Concurrent Determination of U‐Pb Age and REE Mass Fractions of Zircon by High Mass Resolution SIMS

A combined geochronological and geochemical investigation for the same domain of zircon provides valuable information on timing and genesis, particularly in the case of multi‐growth metamorphic zircon. A high spatial resolution concurrent analytical method for zircon U‐Pb age and rare earth element content was successfully achieved in this study, using a multi‐collector secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) at a ~ 8 μm diameter scale. Special instrument parameters were employed, including a high mass resolution of approximately 15000 applied to replace the previous energy filter method, and a dynamic multi‐collector mode used to reduce the measurement time to 18 min per analysis. Six zircon reference materials yielded precise and accurate ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages, which are comparable to those obtained by the ordinary mono‐collector method, but with 2–3 times higher spatial resolution. All zircon grains measured in this study showed enriched heavy‐REE (HREE) contents consistent with previously reported values determined by LA and solution ICP‐MS methods. The light‐REE (LREE) mass fractions measured using both SIMS and LA‐ICP‐MS methods in this study, although with quite different volume, show consistent results within uncertainties.     

NanoSIMS: Technical Aspects and Applications in Cosmochemistry and Biological Geochemistry

The NanoSIMS ion probe is a new‐generation SIMS instrument, characterised by superior spatial resolution, high sensitivity and multi‐collection capability. Isotope studies of certain elements can be conducted with 50–100 nm resolution, making the NanoSIMS an indispensable tool in many research fields. We review technical aspects of the NanoSIMS ion probe and present examples of applications in cosmochemistry and biological geochemistry. This includes isotope studies of presolar (stardust) grains from primitive meteorites and of extraterrestrial organics, the search for extinct radioactive nuclides in meteoritic materials, the study of lunar samples, as well as applications in environmental microbiology, cell biology, plant and soil science, and biomineralisation.     

Measurement of SIMS Instrumental Mass Fractionation of Pb Isotopes During Zircon Dating

An igneous zircon reference material (OG1) was characterised for U-Pb isotopes by ID-TIMS, and utilised to evaluate SIMS (SHRIMP) instrumental mass fractionation (IMF) of radiogenic Pb isotopes (²⁰⁷Pb*/²⁰⁶Pb*). The TIMS ²⁰⁷Pb*/²⁰⁶Pb* reference value for OG1 was 0.29907 ± 0.00011 (95% confidence limit), 3465.4 ± 0.6 Ma. The high ²⁰⁷Pb* (∼ 30 μg g⁻¹), negligible common Pb, and isotopic homogeneity permitted precise (± 1–2‰) ²⁰⁷Pb*/²⁰⁶Pb* measurements within the analytical sessions. External reproducibility of mean ²⁰⁷Pb*/²⁰⁶Pb* ratios between sessions was demonstrated for one instrument, yielding a mean IMF of +0.87 ± 0.49‰. The mean ²⁰⁷Pb*/²⁰⁶Pb* ratios between instruments were dispersed beyond uncertainties, with session IMF values from +3.6 ± 1.7‰ to −2.4 ± 1.3‰, and a grand mean IMF value (twenty-six sessions) of +0.70 ± 0.52‰, indicating a tendency towards elevated ²⁰⁷Pb*/²⁰⁶Pb*. The specific causes of variability in IMF are unclear, but generally reflect subtle differences in analytical conditions. The common practice in SIMS of assuming that IMF for Pb⁺ is insignificant could result in systematic age biases and underestimated uncertainties, of critical importance for precise correlation of Precambrian events. Nevertheless, a zircon RM such as OG1 can be readily incorporated into routine dating to improve ²⁰⁷Pb*/²⁰⁶Pb* accuracy and external reproducibility.     

