Geologic framework and first results from ICDP BASE drilling in the Moodies Group (~3.22 Ga), Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa

The Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains host some of Earth's oldest well-preserved sedimentary strata, the Moodies Group (~3.22 Ga), offering a unique window into early Archean surface processes and microbial life conditions. The ICDP BASE Project drilled eight inclined boreholes (November 2021–July 2022) through these steeply inclined strata, yielding an unweathered, continuous core record of up to 3.7 km thickness. This high-resolution sedimentary archive—complemented by tunnel sampling and surface mapping—preserves evidence of tidal deltas, coastal plains, microbial mats, and early diagenetic features, providing unprecedented insights into Paleoarchean environmental dynamics. The project's extensive core repository (Berlin) and public exhibition in Barberton highlight its dual role as a scientific endeavor and educational resource.

Heubeck, C., & Beukes, N. (2023). Geologic framework and first results from ICDP BASE drilling in the Moodies Group (~3.22 Ga), Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-17266