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Chemical dating of monazite: Testing of analytical protocol for U–Th–total Pb using CAMECA SXFive tactis EPMA at the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, India

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Abstract

Major and trace element analyses of monazite by electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) are routinely carried out for several decades. U–Th–total Pb method of monazite dating is currently considered as a reliable and acceptable tool to decipher the time of geological events. The purpose of the present study is to establish the quantification conditions of monazite chronology using SXFive tactis EPMA, recently installed at the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, India. Consistency in the chemical-chronological data of the monazites starting from the chronologically well-constrained Maocyr monazite data followed by the analysis of monazite from the garnet-cordierite gneiss of the Kerala Khondalite Belt confirms the reliability of the NCESS-EPMA facility for the U–Th–total Pb chemical age dating of monazite. By applying the same analytical setup of chemical dating, the monazites from metapelites of Madurai Block of Southern Granulite Terrain, India yield two peak ages in probability density diagram of ca. 505 Ma and ca. 590 Ma (23 spots) which is similar to the 206Pb/238U age (ca. 506 Ma and ca. 585 Ma; 34 spots) obtained by LA-ICPMS.

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Acknowledgements

NS, SM, AD and NN thank Secretary, MoES, Govt. of India and Director, NCESS, Thiruvananthapuram for providing funds and unconditional support to carry out the work. They are also thankful to Dr V Nandakumar, and Dr J K Tomson for their cooperation during the journey. Mr K Eldhose is acknowledged for support during sample preparation. NS and SM are benefitted by several useful discussions with Durgesh Kumar Paul (Ametek, India) and Michel Outrequin (CAMECA Labs, Gennevillieres, France) on monazite chemical dating using SXFive tactis EPMA. The reviewers are thanked for their suggestions to improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ESSO-National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

    Nilanjana Sorcar, Sneha Mukherjee, J Amal Dev & N Nishanth

  2. Department of Geology, University of Delhi, Delhi, India

    Naresh Chandra Pant

  3. Department of Marine Geology and Geophysics, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), Kochi, India

    J Amal Dev

Authors
  1. Nilanjana Sorcar
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  2. Sneha Mukherjee
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  3. Naresh Chandra Pant
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  4. J Amal Dev
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  5. N Nishanth
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Contributions

NS was involved in setting up the EPMA laboratory at NCESS, Thiruvananthapuram and devised the conceptual ideas to design the study. NS and SM carried out all the calibrations and analyses with EPMA. NCP gave critical feedback to setup the monazite protocol more accurately. AD performed the monazite analyses with LA-ICPMS. NN helped in instrumental setup. SM took the lead in writing the manuscript. NS, NCP and AD provided critical feedback and helped to shape the research, analysis and manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sneha Mukherjee.

Additional information

Communicated by Somnath Dasgupta

Supplementary material pertaining to this article is available on the Journal of Earth System Science website (http://www.ias.ac.in/Journals/Journal_of_Earth_System_Science).

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Sorcar, N., Mukherjee, S., Pant, N.C. et al. Chemical dating of monazite: Testing of analytical protocol for U–Th–total Pb using CAMECA SXFive tactis EPMA at the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, India. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 234 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01738-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01738-4

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