February 2007

Volume 3, Number 1

ISSN 1811-5209
 Volume 3, Number 1 • February 2007 A BOUT THE COVER :
Elements is published jointly by the Mineralogical
Society of America, the Mineralogical Society Photomicrograph (transmitted
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Mineralogical light, crossed polarizers) of a
Association of Canada, the Geochemical Society, single zircon crystal (360
The Clay Minerals Society, the European
Association for Geochemistry, the International
13 Zircon microns long) from the
Adirondack Mountains, New
Association of GeoChemistry, the Société Tiny but Timely York State, USA. Radiation
Française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie, Simon L. Harley and Nigel M. Kelly damage in this zoned crystal
the Association of Applied Geochemists, can be inferred from the
the Deutsche Mineralogische Gesellschaft, lower interference colors in
Zircon as a Monitor of Crustal Growth
the Società Italiana di Mineralogia e Petrologia,
the International Association of Geoanalysts,
19 Eric E. Scherer, Martin J. Whitehouse
some zones in comparison
with the high birefringence
and the Polskie Towarzystwo Mineralogiczne and Carsten Münker of the low-actinide core,
(Mineralogical Society of Poland). It is provided typical of well-crystallized
as a benefit to members of these societies. zircon. For details, see
Elements is published six times a year. Individuals Zircon Behaviour and the Thermal Nasdala et al. (2005)
are encouraged to join any one of the partici- 25 Histories of Mountain Chains Chemical Geology
pating societies to receive Elements. Institutional 220: 83-103.
Simon L. Harley, Nigel M. Kelly and Andreas Möller
subscribers to any of the following journals
—American Mineralogist, Clay Minerals, Clays
and Clay Minerals, MINABS Online, Mineralogical
Zircon Behaviour in Deeply Subducted Rocks
Magazine, and The Canadian Mineralogist—will
also receive Elements as part of their 2007
31 Daniela Rubatto and Jörg Hermann
subscription. Institutional subscriptions are
available for US$125 a year in 2007. Contact
the managing editor (tremblpi@ete.inrs.ca) for
information.
Rare Earth Element Behavior
Copyright ©2007 by the Mineralogical Society 37 in Zircon–Melt Systems
of America
John M. Hanchar and Wim van Westrenen
All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form,
including translation to other languages, or by
any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying or information storage 43 Re-equilibration of Zircon
and retrieval systems—without written permission in Aqueous Fluids and Melts
from the copyright holder is strictly prohibited. Thorsten Geisler, Urs Schaltegger and Frank Tomaschek
Publications mail agreement
no. 40037944
Hydrothermal Zircon
Return undeliverable
Canadian addresses to:
51 Urs Schaltegger
PO Box 503
RPO West Beaver Creek
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ISSN 1811-5209 From the Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
www.elementsmagazine.org Letters to the Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Triple Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
People in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Meet the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Mineral Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Society News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Conference News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Parting Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Job Postings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Advertisers in this Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

1

The Mineralogical
Society of America
is composed of indivi-
duals interested in
mineralogy, crystallog-
raphy, petrology, and
geochemistry. Founded in 1919, the
Society promotes, through education
and research, the understanding and
application of mineralogy by industry,
universities, government, and the
public. Membership benefits include
special subscription rates for American
Mineralogist as well as other journals,
25% discount on Reviews in Mineralogy
and Geochemistry series and Mono-
graphs, Elements, reduced registration
fees for MSA meetings and short
courses, and participation in a society
that supports the many facets of
mineralogy. For additional information,
contact the MSA business office.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Andrea Koziol
(Andrea.Koziol@notes.udayton.edu)
Mineralogical Society of America
3635 Concorde Pkwy Ste 500
Chantilly, VA 20151-1125, USA
Tel.: 703-652-9950; Fax: 703-652-9951
business@minsocam.org
www.minsocam.org
The Mineralogical
Society of Great
Britain and Ireland,
also known as the
MinSoc, is the
international society
for all those working in the mineral
sciences. The Society aims to advance
the knowledge of the science of
mineralogy and its application to
other subjects, including crystallogra-
phy, geochemistry, petrology,
environmental science and economic
geology. The Society furthers its
objects through scientific meetings
and the publication of scientific
journals, books and monographs. The
Society publishes three journals,
Mineralogical Magazine (print and
online), Clay Minerals (print and
online) and the e-journal MINABS
Online (launched in January 2004).
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Adrian H. Lloyd-
Lawrence (adrian@minersoc.org)
Mineralogical Society
41 Queen’s Gate
London SW1 5HR United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 (0)20 7584 7516
Fax: +44 (0)7823 8021
info@minersoc.org
www.minersoc.org
The Mineralogical
Association of Canada
was incorporated in
1955 to promote and
advance the knowl-
edge of mineralogy
and the related disciplines of crystal-
lography, petrology, geochemistry,
and economic geology. Any person
engaged or interested in the fields of
mineralogy, crystallography, petrology,
geochemistry, and economic geology
may become a member of the
Association. Membership benefits
include a subscription to Elements,
reduced cost for subscribing to The
Canadian Mineralogist, a 20% discount
on short course volumes and special
publications, and a discount on the
registration fee at our annual meeting.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Pierrette Tremblay
(ptremblay@mineralogicalassociation.ca)
Mineralogical Association of Canada
490, de la Couronne
Québec, QC, Canada G1K 9A9
ELEMENTS
Pa rtic ipa t in g S o c ie t ie s
Tel.: 418-653-0333; Fax: 418-653-0777
office@mineralogicalassociation.ca
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The Clay Minerals
Society (CMS) began
as the Clay Minerals
Committee of the US
National Academy of
Sciences – National
Research Council in 1952. By 1962,
the CMS was incorporated with the
primary purpose of stimulating research
and disseminating information
relating to all aspects of clay science
and technology. The CMS holds an
annual meeting, workshop, and field
trips, and publishes Clays and Clay
Minerals and the CMS Workshop
Lectures series. Membership benefits
include reduced registration fees to the
annual meeting, discounts on the CMS
Workshop Lectures, and Elements.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Kevin Murphy
(kmurphy@iol.ie)
The Clay Minerals Society
3635 Concorde Pkwy Ste 500
Chantilly VA 20151-1125, USA
Tel.: 703-652-9960; Fax: 703-652-9951
cms@clays.org
www.clays.org
The Geochemical
Society is an interna-
tional non-profit
organization for
scientists involved in
the practice, study, and
teaching of geochemistry. Membership
includes a subscription to Elements,
access to the online quarterly newsletter
Geochemical News, as well as an optional
subscription to Geochimica et Cosmochim-
ica Acta (24 issues per year). Members
receive discounts on publications (GS
Special Publications, MSA, Elsevier and
Wiley/Jossey-Bass), and on conference
registrations, including the V.M.
Goldschmidt Conference, the fall AGU
meeting, and the annual GSA meeting.
Geochemical Society
Washington University
Earth & Planetary Sciences
One Brookings Drive, Campus Box #1169
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
Tel.: 314-935-4131; Fax: 314-935-4121
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The European
Association for
Geochemistry was
founded in 1985 to
promote geochemical
research and study in
Europe. It is now recognized as the
premiere geochemical organization
in Europe encouraging interaction
between geochemists and researchers
in associated fields, and promoting
research and teaching in the public
and private sectors.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Michael J. Walter
(m.j.walter@bris.ac.uk)
Membership information:
www.eag.eu.com/membership
The International
Association of Geo-
Chemistry (IAGC) has
been a pre-eminent
international geo-
chemical organization
for over 40 years. Its principal
objectives are to foster cooperation
in, and advancement of, applied geo-
chemistry, by sponsoring specialist
scientific symposia and the activities
organized by its working groups, and
2 F EBRUARY 2007
by supporting its journal Applied
Geochemistry. The administration and
activities of IAGC are conducted by its
Council, comprising an Executive and
ten ordinary members. Day-to-day
administration is performed through
the IAGC Business Office.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Mel Gascoyne,
Canada (gascoyne@granite.mb.ca)
IAGC Business Office
Box 501
Pinawa, Manitoba R0E 1L0 Canada
iagc@granite.mb.ca
www.iagc.ca
The Société Française
de Minéralogie et de
Cristallographie,
the French mineralogy
and crystallography
society, was founded
on March 21, 1878. The purpose of the
Society is to promote mineralogy and
crystallography. Membership benefits
include the “bulletin de liaison” (in
French), the European Journal of Miner-
alogy and now Elements, and reduced
registration fees for SFMC meetings.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Anne Marie
Karpoff (amk@illite.u-strasbg.fr)
SFMC
Campus Boucicaut, Bâtiment 7
140 rue de Lourmel
75015 Paris, France
www.sfmc-fr.org
The Association of
Applied Geochemists
is an international
organisation founded
in 1970 that
specializes in the field
of applied geochemistry. Its aims are
to advance the science of geochemistry
as it relates to exploration and the
environment, further the common
interests of exploration geochemists,
facilitate the acquisition and
distribution of scientific knowledge,
promote the exchange of information,
encourage research and development,
advance the status of the profession,
and sponsor symposia, seminars and
technical meetings.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: David Lentz
(dlentz@unb.ca)
Association of Applied Geochemists
P.O. Box 26099
Nepean, ON Canada K2H 9R0
Tel.: 613-828-0199; fax: 613-828-9288
office@appliedgeochemists.org
The Deutsche
Mineralogische
Gesellschaft (German
Mineralogical Society)
was founded in 1908
to “promote miner-
alogy and all its subdisciplines in
teaching and research as well as the
personal relationships among all
members.” Its great tradition is reflected
in the list of honorary fellows, which
includes M. v. Laue, G. v. Tschermak,
P. Eskola, C.W. Correns, P. Ramdohr
and H. Strunz, to name a few. Today,
the Society especially tries to support
young researchers, e.g. to attend
conferences and short courses.
Membership benefits include the
Affiliated Societies
The International Mineralogical Association, the European Min-
eralogical Union, and the International Association for the Study
of Clays are affiliated societies of Elements. The affiliated status is
reserved for those organizations that serve as an “umbrella” for
other groups in the fields of mineralogy, geochemistry, and
petrology, but that do not themselves have a membership base.
European Journal of Mineralogy, the
DMG Forum, GMit, and now Elements.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Michael Burchard
(burchard@min.uni-heidelberg.de)
Deutsche Mineralogische Gesellschaft
dmg@dmg-home.de
www.dmg-home.de
The Società Italiana
di Mineralogia e
Petrologia (Italian
Society of Mineralogy
and Petrology),
established in 1940, is
the national body representing all
researchers dealing with mineralogy,
petrology and related disciplines.
Membership benefits include receiving
the European Journal of Mineralogy,
Plinius, and Elements, and a reduced
registration fee at the annual meeting.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Marco Pasero
(pasero@dst.unipi.it)
Società Italiana di Mineralogia e Petrologia
Dip. di Scienze della Terra
Università di Pisa
Via S. Maria 53
I-56126 Pisa, Italy
Tel.: +39 050 2215704; Fax: +39 050 2215830
simp@dst.unipi.it
http://simp.dst.unipi.it/
The International
Association of
Geoanalysts is a
worldwide organization
supporting the profes-
sional interests of those
involved in the analysis of geological
and environmental materials. Major
activities include the management of
proficiency testing programmes for
bulk rock and micro-analytical methods,
the production and certification of
reference materials and the publication
of the Association’s official journal
Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Michael
Wiedenbeck (michawi@gfz-potsdam.de)
International Association of Geoanalysts
13 Belvedere Close
Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5JF
United Kingdom
http://geoanalyst.org/
The Mineralogical
Society of Poland,
founded in 1969,
draws together
professionals and
amateurs interested in
mineralogy, crystallography,
petrology, geochemistry and economic
geology. The Society promotes links
between mineralogical science and
education and technology through
annual conferences, field trips, invited
lectures and publishing. There are two
active groups: the Clay Minerals
Group, which is affiliated with the
European Clay Groups Association,
and the Petrology Group. Membership
benefits include subscriptions to
Mineralogia Polonica and Elements.
SOCIETY NEWS EDITOR: Zbigniew Sawĺowcz
(zbyszek@geos.ing.uj.edu.pl)
Mineralogical Society of Poland
Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Tel./fax: +48 12 6334330
ptmin@agh.edu.pl
www.ptmin.agh.edu.pl

SCIENTIFIC EDITORS
MICHAEL F. HOCHELLA JR., Virginia Tech, USA
(hochella@vt.edu)
IAN PARSONS, University of Edinburgh, UK
(ian.parsons@ed.ac.uk)
E. BRUCE WATSON, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, USA (watsoe@rpi.edu)
SUSAN L.S. STIPP, Københavns Universitet
(stipp@geol.ku.dk)
ADVISORY BOARD
RANDALL T. CYGAN, Sandia National
Laboratories, USA
ROBERTO COMPAGNONI, Università degli Studi
di Torino, Italy
ADRIAN FINCH, University of St Andrews, UK
JOHN E. GRAY, US Geological Survey
JANUSZ JANECZEK, University of Silesia, Poland
HANS KEPPLER, Bayerisches Geoinstitut,
Germany
DAVID LENTZ, University of New Brunswick,
Canada
DOUGLAS K. MCCARTY, Chevron Texaco, USA
KLAUS MEZGER, Universität Münster, Germany
JAMES E. MUNGALL, University of Toronto,
Canada
TAKASHI MURAKAMI, University of Tokyo, Japan
HUGH O’NEILL, Australian National University,
Australia
NANCY ROSS, Virginia Tech, USA
EVERETT SHOCK, Arizona State University, USA
DAVID J. VAUGHAN, The University of
Manchester, UK
OLIVIER VIDAL, Université J. Fourier, France
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
FRIEDHELM VON BLANCKENBURG,
Deutsche Mineralogische Gesellschaft
GIUSEPPE CRUCIANI, Società Italiana di
Mineralogia e Petrologia
JEREMY B. FEIN, Geochemical Society
RUSSELL S. HARMON, International
Association of GeoChemistry
JOHN M. HUGHES, Mineralogical Society
of America
CLIFF JOHNSTON, The Clay Minerals Society
DANIEL J. KONTAK, Mineralogical Association
of Canada
DAVID LENTZ, Association of Applied
Geochemists
CATHERINE MEVEL, Société Française
de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie
MAREK MICHALIK, Mineralogical Society
of Poland
MICHAEL J. WALTER, European Association
for Geochemistry
PETER TRELOAR, Mineralogical Society
of Great Britain and Ireland
MICHAEL WIEDENBECK, International
Association of Geoanalysts
MANAGING EDITOR
PIERRETTE TREMBLAY
tremblpi@ete.inrs.ca
EDITORIAL OFFICE
490, rue de la Couronne
Québec (Québec) G1K 9A9 Canada
Tel.: 418-654-2606
Fax: 418-654-2525
Layout: POULIOT GUAY GRAPHISTES
Technical editor: THOMAS CLARK
Copy editors: DOLORES DURANT,
THOMAS CLARK
Printer: CARACTÉRA
The opinions expressed in this magazine are
those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the publishers.
www.elementsmagazine.org
ELEMENTS
Ed it o ria l
Now you see it, now you don’t
This issue of Elements
tells the story of how
tiny, rare crystals can give
amazing insights into
the history of rocks and
the earliest days of our
planet. The zircon on
Ian Parsons our cover is all of a third
of a millimetre long yet
contains evidence of several stages of growth, all
of which could be individually dated using the
U–Pb method. We can unravel the conditions of
growth and crustal residence from isotopes of the
common element oxygen and the rare element
hafnium, more than a million times less abundant.
Zircon provides a perfect marriage of mineralogy
with geochemistry – a showcase for the brilliance
of modern imaging and analytical methods.
Using the very small to understand the very large
is a recurrent theme in Earth sciences and one
that has always fascinated me. I haven’t been
bold enough to make contributions on a plane-
tary scale, but looking back I get enormous satis- Now you see it. Apart from a few inclusions of apatite, this
faction from having been a member of a team alkali feldspar crystal appears completely featureless in thin
involved in the production of some primary geo- section in an optical microscope, both in plane polarized
light and between crossed polarizers. The red circle is 1 µm
logical maps. So, I’ve looked closely at parts of the in diameter, about the size of the smallest object visible in
Earth on a scale of 100 km (105 m) using a hammer, a light microscope. Diffraction of electrons in the transmission
a hand lens, a tent, and most fun of all, a helicop- electron microscope (photo) reveals a complex, self-organized
ter. More unusually, I’ve also spent many hours, intergrowth of sodium and potassium feldspars, and several
types of twins.
in near-complete darkness, with expert electron
microscopists, producing images of mineral tex-
tures that can go down to the scale of the crystal we often point out, Elements is your magazine, but
lattice, say 1 nm (10-9 m). That’s a range of 14 if push came to shove, your editors would not
orders of magnitude. From the textures I see with
shed many tears if formal optics took a lesser role.
these high-resolution microscopes, using the We should use the time to introduce students to
extremely short wavelength of electrons, I can
the huge range of imaging techniques now avail-
make deductions about the cooling history of the able, from the mind-boggling atomic force micro-
rock, identify phases of fluid–rock interaction, scope to expensive techniques like isotopic mapping
and make progress in understanding the mecha- using an ion probe.
nisms by which such reactions occur.
Of course, thin-section work is a vital ingredient
This brings me to the main point of this editorial. in any geologist’s training. It is cheap, quick and
Our cover picture is an optical micrograph of a particularly good at revealing textural relation-
zircon grain mounted between crossed polarizers, ships between grains. Without it students would
a technique invented in 1828 by William Nicol, never get a feel for what the Earth is made of and
right here in the University of Edinburgh – a what rocks actually are. But in the UK it is still
beautiful example of a classic mineralogical common to find students dragged early on through
image. But what is so special about images taken a mighty crystal optics course – Fletcher’s indicatrix,
with a light microscope? Readers who have determination of optic orientation, pleochroic
signed up for MSA’s electronic discussion forum schemes, interference figures and so on. Is all this
will have seen, a few months ago, a flurry of mes- really necessary to make routine use of a polarizing
sages bemoaning pressures inside US universities microscope? I personally think not. I’d go further.
to reduce the time spent teaching optical miner- By hitting the unformed student mind early on
alogy. Similar pressures exist in the UK and no with crystal optics as the ultimate technique, several
doubt elsewhere in Europe. In our August issue generations of petrologists and geochemists have
we ran an article by Dan Kile, of the US Geologi-
been implanted with the belief that if you can’t
cal Survey, who made a strong case for continu- see an object under high power in an optical
ing to teach formal crystal optics in first-degree microscope, it isn’t there! I’m reminded of the
courses. It may surprise readers to learn that when notice that appears on the mirrors of American
the editors of Elements discussed Dan’s article (by
cars – ‘Objects in mirror are closer than they
e-mail) we all agreed that long courses of formal appear’. Perhaps lab microscopes should have,
instruction in optics were not now necessary for a engraved around their ocular(s), ‘Objects less
useful career in Earth sciences. They should not than 1/1000 of a mm across will be invisible’.
be retained if the price is exclusion of other imaging
methods. We respected Dan’s viewpoint, and as Cont’d on page 4
3 F EBRUARY 2007

