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Geochronology Standards

Standard minerals are an essential component of geochronology, and they are difficult to obtain. Ensure you re-use standard mineral grains/crystals for multiple analyses. If you mount your samples on pucks, we encourage you to mount your standard grains on a separate puck or other mount so it/they can be used many times rather than just once for each sample.

Unfortunately, we are no longer able to provide the range of standards that we offered previously, due to a lack of access to original rock material, and lack of time to process what we do have. As of August 2023, we have processed some Fish Canyon Tuff, Duluth FC1, and Mount McClure. However, It was not enough to fill all prior requests. Over the next few months we hope to restock some supplies and will make an effort to fill prior requests before new requests.

Geochronology standards potentially available, dependent on supplies:

Durango: apatite only
Duluth Complex: FC1 zircon and apatite (We do not have any FC5, which is the apatite standard)
Fish Canyon Tuff: apatite, titanite, and zircon
Mount Dromedary: apatite and zircon
Mount McClure: apatite, titanite, and zircon
Tardree Rhyolite: zircon only

Please contact Andrea about standard availability and ordering.

NOTES:
1. We are re-evaluating our pricing scales to more closely correspond to the effort involved in obtaining the mineral concentrates. The below pricing is approximate, as of July 2023.
2. Aliquots greater than 0.25 grams (250 mg) of apatite or 0.1 grams (100 mg) of zircon will be provided only in exceptional circumstances.
3. The prices listed do not include shipping or customs fees & taxes. Estimated FedEx to China and Europe ~$85-130+ additional charge. Customs fees, etc. can range from $0 to hundreds of dollars (out of GSS control). Client is responsible for paying all shipping, customs fees, and taxes.

Academic Labs
0.05 grams (50mg; ~12 mounts): apatite and titanite $100.00 per aliquot, zircon $TBD
0.10 grams (100mg; ~24 mounts): apatite and titanite $180.00 per aliquot, zircon $TBD
0.25 grams (250 mg; ~60 mounts): apatite and titanite $400.00 per aliquot, zircon $TBD
0.50 grams (500 mg; ~120 mounts): apatite and titanite $700.00 per aliquot, zircon not available

Commercial Labs
0.05 grams (50mg; ~12 mounts): apatite and titanite $150.00 per aliquot, zircon $TBD
0.10 grams (100mg; ~24 mounts): apatite and titanite $270.00 per aliquot, zircon $TBD
0.25 grams (250 mg; ~60 mounts): apatite and titanite $600.00 per aliquot, zircon $TBD
0.50 grams (500 mg; ~120 mounts): apatite and titanite $1,000.00 per aliquot, zircon not available
1.00 grams (~240 mounts): apatite and titanite $1,800.00 per aliquot, zircon not available

Reference information for listed standards.

StandardStandardAge (±2s)Reference
MDMount Dromedary99.12 ± 0.14 MaRenne et al., 1998
MMMount McClure523.51 ± 1.47 MaSchoene and Bowring, 2006
IFFish Canyon Tuff28.201 ± 0.012 MaLanphere et al., 2001; Kuiper et al., 2008
TEM2TEMORA2*, Middledale gabbroic diorite416.78 ± 0.33 MaBlack et al., 2004
DurDurango31.44 ± 0.018 MaMcDowell et al. 2005
FC1Duluth complex1099.0 ± 0.6 MaPaces and Miller, 1993
TRTardree Rhyolite61.23 ± 0.11 MaGanerød et al. 2011

*GSS does not have access to material for the TEMORA2 standard. Contact Geoscience Australia: ClientServices@ga.gov.au.

References Cited

Black, L.P., Kamo, S.L., Allen, C.M., Davis, D.W., Aleinikoff, J.N., Valley, J.W., Mundil, R., Campbell, I.H., Korsch, R.J., Williams, I.S., and Foudoulis, C. 2004. Improved 206 Pb/238 U microprobe geochronology by the monitoring of trace-element-related matrix effect; SHRIMP, ID-TIMS, ELA-ICP-MS and oxygen isotope documentation for a series of zircon standards. Chemical Geology, 205, p.15-140

Ganerød, M., Chew, D.M., Smethurst, M.A., Troll, V.R., Corfu, F., Meade,F., Prestvik, T., 2011. Geochronology of the Tardree Rhyolite Complex, Northern Ireland: Implications for zircon fission track studies, the North Atlantic Igneous Province and the age of the Fish Canyon sanidine standard. Chemical Geology, Volume 286, Issues 3–4, 22 July 2011, Pages 222-228.

Kuiper, K.F., Deino, A., Hilgen, P.J., Krijgsman, W., Renne, P.R., and Wijbrans, J.R., 2008. Synchronizing rock clocks of Earth history. Science, 320, p. 500-504.

Lanphere, M.A. and Baadsraard, H., 2001. Precise K-Ar, 40 Ar/39 Ar, Rb-Sr and U-Pb mineral ages from the 27.5 Ma Fish Canyon Tuff reference standard. Chemical Geology, 175, p. 653-671.

McDowell, F.W., McIntosh, W.C., and Farley, K.A., 2005. A precise 40Ar-39Ar reference age for the Durango apatite (U-Th)/He and fission track dating standard. Chemical Geology, 214, p. 249-263

Paces, J.B. and Miller, J.D., 1993. Precise UPb ages of Duluth Complex and related mafic intrusions, northeastern Minnesota: Geochronological insights to physical, petrogenic, paleomagnetic, and tectonomagmatic processes associated with the 1.1 Ga Midcontinent Rift System. Journal of Geophysical Research, 98, no. B8, p. 13997-14013.

Renne, P.R., Swisher, C.C., Deino, A.L., Karner, D.B., Owens, T.L., and DePaolo, D.J., 1998. Intercalibration of standards, absolute ages and uncertainties in 40 Ar/39 Ar dating. Chemical Geology, 45, p. 117-152.

Schoene, B., and Bowring, S.A., 2006. U–Pb systematics of the McClure Mountain syenite: thermochronological constraints on the age of the 40Ar/39Ar standard MMhb. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 151, p. 615-630.