Key Point
Scientists have discovered the oldest intact rocks on Earth—over 4.16 billion years old—in Quebec’s Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt in Canada. These rocks date back to the Hadean eon, which is the time just after the Earth formed around 4.6 billion years ago

---

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

---

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.

---

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. 

---

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.

---

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!