uranium–lead dating

Also known as: U–Pb dating

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July 14, 2026

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Uranium-lead dating is a precise method for determining the age of rocks and minerals. It utilizes the radioactive decay of uranium isotopes into lead isotopes. The primary minerals used are zircon, baddeleyite, and zirconolite.1

This method is superior because it involves two independent uranium-lead chronometers, allowing for cross-verification of results on a concordia diagram. This built-in mechanism helps confirm the accuracy of the age determination. The method can also date very small samples, making it applicable to a wider range of rocks.1

Other related dating methods include uranium-thorium-lead dating, lead-210 dating, and uranium-234–uranium-238 dating, each suited for different geological materials and time scales. The concept of half-life, the time it takes for half of a radioactive isotope to decay, is fundamental to all radiometric dating techniques.2345

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Uranium–lead method
As each dating method was developed, tested, and improved, mainly since 1950, a vast body of knowledge about the behaviour of different isotopic systems under different geologic conditions has evolved. It is now clear that with recent advances the uranium–lead method is superior…
Read More
As each dating method was developed, tested, and improved, mainly since 1950, a vast body of knowledge about the behaviour of different isotopic systems under different geologic conditions has evolved. It is now clear that with recent advances the uranium–lead method is superior…
Read More