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NASA states that it found a zircon crystal in 1999 to be 4.3 to 4.4 billion years old.

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13y ago
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13y ago

Around 4.4 billion years old.

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Q: How old are the oldest zircon minerals on Earth?
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What is the oldest known mineral on earth?

The oldest terrestrial material discovered on Earth to date is a zircon crystal found in Western Australia within a metamorphic gneiss which was part of the Narryer Gneiss Terrane. It has been dated at 4.404 Ga (4.404 billion years old). Please see the related link for more information. For information on the oldest rock on Earth, and the oldest rock mass of terrestrial origin, please see the related question.


What is the oldest part of earth's crust?

The Nuvvuagittuq greenstone belt is the oldest part of earth's crust. Dating back 4.28 billion years old (the earth is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old), it is the only piece of land still known to exist pre-Archean era.


How old is the oldest rock ever found?

The oldest rock of terrestrial origin (i.e. the whole rock was formed here on Earth at the same time) is the Nuvvuagittuq greenstone in Canada. It has been dates as 4.28 billion years old. The oldest single thing yet found that is known to have been formed on Earth is a zircon crystal which was located in Western Australia within a metamorphic gneiss which was part of the Narryer Gneiss Terrane. It has been dated at 4.404 Ga (4.404 billion years old) however the rock it is in is younger than this. The oldest rock ever found on Earth is actually a meteorite so was not formed here. It is estimated to have an age of around 4.56 billion years so is roughly the same age as the Earth.


Some of the oldest rocks ever found have been estimated to be about 3.9 billion years old Is it likely that these rocks were present when Earth was first formed?

No. The fact that some of the oldest Earth rocks are over 4 billion years old indicates that Earth was in a molten state for around 300 million years. The first rocks would have formed on Earth from this molten material.


Are the oldest mountains also the tallest mountains on earth?

No, the highest mountain is Mount Everest and the oldest, according to many scientists, is the Barberton Greenstone Belt (about 3.5 billion years old).

Related questions

What is the oldest earth substance?

zircon-4.4 billion year old crystal


Which is the oldest thing on earth?

A tiny speck of zircon crystal that is barely visible to the eye is believed to be the oldest known piece of Earth at about 4.4 billion years old.


The oldest known mineral on Earth is?

The oldest known mineral on Earth is zircon, minute grains of which have been found in Australia and dated at over four billion years old.


Oldest earth fragments?

A tiny crystal of zircon discovered in Australia is the oldest record fragment of the earth. At between 4.3 and 4.4 billion years old, this tiny sample is 100 million years older than any previous dicovery.


What is the oldest known mineral on earth?

The oldest terrestrial material discovered on Earth to date is a zircon crystal found in Western Australia within a metamorphic gneiss which was part of the Narryer Gneiss Terrane. It has been dated at 4.404 Ga (4.404 billion years old). Please see the related link for more information. For information on the oldest rock on Earth, and the oldest rock mass of terrestrial origin, please see the related question.


Time line of the Earth?

The earth is estimated to be around 4.5 billion years old. This estimate is taken from the oldest available zircon crystal which dates back to 4.4 billion years. The dinosaurs are expected to exist around 0.3 billion years ago.


Is earth 3.1 billion years old?

According to scientists: The current best estimate of the age of the Earth is approx 4.567 billion years. The oldest rocks found to date are the Nuvvuagittuq greenstone which are 4.28 billion years old and were found on the shore of Hudson Bay in Canada. The oldest mineral ever dated was a zircon found in a rock in Australia and was dated as being around 4.4 billion years old. Please see the related links.


How do scientist explain how old the earth's is?

The age of the Earth has been determined through radiometric age dating. Small crystals of a mineral called Zircon have been dated to about 4.4 billion years old.


How old is the oldest rock?

The oldest rock of terrestrial origin (i.e. the whole rock was formed here on Earth at the same time) is the Nuvvuagittuq greenstone in Canada. It has been dates as 4.28 billion years old. The oldest single thing yet found that is known to have been formed on Earth is a zircon crystal which was located in Western Australia within a metamorphic gneiss which was part of the Narryer Gneiss Terrane. It has been dated at 4.404 Ga (4.404 billion years old) however the rock it is in is younger than this. The oldest rock ever found on Earth is actually a meteorite so was not formed here. It is estimated to have an age of around 4.56 billion years so is roughly the same age as the Earth.


How old is they Earth?

The age of the Earth is around 4.54 billion years. This age has been determined by radiometric age dating of meteorite material and is consistent with the ages of the oldest-known terrestrial and lunar samples. The Sun, in comparison, is about 4.57 billion years old, about 30 million years older. Following the scientific revolution and the development of radiometric age dating, measurements of lead in uranium-rich minerals showed that some were in excess of a billion years old. The oldest such minerals analyzed to date - small crystals of zircon from the Jack Hills of Western Australia - are at least 4.404 billion years old. Comparing the mass and luminosity of the Sun to the multitudes of other stars, it appears that the solar system cannot be much older than those rocks. Ca-Al-rich inclusions (inclusions rich in calcium and aluminium) - the oldest known solid constituents within meteorites that are formed within the solar system - are 4.567 billion years old, giving an age for the solar system and an upper limit for the age of Earth. It is hypothesised that the accretion of Earth began soon after the formation of the Ca-Al-rich inclusions and the meteorites. Because the exact accretion time of Earth is not yet known, and the predictions from different accretion models range from a few millions up to about 100 million years, the exact age of Earth is difficult to determine. It is also difficult to determine the exact age of the oldest rocks on Earth, exposed at the surface, as they are aggregates of minerals of possibly different ages.


How old is the oldest tree on earth?

around 2500


Does the oldest person on earth have a one year old?

no why