I am a sedimentologist interested in sediment provenance. My department bought a LA-ICPMS and I want to use it for detrital zircon analysis.
However, since LA-ICPMS is a destructive method, I need lots of standard to measure zircon ages. I looked for commercial standards, and it seems that it is not easy to buy it. I can get some standards - for example, 91500 zircon - but it is not certainly enough.
Does anyone can give me an idea to get standards?
Hi There,
It is in fact a bit of a fallacy that Laser Ablation techniques destroy more standard, whilst they are a more destructive analysis than SIMS and use more repeats, the standard chips themselves tend to be used much more efficiently. This is because laser systems can use separate standard blocks, with tightly spaced analysis, that can be repolished. SIMS wastes a vast amount of standard in general as chips are placed in each mount and only a tiny proportion is used. This means you can acquire standards for laser and make them last a very long time if you are careful.
Many zircon U-Pb standards are freely distributed, and the ones in larger supply can typically be obtained from those who characterised them. Check the original papers for the lab or contact. e.g.
Geoscience Australiav for TEMORA zircons
GEMOC for GJ1 (i believe Elena Belousova is the contact)
There are many more that are common in geochron labs that you can look up e.g. FC1, AS3, Plesovice, SL1, Piexe
Others are in abundant supply and can often be obtained online through eBay or gem dealers e.g. Mud Tank (Though there is always a chance of a duff one in terms of precision)
There a decent list of zircon standards and references in here
Article Laser Ablation Split-Stream ICP Petrochronology
Kind regards,
Rich
Dear Richard J M Taylor ,
Thanks a lot for your detailed comment. It helps me a lot. I will look for standards as you suggested.
Sincerely,
Jeong-Hyun
Alternatively, you can buy from iageo.com , they sell the 91500 one there.
Best wishes,
Isadora
All natural zircons have some intrinsic variation. The larger the impurity level, the smaller the imprecision. Ideally, you need "standards" that have been used by other researchers in your field or those that approximate the ages of rocks that you are studying.
Hi, do you have Plešovice zircon from Czech Republic? I can help you to get some for free or maybe some analytical help if you wish ;)
Article Ple??ovice zircon - A new natural reference material for U-P...
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