INTRODUCING SUSAN STIPP
It is with great pleasure that the Elements edi-
torial staff welcomes Professor Susan Stipp,
Geological Institute, Copenhagen University,
Denmark, as our next principal editor. Her
term began officially on January 1, 2007. She
replaces outgoing editor Michael Hochella.
Susan brings a wealth of scientific and interna-
tional experience to her new role. A Canadian
by birth, she obtained her BS and MS degrees
from the University of Waterloo, where she did
graduate work in hydrogeology in one of the
most famous natural water science groups in
the world. Her PhD, which focused on mineral
surface processes relevant to groundwater
remediation, was obtained from Stanford Uni-
versity in 1989. Since that time, she has carried
out research and taught at the University of
Geneva and ETH of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Since 1995, she has been on the faculty of
Copenhagen University, where she founded
and leads the NanoGeoScience Laboratory. She
is currently director of the Nano-Chalk High
Tech Fund, a new and very large research effort
funded by the Mærsk Oil and Gas Venture. She
is a member of the Danish Parliament Tech-
nology Advisory Panel. In 2004, she organized
and ran the international Goldschmidt Con-
ference at her university. Professor Stipp’s vast
Cont’d from page 3
Now you see it,
now you don’t
A cubic micron of a typical silicate contains
around a billion unit cells, each composed
of several tens of atoms – plenty of space for
all manner of defects, dislocations, twins,
exsolution textures, zoning, subgrains, solid
inclusions, fluid inclusions... For routine
petrography these sub-optical features may
not matter at all, but if we determine prop-
erties like diffusion coefficients using sup-
posedly ‘perfect’ gem-quality crystals, whose
perfection has often been judged only by
optical microscopy, we may be on very
shaky ground indeed. And the ‘ordinary’
crystals to which we later apply these coeffi-
cients are each likely to be replete with an
inventory of sub-optical features which may
or may not be relevant. New devices are on
the horizon, such as cheap, miniaturized
Raman spectrometers, that will make the
identification of many minerals semi-auto-
matic. Optical microscopy will remain the
method of choice for petrography, but we
should trade the time that students often
now spend on optical theory for at least a
superficial introduction to the whole won-
derful world of imaging techniques that the
21st century provides.
Ian Parsons
ian.parsons@ed.ac.uk
ELEMENTS
Fro m t h e E d it o rs
research, publishing, and editorial experience important scientific topics and to see that
in low-temperature water–rock interaction, funding basic research is fundamental to national
biogeochemistry, and hydrogeology will com- economic well-being. These goals are not con-
plement the editorial team nicely. We welcome tradictory. Through better communication,
her to the Elements editorial team! academics, industry and government will have
a better understanding of geoscience topics
A WORD FROM SUSAN and will be able to see the benefits for society
of both types of research. Elements can be a key
I am honored to be
player in this communication.
joining the Elements
team. When Rod Ewing Susan L.S. Stipp
described the goals of a
new publication to the WELCOMING FIVE NEW SOCIETIES
board members of the
We are thrilled to welcome five new societies
European Association
to the Elements family as of January 2007: the
for Geochemistry and
Association of Applied Geochemists, the
the Geochemical Society
Deutsche Mineralogische Gesellschaft, the
at Goldschmidt 2002 in
Società Italiana di Mineralogia e Petrologia, the
Davos, he dreamed of
International Association of Geoanalysts, and
creating a colourful
the Polskie Towarzystwo Mineralogiczne (Miner-
periodical that would unite mineralogists,
alogical Society of Poland). This translates into
petrologists and geochemists and put attractive
about 2000 new readers. We look forward to
and understandable information about our
their contribution.
work into the hands of people in industry and
government. The aim was to show the size and
breadth of our community and the power of ADVERTISERS IN 2007
the research we do. This would strengthen our Our 2006 regular advertisers—RockWare,
profile and would provide information for Rigaku, PANalytical, Meiji, Excalibur, Materials
industrial applications, policy making and Data, Actlabs, CrystalMaker—all booked adver-
decisions about research funding. tising again in 2007. We are thankful for their
continued business. We also welcome new
In its two years of publication, Elements has
advertisers in this issue: among others, Thermo
come a long way. It is already uniting our com-
Scientific, Australian Scientific Instruments,
munity. Its scientific quality is high. It is now
and Bayerisches Geoinstitut. Elements puts our
included in the citation index and is doing
very well. People outside our field are begin-
advertisers’ messages in the hands of more
than 9,000 mineral scientists, and the income
ning to know of its existence and ask for it, and
generated from advertising goes a long way
it has already become a teaching tool in upper-
towards printing the magazine. This is a mutu-
level undergraduate and graduate courses. Dur-
ally beneficial partnership. Currently, advertis-
ing my term on the team of principal editors, I
ing content is about 10% of the magazine. One
hope to help Elements become a means for
way you, our readers, can help us with adver-
encouraging links between academics and
tising is by telling our advertisers you have
industry through applied research. I hope to help
noticed their ads in Elements.
create thematic issues that will allow govern-
ment officials to understand some of today’s
WELCOMING 2000 NEW READERS
If you receive an issue of Elements for the first time, you have either just joined
one of Elements founding Societies or you belong to one of the five societies
that joined as of January 2007.
MEMBERS OF THE FOLLOWING SOCIETIES RECEIVE ELEMENTS AS A MEMBER BENEFIT.
European Association for Geochemistry • Geochemical Society • International Association of
GeoChemistry • Mineralogical Association of Canada • Mineralogical Society of America
• Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland • Societé Française de Minéralogie et
Cristallographie • The Clay Minerals Society
NEW SOCIETIES AS OF JANUARY 2007
Association of Applied Geochemists • Deutsche Mineralogische Gesellschaft
• Società Italiana di Mineralogia e Petrologia • International Association of Geoanalysts
• Polskie Towarzystwo Mineralogiczne (Mineralogical Society of Poland)
SUBSCRIBERS TO THE FOLLOWING JOURNALS ALSO RECEIVE ONE COPY OF ELEMENTS
American Mineralogist • Clay Minerals • Clays and Clay Minerals • MINABS Online
• Mineralogical Magazine • The Canadian Mineralogist
4 F EBRUARY 2007
 Lette rs t o t h e E dit o rs
RELEVANCE IN SCIENCE
W riting research proposals recently, I came across the familiar ele-
ments that the national funding agencies in the UK (and proba-
bly everywhere else) ask to be included in the application: relevance,
expected results and possible risks. We understand why they are there
and generally agree that it is not altogether bad. However, I believe that
the trend to give increasing importance to such demands when provid-
ing funds for research may be detrimental to science and produce less
relevant information. If we are asked to provide an outline of the results
of our research before we can do it, will we not move into well-trodden
paths, where we can safely predict the outcomes and where the project
application reviewers will easily agree with us? Obviously, both the risks
and the information provided by the project are reduced. The need to
study relevant issues produces the same effect, as it is easier to find a link
with a social problem in scientific questions that have already been well
studied.
We recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the discovery of DNA. I
wonder what Lawrence Bragg, then Head of the Cavendish Laboratory,
would have needed to write in a modern project proposal to obtain
funds for the projects in which Watson and Crick would work. For
example, “Risks: the postdoctoral research associate (Watson) or PhD
student (Crick) may neglect their respective research projects and
engage in some other study of their fancy (as they did). Expected results:
they may end up discovering something of far greater importance. Rel-
evance: …” The relevance of their discovery needs no comment. I sup-
pose that a modern funding agency would have banned Bragg from
receiving further funds as he proved to be such a poor project manager.
ELEMENTS
6
This is only one example, but it is a paradigm of how science works. Sci-
ence is a mental activity more than a commercial operation, and scien-
tific discovery is not driven by relevance but by curiosity. Scientists are
stimulated to pursue answers to scientific questions by the desire to
know, and not by the desire to solve socio-economic problems. All of us
have colleagues who admit that they engage in some scientific projects
so as to have the resources to work on the projects that really interest
them. I believe that funding bodies should maintain a strong financial
support of curiosity-driven science, as this type of research has produced
and will continue to produce the important scientific quantum leaps
and the most relevant information.
Javier Cuadros
London, United Kingdom
ABOUT THE REVIEW PROCESS
I have just finished reading your thoughtful “Triple Point” editorial in
the October issue of Elements. I am now retired from the Smithsonian,
but I would like to tell you how I dealt with the problem of anonymity
in the peer-review process for over 40 years. Early in my scientific
career, whenever I was given the option, I always signed my reviews.
My reasoning was that if I hid behind the veil of anonymity I could eas-
ily make “pot-shot” criticisms. However, if I signed my review I would
have to keep it fair and balanced…
I have made it my personal policy always to write a separate letter to
every author whose paper I review. I tell the author that I am writing
simply to inform him/her that I have been asked by the editors to ref-
eree the paper. I further state that if he/she did not receive a copy of my
signed review from the editors, or wished to discuss some aspect of it
with me, they should feel free to contact me. This has allowed me to be
as objective and respectful as possible, whether critical or not, and it has
avoided the usual speculation on the part of the author as to who the
critic might be. After hundreds of reviews I have found this approach to
be very satisfying.
As a former editor or associate editor myself (Clays and Clay Minerals;
Journal of Foraminiferal Research; American Mineralogist), I was able to see
how authors and referees treated one another. I concluded that the
signed reviews were the best and most respectful, but I also noted that
usually they were signed only when the paper was deemed worthy or
there were only minor suggestions and criticisms. Referees recom-
mending outright rejection rarely wanted their names added.
Clearly, there is no simple solution to the problem. For me, however,
making myself known to the author has forced me to tone it down on
occasion and be sure of my position. I consider open review “vital to
the integrity” of my system. The scientific enterprise is not seriously
threatened by the open review. It is dogmatists who don’t have the
courage of their convictions to stand behind their criticisms who are
threatened!
Kenneth M. Towe, Tennille, GA
T he review process is best when done openly, as a conversation
amongst the author, reviewers and editor. The goal of this conver-
sation is to create the best possible science, written to the best possible
standards of clarity and quality. Obviously, this conversation must
examine the merits of the science and the presentation in a thorough
and, yes, critical fashion. I looked up “criticism,” and found that only
one of the six definitions is a thoroughly negative act. If one denies that
both the capacity to evaluate a piece of science critically and an ability
to respond to such criticism are part of the scientific enterprise, one
doesn’t fully understand science… Discourse has been a part of science
since Aristotle, but effective discourse cannot take place when everyone
is hiding behind a mask!
Sorena Sorensen
National Museum of Natural History,
Smithsonian Institution
F EBRUARY 2007
 Triple P o in t

MINERALOGY AND
THE COMPOSITION OF Yet even Chandos Brown, his most trenchant biog-
rapher, is forced to acknowledge an uncomfortable
AN AMERICAN SCIENCE fact: “Silliman’s contributions to science, as such,
were negligible.”1 Unlike his younger contempo-
raries, who included Lyell and Darwin in Europe
and Agassiz in the States, Silliman fomented no rev-
On February 1, 1958, Leonard Bernstein con- olutions that are grist for today’s undergraduate
ducted the second of his Young People’s textbooks. What distinguished Silliman from his
Concerts in Carnegie Hall. He entitled his lec- colleagues was a vision of science as a national
ture “What is American Music?” It is telling Benjamin Silliman
ambition. As with music, American science in 1800
that Bernstein selected this topic near the was a pale and fragmentary facsimile of the Euro-
beginning of his decade-long series – before pean model. With a clarity of insight that seems breathtaking in retro-
his dissection of symphonic form or even his spect, Silliman knew that American scientists were destined to labor in
review of the instruments in the orchestra. the shadow of those intellectual giants across the Atlantic unless they
Americans are afflicted with a restless itch to unshackled themselves from local allegiances and united as a profes-
define themselves, and only four months sional society. What could bind a severely balkanized assortment of
after the launch of Sputnik and at the height intellectuals? Silliman realized that a magazine to which naturalists
of the Cold War, Bernstein was trying to sat- from every region of the country could contribute would rivet the com-
Peter J. Heaney isfy the country’s craving for a righteous munity together.
national identity.
The prototype for such a periodical already existed. It was The American
Not surprisingly, Bernstein focused on that most democratic of musical Mineralogical Journal, which one historian has called “the first purely sci-
idioms – jazz, which was born in the saloons and brothels of America’s entific journal in North America.” Founded by Dr. Archibald Bruce, a
inner cities and which eschewed the formal structures created by the professor of materia medica and mineralogy at the College of Physicians
great European masters. Bernstein argued that classical and Surgeons in New York, it appeared in 1810. A lack of
music in America matured along a prescribed path. In its financial support and medical rivalries that entangled
infancy, native composers weakly mimicked the styles of “Jazz. Right! Jazz Bruce, however, led to its sporadic publication and ulti-
Beethoven and Brahms. Later, under the benign influence mate demise in 1817. Anxious that the loss of this organ
of Antonin Dvorak, serious music in this country drew had been born, would seriously inhibit the growth of science, Silliman
from Native American and African American songs and and that changed single-handedly gave birth to its successor,2The American
spirituals for their ideas, but it was so self-consciously imi- Journal of Science, which thrives to this day.
tative that these works are largely forgotten. everything. Because
Two features of this infant magazine strike the modern
Classical music that could justly claim the label of “Amer- at last there was reader. The first is its unabashed appeal for a scientific
ican” required the emergence of an art form that bor- something like nationalism. Silliman stated that it was “designed as a
rowed from as many sources as there are ethnicities in deposit for original American communications” that
this melting pot of a country. In the 1920s, Bernstein an American folk would lead “in no small degree to nourish enlarged patri-
asserted, “the jazz influence became a part of living and music that otism, by winning the public mind from the odious
breathing, became a habit, and the composers didn’t have asperities of party.” As biographer Brown eloquently
to think twice about using jazz; they just wrote music, belonged to all describes, Silliman’s efforts to distribute the Journal
and it came out American, all by itself.” Even when pieces Americans. Jazz was throughout the fledgling country required herculean per-
were not intentionally jazzy, the syncopations and har- sistence. No public mail system existed for the national
monics of jazz had infused themselves so integrally into everybody’s music.” dissemination of the volumes, and Silliman in effect had
the sinew of musical culture that they have come to to create a countrywide delivery network by contracting
embody a sound that the world recognizes as American. – Leonard Bernstein
subscription agents. Moreover, only 400 of the 1200
recipients of the first volume remitted payment, and Sil-
Bernstein’s rapturous discourse on the birth of an Ameri-
liman was forced time and again to dip into his personal
can musical style must strike a chord with many readers of this journal.
financial reserves to keep the Journal alive.
The evolution of the dynamo that is modern American science can be
rendered using precisely the same motifs. And mineralogy is the jazz of Secondly, it is no accident that mineral sciences served as the focus of
American science. Bruce’s journal and of Silliman’s. The extended title of the original ver-
sion is a testament: The American Journal of Science, More Especially of
The Gershwinesque figure in this history is Benjamin Silliman. Vaguely
Mineralogy, Geology, and the Other Branches of Natural History. The inti-
known to most geologists today through the eponymous aluminosili-
mate connection between mineralogy and the rise of a national science
cate mineral, Silliman was unarguably the most famous scientist in the
is captured in Bernstein’s thesis. Astronomy, physics, and chemistry can
United States during the first half of the nineteenth century. A profes-
be equally well studied on any part of the Earth, but the Old World
sor of chemistry and mineralogy at Yale from 1801 to 1853, he was the
boasted an insuperable lead in these subjects. Americans had to distin-
first president of the Association of American Geologists (known today
guish themselves from their foreign counterparts by excelling in a
as the American Association for the Advancement of Science). For three
branch of science that sprung from native roots and was protected from
decades, he was one of the most actively sought members of the lyceum
alien encroachment. Mineralogy filled that promise, because mineral-
circuit and lectured all over the country. He also served as a founding
ogy is uniquely local and global. The rocks from Maine to Georgia may
member of the National Academy of Sciences.
have analogs in the Alps and the Himalayas, but they are still the tissue
of the North American continent. Native mineralogy may be applied
across the oceans, but it is always particular to its home. It is the folk
music from which a young country can craft a scientific identity.
1 Brown, Chandos M (1989) Benjamin Silliman: A Life in the Young Republic.
Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 377 pages Peter J. Heaney
Penn State University
2 Baatz, Simon (1991) “Squinting at Silliman”: Scientific Periodicals in the Early heaney@geosc.psu.edu
American Republic. Isis 82: 223-244

ELEMENTS 7 F EBRUARY 2007

 Peo ple in t h e N e w s
FROST AND ERNST HONORED
AT 2006 MSA AWARDS LUNCHEON
The eighty-seventh annual awards luncheon of the Mineralogical Society
of America was held on October 24, 2006, during the 2006 Geological
Society of America meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Medallists
were Daniel Frost (MSA Award) and W. Gary Ernst (Roebling Medal).
Daniel Frost received the Mineralogical Society of America Award for
outstanding research early in one’s career. Daniel Frost received a Bach-
elor of Science degree in geology and chemistry from the University of
London, Royal Holloway College. His PhD research, at the Department
of Earth Sciences of the University of Bristol under the supervision of
Bernie Wood, focused on redox reactions involving fluids at high pres-
sures and temperatures. He became a permanent member of staff of the
Bayerisches Geoinstitut of the University of Bayreuth (Germany) in
2001, where he had been a research assistant since 1998. For the last few
years he has investigated phase transformations in multicomponent
mantle minerals and he has carried out studies on the redox state of the
deep mantle and the processes that resulted in terrestrial core formation.
From left to right: John Valley, MSA outgoing president,
Daniel Frost, MSA Awardee, and David Rubie, citationist
From left to right: John Valley, MSA outgoing president,
Gary Ernst, Roebling Medalist, and Peter J. Wyllie, citationist
W. Gary Ernst was awarded the Roebling Medal, the Society’s highest
honor, in recognition of lifetime scientific achievement. Gary Ernst
received his BA from Carleton College (1953), MS from the University of
Minnesota (1955), and PhD from the Johns Hopkins University (1959).
After predoctoral and postdoctoral studies at the Geophysical Labora-
tory (1955–59), Ernst joined the UCLA faculty in 1960, and became
Dean of the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University in 1989.
Ernst has earned many awards and honors (including the MSA Award in
1969), and has ably contributed to the Earth science field, including
ELEMENTS
FALKO LANGENHORST AWARDED A
2007 GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ PRIZE
Falko Langenhorst has received a 2007
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize awarded
by the German Research Society (DFG).
The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize is the
highest honour awarded in German
research. Prof. Dr. Falko Langenhorst is
one of 10 exceptional German scientists
and academics to be so honored for their
outstanding achievements in experimental
and instrumentation-related fields. The
prize is valued at 2.5 million euro (about
US$3.2 million), and the money can be
used flexibly over a period of seven years
to finance independent research.
Falko Langenhorst investigates the impact records of celestial bodies
colliding with Earth and with other planets and moons. Impacts have
played a major role in the evolution of our planet and the solar system.
He focuses on the basic physics and chemistry of impact processes and
their effects on the biosphere (“astromineralogy”). Falko Langenhorst
was the first to detect high-pressure minerals in the Martian meteorite
Zagami, which had been ejected from the surface of Mars by another
meteorite and flung all the way to Earth. Langenhorst has been able to
determine a pressure of about 300,000 bars and a temperature of 2400
to 2500 degrees Celsius for the impact event that produced this Martian
meteorite. He has also received great international attention for his
research on the crystal chemistry of perovskite, a main component of
Earth’s lower mantle.
Falko Langenhorst studied mineralogy in Gießen and Münster, where
he received his PhD in 1993, before he went to Lille as a postdoctoral
researcher. Since 2004 he has held the chair for general and applied
mineralogy in Jena. His high international reputation is reflected in
numerous honors, such as his membership in the Academia Europaea
and a fellowship from the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science.
serving terms as president of MSA (1980–81) and president of the Geo-
logical Society of America (1985–86). Ernst has authored seven books
and research memoirs, is an editor of 18 scholarly volumes, and is the
author of more than 200 scientific papers on the physical chemistry of
rocks, minerals, and mineraloids; Phanerozoic plate tectonics and the
evolution of mountain belts, especially in central Asia, the Circum-
Pacific, and the western Alps; early Precambrian petrotectonic evolu-
tion; ultrahigh-pressure subduction-zone metamorphism and tectonics;
geobotanical studies in the western US; Earth system science and remote
sensing; and geology and human health.
At the end of the luncheon, outgoing president John Valley
passed the gavel of the MSA presidency to Barbara L. Dutrow,
who then closed the 2006 MSA Awards luncheon.
8 F EBRUARY 2007

Meet the Authors
Thorsten Geisler
studied mineralogy at the
University of Hamburg
(Germany), where he also
received his doctoral degree.
After a postdoctoral period
at the Curtin University of
Technology in Perth
(Australia) and at the Department of Earth
Sciences in Cambridge (UK), he moved to the
University of Münster (Germany) to take up
a position, which he still holds, as assistant
professor at the Institute for Mineralogy. At
present, his scientific interests focus on the
mechanisms, kinetics, and thermodynamics
of mineral–fluid interactions.
John M. Hanchar is a
professor and head of the
Department of Earth
Sciences at Memorial
University of Newfoundland,
Canada. He received his
PhD from Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute under
the direction of Professor E. Bruce Watson.
Previously, he was an assistant and then
associate professor of geosciences in the
Department of Earth and Environmental
Sciences at the George Washington University
in Washington, DC. His research interests
span trace element and experimental
geochemistry and materials science and include
designing materials for storage of radioactive
waste, the effects of self-irradiation of short-
lived, artificial and natural radionuclides, and
the trace element, radiogenic istotope, and stable
isotope compositions of accessory minerals.
Simon L. Harley is
professor of lower crustal
processes at the University
of Edinburgh. His long-term
interest in the origin and
evolution of granulites,
especially under extreme
temperature conditions, has
led him to carry out integrated field, micro-
analytical and experimental studies related to
geothermobarometry and mineral assemblages,
anatexis and melt-related processes, mineral
monitors of fluid activity and the relationships
that exist among mineral geochronometers,
events and processes in the deep crust. This
has stimulated his interest in zircon and its
response to high-temperature metamorphism.
He has applied this integrated research strategy
to, amongst other things, the unravelling of the
metamorphic and tectonic evolution of ancient
crust in Antarctica and Greenland and to defin-
ing events in the construction of Gondwana.
ELEMENTS
Carsten Münker is a
professor of geochemistry
at Universität Bonn,
Germany, since 2004. He
received his doctorate at
Universität Göttingen in
1997. After a postdoctoral
Jörg Hermann is a fellow
research fellowship at the
at the Australian National
University of Tasmania, Australia, he was based
University in Canberra. He
at Universität Münster in Germany until 2004.
completed a master’s degree
His current research interests focus on cosmo-
and a PhD at the ETH in
chemistry, the evolution of the early Earth,
Zürich, Switzerland, in
and igneous geochemistry. Another focus is
metamorphic petrology,
the application of multiple collector –
structural geology, and
inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrome-
tectonics. At the ANU, his focus switched to
try (MC–ICP–MS) to current problems in
experimental petrology and the trace element
Earth sciences. Major research topics include
geochemistry of metamorphic rocks. He is
the application of short- and long-lived
currently working on an interdisciplinary
chronometers (Lu–Hf, Hf–W, Nb–Zr) and
approach to constrain element mobility in
high-precision measurements of the concen-
subduction zones using high-pressure
tration of trace elements such as the high field
experiments and deeply subducted rocks as a
strength elements, to better assess their mass
natural laboratory. Other research interests
budget on Earth.
include the use of trace elements to constrain
high-grade metamorphic processes and the
water content of mantle minerals.
Daniela Rubatto is a
fellow at the Australian
National University in
Nigel M. Kelly is a
Canberra. She moved
postdoctoral researcher in
“down under” after a degree
the Grant Institute of Earth
at the University of Torino,
Science, University of
Italy, and a PhD at the ETH
Edinburgh. He received his
in Zürich, Switzerland,
PhD in geology from the
where she was first introduced to zircon. She
University of Sydney. His
combines her experience as a metamorphic
research interests include
petrologist and geochronologist in studying
the tectonothermal evolution of ancient
the behavior of accessory minerals during
orogenic belts as keys to understanding the
metamorphism, particularly at high pressures
behaviour of the continental crust, both now
and/or high temperatures. Daniela is a strong
and in the past, and involve field work in
advocate of the need to link ages from accessory
places such as Antarctica, Greenland, NW
minerals to metamorphic conditions, partic-
Scotland and central Australia. This work has
ularly using trace elements. She is also
led to a focus on the behavior of dateable
interested in the rates of metamorphic
accessory minerals during metamorphism and
processes and mountain building.
on how these minerals help us place con-
straints on the rates of orogenic events and
act as tracers of many geological processes. Urs Schaltegger is a
professor of geochemistry
Andreas Möller is a and geochronology at the
Section des Sciences de la
research fellow at the
Terre of Université de
Universität Potsdam,
Genève, Switzerland. He
Germany. He received a
directs a radiogenic isotope
diploma in geology from
laboratory, which features
the Christian-Albrechts-
two thermal ionization mass spectrometers
Universität in Kiel and in
and one gas mass spectrometer, and carries
1996 a doctorate from the
out research on the chronometry of geological
same institution for his study of the petrology
processes. His research interests have been
and geochronology of Palaeoproterozoic
focused for a long time on the understanding
eclogites and Pan-African granulites in Tanzania.
of the dynamics of orogenic processes, especially
The radiogenic isotope work was carried out
their rates and durations. For this he uses
during a year at the Max-Planck-Institut für
mainly high-precision U–Pb dating of zircon,
Chemie in Mainz. After postdoctoral positions
monazite and other accessory minerals, as
at the University of New South Wales (Sydney)
well as other radiogenic parent–daughter
and the Johannes-Gutenberg Universität in
systems for precise age determinations. He
Mainz, he came to Potsdam in 2001. He uses
serves on national scientific committees and
in situ analytical techniques to link textural,
on the editorial boards and as a referee for
geochemical, and isotopic information for the
various journals.
understanding of metamorphic processes,
with special focus on high-temperature terranes.
10 F EBRUARY 2007
 Erik E. Scherer is a junior professor
at the Institut für Mineralogie,
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität
Münster. He received his BA degree in
geology from Colgate University and
his PhD in geochemistry from the
University of California–Santa Cruz.
His current research interests include
the early differentiation of Earth, the growth of
continents, the evolution of the lower crust, and the
fractionation of trace elements by eclogite and
blueschist in subduction zones. He also works on
improvements in geochronology, such as recalibrating
decay constants and developing new ways to date
metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.

Frank Tomaschek is interested in

the relations between the petrological
and geochronological aspects of
zircon. His PhD studies at the
Universität Münster focused on the
zircon–xenotime miscibility gap and
the factors controlling the stability and
transformation mechanism of zircon
solid solutions in natural and experimental systems. He
enjoys blending mineralogical and geochronological
approaches to address geological questions in his
principal field area, the high-pressure metamorphic
rocks of the Cycladic Islands.

