Disturbed Sr and Nd Isotope Systematics in Zircons With Concordant SHRIMP U-Pb Ages

Little is known about the Sr- and Nd-isotopic systematics of zircon. With slow diffusion rates and a high resistance to weathering, zircon should preserve accurate age information and initial Sr and Nd isotopic ratios. As a common accessory mineral, it could provide petrogenetic information for rocks that have been altered, weathered, or metamorphosed. We have investigated the Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr systematics of zircons from unmetamorphosed granitic rocks that have yielded concordant U-Pb SHRIMP (Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe) ages and have depleted mantle signatures for Nd and Sr isotopes. Zircon populations from mantle-derived igneous rocks with ages of 0.1, 1.7, and 3.8 Ga were chosen for Sr and Nd isotopic analysis. Low concentrations (Sr, 4 to 8 ppm and Nd, 6 to 12 ppm) and small grain size necessitate the use of multigrain aliquots. Meaningful results can be obtained only if all of the zircons in the rock are a coherent population with homogeneous ages throughout and among grains. Zircon U-Pb ages were characterized using the SHRIMP RG, and trace element concentrations were measured by LA-ICPMS. The populations are homogeneous and the material ablated by the ion beam ( ∼~20 μ m spot size) shows little evidence of lead loss. Results on zircons of 100 Ma and 1700 Ma indicate that both the Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd systems have been severely disturbed. For the 1700 Ma granitic rocks from the Yavapai sequence of Arizona, zircon Sm-Nd apparent ages are ca. 1000 Ma! Leaching was used to remove contributions from adhering or included minerals, but leached residues that presumably most closely approximate the composition of the pure zircon (e.g. have high Sm/Nd) are no less disturbed than unleached samples. Despite the U-Pb SHRIMP ages indicating a closed system, the zircons have failed to preserve a reasonable age or initial isotopic composition for Sr and Nd, indicating that parts of the crystal might be severely affected by radiation damage resulting in disturbed isotopic systems. The results are not compatible with ultra-low diffusivities in these natural zircons, and cast doubt on the reliability of zircons for determining geochemical parameters other than U-Pb age. To further evaluate these results, high T annealing followed by chemical abrasion of the zircons is being applied in order to remove radiation-damaged, disturbed zircon domains and allow more direct comparison of the Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr systems to U-Pb.