Long-Term Reproducibility of SIMS Zircon U-Pb Geochronology

Abstract

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) zircon U-Pb dating has been widely used to confine the absolute ages of the magmatic or metamorphic events and to distinguish multiple events. Here, a data set consisting of the zircon standards dating data (∼15 000 Plešovice and ∼8 000 Qinghu items) accumulated for more than 8 years using the CAMECA IMS 1280HR of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) is compiled to evaluate the long-term external reproducibility. With Plešovice zircon as the calibration standard and Qinghu zircon as an unknown sample, the analytical uncertainties for single-spot (n = 7 723) and session analyses (n = 691, with more than 7 single spot analyses in one session) are 2.6% and 0.9% (2RSD, relative standard deviation), respectively. It means that single-spot U-Pb dating for a standard-level zircon sample could vary 5.2% at 95% confidence level, while the average value (n > 7) for each session may vary 1.8%. Thus, these values should be considered as the minimum uncertainty when comparing single spot and individual session analysis results for multiple dating works on a certain geological event.

Keywords

zircon / U-Pb dating / SIMS / uncertainty / reproducibility

References

Black L P, Jagodzinski E A. Importance of Establishing Sources of Uncertainty for the Derivation of Reliable SHRIMP Ages. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 2003, 50(4): 503-512.

Cheng Y H, Zhang X W, Wang S Y, . Zircon U-Pb Dating and Geochemistry of Late Carboniferous Pyroxene Peridotite in Dong Ujimqi Inner Mongolia and Its Tectonic Significance. Earth Science, 2020, 45(3): 844-855

Claesson S. Isotopic Evidence for the Precambrian Provenance and Caledonian Metamorphism of High Grade Paragneisses from the Seve Nappes, Scandinavian Caledonides. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 1987, 97(2): 196-204.

Compston W. Effect of Pb Loss on the Ages of Reference Zircons QGNG and SL13, and of Volcanic Zircons from the Early Devonian Merrions and Turondale Formations, New South Wales. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 2001, 48(6): 797-803.

Compston W, Williams I S, Meyer C. U-Pb Geochronology of Zircons from Lunar Breccia 73217 Using a Sensitive High Mass-Resolution Ion Microprobe. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 1984, 89(S02): B525

Davis D W, Williams I S, Krogh T E. Hanchar J M, Hoskin P W O. Historical Development of Zircon Geochronology. Zircon, 2003, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 145-182.

Fitzsimons I C W, Harte B, Clark R M. SIMS Stable Isotope Measurement: Counting Statistics and Analytical Precision. Mineralogical Magazine, 2000, 64(1): 59-83.

Hinthorne J R, Andersen C A, Conrad R L, . Single-Grain ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb and U/Pb Age Determinations with a 10- µm Spatial Resolution Using the Ion Microprobe Mass Analyzer (IMMA). Chemical Geology, 1979, 25(4): 271-303.

Ireland T R. Hyman M, Greenwich R M. Ion Microprobe Mass Spectrometry: Techniques and Applications in Cosmochemistry, Geochemistry, and Geochronology. Advances in Analytical Geochemistry, 1995, Connecticut: JAI Press

Janoušek V, Krenn E, Finger F, . Hyperpotassic Granulites from Blanský Les (Moldanubian Zone, Bohemian Massif) Revisited. Journal of Geosciences, 2007, 57(1/2): 73-112

Jeon H, Whitehouse M J. A Critical Evaluation of U-Pb Calibration Schemes Used in SIMS Zircon Geochronology. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 2015, 39(4): 443-452.

Li Q L, Li X H, Lan Z W, . Monazite and Xenotime U-Th-Pb Geochronology by Ion Microprobe: Dating Highly Fractionated Granites at Xihuashan Tungsten Mine, SE China. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 2013, 166(1): 65-80.

Li Q L, Li X H, Liu Y, . Precise U-Pb and Pb-Pb Dating of Phanerozoic Baddeleyite by SIMS with Oxygen Flooding Technique. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 2010, 25(7): 1107-1113.

Li Q L, Liu Y, Tang G Q, . Zircon Th-Pb Dating by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 2018, 33(9): 1536-1544.