Wim van Westrenen is a lecturer

in mineralogy at the Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam. He studied geochemistry
at Utrecht University and received his
PhD in experimental geochemistry
from the University of Bristol in 2000.
Wim held postdoctoral positions in
high-pressure laboratories at the
Carnegie Institution of Washington and ETH Zürich
before accepting a position below sea-level in the
Netherlands in 2005. His research aims at understanding
large-scale differentiation processes in the interiors of
the Earth and the Moon using high-pressure and high-
temperature experimental techniques.

Martin J. Whitehouse is a senior

research fellow and director of the
Nordic ion microprobe consortium
(Nordsim) at the Swedish Museum of
Natural History in Stockholm. His
interest in applying isotope geochem-
istry to crustal evolution began with
his PhD (University of Oxford, 1987)
on the late Archean Lewisian Complex of NW Scotland.
Since then his research activities have spanned nearly
the entire geological age spectrum, from Hadean zircons
to Miocene orogenic belts, and have recently expanded
to include lunar and meteoritic samples. High-spatial-
resolution radiogenic and stable isotope analyses using
the ion microprobe at Nordsim now form a key
component of most of his studies.

ELEMENTS 11 F EBRUARY 2007

 Zircon
Tiny but Timely
Simon L. Harley and Nigel M. Kelly*
W
here would Earth science be without zircon? Tiny crystals of zircon
occur in many rocks, and because their atomic structure remains
stable over very long periods of geological time, they are able to
provide a picture of the early history of the Earth and of the evolution of the
crust and mantle. Zircon has long been recognized as the best geochronometer
using the radioactive decay of uranium to lead. Recent developments in analytical
techniques, using small-diameter laser, ion and electron beams, high-precision
mass spectrometry and a variety of microscopic imaging methods, allow us to
obtain the ages of tiny volumes of complex crystals that record stages in their
long growth history. Coupled measurements of the isotopes of oxygen and
hafnium provide a mineralogical window into the separation of the Earth’s
crust from the mantle and the temperature and character of processes involved
in crustal evolution. Zircon is being used to unravel ever more complex
geological systems, presenting exciting opportunities for research on this
remarkable mineral.
KEYWORDS: zircon, geochronology, continental crust, U–Pb, Hf, trace elements
INTRODUCTION
Zircon, ZrSiO4, is a mineral of singular importance in Earth
science. Its widespread use in geochronology, based on the
decay of uranium (U) to lead (Pb), has established it as
Earth’s timekeeper. Thus, zircon records the ages of hall-
mark events in Earth history, including its earliest evolution,
the oldest sediments, extinction episodes, mountain-building
events, and supercontinent construction and dispersal
(Rubatto and Hermann 2007 this issue; Harley et al. 2007
this issue).
Recent developments in microanalysis have extended the
range of Earth problems that can be addressed using zircon.
As a phase enriched in hafnium (Hf) compared to radioac-
tive lutetium (Lu), zircon retains a strong fingerprint of the
isotopic character of the sources of the magmatic rocks in
which it crystallizes, evidence that is critical for models of
formation and growth of continental crust (Scherer et al.
2007 this issue). As a phase that can accommodate significant
amounts of temperature- or process-sensitive trace elements,
including the rare earth elements (REE, or lanthanides),
yttrium (Y) and titanium (Ti), zircon can also provide com-
pelling chemical evidence for the mineral–melt–fluid
processes operating during crust formation and maturation,
hydrothermal alteration and diagenesis (Hanchar and van
Westrenen 2007 this issue; Harley et al. 2007; Geisler et al.
2007 this issue). Despite the ravages of cycling through and
* Grant Institute of Earth Science, The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh EH9 3JW, United Kingdom
E-mail: Simon.Harley@ed.ac.uk
Nigel.Kelly@ed.ac.uk
ELEMENTS, VOL. 3, PP. 13–18 13
LEFT: Zircon grain (400 µm)
crystallized from a 530 Ma
high-temperature partial
melt, Prydz Bay,
Antarctica. PHOTOMICRO-
GRAPH (CROSSED POLARIZERS)
BY NIGEL KELLY
in the crust, zircon potentially con-
tains a record, in its oxygen isotope
composition, of the role of low-
temperature versus high-tempera-
ture processes in defining the char-
acter of source regions for melts
(Valley 2003). Measurements of
the U, Th and He contents of zircon
can be used to infer the rates at
which recently active landscapes
developed and the times at which
the exposed rocks cooled to near-
surface temperatures. Finally, zircon
offers significant potential as a
phase into which the highly
radioactive isotopic products of
nuclear reactions may be intro-
duced in order to evaluate their
impact on mineral structures (e.g.
Hanchar and van Westrenen 2007).
Central to all of these applications
is the behaviour of zircon in com-
plex Earth systems. Thanks to impor-
tant developments in secondary ion mass spectrometry
(SIMS), laser- ablation induced coupled plasma – mass spec-
trometry (LA-ICP–MS) and low-blank thermal-ionisation mass
spectrometry (TIMS), we are now able to accurately and pre-
cisely measure a battery of useful trace element and isotopic
signatures in zircon. The interpretation of these isotopic
and compositional data in terms of ages, isotopic reservoirs
and processes requires the careful and systematic integra-
tion of microanalysis with petrology and mineral charac-
terisation.
This issue of Elements focuses on the advances in our under-
standing of zircon and highlights the gaps in our knowl-
edge that have emerged from in situ isotopic, chemical,
spectroscopic and microtextural studies on zircon formed at
high and low temperatures. The systems range from melt-
bearing ultrahigh-temperature metamorphic environments
(Harley et al. 2007) and ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic
environments (Rubatto and Hermann 2007) to lower-
temperature hydrothermal environments in which zircon
behaviour may be dictated by its response to aggressive flu-
ids (Geisler et al. 2007). Understanding the processes that
operate in each environment is critical to the interpretation
of zircon age data and the hafnium isotope information
used to infer continental growth rates and earliest Earth his-
tory (Scherer et al. 2007). The importance of this under-
standing is highlighted by new experiments and models
relating to the partitioning of trace elements among zircon,
melts and fluids and to the dissolution–reprecipitation of
zircon in fluids (Hanchar and van Westrenen 2007; Geisler
et al. 2007).
F EBRUARY 2007
There is still much to learn about zircon and its behaviour.
Zircon cannot be treated simply as a passive ‘safehouse’ of
stored isotopic and chemical information but must instead
be interpreted carefully, in its petrological, mineralogical
and geological contexts, and in the light of all possible lines
of evidence. Zircon has been a wonderful servant in our
quest to unravel the history of the Earth but has much more
to offer as we unlock the secrets of its chemical and physical
responses to Earth processes.

WHAT IS ZIRCON ANYWAY?

Zircon is a tetragonal orthosilicate mineral in which iso-
lated SiO4 tetrahedra are linked through sharing their edges
and corners with intervening ZrO8 dodecahedra (FIG. 1).
These ZrO8 dodecahedra share edges to form zigzag chains
along the b axis, whereas along the c axis, edges are shared
with the SiO4 tetrahedra to produce chains with alternating
SiO4 and ZrO8 polyhedra. These sets of chains are separated
by channels or voids that are unoccupied in pure zircon.
However, in natural zircon, these channels may contain
interstitial impurities at parts per million (ppm) to tens of
ppm levels (Hoskin et al. 2000; Hanchar et al. 2001). The
c-axis chains are important in controlling the anisotropic
physical properties of zircon and its common prismatic
habit. The effect of Zr4+−Si4+ repulsion on the symmetry of
the cation sites in zircon is considerable. First, the SiO4
tetrahedra are elongated by 13% along the c axis compared FIGURE 2 A view of the zircon structure projected from the a axis,
stripped of the cross-linking shortened ZrO4 tetrahedra to
with their size along the a axis. Second, the ZrO8 polyhedra highlight the chains of edge-sharing, alternating SiO4–ZrO4 tetrahedra
resolve into two interpenetrating ZrO4 tetrahedra (FIG. 1). parallel to the c axis (after Finch and Hanchar 2003). SiO4 tetrahedra are
One type of tetrahedron has longer Zr−O bond lengths coloured yellow, and elongated ZrO4 tetrahedra blue.
(0.227 nm) parallel to the c axis and can be visualised as
forming elongate chains by sharing two of its edges with
the alternating SiO4 tetrahedra (FIG. 2). The other type of The overall structure of zircon is relatively open, with unoc-
ZrO4 tetrahedron has shorter Zr−O bond lengths (0.213 nm) cupied space represented by the channels parallel to the
and shares its four corners with SiO4 tetrahedra. Further c axis and the void volumes bounded by SiO4 and ZrO8
details of the crystal structure of zircon are presented in the polyhedra, as shown in FIGURE 1. This structure results in
excellent review by Finch and Hanchar (2003). zircon’s moderately high density, 4.66 g cm-3, and also con-
tributes significantly to its very low absolute thermal
expansion and compressibility and to the anisotropy of
these parameters. Most of the small amount of volume
expansion in zircon, about 0.6% from room temperature to
its stability limit of 1690°C, is accommodated along the c
axis by increase in the Zr−O bond length. Although pure
zircon is highly incompressible, it is anisotropic in its com-
pressibility because the Zr−O bonds parallel to the c axis are
able to shorten preferentially. These properties make pure
zircon or zircon with low contents of trace elements
extremely resistant to physical modification related to
changes in pressure or temperature, and render it an excel-
lent refractory mineral that is potentially useful for storage
of radioactive and toxic isotopes provided they have suit-
able ionic radii.

WHAT IS ZIRCON GOOD FOR?

FIGURE 1 A view of the zircon structure projected from the a axis
onto the plane defined by the b and c axes (after Finch
and Hanchar 2003). SiO4 tetrahedra are coloured yellow, and ZrO8
dodecahedra are in shades of blue. One dodecahedron is unshaded to
reveal its sub-structure consisting of two distorted ZrO4 tetrahedra. The
elongated ZrO4 tetrahedra share upper and lower edges with the SiO4
tetrahedra.
Even with its underlying structural beauty, zircon would be
of little interest to most Earth scientists if it were just plain
ZrSiO4. However, the simplicity of zircon’s chemical for-
mula belies its great scope for chemical diversity at the trace
to minor element level. An indication of the variety of uses
of zircon is provided in TABLE 1. Since most cations in zircon
have very low diffusivity, many of zircon’s chemical signa-
tures are preserved either from the time of its formation or
from the last significant geological process to have acted on
and modified its chemistry (Cherniak and Watson 2003).
Zircon can incorporate many elements, e.g. P, Sc, Nb, Hf, Ti,
U, Th and REE, in trace (up to thousands of ppm) or minor
(up to 3 wt%) amounts. These elements are incorporated
through a number of single-site and coupled-cation substi-
tution mechanisms (Hoskin and Schaltegger 2003). The pri-

ELEMENTS 14 F EBRUARY 2007

 TABLE 1 KEY CHEMICAL FEATURES OF ZIRCON AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

Chemical/physical Substitutions/
Key applications Comments
property other points to note
A concordia diagram can be used to evaluate the isotopes
U and Th
of U and their Pb decay products. Th/U ratios, used in the
U up to 5000 ppm (U4+, Th4+) = Si4+ U–Pb geochronology
past to distinguish magmatic from metamorphic and
Th up to 1000 ppm
hydrothermal zircon, must be treated with caution.
Determination of exhumation and Low-temperature chronometry is based on the closure of
Formed by decay
He landscape development rates using zircon to He loss. This method gives an age related to the
of U and Th
U–Th–He thermochronometry time the zircon cooled through ~40°C.
Investigation of crustal residency and 176Lu decays to 176Hf. High Hf/Lu in zircon means its ratio
Hf
HfO2 mostly <3 wt% Hf4+ = Si4+ continental growth; crustal versus mantle of 176Hf/177Hf changes very little with time, so it can be
sources of magmas in which zircon formed used to infer sources by reference to an Earth model.
Ti is maximised when zircon is in equilibrium with rutile.
Ti Ti thermometry can yield T of zircon crystallization, which
Ti up to 120 ppm Ti4+ = Si4+ Ti in zircon thermometry
usually occurs late in the cooling of a magma, or T of
metamorphic zircon growth with rutile.
Y and REE Reconstruction of magmatic histories; Requires extensive knowledge of trace element partitioning
Y mostly <5000 ppm (Y3+, REE3+)P5+ = Zr4+Si4+ fingerprinting of magma sources; among zircon, melts and competitor minerals over a range
Total REE <2500 ppm tuning of ages to mineral reactions of P, T, composition and oxygen fugacity conditions.

Fingerprinting the contribution of Significant fractionation of 18O from 16O occurs at low T.
O isotope composition sediments and crust to the sources of Variations in 18O/16O isotopic composition of zircon are
magmas; examining crustal recycling used to determine the role of sources that have been
affected by low-T fractionation.

mary controls on the substitutions are the ionic radii of the
substituting cations compared with Zr4+ and Si4+ cations.
Substitutions that minimise strain effects on either or both
sites will be favoured. The crystal-chemical limitations are
that Zr4+ in 8-fold co-ordination has an ionic radius of
0.084 nm and Si4+ in tetrahedral co-ordination an ionic
radius of 0.026 nm. On this basis it has been suggested that
(OH)4 can replace SiO4. There can be considerable substitu-
tion of Hf4+ (ionic radius = 0.083 nm) on the 8-fold Zr4+ site,
and a solid solution towards the mineral hafnon (HfSiO4)
exists. Zircon generally contains considerable HfO2
(TABLE 1), which is central to its utility as an indicator of
crustal residence and growth via Hf isotope analysis
(Hawkesworth and Kemp 2006; Scherer et al. 2007). U4+
(8-fold ionic radius 0.10 nm), Th4+ (0.105 nm) and Ti4+
(0.074 nm) can also be accommodated, generally at much
lower abundance levels, on this site. Although U can reach
wt% levels, its concentration is usually less than 5000 ppm,
while the abundances of Th (<1000 ppm) and Ti (<120 ppm)
are lower still. The incorporation of Ti into zircon, particu-
larly if it has formed in equilibrium with rutile and quartz,
is temperature sensitive and provides the basis for a new zir-
con geothermometer (Watson et al. 2006). This may be
used, with caution, to determine the temperature of crys-
tallization of magmas, migmatites and zircon–rutile assem-
blages in metamorphic rocks. Because of its 8-fold ionic
radius of 0.129 nm, Pb2+ is not incorporated into growing
zircon crystals at more than ppb levels under most condi-
tions, which is crucial to geochronology.
The most important coupled substitution involving both
the Zr4+ and Si4+ sites in zircon is that commonly referred
to as the ‘xenotime’ substitution. This substitution (TABLE 1)
involves Y and REE substituting for Zr and charge-balancing
P5+ (4-fold ionic radius = 0.029 nm) substituting for Si,
which would ultimately produce xenotime, (Y,REE)PO4.
Scandium (Sc3+, with an ionic radius of 0.087 nm) also sub-
stitutes for Zr, in quantities up to 250 ppm, in a similar cou-
pled substitution. In principle the heavy trivalent REE, with
their smaller ionic radii (e.g. 8-fold Lu3+ = 0.0977 nm), Y3+
(8-fold ionic radius 0.1019 nm) and tetravalent Ce4+ (8-fold
ionic radius 0.097 nm) are closer to Zr4+ and so will be more
favourably incorporated in the zircon structure (i.e. they are
more compatible) than the larger light trivalent REE (e.g.
La3+ = 0.116 nm). However, the absolute and relative abun-
dances of the REE and Y in zircon will be influenced by
their abundances and availability in the environments of
zircon formation and by competition between zircon and
other minerals in which some of these elements may be
more compatible (Hanchar and van Westrenen 2007;
Harley et al. 2007). REE and Y contents will be affected also
by the operation of other coupled substitutions and by the
requirement to charge-balance additional cations, such as
Mg, Fe, Ca and Al, that may be incorporated on the inter-
stitial sites described above (Hoskin et al. 2000; Geisler et al.
2007). Compilations of zircon from high- and low-temper-
ature geological environments and formed through a vari-
ety of processes show that Y contents generally range
between 10 and 5000 ppm and total REE typically between
100 and 2500 ppm (e.g. Hoskin and Schaltegger 2003).
Considerable discussion has arisen as to the use of REE pat-
terns and abundances as discriminants of the provenance of
detrital zircon populations (Hoskin and Ireland 2000) and,
in the case of zircon xenocrysts, of source-rock lithologies
(Belousova et al. 2002). Considerations surrounding these
and other uses of zircon REE data are explored further by
Hanchar and van Westrenen (2007).
The cation substitutions mentioned above often lead to the
production of spectacular internal textures in zircon that
may be interpreted in terms of growth histories and diffu-
sion−reaction or dissolution–reprecipitation processes.
These features, for example oscillatory and sector zoning,
can be imaged using cathodoluminescence (CL), backscat-
tered electron imagery and a variety of other techniques
(e.g. forescatter imagery, Nomarski interference imagery,
infrared spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, Raman
spectroscopy). Yet another of the many remarkable proper-
ties of zircon is that it often contains negligible amounts of
cations that suppress its cathodoluminescence response,
and so it can be imaged to very high resolution using CL. In
addition, most of the substitutions involve replacement of
the lower mass elements Zr and Si by much heavier ele-
ments (U, Th, REE, Hf), resulting in major shifts in average
atomic mass, which are well imaged by changes in backscat-
tered electron intensity.
At this point it is worth recalling that zircon is an orthosil-
icate mineral, with the Zr and Si cations and their substi-
tutes bound to oxygen anions in tetrahedral and 8-fold
co-ordination. Given the slow diffusivities inferred and doc-
umented for oxygen in zircon (Cherniak and Watson 2003;
Valley 2003), it is likely that magmatic zircon can preserve
an oxygen isotope composition that was in equilibrium
with the magma from which it crystallized. In confirmation

ELEMENTS 15 F EBRUARY 2007

of this, magmatic zircon grains with inherited xenocrystic
cores have in several cases been shown to have distinctive
18O/16O isotopic compositions (expressed as δ18O in per mil
units, ‰, relative to the Vienna Standard Mean Ocean
Water – VSMOW), interpreted as reflecting differences in
the isotopic compositions of the magmas in which they
formed. Given that mantle-derived zircon has a δ18O value
of +5.5‰, and that O isotopes are significantly fractionated
at low temperatures to produce potential crustal source
rocks (e.g. sediments) with much higher oxygen isotope
ratios (i.e. δ18O values of +12 to +14‰), the δ18O values of
granitoid zircon may be used to trace the involvement of
older, chemically evolved crust in magma genesis (Valley
2003). In other words, the oxygen isotope ratio of zircon
can be used to discriminate between new, mantle-derived
crust and crust that has been reworked (Valley 2003). This
approach is even more powerful when combined with zir-
con U–Pb age data and Hf isotope information on the same
analysed grains (e.g. Hawkesworth and Kemp 2006) These
considerations highlight the importance of zircon as a
geochronometer, the principles of which will be explained
in the remaining section of this introduction.
BACK TO BASICS:
ZIRCON U–PB GEOCHRONOLOGY
The potential of zircon as a mineral geochronometer was
recognised by Holmes (1911), amongst others, well before
the isotopes of Pb could be measured and long before 235U
was identified as the second radioactive isotope of uranium.
It is now known that there are three distinct radioactive
decay series involving the parent isotopes 238U, 235U and
232Th, which produce as their final daughter products the
isotopes 206Pb, 207Pb and 208Pb, respectively. Each of these
decay processes involves several intermediate steps and
short-lived intermediate isotopes. For example, the decay of
238U to 206Pb occurs via a chain of intervening alpha-decay
steps (liberating 4He α-particles) coupled with beta-decay
steps (releasing a β-particle and transforming a neutron to a
proton). These steps yield short-lived isotopes that decay in
seconds, years, decades or hundreds of thousands of years.
However, because the final step in the decay series is many
orders of magnitude slower than the earlier steps, the whole
decay process can be mathematically described by a single
decay equation relating the number of ultimate parent
atoms remaining (e.g. 238U) and the number of final radi-
ogenic daughter atoms (e.g. 206Pb*) to time:
238t
206Pb*/238U = eλ –1 (1)
where e is the exponential function, t is time, and λ is the
decay constant specific to this decay scheme, i.e. λ238 =
1.55125e-10. 206Pb* refers to the radiogenic 206Pb accumu-
lated in the crystal as a result of the decay of 238U. In the
case of 238U, it takes approximately 4468 million years for
half the 238U initially present in the grain to decay to 206Pb
– this is the half-life, which again is characteristic of the spe-
cific decay scheme. Similar expressions can be formulated
for 207Pb* produced from the decay of 235U and 208Pb* pro-
duced from 232Th, with λ235 = 9.8485e-10 and λ232 = 4.9475e-11.
The half-life of 235U is 704 million years and that of 232Th
about 14 billion years.
In the following we will consider the case of a suite of zircon
grains formed at a single time, perhaps through crystalliza-
tion of a felsic magma. Through the incorporation of U and
Th at the time of growth, in every zircon grain there will, in
effect, be three different ‘clocks’ ticking away, each at its
characteristic rate. By virtue of the half-lives noted above,
235U decays about 7 times faster than 238U does, while 232Th
decays even more slowly. In principle, we could find the age
ELEMENTS
of the zircon grains from any one of the three ‘clocks’, by
measuring the appropriate isotopic ratio and solving for
time using the relevant exponential equation. We can go
further and obtain three age estimates if we measure all
three isotopic ratios. In an ideal closed system, the three age
estimates would agree within the errors of measurement.
However, in real zircon grains, we cannot assume that Th
and U are equally ‘closed’ to post-crystallization effects. It is
also essential to correct for any Pb initially present prior to
the accumulation of radiogenic Pb in the grain, as this
inherited Pb would lead to erroneously old age estimates.
Yet another of the wonderful features of crystallizing zircon
is that it can only incorporate negligible amounts of ambient
Pb into its structure. Nearly all of the Pb in zircon is pro-
duced by U and Th decay – so corrections for inherited Pb
are in most instances very small relative to the amounts of
true radiogenic Pb* present in the grains. Inherited (or
‘common’) Pb can be corrected for by analysing non-
radiogenic 204Pb, where present in the zircon, and then sub-
tracting the 206Pb and 207Pb that would be associated with
this 204Pb at a chosen reference age – the ‘common Pb
correction’.
The usual approach to zircon geochronology is to consider
the U–Pb system alone, as there is no natural non-nuclear
means of fractionating 235U from 238U. In addition, as the
modern-day ratio of 235U/238U is well known (1/137.88),
the need to actually analyse very low abundances of 235U is
obviated [i.e. 207Pb*/235U = 137.88(206Pb*/238U)]. Instead of
solving the 235U and 238U decay systems separately, we can
plot mutually compatible sets of daughter/parent ratios,
207Pb*/235U and 206Pb*/238U, that would evolve in the zircon
grains as time elapses since their formation (i.e. as they age).
This is the basis of the concordia diagram (FIG. 3; Wetherill
1956). As this article is being written, we are celebrating the
50th anniversary of this elegant graphical device, which has
opened the door to the systematic assessment of zircon and
other accessory mineral U–Pb isotopic data.
The concordia curve itself is the locus of the mutually com-
patible or concordant 207Pb*/235U and 206Pb*/238U ratios,
both of which increase outwards from the origin as the time
since zircon crystallization passes by. At time zero, when
FIGURE 3 Concordia diagram. Note that the axes are the ratios
of the radiogenic daughter Pb isotopes divided by their
respective parent U isotope. The concordia curve traces out the com-
patible ratios as they develop with time elapsed since the moment the
‘clocks’ are set in newly formed zircon, and is annotated with this time
elapsed, or ‘age’. Lines a and b show the evolution of the compatible
ratios in 1000 and 3000 Ma zircon respectively (see text).
16 F EBRUARY 2007
the zircon forms, there is no radiogenic Pb* in the zircon. A
Some 1000 million years later, these ratios have increased to
1.6777 and 0.1678, respectively (FIG. 3, line a), because the
two types of radiogenic Pb have accumulated through
decay of their respective parent U isotope. So, if we sampled
a rock formed 1000 Ma ago and analysed its zircon grains,
we would, ideally, expect them to preserve these
207Pb*/235U and 206Pb*/238U ratios and hence lie on the

concordia curve at the point corresponding to 1000 Ma. By

the same logic, if we analysed zircon grains from an undis-
turbed rock that is now 3000 Ma old, we would expect the
207Pb*/235U and 206Pb*/238U ratios to have evolved to

18.1988 and 0.5926, respectively (FIG. 3 line b). These are

concordant zircon grains: the two Pb*/U ratios as measured
in the grains correspond to the same age (time elapsed), and
the position along concordia is a direct measure of age. The
individual analysis points plot as elongated ellipses or poly-
hedra because the two ratios, and hence their errors, are
strongly correlated.

