Abstract
A fundamental constraint on the evolution of the Earth is the time of the first occurrence of continental crust. The recent publication1 of ages of 4,200–4,100 Myr for zircons from Australia is therefore of considerable importance. This dating was achieved by single-grain analysis on the SHRIMP ion microprobe at the Australian National University. To substantiate the existence of these old zircons by an alternative method, we studied the same zircon population by conventional solid-source mass spectrometry and isotope dilution analysis of single grains and individual fragments of single grains. Our results confirm neither the 4,200–4,100-Myr ages nor the particular discordancy patterns obtained on the ion probe. The age pattern we obtained can be explained by zircon crystallization 3,800–3,300 Myr ago. Probable primary ages of ∼3,750–3,600 Myr coincide with model Sm/Nd ages for the adjacent gneisses2, the possible source rocks of the Mt Narryer quartzite, and the younger ages are interpreted as those of zircon overgrowth compatible with a Rb/Sr age for the regional metamorphic overprint2.
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Schärer, U., Alègre, C. Determination of the age of the Australian continent by single-grain zircon analysis of Mt Narryer metaquartzite. Nature 315, 52–55 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/315052a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/315052a0
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