High‐Precision,High‐Accuracy Oxygen Isotope Measurements of Zircon Reference Materials with the SHRIMP‐SI

Analytical protocols for SHRIMP‐SI oxygen isotope analysis (δ¹⁸O) of a suite of zircon reference materials (RMs) are presented. Data reduction involved a robust estimate of uncertainties associated with the individual spot as well as for groups where the spot data are combined. The repeatability of δ¹⁸O measurements is dependent on both the analytical conditions and the choice of the primary reference material. Under optimised conditions, repeatability was often better than 0.4‰ (2s) allowing sample uncertainties to be obtained to better than 0.2‰ (at 95% confidence limit). Single spot uncertainty combined the within‐spot precision with the scatter associated with repeated measurements of the primary zircon reference material during a measurement session. The uncertainty for individual spots measured under optimised conditions was between 0.3 and 0.4‰ (at 95% confidence). The analytical protocols described were used to assess a variety of zircon RMs that have been used for geochronology and for which laser fluorination oxygen isotope data are available (Temora 2, FC1, R33, QGNG and Ple?ovice), as well as zircons that have been used as RMs for trace element or other types of determination (Mud Tank, Monastery, 91500, AS57, AS3, KIM‐5, OG1, SL13, CZ3 and several other Sri Lankan zircons). Repeated analyses over nine sessions and seven different mounts show agreement within analytical uncertainty for Temora 2, FC1, R33, QGNG, Ple?ovice and 91500, when normalised to Mud Tank. For existing ion microprobe mounts with these materials, an appropriate δ¹⁸O can be determined. However, care should be taken when using zircons from the Duluth Complex (i.e., FC1, AS57 and AS3) as reference materials as our data indicated an excess scatter on δ¹⁸O values associated with low‐U zircon grains.     

SA01 – A Proposed Zircon Reference Material for Microbeam U‐Pb Age and Hf‐O Isotopic Determination

A new natural zircon reference material SA01 is introduced for U‐Pb geochronology as well as O and Hf isotope geochemistry by microbeam techniques. The zircon megacryst is homogeneous with respect to U‐Pb, O and Hf isotopes based on a large number of measurements by laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Chemical abrasion isotope dilution thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (CA‐ID‐TIMS) U‐Pb isotopic analyses produced a mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 535.08 ± 0.32 Ma (2s, n = 10). Results of SIMS and LA‐ICP‐MS analyses on individual shards are consistent with the TIMS ages within uncertainty. The δ¹⁸O value determined by laser fluorination is 6.16 ± 0.26‰ (2s, n = 14), and the mean ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratio determined by solution MC‐ICP‐MS is 0.282293 ± 0.000007 (2s, n = 30), which are in good agreement with the statistical mean of microbeam analyses. The megacryst is characterised by significant localised variations in Th/U ratio (0.328–4.269) and Li isotopic ratio (?5.5 to +7.9‰); the latter makes it unsuitable as a lithium isotope reference material.     

感耦等离子体发射光谱法测定锆英石中主次痕量元素

研究了感耦等离子体发射光谱测定锆英石中３１种元素的方法,样品碱熔后不经分离富集直接测定;对共存元素间的谱线干扰及其消除进行了试验;设置了４个测定程序,标准加入回收率为９１％－１１４％,样品测定的ＲＳＤ（ｎ＝７）在０．７％－１８％范围。     

锆石LA-ICP-MS原位微区U-Pb定年及微量元素的同时测定

利用配有的 New Wave 213 nm 激光和 ThermoFisher X Series 2四极杆等离子体质谱,对年龄在158~1065 Ma之间的5个标准锆石进行了U-Pb同位素和微量元素的同时测定.测定结果显示,在激光频率为10 Hz,斑束直径为30μm 下,91500、GJ-1、TEMORA-1、Ple?ovice 和 Qinghu 标准锆石所获得的加权平均年龄分别为(1059±11) Ma (2σ, n=21),(604.4±4.7) Ma (2σ, n=25),(419.3±3.4) Ma (2σ, n=14),(338.7±2.4) Ma (2σ, n=23)和(158.9±1.7) Ma (2σ, n=18),年龄分析测定的单点相对偏差(2σ)均小于5.6%,加权平均年龄的相对偏差(2σ)均小于1.08%.5个标准锆石定年结果在误差范围内与前人报道的年龄值完全一致.在相同的测试条件下,以 NIST610为外标,对上述标准锆石的微量元素进行了同时测定, Ple?ovice 除了 Nb比文献给定的值偏高外,其余微量元素和91500微量元素的测定结果都落在文献报道的范围之内, GJ-1中的Pb、Th和U落在TIMS测定值的范围之内, TEMORA-1中的Th和U落在SHRIMP测定的值之内, Qinghu中的Th和U落在SIMS测定的值之内.从5个标准锆石的稀土元素球粒陨石标准化曲线可看出,所获得的稀土元素的相对含量也准确.     

