Melting of hydrated basalt may have driven early continental crust growth

Nature · Published 2 October 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Researchers who performed partial melting experiments on four types of natural amphibolites found that dehydrated metabasalt can produce highly silicic liquids. These experiments suggest that melting hydrated basaltic rocks at high pressures and temperatures could have been a key mechanism for generating the specific suites of rocks that formed the Earth's early continental crust.

This study explores how the recycling of oceanic crust into the mantle might have contributed to the development of continents. By observing how different rocks melt under extreme pressure, the researchers identified a process where density differences between the liquid melt and the solid residue allow for efficient crustal growth. However, the study relies on laboratory simulations of extreme conditions, which may not perfectly mirror all geological environments.

Why it matters: The melting of hydrated basaltic crust may have been a fundamental driver in the formation of the early Earth's continents.

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