How did the supercontinent Columbia form?
The supercontinent Columbia, also known as Nuna, formed between 2.1 billion and 1.8 billion years ago during the Proterozoic Eon. Its assembly was driven by collision [tectonics], as various continental fragments and cratons converged to form a single large landmass.123
Evidence suggests that modern [plate tectonics] processes were already in operation by at least 2.1 billion to 2.0 billion years ago, facilitating these continental collisions. This period of assembly was associated with the development of major mountain belts, such as the Wopmay Orogen in northwest Canada, the Trans-Hudson in Canada, the Svecofennian in Finland, and the Ketilidian [orogen] in southwestern Greenland.3
Following its existence, the fragmentation of Columbia eventually provided the continental pieces that would later assemble into the supercontinent [Rodinia] by approximately 1.0 billion years ago.13