2007/11/16 by Chad Paton, Jon Woodhead, Janet Hergt +2 · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Computer Science · #Geological and Geochemical Analysis #earthquake and tectonic studies #Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1751-908x.2007.00131.x
openalex publication_date 2007/11/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/07
Strontium isotopic composition is a potentially powerful tracer in studies of kimberlitic rocks but the results from even the most carefully collected and stringently prepared bulk‐rock samples are still hampered by contamination and alteration effects. Here we describe a LA‐MC‐ICP‐MS technique which can obtain accurate, high precision Sr i ratios from 50–150 μm kimberlitic groundmass perovskite without requiring time‐consuming mineral separation procedures. Since perovskite is a robust magmatic phase with an extremely low Rb/Sr ratio, the effects of late‐stage crustal contamination, post‐emplacement alteration and age correction are minimised and results are more representative of primary melt compositions, while additionally preserving powerful grain‐scale spatial and textural information. We demonstrate that the adopted protocol overcomes isobaric interferences from Kr + , Rb + , Er 2+ and Yb 2+ , and that Ca dimers and Ca argides do not detectably affect the quality of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios produced. To illustrate the utility of the technique, contrasting bulk‐rock and in situ perovskite results from eleven Proterozoic kimberlites are documented.