In the Belgorod region, scientists from Voronezh State University discovered an ancient complex of carbonatite, which is more than 2 billion years old, making it the oldest in Russia. This finding is an important step in the study of tectonic processes on early Earth. The deposit was discovered more than 200 meters underground.
At an early stage of the Earth’s development, before the appearance of tectonic activity, the surface of the planet was formed by a structureless melting due to the high temperature of the mantle. Plate tectonics began about 2 billion years ago. The carbonatite complex in the Belgorod region helps us better understand this transition to modern tectonic processes.
There are only 10 carbonatite complexes in the world that are more than 2 billion years old. The oldest of these is located in Greenland and was formed about 3 billion years ago. Carbonatites are unusual rocks that are composed primarily of calcium carbonate and formed at the high temperatures and pressures normally associated with magmatism. Using modern methods of elemental and isotope geochemistry, scientists were able to accurately determine the age of this complex – 2.074 billion years.
Source: Ferra
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
