Acasta Gneiss, Ancient rock formation in Northwest Territories, Canada
The Acasta Gneiss consists of tonalitic and granodioritic gneisses with smaller amounts of mafic and ultramafic rocks extending over 13,000 square kilometers.
Discovered in 1983 by geologist Janet King, the formation received its name from the Acasta River during a Geological Survey of Canada mapping program.
Scientists worldwide reference the Acasta Gneiss when studying Earth's early geological processes, making it a cornerstone of planetary research and education.
Researchers access the formation by float plane due to its remote location southeast of Great Bear Lake in the Canadian Shield region.
Dating techniques on zircon minerals within the formation revealed an age of 4.03 billion years, establishing it as Earth's oldest known rock formation.
Location: Northwest Territories
Made from material: gneiss
GPS coordinates: 65.16660,-115.58200
Latest update: May 27, 2025 08:39
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