APA Citation:
Sole, C., O’Neil, J., Rizo, H., Paquette, J.-L., Benn, D., & Plakholm, J. (2025). Evidence for Hadean mafic intrusions in the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt, Canada. Science, 388(6754), 1431–1435. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ads8461
Background & Objective
Direct evidence of Earth’s earliest (Hadean) crust is exceedingly rare due to later crustal recycling. The Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt (NGB) in Canada has been debated as possibly containing intact Hadean crust. This study examines mafic intrusions within the NGB to determine the age of magmatic differentiation and test the presence of >4 billion-year-old crust.
Methodology
- Rock Sampling: Targeted mafic intrusive rocks from the NGB region.
- Isotopic Analysis: Measured Sm/Nd ratios and both long-lived (¹⁴⁷Sm–¹⁴³Nd) and short-lived (¹⁴⁶Sm–¹⁴²Nd) radiogenic isotope systems to calculate magmatic differentiation ages (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).
Key Findings
- The ¹⁴⁷Sm–¹⁴³Nd system yielded an age of 4,157 ± 174 million years, while the ¹⁴⁶Sm–¹⁴²Nd system gave approximately 4,196 (−81 + 53) million years.
- Concordance between both isotopic chronometers in geochemically related rocks indicates preservation of truly Hadean-age crust within the NGB (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).
Significance
- These results provide compelling geochemical evidence for the survival of early Earth crust in the NGB.
- The findings offer a rare geological “window” into the planet’s earliest solid crustal formation, with broad implications for models of early crustal differentiation and early Earth dynamics (researchgate.net).
Original Abstract (verbatim):
“Many questions remain regarding Earth’s earliest crust owing to the rarity of Hadean (>4.03 billion‑year‑old) rocks and minerals… Correlations between samarium/neodymium (Sm/Nd) and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios correspond to ages of 4157 ± 174 and [Formula: see text] million years… The age agreement … is compelling evidence for preservation of Hadean rocks … opening a rare window into Earth’s earliest times.”
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