Articles | Volume 8, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-8-495-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-8-495-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
10 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 10 Sep 2026
| 10 Sep 2026
U-Pb dating of sub-ng g−1 U garnet by LA-MC-ICP-MS
Aratz Beranoaguirre
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Frankfurt Isotope and Element Research Center (FIERCE), Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Goethe-University Frankfurt, Department of Geosciences, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Leo J. Millonig
Frankfurt Isotope and Element Research Center (FIERCE), Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Goethe-University Frankfurt, Department of Geosciences, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Richard Albert
Frankfurt Isotope and Element Research Center (FIERCE), Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Goethe-University Frankfurt, Department of Geosciences, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Horst R. Marschall
Frankfurt Isotope and Element Research Center (FIERCE), Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Goethe-University Frankfurt, Department of Geosciences, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Axel Gerdes
Frankfurt Isotope and Element Research Center (FIERCE), Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Goethe-University Frankfurt, Department of Geosciences, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Short summary
We present a high-sensitivity laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) method for in-situ U–Pb dating of garnet with under 1 ng g⁻¹ U. Using ion counters, geologically meaningful ages are obtained from garnets with up to three orders of magnitude less uranium than standard in-situ U–Pb dating. This expands garnet petrochronology to low-U metamorphic rocks.
We present a high-sensitivity laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass...