Accurate Trace Element Reporting in Corundum: Development of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Relative Sensitivity Factors

The attractive physical and chemical properties of corundum lend to this material’s importance in both its natural and synthetic forms. However, much of the quantitative work performed on this material is plagued by unknown inaccuracy as non‐matrix‐matched reference materials are used. To conduct accurate quantitative analysis using SIMS, matrix‐specific relative sensitivity factors (RSFs) were determined for eighteen trace elements in corundum using dose‐verified ion implants. The RSF values ranged from 2.56 × 10²² to 3.29 × 10²⁴ cm^‐1 with total combined uncertainty values ranging from 7 to 10%. The RSF values, which are related to ionisation potentials, showed trends consistent with expectations for an insulating oxide. The developed values were applied to calibrate reference materials for LA‐ICP‐MS and to study other natural and synthetic corundum samples. A measurement reference material calibrated for Mg, Si, Ti, V, Fe and Ga produced consistent results over ten sessions in 4 years with relative standard deviations per trace element of 5% or less, confirming the repeatability of our process. A key finding was that calibrating LA‐ICP‐MS with NIST SRM 610 and 612 glasses to analyse corundum resulted in under‐reporting trace elements Be, Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni and Ga compared with using matrix‐matched reference materials.     

FIB-TOF-SIMS联用技术在矿物学研究中的应用

基于聚焦离子束扫描电子显微镜的飞行时间二次离子质谱联用技术同时具备了聚焦离子束高空间分辨率以及飞行时间二次离子质谱轻元素、同位素分析以及较低的元素检出限的优势。可以实现:扫描电镜下原位分析H、Li、Be、B等轻元素;元素分布的纳米级横向空间分辨率;元素三维空间分布。能够同时得到纳米级矿物的形貌、元素组成以及元素空间分布信息,该技术在地学领域有广阔的应用前景。     

GHR1 Zircon – A New Eocene Natural Reference Material for Microbeam U‐Pb Geochronology and Hf Isotopic Analysis of Zircon

We present multitechnique U‐Pb geochronology and Hf isotopic data from zircon separated from rapakivi biotite granite within the Eocene Golden Horn batholith in Washington, USA. A weighted mean of twenty‐five Th‐corrected ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U zircon dates produced at two independent laboratories using chemical abrasion‐isotope dilution‐thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (CA‐ID‐TIMS) is 48.106 ± 0.023 Ma (2s analytical including tracer uncertainties, MSWD = 1.53) and is our recommended date for GHR1 zircon. Microbeam ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U dates from laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) laboratories are reproducible and in agreement with the CA‐ID‐TIMS date to within < 1.5%. Solution multi‐collector ICP‐MS (MC‐ICP‐MS) measurements of Hf isotopes from chemically purified aliquots of GHR1 yield a mean ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf of 0.283050 ± 17 (2s, n = 10), corresponding to a εHf₀ of +9.3. Hafnium isotopic measurements from two LA‐ICP‐MS laboratories are in agreement with the solution MC‐ICP‐MS value. The reproducibility of ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U and ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios from GHR1 zircon across a variety of measurement techniques demonstrates their homogeneity in most grains. Additionally, the effectively limitless reserves of GHR1 material from an accessible exposure suggest that GHR1 can provide a useful reference material for U‐Pb geochronology of Cenozoic zircon and Hf isotopic measurements of zircon with radiogenic ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf.     