The elegance of the concordia diagram is that it also allows

you to investigate and evaluate zircon Pb*/U analyses that
B
do not lie on concordia. In such cases, where the ages deter-
mined from the 207Pb*/235U and 206Pb*/238U ratios do not
agree, the zircon grains are said to be discordant. They are
normally discordant if they lie below the concordia curve,
which is the usual type of discordancy, and are termed
reverse discordant if the analyses lie above the concordia
curve (i.e. at a higher 206Pb*/238U for a given 207Pb*/235U ratio).

An example of the former situation is illustrated on the con-

cordia diagrams of FIGURE 4. In this case discordant zircon
Pb*/U analyses have been generated through the superposition
of a second, real, geological event on a suite of zircon grains
some 3000 million years after they initially formed. This
event not only formed new zircon crystals, possibly with
distinctive morphologies and trace element signatures, but
also caused variable loss (without any Pb isotope fractiona-
tion) of the previously accumulated radiogenic Pb from
domains in the older zircon grains (FIG. 4A). Whatever the
precise mechanism causing this Pb loss (e.g. Geisler et al.
2007), the large ionic radius of Pb2+ renders it susceptible to
removal from the old zircon grains.
FIGURE 4 Concordia diagram and episodic Pb loss. Variable loss of
FIGURE 4B illustrates the effect on the concordia diagram if Pb from older zircon grains, arising because of the effects
the zircon grains plotted in FIG. 4A evolve for a further 1000 of a second event, produces a discordia between the older formation
million years. All grains will now have accumulated radi- age (now 4000 Ma) and the age of the second event (1000 Ma).
ogenic Pb* over this 1000 million years, so that those newly
formed in the second event will be concordant at 1000 Ma
of cores and overgrowths in such cases may yield concor-
(FIG. 4B). If all the radiogenic Pb* accumulated up to the
dant populations that define the ages of the growth/modi-
time of the second event was lost from the first-generation
fication events, but even with careful microtextural control,
zircon grains, then these would be completely reset, and all
it is not uncommon to find that some zircon populations
memory of the antiquity of these 4000 Ma old grains would
define discordia.
be lost; they too would record ages of 1000 Ma. Alternatively,
and more typically, the loss of Pb in these old zircon grains Complex U–Pb isotopic data can be interpreted and utilised
is only partial or confined to spaced microdomains. In this to gain insights into Earth history, but only in concert with
case a series of discordant analyses may result, spread out complementary chemical and isotopic information, which
along a discordia (FIG. 4B) that intersects the concordia at includes the REE, Ti, Hf isotopes and O isotopes, briefly
two points: an upper (older) intercept giving the formation alluded to above and listed in TABLE 1. A number of these
age of the zircon grains – 4000 Ma in this case – and a lower key signatures of zircon behaviour and the processes involved
intercept giving an age of 1000 Ma, in accord with the in zircon modification and recrystallization are considered
newly formed grains. in the articles that follow.
The case described above is an idealised example of episodic
Pb loss, which is a major cause of discordant zircon popu- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
lations. Nevertheless, it serves to illustrate how the concordia We thank the editors of Elements for providing us with this
diagram can be ‘read’ to reveal several pieces of geologically forum for presenting some of the current developments in
useful information. As will be shown in the articles that fol- zircon research. In particular, we thank Ian Parsons and
low, we now are very aware through microanalytical and Pierrette Tremblay for their tireless editorial and organisa-
mictotextural studies that many zircon grains (especially in tional work on our behalf. We also thank all contributors
metamorphic rocks, but also in granites) preserve more and reviewers, without which this issue would not have
than one period of growth or grain modification. Analysis been possible. .

ELEMENTS 17 F EBRUARY 2007

GLOSSARY
Accessory mineral – A mineral that represents <1% of the modal pro-
portion of the minerals in a rock. These minerals are commonly (but
not in all cases) enriched in trace elements important for the interpre-
tation of rock history.
Backscattered electron imaging – A technique in which the high-
energy electrons produced by elastic collision of an incident electron
beam with the electron cone of a sample atom are imaged using a
detector within an SEM. The yield of backscattered electrons is pro-
portional to the number of sample electrons, therefore offering the
potential to image chemical zoning within a target sample.
BSE (bulk silicate Earth) – What is left after subtracting the core from
the bulk Earth composition; also referred to as ‘primitive mantle’.
Cathodoluminescence (CL) – Light emitted from minerals during bom-
bardment by an electron beam, typically imaged using a detector fit-
ted to a scanning electron microscope or an optical microscope. Lumi-
nescence within minerals is enhanced by particular elements (e.g. Dy)
but is potentially suppressed by other elements (e.g. U, Th, Fe) or
defects in the crystal structure. Zoning observed in CL images there-
fore reflects chemical variations within individual crystals.
CHUR (chondritic uniform reservoir) – CHUR’s characteristics are
derived from meteorite studies. The BSE and CHUR reservoirs are
assumed to have identical ratios of refractory lithophile elements (e.g.
Lu/Hf, Sm/Nd).
Concordance – Agreement of ages obtained by the 238U–206Pb and
235U–207Pb chronometers.
Depleted Mantle – Mantle that has had melt extracted from it. Some
elements fractionate more strongly into the melt phase. As a result, the
depleted mantle’s Lu/Hf and Sm/Nd values are higher than those of BSE.
Discordance – Disagreement between 238U–206Pb and 235U–207Pb ages.
This commonly results from the partial loss of radiogenic Pb by a zir-
con during alteration or heating and recrystallization. For recent Pb
loss, the ratio of the Pb daughter isotopes may be used to calculate a
207Pb/206Pb age, which may still date zircon crystallization. If the Pb
loss is ancient, the 207Pb/206Pb age is only a minimum crystallization age.
ID-TIMS (isotope-dilution thermal-ionisation mass spectrometry)
– A method of isotopic analysis in which an isotopic tracer is added to
a dissolved sample (e.g. zircon) to make a homogeneous isotopic mixture,
the isotopic composition of which is analysed using TIMS. This tech-
nique is currently the form of isotopic measurement with the highest
precision, but it requires complete dissolution of part of or whole grains.
Inheritance – The presence of older zircon grains in an igneous or meta-
morphic rock that did not crystallize from that rock’s parent magma.
The inherited zircon grains may have been incorporated into a magma
through the partial melting of a pre-existing zircon-bearing rock or through
assimilation of zircon-bearing country rocks during magma ascent.
LA-ICP–MS (laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma – mass
spectrometry) – A microanalytical method that employs a focused
laser beam to ablate material from samples. The ejected matter is
ionised using a plasma before being passed through to a mass spec-
trometer.
Monazite – A phosphate mineral rich in light rare earth elements (LREE)
and commonly Th, based on the general formula (La,Ce,Th)PO4. It
incorporates appreciable U and Y (up to several weight %) through
coupled substitutions.
Orogenesis – Mountain building resulting from thickening of the crust
and lithosphere through collision of continents and/or accretion of
microcontinents or island arcs to a continent at the end of a Wilson
Cycle.
Supracrustal rocks – Sedimentary or volcanic rocks formed at or near
Earth’s surface. Those found today in ancient portions of continents
were buried and metamorphosed before being exposed by uplift and
erosion. They provide important clues (e.g. basalt pillows, cross bed-
ding) about ancient depositional environments and contain the only
records of early life.
P–T paths – When rock masses are buried deep in the Earth’s crust, the
‘paths’ along which they move can be described in terms of the
changes in pressure (depth) and temperature. The relationship
between pressure and temperature over the time span of the meta-
morphism reflects the tectonic history of the rocks in question.
Recrystallization – A general term used to refer to in situ modification
or change in the character, and potentially the chemistry, of a mineral
or rock. Recrystallization may be partial or total, and may involve dis-
tinct processes such as reaction–diffusion or replacement, and coupled
dissolution–reprecipitation.
SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) – Also referred to as an ion
microprobe or microscope, SIMS measures the chemical or isotopic
composition of small sample volumes by focusing a beam of high-
energy primary ions onto a polished sample surface, ablating atoms
and molecules, and generating secondary ions that are analysed by
mass spectrometry. The high spatial resolution offered by SIMS (com-
monly <30 µm wide and <1 µm deep during analysis of geological
materials) allows in situ analysis of geological materials. The method is
relatively non-destructive, allowing multiple analyses to be performed
within single grains or zones within grains, but has lower analytical
precision than ID-TIMS.
Zoning – Variation in chemical composition among different domains
within a single crystal. The geometry of zoning patterns preserved in
crystals may give insights into the processes that led to the formation
of new crystals or the alteration of previously existing grains. For exam-
ple, oscillatory zoning (regular, finely spaced, circular zoning patterns)
is commonly preserved in magmatic zircon crystals and reflects fluctu-
ating trace element concentrations in the parent magma.

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ELEMENTS 18 F EBRUARY 2007

 Zircon as a Monitor
of Crustal Growth
Cathodoluminescence
imaging of zircon
reveals several stages
of growth.
Erik E. Scherer1, Martin J. Whitehouse2 and Carsten Münker 3

Z
ircon has long played a key role in crustal evolution studies as the pre- secondary ion mass spectrometry
(SIMS) and laser-ablation induc-
eminent U–Pb geochronometer. Recent advances in analytical capabilities
tively coupled plasma – mass spec-
now permit investigations of complex grains at high spatial resolution, trometry (LA–ICP–MS) have made
where the goal is to link zircon ages to other petrographic and geochemical it possible to determine U–Pb ages
with a high spatial resolution (typ-
information. Zircon can provide time-stamped ‘snapshots’ of hafnium and
ically ≤25 µm spots for SIMS). Com-
oxygen isotope signatures of magmas throughout Earth’s history, even at the bined, these tools have revolu-
scale of individual growth zones within a single grain. This information is an tionised zircon dating. Within a
invaluable help to geochemists trying to distinguish magmatic events that single grain for example, imaging
may identify two or more growth
added new, mantle-derived material to the continental crust from those zones, which then can be individ-
that merely recycled existing crust. ually dated in situ. Growth zones,
however, sometimes differ in age
KEYWORDS: crustal evolution, early Earth, zircon, U–Pb age, hafnium isotopes by over a billion years! Reliable
assignment of these ages to specific
geologic events requires unlocking
INTRODUCTION
of more than just the U–Th–Pb geochronometers, and
At present, new crust forms by the extraction of melts from again, modern analytical methods provide the key. With
the convecting mantle and emplacement of these melts detailed in situ analysis of trace elements and oxygen iso-
into – or on top of – pre-existing crust. Rigid and buoyant, topes, researchers can now evaluate the geochronology and
the continental crust floats, protected from recycling back constrain age interpretations in terms of igneous or meta-
into the mantle. But what was the nature of Earth’s first morphic petrogenesis. In addition, hafnium (Hf) isotope
crust? How have crust-making and recycling mechanisms analysis of U–Pb-dated zircon can reveal the relative contri-
changed as a function of a cooling Earth? Has the volume butions of juvenile (directly mantle-derived) crust versus
of continental crust been more or less constant or has it recycled continental crust, making zircon a ‘one-stop shop’
gradually increased over time? Geochemical clues locked for assessing crustal evolution.
away within ancient grains of zircon are essential to answering
these questions.
ZIRCON AND CRUSTAL EVOLUTION
Zircon is perhaps the most versatile chronometer available
to the modern geologist. During formation, zircon incorpo-
The Challenge of Dating Earth’s Oldest Rocks
rates modest amounts of uranium (U) and thorium (Th) Zircon geochronology is essential for the reconstruction of
into its crystal structure, but excludes lead (Pb). Over time, crustal growth history, providing magmatic protolith ages
however, steady decay of U and Th causes accumulation of with a precision of a few million years. Major break-
radiogenic Pb, providing the basis for accurate and precise throughs include the identification of the oldest zircon
determination of a zircon’s isotopic age. What makes zircon grains on Earth (e.g. Compston and Pidgeon 1986), which
unique among geochronometers is its robustness: it is a predate Earth’s oldest rocks by several hundred million
hard, refractory mineral that can remain intact even if its years. However, interpreting ages of complex zircon grains
host rock is metamorphosed, melted, or mechanically is not always straightforward, as illustrated by the ongoing
weathered away. Furthermore, diffusion rates within zircon debate over the age of the dominant early Archean
for many elements are extremely low, so this mineral com- tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) Amîtsoq gneisses
monly retains age and other isotopic information even of southern West Greenland. Of the limited exposures of
when exposed to magmatic temperatures. early Archean rocks on Earth, these are among the best pre-
served (Nutman 2006). They potentially carry intact iso-
Improvements in imaging techniques over the last two topic and trace element information that can place con-
decades have led to a fuller appreciation of the internal straints on the earliest evolution of the Earth’s crust and
complexity of zircon. Contemporaneous developments in mantle. Many pioneering studies were performed without
the benefit of the detailed imaging of internal structure by
cathodoluminescence (CL) or backscattered electrons,
1 Institut für Mineralogie, Universität Münster, which today is considered an essential part of any SIMS or
48149 Münster, Germany LA–ICP–MS work on zircon. Lacking this information, the
2 Laboratory for Isotope Geology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, wide-ranging spectra of U–Pb ages were interpreted by
SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden attributing the oldest age to the magmatic protolith and
3 Mineralogisch-Petrologisches Institut, Universität Bonn, younger ages to variable degrees of later loss of radiogenic Pb.
53115 Bonn, Germany

ELEMENTS, VOL. 3, PP. 19–24 19 F EBRUARY 2007

In some cases, ages of low-Th/U zones within zircon were
inferred to date metamorphism. For the Amîtsoq gneisses of
the Godthåbsfjord region, the picture that emerged from
the early SIMS analyses was one of magmatic growth at ≥3.8
Ga, with metamorphism at ~3.65 Ga and ~2.7 Ga. Some of
the first SIMS studies to be guided by detailed CL imaging
(e.g. Whitehouse et al. 1999) showed that many zircon crys-
tals were far more complexly zoned than previously appre-
ciated. An example from the island of Angisorsuaq (FIG. 1)
has four distinct growth phases. Interestingly, all grains
have thick rims characterised by oscillatory zoning and ele-
vated Th/U, features generally considered to be traits of mag-
matic zircon. These ~3.65 Ga rims may be interpreted to
date magmatism, with the older (≥3.8 Ga) cores represent-
ing zircon inherited from older crust that contributed to the
3.65 Ga magma. This interpretation contrasts with the
earlier, non-image-guided approach and illustrates a poten-
tial pitfall in dating complex Archean zircon crystals:
inheritance.
Zircon saturation models (e.g. Watson and Harrison 1983)
have been used to predict whether magmas should contain
inherited zircon. The assumed high magmatic temperature
(≥900°C) of many TTG gneisses coupled with their low Zr
concentration appears to preclude survival of inherited zir-
con: it should dissolve. The oldest U–Pb age obtained would
then be expected to date the magmatic protolith. With
respect to the Amîtsoq gneisses, this argument was used to
assign the ~3.8 Ga age of zircon cores to the intrusion of a
TTG gneiss sheet that was claimed to constrain the age of
ancient, possibly supracrustal, rocks (Mojzsis and Harrison
2002). Some field observations, however, suggest that the
TTG rock is no older than ~3.65 Ga (e.g. Whitehouse and
Fedo 2003). Bearing these observations in mind, White-
FIGURE 1 Zircon from the island of Angisorsuaq, West Greenland,
showing four distinct growth phases identified in CL imaging
(right). Transmitted light imaging (left) reveals at most two of these phases.
ELEMENTS
house and Kamber (2005) reported SIMS geochronology
and rare earth element (REE) data, revealing marked heavy
REE depletion in the 3.65 Ga rims and in some of the 2.7 Ga
overgrowths. These patterns were interpreted to indicate
early Archean partial melting of a garnet-bearing tonalite
(the presumed source of the ~3.8 Ga cores) under granulite
facies conditions, with possibly another episode of late
Archean partial melting. This example illustrates that simple
application of zircon solubility arguments may be inappro-
priate in cases of partial melting, where the melt reservoir
cannot be considered effectively infinite and zircon might
be shielded from melt by enclosing minerals. Dissolution
kinetics may also play an important role in preserving
inherited zircon.
Debate over the ages of the TTG gneisses in West Greenland
remains unresolved, but the quality of the U–Pb dating
itself is generally not to blame. Rather, the key issue is
determining which zircon domains date the emplacement
of their magmatic host rock, which ones are inherited from
older rocks, and which ones formed during younger meta-
morphism. In the broader context of applying zircon to
crustal evolution studies, assigning accurate magmatic ages
is crucial for interpreting whole-rock isotope data.
TYING GEOCHRONOLOGY TO
THE GEOCHEMICAL ROCK RECORD
The Sm–Nd System
Determining formation ages of continental crust may be
accomplished in part by Nd isotope studies of ancient rocks.
Due to alpha decay of 147Sm to 143Nd, the 143Nd/144Nd of
all rocks increases with time at a rate proportional to the
rock’s Sm/Nd value. During mantle melting, Nd fractionates
20 F EBRUARY 2007
more strongly than Sm into the melts that leave the mantle
and form new crust. This crust will thus have lower – and
the residual mantle higher – Sm/Nd values than the origi-
nal mantle, so the 143Nd/144Nd of these reservoirs will
diverge slowly over time. Because subsequent magmas added
to the crust tap these reservoirs to various degrees, the range
in initial 143Nd/144Nd values recorded by crustal rocks also
increases over time. (“Initial” refers to 143Nd/144Nd values cor-
rected for the accumulation of radiogenic 143Nd to give the
value the magma had when it first crystallized.) Calculation
of initial ratios requires knowledge of the Sm/Nd value and
age of the sample. Substantial heterogeneity among initial
143Nd/144Nd values of Earth’s oldest rocks would suggest
that a major differentiation event, perhaps extraction of
crust from the mantle, had occurred within the first few
hundred million years of Earth’s history. Indeed, studies of
Sm–Nd in early Archean rocks, one of which we discuss
below, initially appeared to have found just that.
The four-billion-year-old Acasta gneisses (Northwest Terri-
tories, Canada) may be the oldest relatively intact terrestrial
rocks yet discovered. Initial attempts to use these unique
samples to constrain the nature of the early Archean man-
tle applied 4.0 Ga zircon ages directly to whole-rock Sm–Nd
systematics. It was concluded that a surprisingly large range
of initial 143Nd/144Nd values already existed in the early
Archean (Bowring and Housh 1995). However, the initial
Nd isotope data reported in that study were critically
re-examined in terms of subsequent disturbance of the
whole-rock Sm–Nd system. The issue was not the zircon
ages themselves, but whether these ages could be used to cal-
culate valid initial Nd isotope ratios. This is probably not
possible because the Sm–Nd systematics in these rocks
appear to have been disturbed or reset up to 600 Myr after
zircon crystallization (Moorbath et al. 1997). Interestingly,
the isotopic memory of zircon survived relatively unscathed
during the thermal or fluid events that affected the Sm–Nd
systems of the whole rocks, demonstrating zircon’s robustness.
To the good fortune of geochemists, these tough and readily
dated zircons grains also happen to incorporate ~1 wt% Hf
into their crystal structure, thereby providing a powerful
isotopic tool for elucidating crustal growth processes using
the lutetium-176–hafnium-176 decay system.
The Lu–Hf System
The beta decay of 176Lu to 176Hf has a half-life of ~37 billion
years (e.g. Scherer et al. 2001). The Lu–Hf system was first
exploited as a geochemical tracer in the early 1980s (Patch-
ett and Tatsumoto 1980), but analytical difficulties
restricted its use. In the mid-1990s, however, the advent of
multiple collector (MC) ICP–MS enabled routine and rapid
acquisition of Lu–Hf data for nanogram amounts of these
elements, and the widespread application of this system to
geological and cosmochemical problems blossomed. With
respect to refractory elements such as Sm, Nd, Lu, and Hf,
Earth is assumed to have the same composition as that of
the chondritic uniform reservoir (CHUR) defined by undif-
ferentiated meteorites. Because these elements remained in
the silicate portion of Earth (i.e. bulk silicate Earth or BSE)
during early core segregation, the BSE is expected to have
the same Lu/Hf and Sm/Nd values as CHUR. The behaviour
of the Lu–Hf system during melting is analogous to that of
the Sm–Nd system, with the daughter element Hf fraction-
ating into the melt to a higher degree than the parent ele-
ment Lu. Fractionation of Lu/Hf among Earth’s silicate
reservoirs will, over time, lead to significant variation in
176Hf/177Hf. Thus Lu–Hf can be used in the same manner as
Sm–Nd to monitor the degree of isotopic heterogeneity of
Earth’s silicate reservoirs, but with several key advantages.
Thanks to their remarkable durability, detrital and
ELEMENTS
xenocrystic zircon grains reach further back into Earth’s
history (4.3–4.4 Ga; e.g. Wilde et al. 2001) than the oldest
intact whole rocks, which are ‘only’ about 4 billion years
old. Furthermore, much of the Hf in crustal rocks resides in
zircon, which has very low Lu/Hf and thus a present-day
176Hf/177Hf that is close to its initial value. In addition,
Lu–Hf in zircon is apparently more resistant to disturbance
than Sm–Nd in whole rocks, and therefore has the potential
to decipher the crustal growth history of highly metamor-
phosed terranes.
Measurement of Hf Isotopes in Zircon
Measurement of hafnium isotope ratios in zircon first
evolved from thermal-ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS)
of multigrain fractions to routine solution MC–ICP–MS
analysis of single grains (e.g. Amelin et al. 1999). When
entire grains are dissolved, however, features such as
growth zones of different age, metamict or altered domains,
and inclusions of other minerals are all analysed together,
possibly yielding spurious results. The LA–MC–ICP–MS
technique has provided a means to separately measure the
Hf isotope compositions of different growth phases of single
zircon grains in situ (Thirlwall and Walder 1995), and a spa-
tial resolution of ~50–100 µm can now be achieved. This
resolution comes at a cost, however. Laser Hf analyses are
less precise than those made by solution MC–ICP–MS, and
they require major corrections for interferences of 176Yb
and 176Lu on 176Hf. Nevertheless, accuracy and precision of
better than one part per 104 have been achieved recently for
laser 176Hf/177Hf analyses (Woodhead et al. 2004). The ability
to acquire both a U–Pb age and Lu–Hf data from a single
growth zone within a grain of zircon vastly improves the
chances of successfully linking these two systems.
Hf Isotope Systematics as a
Tracer of Crust–Mantle Evolution
To illustrate how the Hf isotope composition of zircon
sheds light on Earth’s early differentiation history, we con-
sider a simple differentiation scenario in FIG. 2A, in which
crust is extracted from the BSE by melting at point 1, leav-
ing behind a complementary depleted mantle (DM) reser-
voir. Because Hf fractionates more strongly into melts than
Lu, the crust will have a lower Lu/Hf value than the BSE,
whereas the Lu/Hf value of the depleted mantle will be
higher. Over time, the isotopic compositions of the crust
and DM diverge to lower and higher 176Hf/177Hf values,
respectively. By convention, Hf isotope compositions are
expressed as deviations (in parts per 104) from that of
CHUR, whose Lu/Hf and 176Hf/177Hf values are assumed to
represent those of the BSE. The notation for these devia-
tions at some time t in the past is εHf(t). FIGURE 2B shows the
same reservoir trends in terms of εHf(t) versus time. In our
discussion about zircon below, t is the crystallization age, so
εHf(t) represents the zircon’s initial Hf isotope composition.
Although the calculated initial 176Hf/177Hf value of a zircon
is relatively insensitive to age, its εHf(t) is age dependent
because the 176Hf/177Hf value of the CHUR reference
evolves significantly over time. Therefore a εHf(t) value cal-
culated using the 207Pb/206Pb age of a discordant zircon
might not accurately represent the zircon’s initial Hf iso-
tope composition because the 207Pb/206Pb age is only a min-
imum age. The least discordant zircon therefore provides
the most robust initial εHf(t) values.
A plot of εHf(t) versus crystallization age for Archean and
Hadean zircon grains (FIG. 3) yields valuable information
about Earth’s early silicate differentiation. First, the transi-
tion from uniform to heterogeneous εHf(t) with time marks
the onset of major silicate differentiation in the early Earth.
Second, the slopes of crust and DM trends are proportional
21 F EBRUARY 2007

