Progress in U-Pb Dating Methods of Columbite-Tantalite Minerals
Tu Jiarun
Zhang Yan
Zhou Hongying
Cui Yurong
Li Guozhan
Wu Lei
Li Zhidan
Abstract：Columbite-tantalite,characterized by high closure temperature,high uranium content,and low common lead,is an ideal mineral for U-Pb dating.Its isotopic chronology provides critical constraints on the genetic mechanisms of rare-metal granites and pegmatites.The main U-Pb dating methods for columbite-tantalite include isotope dilution-thermal ionization mass spectrometry(ID-TIMS),laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(LA-ICP-MS),and secondary ion mass spectrometry(SIMS).This paper systematically reviews the basic principles,development history,technical advantages,and existing challenges of these three dating techniques,with a focus on summarizing recent application advancements in constraining ore-forming epochs and deciphering metallogenic processes of rare-metal deposits.The study reveals that it remains the current technical bottleneck and future research priority to achieve high-precision and accurate U-Pb age determinations for columbite-tantalite across polyphase mineralization events due to the complex and variable end-member compositions of columbite-tantalite and the pervasive matrix effects inherent in commonly used in-situ dating methods(LA-ICP-MS/SIMS).Future studies should focus on developing mineral compositional reference materials and optimizing analytical protocols to overcome these limitations.
Keywords：columbite-tantaliteU-Pb datingmatrix effectreference materialsLA-ICP-MSID-TIMShigh precisionrare-metalgeochronology
Publication Date：2025-07-30
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：13( 2498-2510 )