Sikkim CM announces development of fossil park in Namchi after discovery of 1.5-billion-year-old stromatolite

After a 1.5-billion-year-old stromatolite fossil was discovered at Fossil Park in Mamley, Namchi district, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced plans to develop the site into a premier fossil theme park through the Department of Mines & Geology.

The park will include an engaging light and sound show on Earth’s history, a geological museum with important specimens, and displays of significant fossils from around the globe. There will also be a geopark village for researchers, scientists, and tourists, aiming to make Sikkim a key location for geology and paleontology.

The discovery is older than similar fossils discovered in Canada, Australia, and the USA, marking it as one of Earth's earliest life forms. These ancient stromatolites were key in forming vital elements like oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen.