U-Pb reference materials and their ages

Zircon reference materials

This table summaries the zircon reference materials commonly used in geochronology, listed in order of their age. It is based on an earlier compilation by PlasmAge and has been updated to include some more recent characterisations. Tables of titanite/sphene, monazite and apatite reference materials are also available.

Some of these materials have been reported to contain modest but significant levels of Pb-loss. Prior to considering the use of any of these materials for quality control purposes, it is strongly recommended that analysts carefully review the cited publications as well as other reports that may exist in the scientific literature.

Name Age (Ma) Reference Initial amount Available grain size* U conc (µg/g)
OG-1 ~3463 1a <outcr>   46-393
KV01 3221.2 2a <outcr>   n/r
QGNG 1842.0 3a <outcr>   35-1151
AS3 1099.0 4a <outcr>   220-426
91500 1062.4 5a 238 g ≤ 2.0 mm 71-86
Mud Tank 701-722 6a multi-grain   6-36
GJ-1 ~600 7a ~4 g   212-422
LKZ-1 572.6 8a 0.8 g chips 183-818
SL13 572.2 9a n/r   n/r
M257 561.3 10a 5.14 g chips 578-1001
BB ~560 11a multi-grain chips 227-368
Z6266 / BR266 559.27 12a 2.5 g   871-958
SLZx 553-561 13a multi-grain   551-1106
GZ8 543.92 14a 3.8 g chips ~1305
SA01 535.08 15a 25 g 100-500 µm n/r
GZ7 530.26 14a 3.8 g chips ~680
M127 524.36 16a 2.5 g chips ~923
Temora2 416.78 17a <outcr> <rock> 61-398
Plešovice 337.13 18a <outcr> < 5 mm 465-3000
Qinghu 159.38 19a <outcr> 80-500 µm ~500-3000
SoriZ93 93.9 20a 110 mg < 250 µm 150-14,000
GHR1 48.106 21a <outcr> < 250 µm ~600-1600
AusZ2 & Aus Z5 38.90 22a ~1.5 g chips ~240-319
Penglai 4.393 23a <outcr> < 10 mm 26-48
* Only reported where the material is described as intended for distribution
<outcr> = multi-grain material from outcrop
<rock> = Hand specimens distributed for zircon extraction
n/r = not reported

References

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