Banded Iron Formations and evolution of the atmosphere The time between the formation of the earth and the beginning of the Cambrian(about 570mya) is a 4000 my long period known as the Precambrian, this includes approximately 90% of geological time of which we know very little about as pre-Cambrian rocks are poorly exposed, many have been eroded or metamorphosed and fossils are seldom found. The Precambrian has been divided into 3 Eons: 1.Hadean (4600-3800 mya of which there is no rock record) 2.Archean 3800-2500 mya) 3.Proterozoic 2500-570 mya. The present atmosphere is greatly depleted in Ne, Xe and Kr which are inert gases that should be preserved in the atmosphere. This sug