Sudbury Basin Impact

About

The Sudbury Basin, located in Ontario, Canada, is one of the oldest and largest impact craters on Earth. Formed approximately 1.85 billion years ago during the Paleoproterozoic era, it resulted from a massive meteorite impact. The original crater is estimated to have been much larger, with a diameter exceeding 200 km, but it has been significantly eroded and deformed over time. The Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC), a key feature of the basin, is composed of a layered impact melt sheet that includes norite, quartz gabbro, and granophyre. The basin is renowned for its rich mineral deposits, including nickel, copper, and platinum group elements. These deposits were formed as a result of the impact's heat and shock, which melted and mixed pre-existing rocks. The Sudbury Basin has been a crucial site for studying impact cratering processes and their geological implications. Its unique geology and extensive exposure make it a valuable natural laboratory for understanding planetary surface formation and modification. The basin's significance extends beyond Earth, serving as a terrestrial analog for impact structures on other celestial bodies.