Massive iron ore deposit discovered in western Australia’s Hamersley region

Australia has unearthed a significant iron ore deposit that is considered the largest ever deposit in Hamersley Province in the Pilbara region of western Australia and is being trumpeted as the largest iron ore reserve on the planet.

The mega deposit is gauged at 55 billion metric tons of high-grade iron ore, valued at over USD5.7 trillion.

The massive iron ore deposit in western Australia dates back to 1.4 billion years ago, when the Columbia or "Nuna" supercontinent broke up, ultimately causing a crustal displacement.

Scientists have been stunned because this discovery challenges the consensus scientific theory, which holds that the richest iron ore deposits on Earth formed around 2.2 to 2.0 billion years ago, during the period known as the "Great Oxidation Event".

Why are scientists intrigued by the discovery?

The implication of this innovation has stunned geologists from the University of Colorado and the University of Western Australia, prompting them to call the existing theory into question.

The study’s lead author, Liam Coutney, presented data that using uranium-lead dating of iron oxide, determined the main-ore forming event occurred between 1.4 and 1.1 billion years ago which is 1 billion years later than previously estimated.

Courtney-Davis said, “This wasn't a slow chemical process that unfolded over eons. It was a tectonically induced surge, linked to a dramatic reorganization of the Earth’s crust.”

Australia being one of the biggest fuel exporters has been condemned for treating climate action as a political and economic liability.

Australia is all set to roll out its next round of emissions reduction targets soon, as a core responsibility under the landmark Paris climate agreement.

The future will determine what further secrets the iconic natural landmark will reveal.