A team of researchers from the University of Adelaide have uncovered a fascinating discovery that has shed light on the geological history of South Australia and the movement of material across continents over millions of years. The research, published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, reveals that the garnets found on beaches in South Australia’s Yorke and Fleurieu Peninsulas actually originated from Antarctica.
The study was led by Dr. Stijn Glorie at the University of Adelaide, who used lasers to conduct lutetium-hafnium dating on samples collected from both South Australian beaches and the Cape Jervis Formation. The results showed that most of the garnets on South Australian beaches were 570-590 million years old, which is much older than any known geological activity in South Australia during that time.
According to Dr. Glorie, this suggests that the garnets likely came from Antarctica and were carried northwest towards the Antarctic-Australian edge by millions of years of ice movement. This discovery could provide valuable insights into how materials move across continents over long periods and how they interact with each other as they do so.
The study also sheds light on why it is so difficult to trace the origin of garnets due to their rare occurrence in Earth’s history. The team explains that forming garnets requires specific conditions, such as high temperatures and pressures deep within the Earth’s mantle. These conditions are only found in certain parts of the world, making them a rare find even today.
Overall, this research provides a unique insight into how materials move across continents over millions of years and sheds light on one of nature’s most fascinating mysteries: how geological history shapes our world today.
