Source rocks of the first real continents uncovered

The formation and growth of the tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) crust during the Archaean era are crucial for developing the modern andesitic continental crust. Juvenile crust with TTG composition, added to the continental crust around 3.5 billion years ago, played a significant role in early crustal growth and cratonization. However, the petrogenetic processes, tectonic settings,…