Li T, Liu L, Liao X Y, . Geochemistry, Sr-Nd-Pb Isotopic Compositions and Zircon U-Pb Geochronology of Neoproterozoic Mafic Dyke in the Douling Complex, South Qinling Belt, China. Journal of Earth Science, 2020, 31(2): 237-248.

Li X H, Liu X M, Liu Y S, . Accuracy of LA-ICPMS Zircon U-Pb Age Determination: An Inter-Laboratory Comparison. Science China Earth Sciences, 2015, 58(10): 1722-1730.

Li X H, Liu Y, Li Q L, . Precise Determination of Phanerozoic Zircon Pb/Pb Age by Multicollector SIMS without External Standardization. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2009, 10(4): Q04010

Li X H, Tang G Q, Gong B, . Qinghu Zircon: A Working Reference for Microbeam Analysis of U-Pb Age and Hf and O Isotopes. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2013, 58 36 4647-4654.

Liu Y, Li Q L, Tang G Q, . Towards Higher Precision SIMS U-Pb Zircon Geochronology via Dynamic Multi-Collector Analysis. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 2015, 30(4): 979-985.

Ludwig K R. User’s Manual for Isoplot 4.15: A Geochronological Toolkit for Microsoft Excel, 2009, Berkeley: Berkeley Geochronology Center Special Publications

Schaltegger U, Schmitt A K, Horstwood M S A. U-Th-Pb Zircon Geochronology by ID-TIMS, SIMS, and Laser Ablation ICP-MS: Recipes, Interpretations, and Opportunities. Chemical Geology, 2015, 402: 89-110.

Schmitz M D, Kuiper K F. High-Precision Geochronology. Elements, 2013, 9(1): 25-30.

Schoene B, Condon D J, Morgan L, . Precision and Accuracy in Geochronology. Elements, 2013, 9(1): 19-24.

Shimizu N, Hart S R. Applications of the Ion Microprobe to Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1982, 10(1): 483-526.

Sláma J, Košler J, Condon D J, . Plešovice Zircon—A New Natural Reference Material for U-Pb and Hf Isotopic Microanalysis. Chemical Geology, 2008, 249(1/2): 1-35.

Stacey J S, Kramers J D. Approximation of Terrestrial Lead Isotope Evolution by a Two-Stage Model. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 1975, 26(2): 207-221.

Stern R A, Amelin Y. Assessment of Errors in SIMS Zircon U-Pb Geochronology Using a Natural Zircon Standard and NIST SRM 610 Glass. Chemical Geology, 2003, 197(1/2/3/4): 111-142.

Tang H, Li Q L, Liu Y, . Erroneous Determination of the Duration of Metamorphism from Analysis of Overlapping Pre-Sputtered Areas during SIMS U-Pb Dating of Zircon. Chemical Geology, 2021, 573: 120177

Vrána S. Perpotassic Granulites from Southern Bohemia. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 1989, 103(4): 510-522.

White L T, Ireland T R. High-Uranium Matrix Effect in Zircon and Its Implications for SHRIMP U-Pb Age Determinations. Chemical Geology, 2012, 306/307 78-91.

Whitehouse M J, Claesson S, Sunde T, . Ion Microprobe U-Pb Zircon Geochronology and Correlation of Archaean Gneisses from the Lewisian Complex of Gruinard Bay, Northwestern Scotland. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1997, 61(20): 4429-4438.

Wiedenbeck M, Allé P, Corfu F, . Three Natural Zircon Standards for U-Th-Pb, Lu-Hf, Trace Element and REE Analyses. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 1995, 19(1): 1-23.

Wiedenbeck M, Hanchar J M, Peck W H, . Further Characterisation of the 91500 Zircon Crystal. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 2004, 28(1): 9-39.

Yang Y N, Li Q L, Liu Y, . Zircon U-Pb Dating by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. Earth Science Frontiers, 2014, 21(2): 81-92

Zhao Y D, Che J Y, Xu F M, . Constraints on the Forming Age of the Luomahu Group in the Xing’an Block from the Detrital Zircon Population. Earth Science, 2020, 45(2): 489-502