Geology of Greenland

Greenland is the largest island on Earth. Only one-fifth of its surface area is exposed bedrock, with the rest covered by ice. The exposed area is about 410,000 km².

The geology of Greenland is mainly made up of crystalline rocks from the Precambrian Shield. In the Nuuk area, these rocks are very old, shaped billions of years ago. The bedrock around Nuuk includes two types: dark Amitsoq gneiss and younger Nuuk gneiss.

The Isua Greenstone Belt in southwest Greenland contains some of the oldest bedrock on the planet. This area helps us understand what Earth's surface looked like long ago.

Greenland has large deposits at Kvanefjeld. The first gold mine, Nalunaq, opened in 2004 near Nanortalik.

The Skaergaard intrusion in eastern Greenland formed 55 million years ago. It is one of the best examples of such formations in the world. Studies suggest a hot mantle plume rises beneath central Greenland.

Fossils

Scientists have found many old remains, called fossils, in Greenland, especially along the east coast. These fossils are from different times, from very old to more recent. Two important fossils are Acanthostega and Ichthyostega. In a place called Jameson Land, scientists found early examples of mammals during trips led by Farish Jenkins. In another area called the Fleming Fjord Formation, they found tracks made by ancient creatures, along with other interesting fossils like temnospondyls, phytosaurs, and early turtles.