High-Resolution LA-ICP-MS for Accurate Determination of Low Abundances of K, Sc and Other Trace Elements in Geological Samples

Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used to determine K, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni and Zn in geological samples. Because the isotopes of these elements and the internal standard element (Ca) often have interferences from molecular ions when determined using quadrupole or sector-field ICP-MS in low mass resolution mode, ion intensities were measured at a high mass resolution of 4000. We investigated dynamic element fractionation, type and abundance of molecular ions using different geological reference materials. Highly resolved mass spectra were especially important for accurate low-abundance measurements. As a result, maximum "critical" concentration limits for each isotope were obtained, where a mass resolution of 4000 was necessary for reliable LA-ICP-MS analysis. To test the LA-ICP-MS technique, different international reference material glasses and powdered rock reference materials were analysed. Rock powders were fused to glass beads using an Ir-strip heater. Nearly all concentration values for the reference materials agreed with the reference values at the 95% confidence level. To demonstrate routine LA-ICP-MS analysis at a mass resolution of 4000, trace element data for Hawaiian basalts are also presented.     

ID-ICP-MS测定高纯石英中微量铀的方法研究

采用一种脉冲增压微色谱柱,阴离子交换树脂,分离富集高纯石英中的微量铀,分离效果好,本底低.样品处理用低温密封闷罐酸溶.同位素稀释电感耦合等离子体质谱(ID-ICP-MS)测定高纯石英中的微量铀,方法检出限低:0.1 ng/g(3σ,n=10),分析速度快,是理想的测定微量铀的方法.     

激光探针等离子体质谱同时测定锆石微区铀—铅年龄及微量元素

建立了一种利用激光探针等离子体质谱技术同时原位测定锆石Ｐｂ－Ｐｂ及Ｐｂ－Ｕ年龄和２５个微量元素的快速分析方法。Ｐ的检出限为１４μｇ／ｇ,Ｓｃ的检出限为３μｇ／ｇ,Ｒｂ、Ｎｂ、Ｂａ稀土元素Ｎｄ、Ｇｄ、Ｄｙ、Ｅｒ及Ｙｂ的检出限为０．１￣０．３μｇ／ｇ,Ｐｂ的检出限０．５μｇ／ｇ,其它稀土元素及Ｓｒ、ｙ、Ｈｆ、Ｔａ、Ｔｈ和Ｕ的检出限为１０￣９０ｎｇ／ｇ。方法对绝大多数微量元素的相对标准偏差为５￣１５％;     

Assigning Dates to Thin Gneissic Veins in High-Grade Metamorphic Terranes: A Cautionary Tale from Akilia, Southwest Greenland

A granodiorite from Akilia, southwest Greenland, previouslysuggested to date putative life-bearing rocks to 3·84Ga, is re-investigated using whole-rock major and trace-elementgeochemistry, and detailed cathodoluminescence image-guidedsecondary ion mass spectrometer analyses of zircon U–Th–Pband rare earth elements. Complex zircon internal structure revealsthree episodes of zircon growth and/or recrystallization datedto c. 3·84 Ga, 3·62 Ga and 2·71 Ga. Rareearth element abundances imply a significant role for garnetin zircon generation at 3·62 Ga and 2·71 Ga. The3·62 Ga event is interpreted as partial melting of ac. 3·84 Ga grey gneiss precursor at granulite facieswith residual garnet. Migration of this 3·62 Ga magma(or melt–crystal mush) away from the melt source placesa maximum age limit on any intrusive relationship. These earlyArchaean relationships have been complicated further by isotopicreworking in the 2·71 Ga event, which could have includeda further episode of partial melting. This study highlightsa general problem associated with dating thin gneissic veinsin polyphase metamorphic terranes, where field relationshipsmay be ambiguous and zircon inheritance can be expected. KEY WORDS: Archaean; geochronology; Greenland; secondary ion mass spectrometry; zircon     