A had to separate from BSE even earlier, perhaps >4.5 Ga, to
B
FIGURE 2 (A) Hypothetical evolution of 176Hf/177Hf versus time for
the bulk silicate Earth (BSE), depleted mantle (DM), two
crustal reservoirs, and zircon. (B) The same reservoirs plotted as εHf(t)
versus time. The U–Pb age of a zircon dates its crystallization (3); the
Lu–Hf residence age estimates the time elapsed since the crustal domain
hosting the zircon was extracted from the depleted mantle (2). See text.
to the time-integrated Lu/Hf of the crustal and DM reser-
voirs; this fact can be used to evaluate how exchange
between these reservoirs has balanced continued crust
extraction and mantle depletion over time. For example, a
dip in the DM trajectory may signal large-scale recycling of
crust back into the mantle. Finally, it is also possible to
determine whether crustal samples were formed by melting
DM, old crust, or combinations of both. In the latter case,
rocks of the same age from the same locality would form
vertical arrays in FIGURE 3.
Detrital zircon grains from the Jack Hills, Western Australia,
comprise the oldest intact pieces of the geological record
yet found. These zircon data, represented by the blue sym-
bols on the right side of FIGURE 3, show that there was
already substantial Hf isotope heterogeneity by ~4.3 Ga. For
such a large range of εHf values to develop in a planet built
from isotopically homogeneous starting materials, distinct
low- and high-Lu/Hf reservoirs, schematically shown in
FIG. 3 as crust and depleted mantle, must have already sep-
arated from the BSE by ~4.4 Ga.
Considering first just the data of Amelin et al. (1999; open
blue symbols), we see that the oldest zircon grains
(4.07–4.14 Ga) plot well below the BSE reference. This could
happen if some crust was extracted from an early primitive
mantle by at least 4.3 Ga (Amelin et al. 2000; Scherer et al.
2001). We call this material crust because it must have been
isolated from the convecting mantle for at least 200 Myr to
develop its distinctive isotopic signature, yet it had to
remain accessible as the source of the zircon’s host magmas.
The ~4.3 Ga crust-formation age (read by tracing back along
the upper edge of the crust arrow to BSE) assumes a felsic
ELEMENTS
crust. A more mafic crust with higher Lu/Hf would have
explain the Hf compositions of the ~4.1 Ga zircon. The
Amelin et al. (1999) data, though hinting that crust-form-
ing processes got off to a very early start, show no evidence
of a complementary depleted mantle reservoir. One expla-
nation for this is that the volume of crust extracted (or that
remained isolated) from the mantle was small. Preservation
issues aside, a piece of crust the size of a soccer ball could
evolve along the same εHf(t) path as a continent, but
extracting so little crust would not deplete the mantle sig-
nificantly. The data of Harrison et al. (2005), which include
extremely high, positive initial εHf values, at first sight seem
to complete the picture by providing evidence for a strongly
depleted mantle before 4.4 Ga, thus allowing the existence
of a significant volume of crust at that time. Not much is
known about that first crust except that it was the source of
the magmas in which the Jack Hills zircon grains crystal-
lized. Chemical and isotopic clues in these grains are being
used to infer the mechanisms responsible for generating
those later magmas.
Citing the Hf data for the Jack Hills zircon grains, together
with their mildly elevated 18O/16O values indicative of low-
temperature interactions with water, low estimated crystal-
lization temperatures, and inclusions of quartz, Harrison et
al. (2005) boldly proposed that a continental environment
produced by modern-style plate tectonics had existed at 4.4
or even 4.5 Ga. Other workers interpret available data dif-
ferently, suggesting that while some granitic crust existed by
4.4 Ga, the first oceans, continents, and water-laid sedi-
ments came later, at 4.2 Ga or 4.3 Ga at the earliest (Cavosie
et al. 2005). Coogan and Hinton (2006) noted that some
features of the Jack Hills zircon grains, namely their crystal-
lization temperatures, light REE concentrations, and elevated
18O/16O signatures, do not necessarily require the existence
of continental crust and abundant liquid water. According
to these authors, the available data do not exclude the pos-
sibility that the zircon grains originated by differentiation
within a basaltic crust. When applying very stringent crite-
ria to filter out Jack Hills zircon grains that have disturbed
isotope systematics, Nemchin et al. (2006) find no evidence
of elevated 18O/16O, suggesting that perhaps the early Earth
wasn’t so wet and cool after all.
It should be noted that the calculated εHf(t) values of
ancient zircon grains and the interpretations based on them
hinge on the accuracy and precision of the 176Lu decay con-
stant (λ176Lu) and the 176Lu/177Hf and 176Hf/177Hf values of
CHUR. For low-Lu/Hf samples such as zircon, these three
parameters primarily affect the position of the BSE reference
(where εHf = 0) with respect to the data. This reference
divides positive εHf(t) values, which characterise melts
extracted from old, depleted mantle, from negative values,
which are typical of rocks formed by melting old crust. The
effect of λ176Lu on the BSE reference line is illustrated in
FIGURE 3, where the same data are plotted using both the
value that was widely used in earlier Hf isotope literature
(inset) and the recently revised value of 1.87×10-11yr-1 (e.g.
Scherer et al. 2001). Using the new value shifts the εHf(t) of
early Archean and Hadean zircon downward by an average
of 3 ε-units. Turning now to CHUR parameters, those for
Sm–Nd were reasonably well established early on, whereas
those for Lu–Hf are proving harder to pin down because of
the surprising degree of heterogeneity among – and within
– the supposedly primitive chondrite meteorites (see review
by Patchett et al. 2004). Nevertheless, the differences
among possible CHUR parameters discussed by Patchett et
al. (2004) would affect the εHf(t) of Jack Hills zircon grains
by less than 0.7 ε-units. While both the λ176Lu and CHUR
values affect the details of the Hf tale told by the oldest
22 F EBRUARY 2007
 FIGURE 3 Earth’s early differentiation history constrained by the
εHf(t) of Archean and Hadean zircon. Hypothetical evolu-
tion trends for depleted mantle (DM) and (proto?) crust with a typical
176Lu/177Hf value of 0.009 are shown. The CHUR parameters of Blichert-
Toft and Albarède (1997) are used. The data imply substantial crust for-
mation by ~4.3 Ga. Inset shows data calculated using the previously
used λ176Lu value, which would allow a more recent separation of the
first stable crust from the BSE, but the positive εHf(t) values still suggest
very early mantle depletion. Data sources: Pettingill and Patchett
(1981); Vervoort et al. (1996); Vervoort and Blichert-Toft (1999);
Amelin et al. (1999, 2000); Halpin et al. (2005); Harrison et al. (2005).
zircon grains, the main theme doesn’t change: very soon
after Earth formed, its silicate portion differentiated into
long-lived, isolated reservoirs, including a depleted mantle
and crust. This is also consistent with the 142Nd excesses
observed in all accessible terrestrial samples relative to
chondrites (Boyet and Carlson 2005). The extra 142Nd was
produced by the decay of short-lived 146Sm (half-life = 103
Myr) before the latter had effectively decayed to extinction
by ~4 Ga. On the basis of 142Nd excesses coupled with other
isotopic constraints, it was concluded from such studies
that major silicate differentiation occurred within 200 Myr,
and perhaps even within 40 Myr, after the birth of the solar
system.
Sediments and Crustal Growth – Combined
U–Pb, Lu–Hf, and O Isotope Measurements
in Detrital Zircon
Sediments – samples of eroded continental crust – provide
valuable insights into crustal growth processes. Sediment-
based crustal growth studies previously focused on Sm–Nd
analyses of bulk sediments to derive average crustal resi-
dence ages (e.g. Allègre and Rousseau 1984). Methods of
identifying individual sediment sources were long restricted
to dating detrital mica (K–Ar) and zircon (U–Pb). Unfortu-
nately, K–Ar systematics in mica are prone to metamorphic
ELEMENTS
overprints, and the U–Pb age spectra of detrital zircon from
different crustal domains are sometimes similar. In such
cases, combined Lu–Hf and U–Pb studies of detrital zircon
allow the distinction between grains that have the same
crystallization age but formed in crustal domains that had
separated from the mantle at different times. This is accom-
plished using Lu–Hf crustal residence ages determined for
the individual grains (FIG. 2). An assumed typical
176Lu/177Hf value for felsic continental crust is used to trace
the evolution of the crustal source back in time from the
initial 176Hf/177Hf value of zircon (point 3) to its intersection
with the DM curve (point 2). This approach has been applied
to numerous sedimentary systems, including currently active
river systems (e.g. Bodet and Schärer 2000) and crust-
derived granites and gneisses (e.g. Andersen et al. 2002).
When applied to sediments, such residence ages do not cor-
respond to actual crust-forming events if the sediments
represent mixtures of crustal domains that were extracted
from the mantle at different times. Such mixing occurs dur-
ing sedimentary reworking, e.g. via erosion of multiple
domains and re-deposition of the bulk sediment. Zircon
formed by melting such sediment will have Hf isotope com-
positions representing mixtures of the various crustal
domains involved, and its crustal residence ages will not
necessarily correspond to real crust-formation events. Oxy-
gen isotope analyses, in conjunction with Lu–Hf and U–Pb
measurements, can be used to determine whether a zircon’s
host magma was derived from reworked sediments. This
approach was recently applied to detrital zircon suites from
the Lachlan fold belt in Australia (Kemp et al. 2006). In this
study, some detrital zircon grains displayed higher 18O/16O
values than those expected for zircon in equilibrium with
mantle-derived magma. This suggests that the host magma
of these grains was derived from recycled crust that had
undergone low-temperature alteration in a wet environment.
Oxygen isotopes thus provide a means of ‘weeding out’ zircon
grains that might give spurious crustal residence ages.
23 F EBRUARY 2007
SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK
No longer just a geochronometer, zircon now doubles as a
detailed archive of the growth and recycling history of
Earth’s crust. Our view back into geological time has been
greatly expanded because a precious few Hadean zircon
grains were tough enough to survive the erosion of the
Earth’s oldest crust. The Hf isotope signature of Hadean zir-
con grains leaves little doubt that major mantle differentia-
tion occurred at ≥4.3 Ga, producing crustal material that
remained intact for >300 Myr. Other geochemical indicators
(e.g. oxygen isotopes, thermometry, trace element patterns,
and mineral inclusions) in the oldest zircon grains have
been used to infer the composition of the first crust and the
processes by which it formed. These issues are the subject of
lively debate, with interpretations ranging widely from a
hot, dry, moon-like scenario to one where full-blown, modern-
style plate tectonics, complete with oceans and felsic conti-
nental crust, was set in motion as early as 4.5 Ga. Further
progress in this area will require a deeper understanding of
complexly zoned zircon grains so that their primary age,
isotope characteristics, and chemical features may be accu-
rately linked and interpreted. The continued evolution of in
situ analytical methods will prove essential to this endeavour.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank Frank Tomaschek for stimulating discussions on
the inner workings of zircon, as well as reviewers Chris
Hawkesworth, Matt Horstwood, Tony Kemp, and Ian Par-
sons, and guest editors Simon Harley and Nigel Kelly for
their constructive comments and suggestions. .

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Halpin JA, Gerakiteys CL, Clarke GL,
Belousova EA, Griffin WL (2005) In-situ
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Kemp AIS, Hawkesworth CJ, Paterson BA,
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Mojzsis SJ, Harrison TM (2002) Establish-
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Moorbath S, Whitehouse MJ, Kamber BS
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ELEMENTS 24 F EBRUARY 2007

