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Origin of life from apatite dating?

Abstract

Mojzsis et al. replySano et al. report a 207Pb/206Pb date of 1,459±160 Myr for apatite grains 25 μm in diameter, containing inclusions of isotopically light carbon, from a granulite grade BIF (typically 70% quartz, 10% magnetite, 20% mafic phases and sulphides) from Akilia island, Greenland, that was lithified before 3,850 Myr (12). To Sano et al., this suggests either that the apatites “grew about 1,500 Myr ago, or that they grew earlier than that but were subsequently affected by recrystallization, and/or diffusive exchange”.

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Mojzsis, S., Harrison, T., Arrhenius, G. et al. Origin of life from apatite dating?. Nature 400, 127–128 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/22035

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