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Which minerals besides zircon can be dated with the uranium-lead method?
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Layered strata in an outcropping of the Morrison Formation on the west side of Dinosaur Ridge, near Denver, Colorado.
While zircon is the most prominent mineral used in uranium-lead dating, several other minerals are also suitable for this method, allowing geochronologists to date a wide variety of igneous and metamorphic rocks.1
Minerals that can be dated using the uranium-lead method include:
- Baddeleyite (ZrO) and zirconolite (CaZrTiO): These are widespread in silica-poor mafic igneous rocks.1
- Perovskite (CaTiO): A common constituent in certain ultramafic igneous rocks.1
- Titanite (CaTiSiO): Frequently employed for dating igneous and metamorphic rocks and useful for identifying both primary and secondary geological events.12
- Monazite: Commonly used for dating igneous and metamorphic rocks.1
- Rutile (TiO): A low-uranium trace mineral found in various mineral deposits.1
- Garnet: Can be used in certain favorable cases.1
These advancements have significantly expanded the range of datable materials, allowing for precise age determinations across virtually all types of igneous rocks.1