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Hadean diamonds in zircon from Jack Hills, Western Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Martina Menneken

    (Institut für Mineralogie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Corrensstr. 24, 48149 Münster, Germany)

  • Alexander A. Nemchin

    (Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia)

  • Thorsten Geisler

    (Institut für Mineralogie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Corrensstr. 24, 48149 Münster, Germany)

  • Robert T. Pidgeon

    (Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia)

  • Simon A. Wilde

    (Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia)

Abstract

Calibrating 'forever'? Detrital zircons older than 4,000 million years from the Jack Hills, Western Australia are the oldest identified fragments of the Earth's crust, and are unique in preserving information on the earliest evolution of the Earth. Now micro-diamond inclusions have been discovered in Jack Hills zircon up to 4,252 million years old, including the oldest known diamonds found in terrestrial rocks. The spread of ages indicates that either conditions required for diamond formation were repeated several times during early Earth history, or that there was significant recycling of ancient diamond. Unless conditions on the early Earth were unique, the findings imply a relatively thick continental lithosphere and crust–mantle interaction at least 4,250 million years ago.

Suggested Citation

  • Martina Menneken & Alexander A. Nemchin & Thorsten Geisler & Robert T. Pidgeon & Simon A. Wilde, 2007. "Hadean diamonds in zircon from Jack Hills, Western Australia," Nature, Nature, vol. 448(7156), pages 917-920, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:448:y:2007:i:7156:d:10.1038_nature06083
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06083
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