高空间分辨率LA-ICP-MS测定硅酸盐玻璃标准物质中42种微量元素

近年来,随着人们对关键金属（稀有金属、稀土金属、稀散金属和稀贵金属）的成矿机制、分布规律和绿色利用等研究日益加深,建立原位测定地质样品中关键金属元素（如REEs、Cr、Co、Ga、Ag、Cd、In、W、Tl等）分析方法对于研究关键金属元素的地球化学行为、分布规律和成矿机制具有重要意义。由于关键金属在地壳中丰度极低（一般为ng/g～μg/g级别）,赋存矿物非常细小（粒径μm级别）,因此需要建立高空间分辨率微区原位分析技术实现低含量（ng/g～μg/g）微量元素的定量。本文提出了高频剥蚀模式与Ar-N2等离子体技术相结合提升LA-ICP-MS对微量元素的检出能力,使之能够满足地质样品中关键金属元素的检测需求。结果表明：在Ar-N2等离子体条件下,采用高频（20Hz）剥蚀模式,LA-ICP-MS分析中大部分元素灵敏度提升了1.5～9倍。在使用高灵敏度X型截取锥时,高频剥蚀模式与氮气增敏技术相结合可以显著减小氧化物产率和降低U-Th分馏,获得更宽的载气流速区间（0.9～1.08L/min）以满足测试的仪器分析条件（ThO+/Th+＜0.5%和U/Th=1）。本研究开发的高空间分辨率LA-ICP-MS关键金属分析方法具有较低的检出限（在剥蚀束斑24μm条件下,30种元素的检出限＜0.02μg/g）,在高空间分辨率（10～24μm）条件下,通过对8种国际硅酸盐玻璃标准物质中42种微量元素进行定量分析,34种微量元素的测试结果的准确度优于10%,精密度优于15%,实现了在高空间分辨率条件下对微量元素的准确定量分析。     

Accurate quantification of melt inclusion chemistry by LA-ICPMS: a comparison with EMP and SIMS and advantages and possible limitations of these methods

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) has recently emerged as a powerful in situ microanalytical technique for major to trace elements in heterogeneous samples such as fluid and melt inclusions. Here, a rigorous comparison of melt inclusion (MI) data acquired by electron microprobe (EMP), ion microprobe (the secondary ion mass spectrometry, SIMS) and LA-ICPMS is used to evaluate the applicability and advantages/drawbacks of these approaches. We are specifically interested in determining if LA-ICPMS data on entire, unexposed, crystallized MI that cannot be homogenized in the lab are accurate and of a useful precision.

Quantification of LA-ICPMS MI signals requires the use of an internal standard, i.e., the concentration of one element, or an element ratio, at the time of MI entrapment must be known independently, in order to derive the pure MI composition from the MI plus host mixed signal. Analysis of plagioclase-hosted glassy MI of a mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) sample from the East Pacific Rise illustrates that melt inclusion chemistry can be accurately quantified by LA-ICPMS, including the correction for postentrapment sidewall crystallisation of the host mineral without prior reheating in the lab.

The LA-ICPMS data obtained on crystallized MI demonstrate agreement with the EMP and SIMS data on exposed glassy MI at the 1 standard deviation uncertainty level except for a few elements close to their limits of detection. LA-ICPMS data reduction schemes include the quantification of analytical uncertainty on each element of single MI. Therefore, weighted average element concentrations can be obtained for MI assemblages, at precisions that compare well with those of average element concentrations obtained by EMP and SIMS.

Simple sample preparation minimizing inclusion loss through polishing combined with the analytical efficiency of 50 inclusions plus neighbouring host mineral at up to 40 elements per day enable the collection of statistically relevant datasets by LA-ICPMS. These allow to recognize nonrepresentative MI (e.g., heterogeneous entrapment). Application to individual clinopyroxene crystals from the AD79 pumice horizon of Mt. Somma-Vesuvius reveals chemical variability that exceeds the analytical precision on single melt inclusions. This variability was not obvious from the limited data set obtained by SIMS and EMP.

