baddeleyite

For example, the minerals baddeleyite, an oxide of zirconium (ZrO₂), and zirconolite (CaZrTi₂O₇), have been shown to be widespread in small amounts in mafic igneous rocks (i.e., those composed primarily of one or more ferromagnesian, dark-coloured minerals). Here, a single uranium-lead isotopic analysis can provide an age more precise…

Today, however, baddeleyite (ZrO₂) and zirconolite (CaZrTi₂O₇) have been found to be widespread in the silica-poor mafic igneous rocks. In addition, perovskite (CaTiO₃), a common constituent of some ultramafic igneous rocks, has been shown to be amenable to precise uranium–lead dating. As a result of these developments,…

…zircon, ZrSiO₄ (zirconium orthosilicate), and baddeleyite, which is essentially pure zirconium dioxide, ZrO₂, generally have a hafnium content that varies from a few tenths of 1 percent to several percent. Altered zircons, like some alvites and cyrtolites, products of residual crystallization, show greater percentages of hafnium (up to 17 percent…

Baddeleyite, which is essentially pure zirconium dioxide, ZrO₂, is the only other important zirconium mineral, but the commercial product is more cheaply recovered from zircon. Zirconium is produced by the same process as that used for titanium. These zirconium minerals generally have a hafnium content…