India has similar geologic history to parts of South Africa, Australia: Study

Source: The post is based on the article “India has similar geologic history to parts of South Africa, Australia: Study” published in The Hindu on 17th June 2023

What is the News?

According to a study, India hosts remarkably well-preserved volcanic and sedimentary rocks as old as 3.5 billion years and has a similar geologic history to parts of South Africa and Australia.

About the study

Researchers examined volcanic and sedimentary rocks from the Daitari greenstone belt in the Singhbhum Craton in east India which was formed approximately 3.5 billion years ago.

Note: Cratons are pieces of ancient continents that formed several billions of years ago. Their study provides a window into how processes within and on the surface of Earth operated in the past.

– Greenstones are rock assemblages that are primarily composed of sub-marine volcanic rocks with minor sedimentary rocks. They are the best archives to study early Earth surface processes.

What did the researchers find out?

The researchers discovered that the Daitari greenstone belt shares similar geological characteristics with the greenstones found in South Africa’s Barberton and Nondweni areas, as well as those in Australia’s Pilbara Craton.

This similarity suggests a common geologic history for these regions.

Submarine volcanic eruptions were common between 3.5 and 3.3 billion years ago, which are largely preserved as pillowed lava within the greenstones of the Singhbhum, Kaapvaal and Pilbara cratons. 

Hence, these ancient continents may have been subjected to geologically similar processes 3.5 billion years ago.

What is the significance of these findings?

The current research has led to a broader understanding of the ancient volcano-sedimentary rocks exposed in the Daitari area in India. 

This study has also resulted in unique recognition of felsic magmatic processes that are common to the Archaean cratons of India, South Africa and Australia respectively during the Palaeoarchaean times.