The repeated cycles of plate tectonics that have led to
collision and assembly of large supercontinents and their breakup and formation
of new ocean basins have produced continents that are collages of bits and
pieces of other continents. Figuring out the origin and make-up of continental
crust formed and modified by these tectonic events is a vital to understanding
Earth's geology and is important for many applied fields, such as oil, gas, and
gold exploration.