Ancient barite outcrop in South Africa

An outcrop of bedded 3.23-billion- to 3.26-billion-year-old barite in greenstone (the Mapepe Formation in the Barberton Greenstone Belt) in South Africa. The rock has barite domes within the formation that were analysed by the team.

Credit: Desiree Roerdink

• New research uncovers continental crust emerged 500 million years earlier than previously thought (26 April 2021)

• Original image (567.7 KB, 959.0x1430.0 px)

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