Geological Time Scale

Phanerozoic Proterozoic Archaeozoic
0 – 570 Ma 570 Ma – 2,62 Ga 2,62 Ga – 4,6 Ga

 

Phanerozoic
 65–55 Ma End-Cretaceous Mass extinction and renewal. 
135–130 Ma   South America starts braking away from Africa
152 Ma   Fragmentation of Pangea
160 Ma   Karoo sedimentation stops
177 ± 9 Ma   Lebombo Group
190–160 Ma    Gondwana starts slitting up
220–210 Ma Late Triassic Mass extinction and renewal.
250 Ma   Approximate age of Tshikondeni coal beds
 251–240 Ma End-Permian Mass extinction and renewal.
300 Ma Late Carboniferous Karoo sedimentation starts
370–362 Ma Late Devonian Mass extinction and renewal.
418–362 Ma Devonian Gymnosperms evolve
435–418 Ma Silurian Pteridophytes evolve
435–425 Ma End-Ordovician Mass extinction and renewal.
570 Ma

 

Proterozoic
 570 Ma
Namibiam    
Mokolian Lebowa Granite Suit  
Soutpansberg Group Stayt Formation 1769 ± 34 Ma
Nzhelele Formation
Wyllies Poor Formation c. 1,7 Ga
Fundudzi Formation, predominately sedimentary, composed of pale-colored quartzitic sandstone and quartzite and sandstone
Sibasa Formation 1749 ± 104 Ma, predominately of volcanic

Waterberg Group c. 1,8 Ga

Blouberg Formation
Makgabeng, oldest evidence for microbial colonization of a terrestrial setting in one of the oldest known Precambrian deserts
2,07 Ga
Vaalian Bushveld Complex  
Wolkberg Group  
2,62 Ga

 

Archaeozoic
2,62 Ga
Randian Matok Granite 2654 ± 62 Ma
Limpopo mobile belt 2,7 Ga one of the oldest still active mobile belts known
Hout River Gneiss 2,75 Ga
3,09 Ga
Swasian Bandelierskop Complex 2636 ± 98 Ma
Messina Suite 3153 ± 47 Ma
Sand River Gneiss 3858 ± 116 Ma, some of the oldest rocks known
3,80 Ga
  4,5 Ga – 4,6 Ga the approximate age of the earth

 

References

Ericsson, P.G., Simpson, E.L., Eriksson, Bumby, A.J., Steyn, L.G. & Sarkar, S. (2000) Muddy Roll-up Structures in Siliciclastic Interdune Beds of the c. 1.8 Ga Waterberg Group, South Africa. Palaios, 2000, V. 15 177–183.

Go Back