Zircon M127 - A Homogeneous Reference Material for SIMS U-Pb Geochronology Combined with Hafnium, Oxygen and, Potentially, Lithium Isotope Analysis

Abstract

In this article, we document a detailed analytical characterisation of zircon M127, a homogeneous 12.7 carat gemstone from Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. Zircon M127 has TIMS-determined mean U-Pb radiogenic isotopic ratios of 0.084743 +/- 0.000027 for Pb-206/U-238 and 0.67676 +/- 0.00023 for Pb-207/U-235 (weighted means, 2s uncertainties). Its Pb-206/U-238 age of 524.36 +/- 0.16 Ma (95% confidence uncertainty) is concordant within the uncertainties of decay constants. The delta O-18 value (determined by laser fluorination) is 8.26 +/- 0.06 parts per thousand VSMOW (2s), and the mean Hf-176/Hf-177 ratio (determined by solution ICP-MS) is 0.282396 +/- 0.000004 (2s). The SIMS-determined delta Li-7 value is -0.6 +/- 0.9 parts per thousand (2s), with a mean mass fraction of 1.0 +/- 0.1 mu g g(-1) Li (2s). Zircon M127 contains similar to 923 mu g g(-1) U. The moderate degree of radiation damage corresponds well with the time-integrated self-irradiation dose of 1.82 x 10(18) alpha events per gram. This observation, and the (U-Th)/He age of 426 +/- 7 Ma (2s), which is typical of unheated Sri Lankan zircon, enable us to exclude any thermal treatment. Zircon M127 is proposed as a reference material for the determination of zircon U-Pb ages by means of SIMS in combination with hafnium and stable isotope (oxygen and potentially also lithium) determination.