Xenotime at the Nanoscale: U-Pb Geochronology and Optimisation of Analyses by Atom Probe Tomography

Xenotime (YPO4) is an accessory phase common in low to high-temperature geological environments. Xenotime is an established geochronometer, though its small size, low modal abundance and textural complexity make it more difficult to analyse with traditional techniques but makes a prime candidate for...

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Main Authors: Joseph, C., Fougerouse, Denis, Saxey, David, Verberne, R., Reddy, Steven, Rickard, William
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: WILEY 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE190101307
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91630
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author Joseph, C.
Fougerouse, Denis
Saxey, David
Verberne, R.
Reddy, Steven
Rickard, William
author_facet Joseph, C.
Fougerouse, Denis
Saxey, David
Verberne, R.
Reddy, Steven
Rickard, William
author_sort Joseph, C.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Xenotime (YPO4) is an accessory phase common in low to high-temperature geological environments. Xenotime is an established geochronometer, though its small size, low modal abundance and textural complexity make it more difficult to analyse with traditional techniques but makes a prime candidate for nanoscale analysis. In this study, we develop an atom probe tomography (APT) protocol to determine the 206Pb/238U and 207Pb/206Pb ages of micro-scale xenotime crystals with analytical volumes four to six orders of magnitude smaller than typical geochronology techniques. A linear correlation between the 206Pb/238U fractionation and 238UO22+/238UO2+ was used to correct for the atom probe instrument parameters variability between specimens. For 207Pb/206Pb ages, we employed two methods of background correction owing to the 206Pb2+ thermal tail contribution to the 207Pb2+ counts: A constant background correction for the younger (˜ 1000 Ma) Y1 reference material and a variable correction of background for Archaean age reference material xtc to correct for the thermal tail influence. This contribution also proposes strategies for optimisation of xenotime analysis using APT and permits us to explore the various geological problems in the nanoscale realm. This methodology potentially allows determining the age of small xenotime crystals in sedimentary rocks, low metamorphic grade settings and deformation microstructures.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-916302023-05-17T07:58:34Z Xenotime at the Nanoscale: U-Pb Geochronology and Optimisation of Analyses by Atom Probe Tomography Joseph, C. Fougerouse, Denis Saxey, David Verberne, R. Reddy, Steven Rickard, William Science & Technology Physical Sciences Geochemistry & Geophysics atom probe tomography APT nanogeochronology Pb-206/U-238 Pb-207/Pb-206 radiometric dating AUTHIGENIC XENOTIME DIAGENETIC XENOTIME SEDIMENTARY-ROCKS FLUID-FLOW MONAZITE ZIRCON AUSTRALIA DEPOSIT AGES MASS Xenotime (YPO4) is an accessory phase common in low to high-temperature geological environments. Xenotime is an established geochronometer, though its small size, low modal abundance and textural complexity make it more difficult to analyse with traditional techniques but makes a prime candidate for nanoscale analysis. In this study, we develop an atom probe tomography (APT) protocol to determine the 206Pb/238U and 207Pb/206Pb ages of micro-scale xenotime crystals with analytical volumes four to six orders of magnitude smaller than typical geochronology techniques. A linear correlation between the 206Pb/238U fractionation and 238UO22+/238UO2+ was used to correct for the atom probe instrument parameters variability between specimens. For 207Pb/206Pb ages, we employed two methods of background correction owing to the 206Pb2+ thermal tail contribution to the 207Pb2+ counts: A constant background correction for the younger (˜ 1000 Ma) Y1 reference material and a variable correction of background for Archaean age reference material xtc to correct for the thermal tail influence. This contribution also proposes strategies for optimisation of xenotime analysis using APT and permits us to explore the various geological problems in the nanoscale realm. This methodology potentially allows determining the age of small xenotime crystals in sedimentary rocks, low metamorphic grade settings and deformation microstructures. 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91630 10.1111/ggr.12398 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE190101307 WILEY restricted
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geochemistry & Geophysics
atom probe tomography
APT
nanogeochronology
Pb-206/U-238
Pb-207/Pb-206
radiometric dating
AUTHIGENIC XENOTIME
DIAGENETIC XENOTIME
SEDIMENTARY-ROCKS
FLUID-FLOW
MONAZITE
ZIRCON
AUSTRALIA
DEPOSIT
AGES
MASS
Joseph, C.
Fougerouse, Denis
Saxey, David
Verberne, R.
Reddy, Steven
Rickard, William
Xenotime at the Nanoscale: U-Pb Geochronology and Optimisation of Analyses by Atom Probe Tomography
title Xenotime at the Nanoscale: U-Pb Geochronology and Optimisation of Analyses by Atom Probe Tomography
title_full Xenotime at the Nanoscale: U-Pb Geochronology and Optimisation of Analyses by Atom Probe Tomography
title_fullStr Xenotime at the Nanoscale: U-Pb Geochronology and Optimisation of Analyses by Atom Probe Tomography
title_full_unstemmed Xenotime at the Nanoscale: U-Pb Geochronology and Optimisation of Analyses by Atom Probe Tomography
title_short Xenotime at the Nanoscale: U-Pb Geochronology and Optimisation of Analyses by Atom Probe Tomography
title_sort xenotime at the nanoscale: u-pb geochronology and optimisation of analyses by atom probe tomography
topic Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geochemistry & Geophysics
atom probe tomography
APT
nanogeochronology
Pb-206/U-238
Pb-207/Pb-206
radiometric dating
AUTHIGENIC XENOTIME
DIAGENETIC XENOTIME
SEDIMENTARY-ROCKS
FLUID-FLOW
MONAZITE
ZIRCON
AUSTRALIA
DEPOSIT
AGES
MASS
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE190101307
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91630