Archean upper crust transition from mafic to felsic marks the onset of plate tectonics by Ming Tang and others 2026-10-25
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Science 351, 372–375. Uses Ni/Co and Cr/Zn ratios to infer a change in upper continental crust composition during the Archean; the inferred timing of global plate tectonics is an interpretation.
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Ming Tang Created 2026-10-25 Updated 2026-11-05
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Ming Tang coauthored work using the chemical record of ancient rocks to investigate the evolution of continental crust. The study infers changing bulk composition from elemental ratios that remain informative after weathering and alteration.[ref]
This turns preserved chemical evidence into a test of early crustal growth. It also requires distinguishing a change in inferred composition from a uniquely established global onset date for plate tectonics.
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