Tanzania, US firm discover a 4.03bn year
Tanzania, in partnership with Princeton University, has identified a 4.03 billion-year-old rock known as Fuchsite in the Dodoma region. This discovery is expected to boost the country's profile in global geological research and promote geotourism.
Why it matters
Identifying some of the oldest rocks on Earth provides essential data for understanding the early evolution of the planet's crust and geological history.
DODOMA: TANZANIA has made a significant breakthrough in geological research after the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST), in collaboration with Princeton University in the United States, identified a rock estimated to be approximately 4.03 billion years old. The discovery places Tanzania among a small number of countries with some of the oldest known rocks on Earth.
The findings indicate that the rock is one of the oldest geological formations ever identified, a milestone expected to strengthen Tanzania's position in international research on the early history and evolution of the Earth.
Speaking on the discovery, Assistant Professor Francisco Apen of Northern Arizona University in the United States said scientific analyses confirmed that the rock is approximately 4.03 billion years old.
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