Key Point
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1. What Kind of Rocks Are These?

• They are volcanic basalt, created when magma solidified beneath the Earth’s surface.

• These rocks give us important clues about Earth’s early crust, ancient oceans, and the possible origins of life.

• Scientists used two different radioactive dating methods (samarium–neodymium decay) to confirm their age, making these the oldest known intact rock formations

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2. Rocks vs. Minerals

• While the famous zircon crystals from Australia are older (~4.4 billion years), they are mineral fragments, not full rock formations.

• The Quebec rocks, in contrast, are whole rock structures, which makes them more valuable for understanding early Earth.

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3. What Do They Tell Us About Early Earth?

• The Hadean eon was once thought to be a chaotic, molten world. But these rocks suggest it may have had a cooling crust, shallow oceans, and an atmosphere, all of which might have helped life begin. 

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Why It Matters

• These rocks are a snapshot of Earth’s infancy, right after the planet formed.

• Understanding their age and composition helps scientists reconstruct the early environment and learn how life might have originated.

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Let me know if you’d like to focus on a specific part—like dating techniques, what early Earth looked like, or the importance for life’s origins!