Abstract
A method for chemical separation of Lu and Hf from rock, meteorite and mineral samples is described, together with a much improved mass spectrometric running technique for Hf. This allows (i) geo- and cosmochronology using the176Lu→176Hf+β − decay scheme, and (ii) geochemical studies of planetary processes in the earth and moon.
Chemical yields for the three-stage ion-exchange column procedure average 90% for Hf. Chemical blanks are <0.2 ng for Lu and Hf. From 1 μg of Hf, a total ion current of 0.5×10−11 Ampere can be maintained for 3–5 h, yielding 0.01–0.03% precision on the ratio176Hf/177Hf. Normalisation to179Hf/177Hf=0.7325 is used.
Extensive results for the Johnson Matthey Hf standard JMC 475 are presented, and this sample is urged as an international mass spectrometric standard; suitable aliquots, prepared from a single batch of JMC 475, are available from Denver.
Lu-Hf analyses of the standard rocks BCR-1 and JB-1 are given. The potential of the Lu-Hf method in isotope geochemistry is assessed.
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Patchett, P.J., Tatsumoto, M. A routine high-precision method for Lu-Hf isotope geochemistry and chronology. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 75, 263–267 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01166766
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01166766