Ways and wrong ways of interpreting detrital zircon ages

MILLER, H.; ADAMS, C.; ACEÑOLAZA, F.G.; TOSELLI, A.J.

Simposio; VII SAAGI South American Symposium on Isotope Geology Brasilia; 2010

For a long time heavy mineral analyses including zircon grains have often been used as a method for correlation of deposition sites of sediments and their provenance areas. The Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) technique has made U-Pb detrital zircon age determinations quicker and cheaper, and allows a consideration of not only the provenance area rock types but also the ages of those regions. Furthermore, detrital zircon ages provide a maximum stratigraphic age estimate for sedimentary and even some metamorphic rocks. However, the provenance of detrital zircons, their origin, erosion, transport and deposition depend of various factors which should be considered when interpreting detrital zircon age patterns.