fluorine dating

Fluorine dating is a geological method used to determine the relative age of fossil bones. This technique is based on the principle that bones in contact with the earth absorb fluorine from groundwater over time. The longer a bone is buried, the higher its fluorine content will be.12

While this method can help establish the relative age of specimens, it is not considered an absolute dating technique. This is because the rate of fluorine uptake can vary significantly due to factors like soil permeability, rainfall, temperature, and the concentration of fluorine in the local groundwater. Therefore, fluorine dating is most reliable when used within a restricted locality with uniform conditions and is often supplemented with other analyses, such as uranium and nitrogen measurements, for greater accuracy.2