World's largest iron ore deposits date back 1.4 billion years

A study published on July 23 reveals that the world's largest iron ore deposits in Western Australia's Hamersley Province formed between 1.4 billion and 1.1 billion years ago, coinciding with the breakup of the supercontinent Columbia. The region contains over 55 billion tons of iron ore, previously thought to be 2.2 billion years old. Researchers used uranium and lead isotopes to date the deposits accurately.