 Zircon Behaviour and
the Thermal Histories
of Mountain Chains
Simon L. Harley1, Nigel M. Kelly1 and Andreas Möller2
U
sing the U–Pb geochronology of zircon we can understand the growth
and collapse of mountain chains, both recent and ancient. In the high-
temperature metamorphic rocks that underlie mountain ranges, zircon
may survive from precursor rocks, recrystallize, or grow anew. All these
possibilities must be considered in the interpretation of zircon ages. Micro-
textural characterisation and microanalysis, coupled with considerations of
mineral equilibria and trace element distributions between zircon and neigh-
bouring silicate minerals, provide insights into the factors controlling zircon
modification and growth. Zircon ages do not usually correspond to the peak
of metamorphism but instead provide information on the history of cooling
from high temperatures, including the timing and rates of exhumation of
the deep roots of mountain chains.
KEYWORDS: zircon, ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism, tions within this critical tempera-
hot orogens, trace elements, U–Pb geochronology ture window. FIGURE 1 depicts a
METAMORPHISM AT EXTREME forming, zircon-consuming and zircon-modifying reactions
TEMPERATURES DURING OROGENESIS and processes that are dependent on rock composition,
Thermal-mechanical modelling of collisional orogenic belts pressure and fluid–melt–rock interaction.
such as the Himalayas has highlighted the importance of
the deep crust in the high-temperature deformation that
drives orogenic systems (Jamieson et al. 2004). High-
temperature metamorphic terrains represent the remains of
deep crustal roots (Harley 1998) and are common not only
in Precambrian shields but also in Phanerozoic orogenic
belts. They preserve in their mineral assemblages records of
high- (>800°C) to ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism
(900°C–1100°C) during orogenesis, at pressures equivalent
to crustal depths of only 25–50 kilometres (Harley 1998).
They also preserve evidence, in the form of diagnostic reac-
tion textures between minerals, of a spectrum of post-peak
pressure–temperature (P–T) evolutions. These range from
slow cooling (2–4°C/Myr) over several hundred degrees
while still at deep levels, to maintaining near-constant tem-
peratures in excess of 700°C during rapid (1–5 km/Myr)
exhumation through several tens of kilometres (Harley
1998). Linking these high-temperature P–T evolutions to
time and comparing the resultant P–T–time histories with
model predictions for the evolution of the deep crust in
these ‘hot orogens’ are central to understanding collision
and mountain building and remain major goals in global
tectonics studies.
1
Grant Institute of Earth Science, The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
E-mail: simon.harley@ed.ac.uk
2 Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Potsdam
Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24, D-14476 Golm, Germany
ELEMENTS, VOL. 3, PP. 25–30 25
Convoluted zoning in a
largely recrystallized
zircon
ZIRCON DATING OF DEEP
CRUST IN HOT OROGENS
Because of its ubiquity in crustal
rocks and its proven capability in
U–Pb geochronology, zircon can
provide a link between P–T and
time in hot orogens. In high-
temperature (high-T) terrains, signif-
icant parts of the P–T evolutionary
paths lie at temperatures in excess
of 800°C. Zircon is in many cases
the only mineral that can provide
age information that survives
increasing temperatures, residence
at the thermal peak, and immedi-
ate post-peak metamorphic reac-
generic temperature–time evolu-
tion through potential zircon-
There are two main reasons why only zircon can provide
the age information required to define these thermal histo-
ries. First, the temperature window lies above the diffu-
sional closure temperatures of many other geochronologi-
cal systems – many of which are below 700°C – but does not
lie above the diffusional closure temperature of Pb in zircon
(Cherniak and Watson 2000). Hence, systems such as U–Pb
in rutile, Ar–Ar in micas and even Sm–Nd in garnet in gen-
eral record only the later, post-peak cooling history; if cool-
ing is slow (e.g. 3°C/Myr in some terrains), the ‘apparent’
ages provided by these systems may be too young by tens
to hundreds of millions of years. Second, the temperature
window corresponds to the conditions in which partial
melting will occur in many rocks that contain hydrous
minerals like biotite and hornblende (Sawyer 2001). Zircon
commonly crystallizes in such melts, which makes the min-
eral an extremely useful time marker. In many high-T ter-
rains, monazite U–Th–Pb dating can be used in conjunction
with zircon geochronology to constrain the peak to post-
peak history. However, only in cases of initial rapid cooling
associated with fast exhumation does the monazite method
record ages that reflect the timing of peak conditions.
‘Bracketing’ is the traditional approach to using zircon to
date events in high-T terrains (FIG. 1). This method relies on
the ability of zircon formed in one event to survive a second
event such as high-T metamorphism. For example, using
this approach a metamorphic episode can be constrained to
lie between the age of the youngest pre-metamorphic mag-
matic rock and the age of the oldest post-metamorphic
intrusion. Clearly, this method works well when the
F EBRUARY 2007
 FIGURE 1 Schematic temperature (T)–time (∆t) path for a hypo-
thetical high-T terrain formed in the deeper parts of a hot
orogen. The ∆t scale signifies an unquantified time period of the order
of millions of years. (A) indicates the ‘bracketing approach’ to dating
high-T metamorphism. During heating rocks may undergo partial melting,
causing dissolution of finer pre-existing zircon followed by later precip-
itation of new zircon on survivor grains (B). Crystallization of high-T
melts and consequent growth of zircon will generally occur on the post-
peak cooling path at different intervals depending on the water content
of the melt (reflecting aH20) or relations with wall rocks (C, D). New zircon
may also grow as a result of Zr-liberating reactions, for example garnet
(Grt) breakdown or rutile (Rt) decomposition (E), depending on the P–T
path. As the rocks cool below the high-T window, ‘residual’ melts will
crystallize some new zircon (F), and liberated fluids may cause selective
recrystallization of existing zircon (G). Recrystallization of zircon
domains can in principle occur at any stage during metamorphism and
may dominate in the near–peak T region.
‘bracket’ is tight – when pre- and post-metamorphic rocks
are separated by only a short time interval (a few million
years; e.g. Möller et al. 2003). However, it is not useful
when the bracket covers a long time interval, when the
zircon age obtainable from pre-metamorphic rocks is dis-
turbed or ambiguous, or when the geological relationships
themselves are poorly constrained (e.g. where it is not clear
whether the igneous precursor rocks are pre- or syn-
tectonic; Kelly and Harley 2005).
The ‘bracketing’ approach is also limited in that it provides
no information on the details of the high-T metamorphism
itself. Such features may include the onset of melting and
dissolution of zircon; the prograde reaction of zircon and
other accessory minerals during growth of major minerals
such as garnet; the thermal peak; melt segregation and
accumulation, with crystallization of zircon; post-peak sub-
solidus mineral reactions; post-melt fluid incursions; and
the relationships between all of these and episodes of defor-
mation (FIG. 1). Many of these events and their related
processes occur at temperatures above those at which most
other geochronology minerals are stable or at the very least
ELEMENTS
able to record age information. Only zircon, with the possi-
ble exception of monazite, is able to do this. Reliable age
information is crucial for the elucidation of crustal behav-
iour during mountain building, and so it is essential to
understand how zircon behaves and responds to high-T
processes. To do this it is necessary to examine ‘metamor-
phic’ zircon – i.e. zircon that has grown, been recrystallized
or been modified by the physical and chemical processes
that may occur during metamorphism of the deep crust.
WHAT IS ‘METAMORPHIC’
ZIRCON IN A HIGH-T CONTEXT?
The interpretation of zircon age data in high-T terrains is
complex and problematic because of the highly variable
response of previously formed zircon to later metamorphic
events (Vavra et al. 1999; Schaltegger et al. 1999; Kelly and
Harley 2005). Misunderstandings about what constitutes
‘metamorphic’ zircon are related to this complex behaviour.
Several microscale physical and chemical processes can
form or modify zircon in the metamorphic environment,
producing what is broadly, and somewhat misleadingly,
referred to as ‘metamorphic’ zircon. Local-scale processes
that cause zircon growth in the high-T metamorphic regime
include subsolidus metamorphic reactions involving Zr-
bearing silicates and other accessory minerals (Fraser et al.
1997; Degeling et al. 2001; Möller et al. 2003) and partial
melting and melt crystallization (e.g. Roberts and Finger
1997; Vavra et al. 1999; Schaltegger et al. 1999; Rubatto
2002; Hokada and Harley 2004). Pre-existing zircon can also
be partially to completely transformed or modified in situ
(Pidgeon 1992; Schaltegger et al. 1999; Ashwal et al. 1999;
Hoskin and Black 2000), potentially undergoing fine-scale
coupled dissolution–reprecipitation (Vavra et al. 1999; Car-
son et al. 2002a; Geisler et al. 2007 this issue) in response to
interactions with fluids and melts. Zircon with initial
growth zones rich in U and Th may be subject to recovery,
26 F EBRUARY 2007
via diffusion–reaction processes, of domains that have suf-
fered radiation damage (Geisler et al. 2007) in order to dis-
sipate strain effects (Hartmann et al. 1997; Schaltegger et al.
1999; Vavra et al. 1999). Pb loss related to this last process
may yield zircon U–Pb spot ‘ages’ that bear no relation to
the geological events associated with orogenesis.
As several processes are involved in the production of
‘metamorphic’ zircon, the interpretation of zircon U–Pb
ages in high-T terrains in terms of the timing and character
of events requires detailed textural analysis coupled with in
situ microanalysis to detect indicative chemical signatures
(Vavra et al. 1996, 1999; Schaltegger et al. 1999; Hoskin and
Black 2000; Rubatto 2002; Whitehouse and Platt 2003;
Kelly and Harley 2005). The key to evaluating and utilising
zircon U–Pb ages to define P–T–time evolutionary paths in
deep crust lies in distinguishing the cause of zircon growth
from among the processes noted above, in relating growth
to the specific reactions that form zircon, and in independ-
ently documenting the conditions under which fluids
access the rocks to promote late-stage zircon alteration and
dissolution–reprecipitation. The criteria applied in making
these interpretations include the textures of the zircon
grains and their relations with other minerals, as well as a
range of chemical signatures, such as the Th/U ratio, the Ti
content, and – most importantly – the rare earth element
(REE) patterns in zircon, in comparison to those in the host
and neighbouring metamorphic minerals.
A D
B E
C F
FIGURE 2 Zircon formed during high-temperature metamorphism
may exhibit a wide range of morphologies and internal
zoning features. ‘Soccerball’ zircon (A), which may display planar and
sector zoning when imaged by scanning electron microscope (B), is
common in high-T rocks. Similar zoning patterns are also found in zircon
known to have crystallized from partial melt (C), and this new growth
ELEMENTS
ZIRCON TEXTURES AND HIGH-T PROCESSES
FIGURE 2 illustrates zircon textures formed by high-T
processes. High-T ‘metamorphic’ zircon has been described
as being equant and with a ‘soccerball’ or ‘multi-faceted’
habit (FIGS. 2A, B); it reportedly displays little or no oscillatory
zoning but shows planar banding or sector zoning (FIGS. 2B,
C, D; e.g. Vavra et al. 1996, 1999; Schaltegger et al. 1999;
Hoskin and Black 2000; Kelly and Harley 2005). While these
features are common, it is not always obvious whether they
have been produced through new zircon growth or by
recrystallization. For example, in some instances, the presence
of a ghost-like relic of oscillatory zoning in otherwise
unzoned zircon rims demonstrates that in situ replacement
or recrystallization rather than new growth has occurred
(Hoskin and Black 2000) and cautions against a simple
interpretation of the U–Pb age of such a zircon domain.
Vavra et al. (1996) have related the style of zircon growth to
the rate of growth and to roughness criteria. They consider
that equant or ‘soccerball’ zircon grows during prograde
high-T anatexis, at different times in different rock compo-
sitions depending on the melting reactions intersected. Dis-
solution of very fine zircon into the melt is followed by zircon
growth on surviving cores (Vavra et al. 1999). On the other
hand, Schaltegger et al. (1999) attributed sector-zoned ‘soc-
cerball’ zircon to high-T subsolidus growth, whereas planar-
zoned overgrowths and acicular grains form during melt
crystallization. ‘Soccerball’ zircon has now been described
G
H
I
can be extensive, forming on older zircon that has been preserved
through high-T metamorphic events, such as the core in (D), or as
xenocrysts in partial melts (E). Recrystallization may affect only outer
domains (F), propagating as fronts through the zircon (G), or transgress
the grain in a process probably driven by dissolution and regrowth
along a fracture (H). In extreme cases ‘convoluted’ zoning may develop (I).
27 F EBRUARY 2007
from several ultrahigh-temperature terrains and in many
cases has been interpreted to have grown from partial melts
(e.g. Kelly and Harley 2005).
In situ modification of zircon under high-T conditions may
range from the complete transgression of older zones by
sharp fronts or compositional zones visible under cathodo-
luminescence (CL) or backscattered electron imagery, to
partial modification in which former oscillatory zones, now
‘ghost-like’ or ‘bleached,’ are still visible but blurred (Pid-
geon 1992; Vavra et al. 1999; Schaltegger et al. 1999; Hoskin
and Black 2000; Corfu et al. 2003). Concepts relevant to the
interpretation of such features are discussed in more detail
by Geisler et al. (2007). From the perspective of U–Pb
geochronology, this variability leads to ambiguity: a spread
in zircon U–Pb data along or near a concordia curve may
result if some memory of the initial zircon composition is
preserved and if the ‘recrystallization’ is only partially effective
in expelling Pb and Th on the microscale (Hoskin and Black
2000). This variable modification of zircon, caused by pre-
and post-peak high-T reactions, deformation and/or fluid
ingress, is probably responsible for the 20–100-million-year
scatter in apparent ages recorded in weakly zoned ‘rim’ zircon
data from several granulite terrains (e.g. Corfu et al. 1994;
Ashwal et al. 1999; Kelly and Harley 2005).
Late-stage fluid ingress has also been implicated in modifying
zircon microtextures in high-T rocks. Vavra et al. (1999)
attributed the preferential replacement or recrystallization
of zones with high Th and U contents within zircon and the
surface-controlled replacement of interior domains by
lobate transgressive zones (FIG. 2G) to fluid ingress and
leaching (FIG. 2H; e.g. Ashwal et al. 1999). It is likely that
fluid-activated dissolution of zircon accompanied by its
reprecipitation is an important process controlling this
behaviour, as advocated by Geisler et al. (2007).
Th/U – AN UNRELIABLE SIGNATURE
OF METAMORPHIC ZIRCON
Th/U ratios have become a commonly employed criterion
for distinguishing zircon formation in magmatic, metamor-
phic and hydrothermal environments. For example, a Th/U
value of less than 0.1 has been widely cited as a discriminant
of metamorphic zircon (e.g. Rubatto 2002).
To evaluate this interpretation, it is useful to consider the
factors controlling the Th/U ratio in zircon. The concentra-
tions of Th and U in zircon are primarily influenced by factors
such as element availability within a reaction environment
and partitioning behaviour of Th and U between zircon and
co-existing minerals, melts and fluids. For example, the
prior or concurrent growth of a mineral such as monazite,
in which Th is a major structural constituent, may result in
zircon with a low Th concentration and therefore a low
Th/U ratio. In contrast, a zircon crystallizing from a partial
melt prior to the crystallization of monazite may have a
higher Th concentration and therefore a moderate to high
Th/U ratio.
The use of Th/U ratios has been re-evaluated recently in the
light of textural observations and other chemical criteria
(e.g. Möller et al. 2003). Although many ‘metamorphic’ zircon
domains do have low Th/U values (<0.1; e.g. Schaltegger et
al. 1999; Hoskin and Black 2000; Rubatto et al. 2001;
Rubatto 2002), there also are numerous cases where meta-
morphic zircon may have Th/U values greater than 0.1 or
values that are highly variable. High Th/U ratios have been
recorded in recrystallized zircon (e.g. Pidgeon, 1992; Vavra
et al., 1999), but also in zircon grown during high-T meta-
morphism (Th/U > 0.15 and up to 3.2; Carson et al. 2002b;
Kelly and Harley 2005). Möller et al. (2003) showed that
ELEMENTS
Th/U ratios in recrystallized and newly grown metamorphic
zircon were unchanged in comparison to their magmatic
zircon precursors (and never less than 0.1), with some sig-
nificantly higher. In addition, Schaltegger et al. (1999),
Harley et al. (2001) and Hokada and Harley (2004) have
reported high Th/U values for zircon from demonstrably
syn-metamorphic, high-T anatectic melts.
Finally, very low Th/U (<0.02) zircon domains may be asso-
ciated with late-stage mineral–fluid interactions at temper-
atures well below those of the high-T metamorphic event
(Vavra et al. 1999; Harley et al. 2001; Carson et al. 2002a).
Given this fact and the evidence for variable and high Th/U
‘metamorphic’ zircon grains described above, Th/U values
can only be used with caution and in concert with other,
more integrative, chemical criteria to assess the origin of zircon
within its textural context.
ZIRCON–MINERAL TRACE ELEMENT
DISTRIBUTIONS AND DATING OF
HIGH-T EVENTS
Zircon grown or recrystallized contemporaneously with
high-T garnet exhibits flat heavy rare earth element (HREE)
patterns and strong depletion in Eu in chondrite-nor-
malised diagrams (see also Rubatto and Hermann 2007 this
issue). Therefore, the most promising chemical method
being developed for evaluating the metamorphic character
and timing of zircon growth is the determination of the
equilibrium distribution of REE between zircon and coexisting
metamorphic minerals. However, this method must be
applied with some caution, as existing experimental data at
appropriate P–T conditions do not enable refinement of
trace element distribution models (van Westrenen et al.
1999). The lack of available experimental data is com-
pounded by the fact that existing empirical estimates of dis-
tribution coefficients [DREE(Zrc/Grt)] for the HREE show
order of magnitude differences among high-T and high-P
rocks (FIG. 3). While disequilibrium is likely to be a significant
factor in producing these differences in cases where
strongly zoned or variable zircon and/or garnet have been
used (Schaltegger et al. 1999; Rubatto 2002; Whitehouse
and Platt 2003), some of the range in DREE(Zrc/Grt) values
may be real, reflecting dependence on either pressure or the
major element composition of garnet (Rubatto 2002).
There is growing confidence that the equilibrium distribution
of REE between zircon and Ca-poor Fe–Mg garnet at high
temperature results in DHREE(Zrc/Grt) values near unity, or
slightly favouring garnet (Harley et al. 2001; Whitehouse
and Platt 2003; Hokada and Harley 2004). The DREE(Zrc/Grt)
signatures can be used not only to test for equilibrium
between dated zircon domains and metamorphic garnet
formed in peak high-T assemblages, but also to define tim-
ing of zircon growth in relation to garnet and to evaluate
the trace element mobility in post-peak reaction textures.
Two examples illustrating the richness of event–time and
temperature–time information on hot orogens that can be
obtained from zircon through this approach are considered
in the following paragraphs.
ZIRCON GROWTH AND
THE DYNAMIC HIGH-T MELTING REGIME
Partial melting followed by melt segregation, accumulation,
transfer and extraction are important processes during high-T
metamorphism deep within hot orogens. Because zircon is
soluble in partial melts, these processes may lead to zirco-
nium redistribution during metamorphism through partial
dissolution of pre-existing zircon and subsequent zircon
growth during melt crystallization or reaction with wall rocks
(Roberts and Finger 1997; Hokada and Harley 2004). Zircon
28 F EBRUARY 2007

Contrasting examples of element distribution data (DREE =
FIGURE 3
distribution coefficient) for the heavy rare earth elements
(Eu to Lu), estimated from empirical studies of zircon (Zrc) and garnet
(Grt) in high-T rocks. A zircon that crystallized in equilibrium with garnet
would have D values close to 1. Red circle: Harley et al. 2001; blue
square: Rubatto 2002; yellow triangle: Whitehouse and Platt 2003; UHT:
ultrahigh temperature.
may grow in equilibrium with a high-T melt during the pro-
grade melting phase (Vavra et al. 1999; B in FIG. 1) and at
various times during post-peak cooling and exhumation
depending on the water content of the melt, residence
times and the character of wall rocks with which transported
melt comes into contact (Harley 2004; C and D in FIG. 1).
Hokada and Harley (2004) attributed the growth of textu-
rally polyphase zircon grains to melt injection followed by
equilibration with the wall rock during post-peak melt crys-
tallization. This occurred at extreme temperature conditions
of >900°C and over a maximum time interval of 25 million
years. The key to this interpretation is the zircon and garnet
trace element information. Texturally later, sector-zoned
and unzoned mantles and rims on zircon grains in crystallized
partial melts have chondrite-normalised HREE patterns flatter
than those of the earlier zircon grains. Garnets in the wall-
rock gneiss have flat HREE patterns and show a remarkable
decrease in Zr close to their rims, coupled with a slight
decrease in overall HREE, but an increase in Yb as compared
to Gd. These chemical changes suggest that the invasive
melt initially precipitated zircon that was out of equilib-
rium with the host garnet gneiss, but then equilibrated with
the wall rock and, in doing so, depleted Zr and HREE in the
reacting host-rock garnet. Critically, REE data in zircon
outer zones and garnet rims conform to the equilibrium
DREE(Zrc/Grt) pattern proposed by Harley et al. (2001) and
shown in FIGURE 3.
ZIRCON GROWTH AND RECRYSTALLIZATION
ALONG P–T–TIME PATHS: REACTION TEXTURES
Establishing the links between zircon growth, recrystalliza-
tion and specific P–T conditions along high-temperature
P–T paths requires in situ documentation of zircon zoning
features and morphology in relation to the petrographic
evidence for subsolidus mineral reactions involving other
silicate phases (e.g. garnet, pyroxene, cordierite, opaque
minerals; Fraser et al. 1997; Degeling et al. 2001; White-
house and Platt 2003). Assigning zircon ages to specific
reactions, and hence temperature intervals (E in FIG. 1), is
well illustrated in the study of the Rogaland metamorphic
complex (SW Norway) by Möller et al. (2003).
ELEMENTS
Möller et al. (2003) established that a ~1000 Ma regional
metamorphic event in the Rogaland basement was over-
printed by ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism associated
with the emplacement of anorthosite and related igneous
intrusions at ~930 Ma. However, their zircon U–Pb age data,
obtained from zircon rims and overgrowths, define an age
‘smear’ between 950 Ma and 900 Ma along concordia – a
range too large to be consistent with a single thermal peak
associated with intrusion of the anorthosite.
In situ microanalysis of Rogaland zircon grains and detailed
petrographic examination of their textural contexts (Möller
et al. 2003; FIG. 4) indicate the presence of two texturally
defined and discrete groups at ~927 Ma and ~908 Ma, thus
explaining the zircon U–Pb ‘smear.’ The older group con-
sists of zircon rims intergrown with or included within
minerals grown during the ultrahigh-temperature event
(FIG. 4). Texturally later zircon rims that define the younger
age group occur outside these high-T minerals but are over-
grown by lower-T coronas and symplectites, thereby con-
straining the maximum age of the corona-forming reactions
to be ~908 Ma. Combining the age data with thermobaro-
metric constraints on the mineral assemblages leads to an
integrated cooling rate within the aureole of 8 ± 2°C/Myr,
from 880°C to 680°C, over some 25 million years. The slow
cooling and longevity of this thermal anomaly, deduced
from detailed zircon information, prompted Möller et al.
(2003) to suggest that the UHT event reflects a deeper-
seated thermal perturbation, perhaps produced by the con-
vective removal of lithosphere.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ‘END GAME’:
LATE FLUID INGRESS
Late-stage fluid ingress, recorded by zircon in transgressive
and lobate textures (Vavra et al. 1999; Harley et al. 2001;
Carson et al. 2002a), is likely to be important in resetting
zircon U–Pb ages in metamorphic terrains as they are
exhumed and cool to temperatures below the high-T
window (FIG. 1).
A C
B D
FIGURE 4 A major step forward in age determination using zircon is
the ability to analyse grains in situ within their petrologi-
cal context. This figure shows that by drilling a small disc from a pol-
ished thin section, delicate intergrowths and overgrowths of zircon have
been preserved; these features would normally be lost during the stan-
dard method of crushing rocks to obtain grain separates. (A) Transmit-
ted light photomicrograph, (B) Secondary electron image, showing ion
microprobe analysis pits. The larger and deeper pits are analysis sites for
trace elements and the smaller shallow pits are U-Pb analysis sites, anno-
tated with concordia ages (C) Backscattered electron image, (D)
Cathodoluminescence image.Scale bars are 50 microns. Fsp: feldspar;
mag: magnetite; Grt: garnet; Zrc: zircon.
29 F EBRUARY 2007
When a terrain cools down towards the lower limit of the CONCLUDING REMARKS
high-T window, any melts that have not been extracted
The combination of in situ zircon U–Pb geochronology
from it will crystallize (F IN FIG. 1; Sawyer 2001; Harley
with detailed microtextural and trace element analysis of
2004). This will almost inevitably lead, at temperatures in
zircon within its petrographic context, coupled with meta-
the range 750–650°C, to the production of fluid that will
morphic mineral equilibria modelling, is the optimal
interact with and partially hydrate the previously equili-
approach to defining the thermal histories of high-T terrains.
brated high-T mineral assemblages. The quantity of such
This approach is being refined as more experimental and
fluid will be determined by how much melt has been
empirical data become available. New trace element ther-
retained. Hydration reactions associated with final melt
mometers based on zircon, such as Ti in zircon and Zr in
crystallization and release of water may promote the growth
other minerals (e.g. Watson et al. 2006) will, when integrated
of new zircon rims if zirconium is released through the
into the combined in situ approach, undoubtedly lead to
breakdown of high-T minerals, e.g. garnet and rutile break-
more detailed temperature–time records of deep crustal
ing down to biotite and sillimanite (G IN FIG. 1). Channelled
rocks and so further improve our understanding of the
along microfractures, the fluids may also attack pre-existing
dynamics of hot orogens.
zircon, recrystallizing susceptible zones (FIG. 2H; Vavra et al.
1999), leaching trace elements from zircon surfaces (Carson
et al. 2002a) and resetting the U–Pb systematics. Under- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
standing and evaluating the significance of the processes in We thank Joe Pyle, Fernando Corfu and Ian Parsons for
which melt and fluid affect zircon is central to the inter- their perceptive and careful reviews. We thank Urs Schaltegger
pretation of the age of high-T terrains (e.g. Napier Complex: for kindly providing us with the image used in FIG. 2A. This
Carson et al. 2002b; Harley 2004; Kelly and Harley 2005). work was supported by the UK Natural Environment
Research Council. .

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ELEMENTS 30 F EBRUARY 2007

 Zircon Behaviour in
Deeply Subducted Rocks
Daniela Rubatto and Jörg Hermann*
Z
ircon is of fundamental importance in the investigation of deeply
subducted crustal rocks in which it is a trace constituent. Tiny mineral
inclusions within zircon may be the only indicators that rocks were
subducted to a depth of up to 150 km. Because zircon is resistant to physical
and chemical changes, it preserves stages of the subduction and exhumation
history within submillimetre-size grains. Advanced in situ techniques allow
us to date zircon domains and to determine their trace element composition.
We can thus acquire a detailed knowledge of the temperature–pressure–time
paths that these extraordinary rocks have experienced. Zircon studies
provide evidence that subduction and exhumation act at plate tectonic
speeds of 1–3 cm/year.
KEYWORDS: zircon, high-pressure metamorphism, trace elements,
eclogite, U–Pb geochronology
THE ROLE OF ZIRCON IN
HIGH-PRESSURE ROCKS
In the last twenty years, the discovery of coesite and dia-
mond in metamorphosed continental crust has completely
changed the paradigm concerning the depth in the mantle
to which the least dense parts of the lithosphere can be sub-
ducted. The formation of coesite – a mineral with the same
composition as quartz but with denser structure – requires
pressures of 2.5 GPa, corresponding to a depth of at least
90 km. Microdiamonds in gneisses provide evidence for
even deeper subduction of crustal rocks, to depths of up to
~150 km. These extreme conditions (i.e. great depth) result
in ‘ultrahigh-pressure’ (UHP) metamorphism. Exposures of
high-pressure (HP) and UHP rocks provide a unique natural
laboratory to study an important aspect of plate tectonics:
subduction and exhumation of crustal rocks. While the
presence of coesite and diamond unequivocally demon-
strates that crustal rocks have been subducted to great
depth, the processes acting at depth were, until recently,
essentially unknown. How can minerals formed at such
great depth be preserved? How fast can crustal rocks be
buried and exhumed?
Zircon, a common accessory mineral in HP rocks, has been
fundamental in constraining processes acting at such
extreme metamorphic conditions because of three extraor-
dinary characteristics it possesses: (1) zircon contains meas-
urable amounts of the radioactive element uranium and
hence can be used as a chronometer for metamorphic
processes; (2) zircon often preserves different growth zones
within a single grain, and thus may document different
stages of the subduction–exhumation cycle; and (3) zircon
protects mineral inclusions formed at high pressures from
* Research School of Earth Sciences,
The Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia
E-mail: daniela.rubatto@anu.edu.au
ELEMENTS, VOL. 3, PP. 31–35 31
Photomicrograph of a
zircon crystal containing
inclusions of diamond,
Kokchetav Massif,
Kazakhstan
retrogression during exhumation.
In this contribution we summarise
processes and conditions that can
lead to formation of zircon during
deep subduction and highlight the
role of zircon as a mineral con-
tainer, chemical tracer and time
capsule. We show that the wealth
of information contained in zircon
can only be exploited if the condi-
tions of zircon formation can be
linked to the metamorphic evolu-
tion of its host rock.
WHAT HAPPENS
TO ZIRCON DURING
SUBDUCTION?
Metamorphic zircon that forms
during the subduction and exhumation of the crust is tex-
turally distinctive. Two main features are observed: partial
or complete replacement of a zircon crystal by a zircon of
different composition (also called recrystallization; see
Geisler at al. 2007 this issue) and new growth of zircon,
often forming on relict (inherited) grains (FIG. 1). The
processes involved in the formation of HP zircon are still
poorly understood. Dissolution–precipitation, i.e. dissolu-
tion of existing crystals, or parts of them, in a fluid or melt
and the coupled reprecipitation of zircon with distinct tex-
ture and composition, appears to play a key role in both
replacement and modification of zircon. Zirconium liber-
ated from the breakdown of other phases (e.g. garnet, mag-
matic pyroxene, volcanic glass) may contribute to new zircon
growth. As a general rule, replacement is common under
subsolidus conditions (when no melt is present), whereas
new growth is very common when melt is present.
FIGURE 1 illustrates increasing degrees of structural modifi-
cation of zircon in response to HP metamorphism. Zircon
in equilibrated eclogite-facies rocks may be unaffected by
metamorphism and represents the only magmatic relict in
the mineral assemblage. The preservation of older zircon
grains (inheritance) is the rule, particularly in HP rocks that
experienced relatively low temperatures (<650°C). Meta-
morphic zircon first forms along fractures, probably in the
presence of fluids (FIG. 1A). Commonly, inherited magmatic
crystals have irregular domains where the original zoning is
replaced by chaotic, patchy zircon (FIGS. 1B, E). The altered
zircon is often porous and rich in micro-inclusions, and
shows signs of corrosion (FIG. 1C). As a result, such altered
zircon may be isotopically disturbed, yielding ‘ages’ that are
geologically meaningless (Rubatto and Hermann 2003;
Tomaschek et al. 2003; Spandler et al. 2004). An insight
into zircon recrystallization is provided by FIGURE 1D, in
which a magmatic zircon has been replaced by an aggregate
F EBRUARY 2007
A B
D E
G H
FIGURE 1 Internal structure of zircon crystals from subducted rocks.
A, B and E–I are cathodoluminescence images (see Glossary),
C is a secondary electron image and D is a backscattered electron
image. (A) Zircon with preserved magmatic shape and zoning, tran-
sected by fractures filled with metamorphic zircon (Zermatt, Switzerland;
Rubatto et al. 1998). (B) Zircon in eclogite with metamorphic alteration
replacing the original magmatic zoning (Monviso, Italy; Rubatto and
Hermann 2003). (C) Morphology of a zircon from an eclogite-facies
rock showing a surface cut by corrosion channels (Syros, Greece;
Tomaschek et al. 2003). (D) Zircon recrystallized as small crystals inter-
grown with HP allanite and omphacite (Lanzo, Italy). (E) Zircon from
eclogite with a preserved magmatic core exhibiting low-grade alteration,
subsequently overgrown by a HP metamorphic rim (New Caledonia;
Spandler et al. 2004). (F) Zircon in eclogitic metasediment with a HP
metamorphic rim on a detrital core (Aosta Valley, Italy; Rubatto et al.
1999). The ovals indicate the location of the SHRIMP analyses, which are
small enough to resolve rim from core. (G) Hydrothermal zircon with
rutile inclusions from a HP vein (Monviso, Italy; Rubatto and Hermann
2003). (H and I) Metamorphic zircon crystals from UHP rocks
(Kokchetav Massif, Kazakhstan; Hermann et al. 2001). The crystal in H
contains inclusions of coesite in the core and quartz in the rim. The crystal
in I has two distinct metamorphic growth zones, which formed at dif-
ferent pressures and temperatures.
of small zircon crystals, intergrown with HP minerals. Dis-
crete zircon rims or domains are common features of zircon
in subducted rocks. These rims form on inherited magmatic
(FIG. 1E) or detrital cores (FIG. 1F) and often provide reliable
ages for the metamorphism (see below). Occasionally, com-
pletely new zircon grains are found in HP metamorphic
veins (e.g. Liati and Gebauer 1999; Rubatto et al. 1999;
Rubatto and Hermann 2003). This growth requires dissolu-
tion of Zr from other sources (most likely magmatic zircon
in the country rock) and very high fluid/rock ratios. These
hydrothermal zircon crystals lack inheritance, are euhedral
ELEMENTS
C
F
I
and polygonally zoned, and may contain inclusions of HP
minerals (FIG. 1G). In subducted rocks that have reached
temperatures high enough to cause partial melting
(T > 650°C), inherited zircon can be completely dissolved or
lost, and new metamorphic zircon, which tends to be euhe-
dral and exhibits regular zoning, may be precipitated
(FIGS. 1H, I; Hermann et al. 2001; Katayama et al. 2001).
These features resemble those of melt-related zircon formed
at high temperatures but lower pressures in granulites and
migmatites (see Harley et al. 2007 this issue).
Metamorphic zircon found in HP rocks has usually been
interpreted as forming at the pressure peak, i.e. the maxi-
mum subduction depth, which in most cases also corre-
sponds to the temperature peak. However, zircon in HP
rocks can in fact form over a wide range of conditions, from
prograde subduction through to post-peak exhumation
(FIG. 2). This explains why zircon often preserves multiple
growth zones formed at different stages of HP metamor-
phism (FIGS. 1E, H, I). In rare cases, metamorphic zircon can
form in low-pressure (<1.0 GPa) veins that are produced on
the prograde burial path during subduction and accompa-
nying dehydration. This occurs before the subducting crust
reaches the depth at which eclogite-facies mineral assem-
blages are formed (Liati and Gebauer 1999; Rubatto et al.
1999; Spandler et al. 2004). There is some evidence that,
once the rock is at great depth, metamorphic zircon forms
even before the pressure peak. The formation of prograde
HP zircon can explain the range of ages (~240–215 Ma) doc-
umented in HP zircon of the Dabie-Sulu orogen of eastern
China (e.g. Wan et al. 2005; Wu et al. 2006). Importantly,
zircon formation has also been documented during post-
peak exhumation of subducted crust, i.e. at pressures less
32 F EBRUARY 2007
than the maximum attained. This is particularly common
in rocks that maintained relatively high temperatures dur-
ing exhumation, such as those of the Kokchetav Massif in
Kazakhstan or the Dabie-Sulu belt in China. In these cases,
the retrograde formation of zircon is generally attributed to
recrystallization in the presence of melts produced as a result
of decompression-melting reactions.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the fact that the conditions at which zir-