The largest source of nonquantifiable error for EMP and SIMS data stems from the requirement of reheating the melt inclusions in the lab in order to reverse postentrapment crystallisation onto inclusion walls or growth of crystallites. For LA-ICPMS analysis of unexposed MI, the reliability with which the internal standard (IS) element concentration is known determines the quality of the data. LA-ICPMS, however, cannot analyse H₂O, F, S and Cl reliably, has higher limits of detection (LODs) than SIMS for some elements for MI below 25 μm, has lower spatial resolution than both EMP and SIMS and consumes much more sample per analysis. Therefore, EMP, SIMS and LA-ICPMS are complementary in MI research, and the type of application will determine the analytical method or methods of choice.     

Multiple Sulfur Isotope Determination by SIMS: Evaluation of Reference Sulfides for Δ33S with Observations and a Case Study on the Determination of Δ36S

High spatial resolution multiple sulfur isotope studies undertaken by multi‐collector secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) commonly use well‐characterised sulfide reference materials that do not (or are assumed not to) exhibit mass‐independent fractionation in ³³S and ³⁶S, taking advantage of the three‐isotope plot to evaluate the extent of such fractionation in unknown targets. As a result, few studies to date have used a mass independently fractionated reference sulfide to demonstrate accuracy of measurement and/or data reduction procedures. This article evaluates two mass independently fractionated sulfides, a pyrite from the 3.7 Ga Isua greenstone belt and a pyrrhotite from a 2.7 Ga gold deposit in Minas Gerais, Brazil, which may be used to provide additional confidence in the obtained multiple sulfur isotope data. Additionally, the article presents a method for measuring quadruple sulfur isotopes by SIMS at a comparable spatial and volume resolution to that typically employed for triple sulfur isotopes. This method has been applied to the Isua pyrite as well as to a sample of 2.5 Ga pyrite from the Campbellrand, Transvaal, South Africa, previously investigated using SIMS for triple sulfur isotopes, illustrating its potential for quadruple sulfur investigations.     

中国北京和长岛大气颗粒物中铅的同位素丰度比测定

采用高分辨电感耦合等离子体质谱技术(HRICPMS)分析了48个不同季节大气气溶胶颗粒样品中铅同位素丰度(A)比值,为中国城市铅污染源研究提供数据。样品采自中国北京和山东长岛地区(2002～2003年期间不同季节)。A(206Pb/207Pb)和A(208Pb/207Pb)的10次测定精密度为0.05%～0.19%RSD。     

离子色谱法检测二次精盐水中的痕量铵

建立了利用分离-抑制型电导检测离子色谱法测定30%二次精盐水中痕量铵的方法。以高容量IonPac CS16阳离子交换分离柱分离,甲烷磺酸淋洗液一步梯度洗脱,抑制型电导检测。对铵离子检测方法的线性范围为5~100μg/L,相关系数为0.9995,铵的检出限(S/N=3)为1.9μg/L。方法成功用于二次精盐水中痕量铵的检测。对样品进行加标回收试验,回收率为88%~107%。样品只需简单稀释、过滤后即可直接进样分析。方法操作简单、选择性好、灵敏度高。     

Analytical Developments in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry 2003

This annual review of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) highlights significant progress in the application of the technology for the following areas: U-Pb geochronology (notably in the fields of reference material zircons), sources of uncertainty during analysis and secondary ion yields. Major publications introduced a new zircon reference sample and dealt with an intercomparison study of a suite of established calibrators, some of which have been shown to have certain limitations. Another publication claimed that the principal uncertainty in U-Pb dating is related to variations in the Pb and U relative emission yields over a complete analytical session. 2003 saw the introduction of an automated particle identification procedure applied to the analysis of a chondritic meteorite, as well as new geometries of SIMS hardware (NanoSIMS) and techniques (time-of-flight SIMS). NanoSIMS allows a two to three order of magnitude reduction in sampling volume as a result of a reduced beam diameter, and time-of-flight SIMS allows the study of sample surfaces, and can provide data for elements concurrently.