The study of banded iron formations (BIFs) offers a unique window into early Earth’s geochemical cycles and the evolution of its oceans and atmosphere. These sedimentary deposits, characterised ...

At 2.5 billion years old and weighing in at 2.5 tonnes, the banded iron formation is so heavy that Museum engineers had to reinforce the floor underneath it in Hintze Hall. 'The rock tells a ...

Before they were the rusty red color commonly recognized today, banded iron formations started out green. According to researchers, ‘green rust’ formed the foundation for Earth’s iron ore.

The iron content of these banded iron formations is generally less than 30%. For the rock to become economically viable to mine, it must be naturally converted by later processes to around 60% iron.