con forms in subducted rocks vary over a wide P–T range
(1.8–4.5 GPa and 450–950°C), suggesting that zircon does
not form by a single reaction. In these rocks, zircon forms
by processes that can act over a variety of P–T conditions,
whenever fluids or external factors (deformation, reaction
kinetics, time) permit. Despite recent advances, our under-
standing of the influence of such factors on zircon forma-
tion is still quite limited.

ZIRCON AS A MINERAL CONTAINER

Zircon is also important in the study of HP metamorphism
because of its extraordinary capacity to preserve mineral
inclusions. This is due to its physical and chemical stability
and its reluctance to re-equilibrate or dissolve at lower pres-
sure conditions. In deeply subducted rocks that subse-
quently underwent intense lower-pressure recrystallization,
zircon may contain the best or only evidence of the HP
stage. For example, in the crustal rocks of the Kokchetav
Massif, phases such as diamond and coesite have been
almost exclusively found as small inclusions in zircon
(FIG. 1H; Parkinson and Katayama 1999; Hermann et al.
2001; Katayama et al. 2001; Ogasawara 2005). Similarly, in
the UHP rocks of the Dabie-Sulu orogen in China, coesite is
extensively preserved as inclusions in metamorphic zircon
(Wan et al. 2005), even in gneisses that have been com-
pletely retrogressed under lower-pressure conditions and
preserve no other UHP relicts (Ye et al. 2000). Because of the
remarkable confining strength of zircon, the coesite inclu-
sions it contains can remain under high internal pressures
even when the rocks are exposed at Earth’s surface. For
example, Parkinson and Katayama (1999) demonstrated
using laser Raman spectroscopy that some coesite inclu-
sions in zircon retain pressures up to 2 GPa. Similarly,
zircon formed during low-temperature hydrothermal alter-
ation is able to protect low-grade minerals from later HP
metamorphism, providing a window into pre-subduction
processes (Spandler et al. 2004).
Identification of pressure-indicator minerals as inclusions
in zircon has become increasingly important, not only for
the diagnosis of UHP metamorphism, but particularly for
the interpretation of zircon ages in the context of the meta-
morphic P–T path. Mineral inclusions provide an excellent
link between zircon formation and P–T conditions, and
thus between age and metamorphism. The use of mineral
inclusions as a tool to link the age of zircon to P–T condi-
tions in subducted rocks has grown considerably from the
pioneering work of Gebauer et al. (1997). Identifying pres-
sure-indicator minerals such as coesite, zircon, rutile,
omphacite, HP garnet and Ti-rich phengite in zircon
(FIGS. 1D, G–H) requires detailed microscopy, spot chemical
analysis and in some cases Raman microspectroscopy.
These techniques are widely available, low-cost and non-
destructive, and assist greatly in relating ages to metamor-
phic evolution (e.g. Hermann et al. 2001; Katayama et al.
2001; Rubatto and Hermann 2003; Gilotti et al. 2004; Span-
dler et al. 2004; Wan et al. 2005; Zhang et al. 2005), partic-
ularly where multiple zircon growth stages with different
inclusion generations are preserved (FIG. 1H).
FIGURE 2 Schematic representation of zircon preservation and for-
mation in subducted rocks. Zircon in subducted rocks
records a number of different processes and forms over a wide range of
P–T conditions. Symbols represent different zircon types. The various
P–T paths refer to specific localities: pink – Kokchetav Massif, Kazakhstan
(Hermann et al. 2001; Katayama et al. 2001); brown – Rhodope, Greece
(Liati and Gebauer 1999); red – Dabieshan, China (e.g. Wu et al. 2006);
light blue – Western Alps, Italy (e.g. Rubatto et al. 1998; Rubatto et al.
1999; Rubatto and Hermann 2003); dark blue – New Caledonia (Span-
dler et al. 2004); green – Syros, Greece (Tomaschek et al. 2003).
ZIRCON AS A CHEMICAL TRACER
In the last decade there has been an ever-increasing capa-
bility of microbeam techniques to measure in situ the
chemical and isotopic compositions of small volumes of
materials. As a consequence, the analysis of small grains of
accessory minerals such as zircon has become increasingly
important to geochemical studies. Zircon contains signifi-
cant amounts of a number of key elements [such as Hf, Y,
the heavy rare earth elements (HREE) and of course Zr] that
are present in trace quantities in rocks but are important
geochemical tracers. The composition of zircon is relevant
to the study of subducted rocks for two main reasons: (1)
the dissolution and crystallization of zircon strongly influ-
ence the transport and release of these trace elements at
depth in the ‘subduction factory’, and (2) the trace element
composition of zircon may assist in age interpretation.
Despite comprising only 0.01% by volume of subducted
oceanic crust, zircon, where present, carries most of the Zr
(>95%) and Hf (~90%) and a significant amount of the U
(~25%) contained in the bulk rock (Rubatto and Hermann
2003). Dissolution of accessory zircon in liberated fluids and
melts will therefore play a fundamental role in the transfer of
Zr and Hf from the subducted slab to the overlying mantle.

ELEMENTS 33 F EBRUARY 2007

Rubatto (2002) first documented that zircon formed at HP
has a peculiar trace element pattern, with no enrichment in
HREE and no Eu anomaly, two features common in mag-
matic zircon (FIG. 3). The negative Eu anomaly in the REE
pattern of magmatic zircon can be explained by the presence
of coexisting feldspars, which have a strong positive Eu
anomaly, whereas HREE enrichment is related to the pre-
ferred substitution of the smaller REEs on the Zr site. Rocks
equilibrated under HP conditions are characterised by the
presence of abundant garnet (a mineral rich in HREE) and
omphacite, and by the absence of feldspars. Zircon formed
in equilibrium with these eclogitic minerals will thus be
depleted in HREE relative to the middle REE (giving a flat
chondrite-normalised HREE pattern with Lu/Gd < 3) and
enriched in Eu (producing no negative Eu anomaly and
with Eu/Euexpected > 0.75; FIG. 3). The peculiar trace element
composition of HP zircon distinguishes it not only from
most magmatic zircon but also from metamorphic zircon
crystallized under lower-pressure conditions, where feldspar
is present. The chemical signature of HP zircon is remark-
ably reproducible and has been observed in a wide range of
rock types that have experienced HP metamorphism. This
diagnostic tool is expected to be very robust because diffusion
of REE in zircon is slow enough to be insignificant under
most geological conditions experienced by crustal rocks.
FIGURE 3 Rare earth element (REE) composition of zircon normalized
to chondrite abundances. Thick lines represent HP zircon
from different rocks and conditions. When compared to magmatic zircon
(gabbro from Monviso) and low-pressure metamorphic zircon (amphi-
bolite facies, Kokchetav Massif), HP zircon has relatively low HREE con-
tents, shows flat HREE patterns and lacks a negative Eu anomaly. The value
for La in magmatic and Sesia Zone metasediment was not measured,
but inferred from detection limits. Sources: light blue – HP metasedi-
ment, Sesia Zone (Rubatto 2002); pink – UHP gneiss, Kokchetav Massif
(Hermann et al. 2001); dark blue – HP vein, Monviso (Rubatto and Her-
mann 2003); red – kyanite eclogite, Greenland (Gilotti et al. 2004);
brown – retrogressed eclogite, Rhodope (Liati 2005). LREE: light REE,
MREE: middle REE; HREE: heavy REE.
ZIRCON AS A TIME CAPSULE
Zircon has long been one of the most commonly used
geochronometers for crustal rocks, but its application to HP
rocks has become prominent only in the last 15 years. This
is because zircon in HP rocks generally consists of multiple
domains formed at different stages of metamorphism
(FIG. 1), such that dating of entire crystals will often result
ELEMENTS
in mixed ages. This problem was surmounted with the
development of the sensitive high resolution ion micro-
probe (SHRIMP), the first instrument capable of dating min-
eral domains as small as 20 µm. Since it was first applied to
the study of HP rocks (Gebauer 1996; Gebauer et al. 1997),
there has been an explosion of ion microprobe U–Pb analysis
to date zircon growth zones in subduction-related rocks.
In dating HP rocks that have experienced temperatures
above 650°C, the use of zircon is particularly important
because the U–Pb system is one of the few chronometers
that is resistant to such high temperatures. Dating of UHP
rocks is particularly difficult because a large part of the
decompression history occurs at nearly constant tempera-
ture (FIG. 2), making it essential that formation and not
cooling ages are determined to constrain the time span of
exhumation. U–Pb ages date the formation of a particular
zircon domain and not its cooling below the closure tem-
perature of diffusion of the daughter product of the radioac-
tive decay. This temperature resistance, together with the
chemical robustness, allows preservation of multiple zircon
ages, from inherited to prograde, peak and retrograde con-
ditions. Because zircon in HP rocks can preserve inheritance
and can form at different stages of the subduction–exhu-
mation cycle (FIG. 2), the age of any zircon domain cannot
simply be assumed to date the pressure or temperature peak
of the rock, but must be linked to P–T conditions.
In order to link ages to metamorphic conditions, a number
of methods can be used. Initially and most commonly, the
shape and internal zoning of zircon have been used to dis-
tinguish between inherited and metamorphic zircon. A
Th/U ratio < 0.1 has long been recognised as a common fea-
ture of metamorphic zircon, in contrast to Th/U ratios of
0.2–0.8 in magmatic zircon. The most direct way of deter-
mining the conditions of zircon formation is by document-
ing metamorphic mineral inclusions contained in distinct
zircon domains. These mineral inclusions (for example
coesite, diamond and garnet) are trapped during the growth
of a zircon and permit the zircon domain to be related to
the stable paragenesis in the host rock (e.g. Hermann et al.
2001; Katayama et al. 2001). On the other hand, textural
relationships between zircon and other HP minerals have
often proven to be inconclusive because of common inher-
itance – a zircon included in a HP mineral might easily be
the relict of a magmatic or detrital crystal. The trace ele-
ment signature of HP zircon discussed above is effective in
distinguishing it from inherited or low-pressure zircon.
Additionally, a recently developed geothermometer based
on the Ti content in zircon in equilibrium with rutile (TiO2)
is an important tool in relating zircon growth to tempera-
ture (Watson et al. 2006). As is often the case in science,
there is no magic wand for interpreting the age obtained
from zircon. The most successful zircon dating studies of
deeply subducted rocks are those that combine a number of
methods to interpret the age and that consider the com-
plexity of the rock system.
ZIRCON SPEEDOMETRY
Zircon is often the only mineral that retains age informa-
tion from different stages in the subduction–exhumation
cycle, and thus zircon has been used to determine the speed
at which rock units are subducted and exhumed. The dia-
mond-bearing gneisses of the Kokchetav Massif are an
excellent example where multiple zircon growth stages
have been documented (FIG. 2). Surprisingly, the age
obtained from zircon domains containing diamonds is
indistinguishable within error from the age of zircon
domains formed at lower pressure, indicating that exhuma-
tion from depths of >140 km to 30 km took place in less
34 F EBRUARY 2007
then 6 Ma. This implies very fast exhumation rates of more
than 1.8 cm/year (Hermann et al. 2001). Such high exhu-
mation rates have also been found in the Eocene–Oligocene
UHP Dora Maira unit in the Alps (2.2–3.4 cm/year; Gebauer
et al. 1997; Rubatto and Hermann 2001). The discovery of
very young zircon of 4 Ma in (U)HP rocks from Papua New
Guinea (Baldwin et al. 2004) provides unequivocal proof of
fast exhumation rates for deeply subducted crust. These
rates are comparable to rates of seafloor spreading and plate
convergence, indicating that exhumation can be as fast as
subduction. Such fast exhumation rates exceed the known
rates of erosion, providing evidence that exhumation of
deeply subducted crust must be related to tectonic processes
within the slab.
What remains unresolved is the time that HP rocks spend at
depth. This problem is due to the relative scarcity of pro-
grade geochronological information from zircon or any
other geochronometer. The initial data available indicate
that the duration of an entire subduction–exhumation
cycle varies significantly and may last from a few million
years (Liati and Gebauer 1999) to tens of millions of years
(Wu et al. 2006).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank guest editors Simon Harley and Nigel Kelly for
the invitation to contribute to this issue. The work pre-
sented is the result of collaborations over the years with R.
Compagnoni (Torino, Italy), D. Gebauer (Zürich, Switzerland),
A. Korsakov (Novosibirsk, Russia), and C. Spandler and O.
Müntener (Bern, Switzerland). Internal reviews by M. Norman
and R. Rapp, and journal reviews by I. Parsons, J. Mattinson
and D. Root helped to improve the manuscript. This work
was supported by the Australian Research Council. .

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Geisler T, Schaltegger U, Tomaschek F (2007)
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fluids and melts. Elements 3: 43-50
Gilotti JA, Nutman AP, Brueckner HK (2004)
Devonian to Carboniferous collision in
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Harley SL, Kelly NM, Möller A (2007) Zircon
behaviour and the thermal histories of
mountain chains. Elements 3: 25-30
Hermann J, Rubatto D, Korsakov A, Shatsky
VS (2001) Multiple zircon growth during
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Petrology 141: 66-82
Katayama I, Maruyama S, Parkinson CD,
Terada K, Sano Y (2001) Ion micro-probe
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retrograde stages of ultrahigh-pressure
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massif, northern Kazakhstan. Earth and
Planetary Science Letters 188: 185-198
Liati A, Gebauer D (1999) Constraining the
prograde and retrograde P-T-t path of
Eocene HP rocks by SHRIMP dating of
different zircon domains: inferred rates of
heating, burial, cooling and exhumation
for central Rhodope, northern Greece.
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Petrology 135: 340-354
Liati A (2005) Identification of repeated
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events by U–Pb SHRIMP geochronology
and REE geochemistry of zircon: the
Rhodope zone of Northern Greece.
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Petrology 150: 608-630
Ogasawara Y (2005) Microdiamonds in
ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks.
Elements 1: 91-96
Parkinson CD, Katayama I (1999) Present-day
ultrahigh-pressure conditions of coesite
inclusions in zircon and garnet: Evidence
from laser Raman microspectroscopy.
Geology 27: 979-982
Rubatto D (2002) Zircon trace element
geochemistry: partitioning with garnet
and the link between U–Pb ages and
metamorphism. Chemical Geology 184:
123-138
Rubatto D, Hermann J (2001) Exhumation
as fast as subduction? Geology 29: 3-6
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(1999) Dating of eclogite-facies zircons:
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pressure metamorphism. Journal of
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XM, Wu F-Y (2006) U-Pb, Hf and O
isotope evidence for two episodes of
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Maruyama S (2000) Large areal extent of
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ELEMENTS 35 F EBRUARY 2007

