Ban-1 Zircon: A New Natural Zircon Reference Material for LA-MC-ICP-MS Zr and Hf Isotopic Determinations

New zircon reference materials for in situ zircon radiogenic Hf isotope and stable Zr isotopic determinations made by laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) are required due to high data productivity and consequently high reference material consumption rate. This study examines a new natural zircon for Zr isotope ratios by double spike thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS), and for Hf isotopes by bulk solution nebuliser (SN)-MC-ICP-MS with both Zr and Hf determined by LA-MC-ICP-MS. A total of five zirconium isotope measurements from drilled zircons, determined by TIMS, yield a mean delta Zr-94/90(IPGP-Zr) value of -0.09 +/- 0.06 parts per thousand (2s). Five and eight hafnium isotope measurements for powders from the drilled zircons and Ban-1-4 by SN-MC-ICP-MS, yield mean Hf-176/Hf-177 ratios of 0.282985 +/- 0.000011 (2s) and 0.282982 +/- 0.000007 (2s), respectively. The mean delta Zr-94/90(IPGP-Zr) value and Hf-176/Hf-177 ratio determined by LA-MC-ICP-MS analyses are -0.06 +/- 0.09 parts per thousand (2s, n = 504) and 0.282985 +/- 0.000035 (2s, n = 327), respectively. The isotopic homogeneities suggest that the Ban-1 zircon is a suitable reference material for microbeam Zr and Hf isotopic measurements.

Automated summary

This study examines the determination of Zr and Hf isotopes in new zircon reference materials using various methods and instruments, and finds that these zircons are suitable as reference materials.