ELEMENTS 36 F EBRUARY 2007
 Rare Earth Element Behavior
in Zircon–Melt Systems
John M. Hanchar1 and Wim van Westrenen2
N
atural zircon crystals incorporate rare earth elements (REE) into their
structure at concentrations determined by the pressure, temperature,
and composition of their growth environment. In principle, REE
concentrations in magmatic zircon crystals can be used to infer their conditions
of growth and the composition of the melt from which they grew—provided
accurate information is available about the distribution of REE between zircon
and melt. Currently available zircon–melt partitioning data show a range in
values covering several orders of magnitude for some REE. Further experimen-
tal work and studies using carefully selected natural samples are required to
fully understand REE incorporation in zircon.
KEYWORDS: zircon, partition coefficients, rare earth elements,
accessory minerals, equilibrium melts
INTRODUCTION
Zircon (ZrSiO4) is an accessory mineral present only in
minor amounts in rocks. In crustal felsic magmatic rocks, it
often incorporates minor and trace amounts of lithophile
elements such as Sc, Y, the rare earth elements (REE), Ti, Hf,
Th, U, Nb, Ta, V, and P (Rollinson 1993). The concentrations
and distribution of these elements in zircon are of great
interest to geochemists and petrologists who study the
chemical composition and evolution of the Earth’s crust
(Hoskin and Schaltegger 2003). For example, the Ti content
of ancient zircon crystals in sedimentary rocks has been
used to establish the temperature at which the parent rocks
crystallized (Watson and Harrison 2005). Similarly, the REE
contents of ~4-billion-year-old single zircon grains have
been used to argue for the presence of felsic magmas and
liquid oceans at this very early stage in Earth history (Peck
et al. 2001; Wilde et al. 2001). Because crystalline zircon is
generally resistant to alteration (in some cases zircon crystals
become metamict from the radiation damage caused by the
radioactive decay of U and Th to Pb—see Geisler et al. 2007
this issue), the REE concentrations form a unique record of
the conditions under which the crystal grew. Over the past
thirty-seven years, a significant effort has gone into under-
standing the mechanisms and processes involved in the
incorporation of trace elements in zircon during geologic
processes. Such knowledge is crucial if we are to interpret
this record correctly and determine the temperatures, pres-
sures, and melt compositions during zircon growth (e.g.
Hoskin and Schaltegger 2003; Watson and Harrison 2005).
Precise knowledge of such melt properties and compositions
is critical, for example, to arguments regarding the production
1 Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland,
Alexander Murray Building, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X5 Canada
E-mail: johnh@esd.mun.ca
2 Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085
1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
E-mail: wim.van.westrenen@falw.vu.nl
ELEMENTS, VOL. 3, PP. 37–42
Cathodoluminescence
photomicrograph of a
zircon crystal mounted in
epoxy and polished to
expose its interior. This
image reveals concentric
growth zoning and the
inclusion of a small apatite crystal
(yellow in CL) and two inclusions of
potassium feldspar (blue in CL). Field
of view is ~2.5 mm in the horizontal
direction. PHOTOMICROGRAPH COURTESY OF
JAN KOŠLER AND JOHN M. HANCHAR
and composition of the earliest
crust of the Earth and to modeling
of the growth of the continents.
We review studies of the behavior
of REE during zircon growth from
magma in natural and experimental
synthetic systems to illustrate the
successes and pitfalls of this
approach, and we point out the
kinds of advances that need to be
made if we are to fully utilize this
information.
REE IN MAGMATIC ZIRCON
Due to their similar electronic configurations, the various
REE exhibit similar geochemical behaviors. They often
enter the same crystallographic site in minerals and generally
have the same valence state (e.g. 3+). However, their ionic
radii decrease systematically as a function of atomic number
from La (0.116 nm) to Lu (0.0977 nm) (radii for 8-fold coor-
dination with oxygen; Shannon 1976)—the so-called lan-
thanide contraction. This decrease in size is the main attribute
that governs the subtle differences in their geochemical
behavior exploited by geochemists.
As a consequence of their relatively large ionic radii and
high charge, REE are considered to be incompatible elements
during crystallization in felsic magmatic systems (Rollinson
1993)—they cannot easily substitute for the major cations
in the primary rock-forming minerals in these systems, but
rather prefer to reside in the coexisting melt. Because of
their larger ionic radii, the light rare earth elements (LREE:
La–Gd) are generally more incompatible than the heavy
rare earths (HREE: Tb–Lu). In contrast, REE are highly com-
patible in many accessory minerals that form during the
final stages of magma crystallization. In some accessory
minerals, such as monazite (nominally CePO4 or LREEPO4)
and xenotime (nominally YPO4 or HREEPO4), REE are
major structural components. As a result, it has been pro-
posed that crystallization of accessory minerals, rather than
the main rock-forming minerals, often controls the REE
budget in felsic rocks (e.g. Wark and Miller 1993).
In zircon, the trivalent REE (i.e. REE3+) substitute for Zr4+
(radius 0.084 nm). To compensate for the charge difference
and ensure that zircon maintains charge neutrality, incor-
poration of REE is thought to involve the so-called “xeno-
time” substitution (e.g. Zr4+ + Si4+ → REE3+ + P5+), which
requires a pentavalent element like P5+ substituting for Si4+
(e.g. Hanchar et al. 2001; Hoskin and Schaltegger 2003 and
37 F EBRUARY 2007
references therein). Natural zircon crystals commonly contain
trace to minor amounts of REE and P (with concentrations
ranging from tens to hundreds of parts per million), and
some contain several weight percent of these elements
(Hoskin and Schaltegger 2003). All are enriched in HREE
over LREE, which makes sense intuitively as the HREE are
closer in radius to Zr4+ than the LREE. This enrichment in
HREE has been reported for synthetic zircon crystals and
natural samples (Hanchar et al. 2001 and references therein).
Many researchers have attempted to quantify how these
differing zircon REE contents are related to the REE con-
tents of the melts from which zircon grew—in other words,
how REE partition between zircon and melt (FIG. 1). Min-
eral–melt partitioning behavior for an element i is quanti-
fied using the Nernst partition coefficient, Di, defined as
(1)
where D is the partition coefficient for element i, and CMineral
and CMelt are the concentrations by weight of trace element
i in the mineral and melt, respectively (Beattie et al. 1993).
If the partition coefficients (Eq. 1) for REE in zircon are
known, they can, in principle, be used to calculate the REE
composition of the melt that was in equilibrium with the
zircon when it crystallized. This information may seem trivial
for zircon crystals that still reside in the magmatic rock in
FIGURE 1 Plots of partition coefficients (D) for REE in zircon from
selected natural samples (A) and experimental studies (B).
ELEMENTS
which they were formed. After all, in that case we can use
chemical and mineralogical information from the rock as a
whole to determine its conditions of formation. However,
many zircon grains, especially older ones, have been sepa-
rated from the rock in which they first grew. Because they
are so much more resistant to alteration than the main
igneous rock-forming minerals, zircon grains are often the
only remaining witnesses of ancient magmatic events. In
these cases, where the physical context of their growth
environment has completely disappeared, knowledge of
partitioning data would still allow us to determine the host
rock type, as well as the pressure and temperature at which
the zircon crystals grew. This useful geologic information
may be used for constraining the provenance of zircon-
bearing sedimentary rocks and for relating tracer isotopic
(e.g. Hf–Lu) or geochronologic (e.g. U–Pb) data to the chemical
composition preserved within zircon crystals (Scherer et al.
2007 this issue).
ZIRCON–MELT PARTITIONING
Several representative, published data sets of D(zircon/melt)REE
are plotted in FIGURE 1. Almost all of these data sets were
obtained by analyzing the REE contents of zircon and co-
existing groundmass in volcanic rocks or melt inclusions
(small blebs of glass representing silicate liquid trapped during
zircon growth). For many other mineral–melt systems
extensive experimental data sets, obtained from equilibrating
minerals and melts under high-pressure and high-temperature
38 F EBRUARY 2007
conditions, exist. Unfortunately, growing zircon crystals
large enough to allow accurate measurements of their trace
element contents has proven to be extremely challenging
on laboratory timescales of days to weeks.
Some features are shared by all published studies. The shape
of the REE partition coefficient curves in FIGURE 1 is broadly
convex upward, with a flattening of the partition coefficient
curve at the HREE end. As expected from crystal-chemical
considerations for zircon and the decreasing ionic size from
La to Lu, results obtained from these studies confirm that
HREE are more compatible than LREE in the zircon structure.
The most striking aspect of FIGURE 1 is the range and mag-
nitude over which different published partition coefficient
data sets vary, whether obtained from natural samples or
experiments. The partition coefficients for selected LREE as
calculated using natural samples, span four orders of mag-
nitude, and those for the HREE span nearly two orders of
magnitude. The difference between HREE and LREE partition
coefficients within a single data set also varies enormously:
from two to six orders of magnitude between DLa and DLu.
This begs the question: which, if any, of these data sets
should be used to estimate melt REE contents and patterns
from measured zircon REE contents? To begin to answer
this question, a theoretical framework for the interpretation
of zircon–melt DREE values is required.
A B
C
ELEMENTS
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
FOR ZIRCON–MELT PARTITIONING
The theoretical partitioning framework discussed here is
based on the work of Onuma et al. (1968). They noticed
that plots of the logarithms of partition coefficients against
ionic radii (so-called Onuma diagrams) have simple parabolic
shapes (FIG. 2) with their apex near the optimal site size for
the element that is substituted, in our case Zr4+. Subse-
quently, Blundy and Wood (1994) developed a crystal
structural strain model that links these parabolas to the
elastic properties of the relevant structural site in the crystal.
The structural strain model has proven to be a very useful
tool to interpret REE mineral–melt partition coefficients
and predict their variation with temperature, pressure, and
composition. An excellent overview is given by Blundy and
Wood (2003a). Blundy and Wood (2003b) used their model
to predict partition coefficients for U and Th in zircon.
FIGURE 2 shows four of the REE data sets from FIGURE 1 and
illustrates graphically how the Blundy and Wood (1994)
approach can be used to assess the significance of the vari-
ations shown in FIGURE 1. Two of the data sets (Fujimaki
1986 and Hinton and Upton 1991) show significant positive
deviations from predicted parabolic behavior for the LREE.
The very first study of zircon–rock partitioning of REE
(Nagasawa 1970), in which zircon crystals in volcanic rocks
were separated from the groundmass and then completely
D
FIGURE 2 Onuma diagrams showing measured zircon–melt REE par-
tition coefficients as a function of REE radius (symbols) and
least-squares fits of the Blundy and Wood (1994) theoretical structural
strain model (curves) to the data. Discrepancies between measurements
and models are discussed in the text.
39 F EBRUARY 2007
dissolved for trace element analysis, had already provided a A
possible explanation for this effect. Nagasawa (1970) hinted
at the possible inclusion within the separated zircon grains
of small crystals of monazite or some other LREE-rich
phase. Such inclusions can greatly elevate the apparent REE
composition of zircon, even at inclusion concentrations as
low as 0.01–0.001 vol% (Jain et al. 2001). In this case, the
zircon crystals, in which the natural concentration of LREE
is low, are essentially a dilutant for LREE-rich inclusions.

The structural strain approach allows prediction of “true”

zircon–melt LREE partition coefficients in zircon samples
that contain such inclusions. Best-fit curves to the Blundy
and Wood (1994) model (FIGS. 2A, B) show that true parti-
tion coefficients for the LREE are likely up to three orders of
magnitude lower than those measured in some of the stud-
ies illustrated in FIGURE 1. This effect explains much of the
variation in DLREE values shown in FIGURE 1 and suggests
that the data sets with the highest DLREE values should prob-
ably not be used to reconstruct melt compositions.

In addition to differences due to the incorporation of inclu- B

sions in zircon, some of the spread in FIGURE 1 may also be
explained by uncertainty about the composition of the melt
from which zircon crystallized. The present bulk rock com-
position may differ significantly from that of the melt in
equilibrium with the zircon crystals when they grew.
Another factor to be considered is whether the zircon
grains, or parts thereof, are restitic (i.e. residual solid material
that remains at the site of melting during the production of
magma). In this case, the REE composition contributed
from the restitic fraction of the zircon population would
have no inherent relationship to the rock from which the
zircon grains were extracted. In recent studies, melt inclu-
sions and areas of crystals tens of micrometers in diameter
have been analyzed using secondary ion mass spectrometry
(SIMS) and laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma –
mass spectrometry (LA-ICP–MS), obviating the need for sep-
arate analyses of zircons and bulk rock. Two recent studies
(Sano et al. 2002; Thomas et al. 2002) show good agreement
between measured values and the structural strain model
(FIGS. 2C, D). C
Structural strain analysis of all available zircon–melt DREE
data shows that the peak of the parabolic trends always lies
at an ionic radius smaller than that of Lu, in agreement
with the fact that the radius of Lu is closest to that of Zr
(FIG. 2). The only exception is the pioneering experimental
study at high temperature and pressure of Watson (1980),
in which the apex of the partition coefficient curve appears
to occur near Ho (FIG. 1B). Because of the experimental dif-
ficulty of growing zircon crystals large enough for in situ
analysis, Watson (1980) utilized a mass balance approach to
determine DLu. In addition he did not add important
charge-balancing ions such as P5+ to his experiment. From
our comparison with all other available data, it is clear that
Watson’s inventive approach introduced significant errors.

Finally, some of the data sets in FIGURES 1 and 2 show the

anomalous behavior of Ce commonly reported for in situ
zircon REE analyses. DCe appears high compared to the D for
other LREE—the so-called Ce anomaly. The reason for this
anomaly is that under oxidizing conditions, Ce can be present
in both 4+ and 3+ valence states. In general, 4+ cations are
significantly more soluble in zircon than 3+ cations because
their incorporation onto the Zr4+ site does not require any FIGURE 3 (A) Plot of a chondrite-normalized whole-rock analysis of
a sample of adamellite from the Boggy Plain zoned pluton
charge balancing, and Ce4+ is closer in size to Zr4+ than
(Hoskin et al. 2000). (B) Chondrite- normalized plot of zircon magmatic
Ce3+. The deviation of DCe from the predicted structural rim composition using in situ LA-ICP–MS analysis from the same
strain curve (FIGS. 2B, C, D) can potentially be used to quan- adamellite sample as in (A). (C) Calculated melt composition using REE
tify the fraction of Ce that is tetravalent and hence serve as partition coefficients from the four studies in FIGURE 2. Green triangles:
Fujimaki (1986); red diamonds: Hinton and Upton (1991); black circles:
a proxy for the oxidation state during zircon growth.
Sano et al. (2002); and white open squares: Thomas et al. (2002).
Chondrite normalization values are from Anders and Grevesse (1989).

ELEMENTS 40 F EBRUARY 2007

EQUILIBRIUM MELT CALCULATIONS
The data set that conforms best to the structural strain
model is that reported by Sano et al. (2002) (FIG. 2C) from
an ion-probe study of REE partitioning between silicate
glass (i.e. natural dacite), zircon, and apatite. To illustrate
how these D values can be applied, we have used the four
representative data sets in FIGURE 2 to calculate the REE
composition of the melt in equilibrium with zircon from a
well-characterized adamellite (a type of granite) sample
from the Boggy Plain zoned pluton in the Lachlan Fold
Belt, Australia (Hoskin et al. 2000). This pluton is composed
of adamellite (~70 vol%) and granodiorite (~20 vol%), with
the remainder of dioritic and aplitic composition. For some
samples, high-quality REE measurements are available for
both the bulk rock and magmatic zircon (FIGS. 3A, B, respec-
tively). The zircon is thought to have crystallized from the
adamellite in which it is found. This example therefore
allows a direct comparison between the bulk rock REE con-
tent inferred from the REE content of the small zircon grains
and the measured rock REE content. As discussed above, in
most current applications of zircon–melt partition coeffi-
cients, this reality check is simply unavailable.
The calculated melt REE compositions using zircon–melt
partition coefficient data from Fujimaki (1986), Hinton and
Upton (1991), and Thomas et al. (2002) show significant
deviations from the actual rock analysis reported in Hoskin
et al. (2000) (FIG. 3A). The greatest deviation is for the REE
partition coefficients reported in Fujimaki et al. (1986), as
would be expected from the structural strain analysis in FIG-
URE 2. Given the flatness in the partition coefficient data for
the LREE (FIG. 1A) and the deviation from the Blundy and
Wood (1994) model (the curve in FIG. 2A), it would be
unreasonable to expect that the calculated melt would
resemble a geologic melt. The melts calculated from the
partition coefficients of Hinton and Upton and Thomas et
al. (FIG. 3C) also do not closely resemble the REE pattern for
adamellite (FIG. 3A). In part, this is expected, given the deviation
of the Hinton and Upton data from the structural strain
model. The Thomas et al. data fit the structural strain
model more closely and their partition coefficient values
appear similar to those reported by Sano et al. (2002).
The melt calculated using the REE partition coefficients from
Sano et al. (2002) (FIG. 3C) resembles the adamellite most
closely. However, there are still some significant differences.
For example, the LREE concentrations in the calculated melt
are almost an order of magnitude greater than the actual
bulk rock analysis. Overall, the slope of the calculated melt
REE pattern is similar to that of the bulk rock sample.
What does this example tell us about using REE partition
coefficients for zircon to calculate equilibrium melt compo-
sitions? It is difficult to be too critical of the early studies
described here (e.g. Nagasawa 1970; Watson 1980). As
noted above, inclusions of REE-rich minerals or analytical
or experimental concerns may have caused observed devia-
tions from theoretically expected values. A related issue to
consider is elemental zoning in zircon. Many, perhaps all,
zircon crystals are chemically zoned (Hanchar and Miller
1993; Hanchar et al. 2001; Corfu et al. 2003; Nasdala et al.
2005; Harley et al. 2007 and elsewhere in this issue), and
this property may make it extremely difficult to determine
which part, if any, of a zircon is representative of the bulk-
rock composition of the host rock. Furthermore, it is not
completely clear what REE “information” is being recorded
by a zircon when it grows. In felsic systems, unlike mafic
systems where the REE are often partitioned into the major
rock-forming minerals, the local environment around the
ELEMENTS
zircon when it is crystallizing as an accessory phase may
greatly affect the amount of REE it can incorporate, regard-
less of the partition coefficient for a given REE. For example,
if monazite is growing when zircon starts to crystallize, the
local REE budget that a zircon “sees” when it is crystallizing
would be vastly different from the bulk-rock composition.
Overall, our review shows that DREE values based on recent
in situ analyses should be used preferentially over values
from older studies. However, among these in situ studies,
large variations in absolute DREE values, in particular the
LREE, remain. To date, even though partition coefficients
are thermodynamic variables, few data exist on how zir-
con–melt DREE values vary with changes in pressure and
temperature. This serious gap in knowledge needs to be
filled if we wish to use zircon REE concentrations to make
inferences about zircon growth environments and, for
example, the character of the earliest continental crust that
formed through crystallization of melts. Additionally, a
potentially important aspect of zircon–melt partitioning
that has not been addressed in this paper is the role of the
structure (and thus the composition) of the melt on zir-
con–melt partitioning. In a recent paper, Prowatke and
Klemme (2005) show that the composition of the melt
plays a major role in REE partitioning between melt and
apatite or titanite. Melt composition may thus play a major
role in the partitioning of REE into zircon in felsic systems.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
It is not a trivial matter to determine REE partition coeffi-
cients for zircon and then use them to calculate the bulk
composition of the host rock. Even when a bulk-rock REE
analysis and a zircon analysis are available, it is not neces-
sarily possible to back-calculate the bulk-rock composition
using published REE partition coefficients. This is true even
for partition coefficients that closely approximate theoreti-
cally predicted values. More experimental studies of zir-
con–melt partitioning are required to develop a clearer
understanding of variations in DREE values and to better
explain their deviations from the expected values deter-
mined using the structural strain model discussed in this
paper. The scarcity of accurate, systematic experimental
data at present limits the utility of this method to calculate
melt compositions, especially in the case of detrital zircon
for which the source-rock composition is most likely not
known. This observation has major implications for the use
of detrital zircon grains from the Jack Hills, Australia, the
oldest known terrestrial objects (Wilde et al. 2001), to cal-
culate parent melt compositions and hence the trace ele-
ment composition of 4400 Ma old crust. It also highlights
the need for new types of experiments and studies using
well-characterized natural samples, such as melt inclusions
in zircon, that will allow a better understanding of the nat-
ural processes governing zircon–melt REE partitioning.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Simon Harley and Nigel Kelly for inviting us to
write this paper, to E. Bruce Watson for encouraging JMH to
pursue zircon REE partition coefficients in the first place,
and to Calvin Miller, Stephan Klemme, and Ian Parsons for
their reviews of the manuscript. JMH thanks Jean-Marc
Montel of the Laboratoire des Mécanismes et Transferts en
Géologie, Toulouse, France, for his hospitality and for pro-
viding infrastructure support for the writing of this paper
while in Toulouse. WvW acknowledges financial support
from NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific
Research). .
41 F EBRUARY 2007
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F EBRUARY 2007
 Re-equilibration of Zircon
in Aqueous Fluids and Melts
Thorsten Geisler1, Urs Schaltegger2, and Frank Tomaschek1

N
atural zircon crystals often show complex secondary textures that cut state diffusion–reaction process
and (2) the chemical re-equilibration
across primary growth zones. In zircon showing structural damage
of crystalline zircon solid solutions
caused by self-irradiation, such textures are the result of a diffusion– during interaction with aqueous
reaction process in which a hydrous species diffuses inwards and “catalyzes” fluids or melts by a coupled disso-
lution–reprecipitation process.
structural recovery. Nanoscale pores develop, solvent elements such as Ca, Al
and Fe are gained, and radiogenic Pb is lost. In both aqueous fluids and melts,
STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES
replacement of zircon with undamaged structure by a coupled dissolution– OF NON-IDEAL ZIRCON
reprecipitation process can produce similar textures. The reacted domains SOLID SOLUTIONS
usually have lower trace element contents and may contain micrometer-sized Zircon forms isostructural solid
pores and inclusions of uranium, thorium and/or yttrium phases, originally solutions with, for example, hafnon
(HfSiO4), coffinite (USiO4), thorite
in solid solution. Both processes have considerable implications (ThSiO4), and xenotime-(Y) (YPO4)
for zircon geochronology. (Finch and Hanchar 2003). The
KEYWORDS: zircon, melts, aqueous fluids, geochronology solubility of the latter three com-
pounds in the zircon structure is
INTRODUCTION limited even at high temperatures (less than ~10 mol% at
Ideal zircon (ZrSiO4) is stable under crustal and upper-mantle 900°C; e.g. Ushakov et al. 1999). Such zircon solid solutions
conditions. However, over the last 20 years, geochronolo- are thus non-ideal and are characterized by large miscibility
gists have observed a number of complex secondary internal gaps. A zircon–coffinite solid solution, for example, that
textures in zircon crystals from various geological environ- crystallizes at a given temperature near the solubility limit
ments (Corfu et al. 2003). These observations indicate that of the coffinite component will become thermodynami-
the primary zircon crystals were not always in equilibrium cally unstable during cooling. In principle, the solid solution
with their environment. These textures are usually made tends to exsolve the coffinite component in order to reduce
visible by cathodoluminescence (CL) and backscattered the strain energy created at low temperatures by the substi-
4+ 4+
electron (BSE) imaging (FIG. 1). They are characterized by tution of the U cation for the ~16% smaller Zr ion. How-
inward-penetrating, irregularly curved (FIGS. 1A, B, K, L), ever, solid-state exsolution textures in zircon have not yet
cauliflower-like (FIG. 1C), homogeneously luminescent (FIG. been reported and are highly unlikely due to slow diffusion
1D) or inclusion-rich, porous domains (FIGS. 1I–L), which of cations in zircon under crustal temperatures (Cherniak
commonly cut across primary growth zones. Understand- and Watson 2003). After cooling, such a zircon solid solution
ing the processes that produced these internal textures is is thus metastable and characterized by structural strain.
essential for the correct interpretation of U–Pb ages The occurrence of structural strain has recently been veri-
obtained from these domains. fied in a Raman spectroscopic study of zircon–coffinite solid
solutions that crystallized at high temperatures from the
Zircon forms solid solutions with various orthosilicate and “lava” formed during the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear
phosphate compounds and is prone to time-dependent power plant in 1986 (Geisler et al. 2005a). Structural strain
structural damage resulting from the radioactive decay of U enhances the surface reactivity and thus the dissolution
and Th and their daughter products. Natural zircon crystals rate. In addition, the solubility of a non-ideal solid solution
are thus neither chemically nor structurally identical. In in a fluid is increased with respect to both the end member
this article we assess the impact of the physical properties of and an ideal solid solution (Lippmann 1980).
solid solutions and radiation damage on zircon stability.
We then demonstrate how imaged internal textures and
specific chemical characteristics of re-equilibrated zircon
STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES
may be linked to two recently proposed zircon–fluid reaction
OF SELF-IRRADIATED ZIRCON
mechanisms that can produce similar features but have dif- Self-irradiation in a U-, Th-, or Pu-bearing zircon by the
ferent thermodynamic and mechanistic origins. These radioactive decay of these elements causes severe damage to
mechanisms are (1) the structural and chemical re-equili- the crystal structure with time (Ewing et al. 2003 and refer-
bration of self-irradiated zircon in aqueous fluids by a solid- ences therein). During the decay event, a low-energy but
heavy α-recoil nucleus (daughter isotope) is released that
1 Institut für Mineralogie, Universität Münster dissipates nearly all of its energy in elastic collisions over a
Corrensstr. 24, 48149 Münster, Germany very short range, causing a completely disordered (amor-
E-mail: tgeisler@nwz.uni-muenster.de phous) collision cascade with a diameter of ~5 nm (FIG. 2).
2 Université de Genève, Section des Sciences de la Terre In addition, a high-energy but light α-particle (He nucleus)
Rue des Maraîchers 13, 1205 Genève, Switzerland

ELEMENTS, VOL. 3, PP. 43–50 43 F EBRUARY 2007

 FIGURE 1 Re-equilibration textures in zircon formed in aqueous
fluids or melts made visible by cathodoluminescence (CL),
backscattered electron (BSE), secondary electron (SE), and X-ray inten-
sity (X-ray) imaging. (M) shows the Th distribution in the area shown in
(L), and (O) illustrates the Zr/Y distribution in the area shown in (N).
Altered zones are characterized by lower BSE and higher CL intensities
than unaltered areas. The contrast in BSE images is mainly controlled by
variations of the chemical composition (high intensity = high mean
atomic number), whereas the contrast in the CL images reflects varia-
tions in the structural state (in particular in radiation-damaged zircon)
and/or differences in mainly the rare earth element (REE) content (high
CL intensity = high crystallinity and/or a high REE content). In the exper-
imentally treated zircon (E–H), the CL intensity scales basically with the
ELEMENTS
degree of crystallinity. Note the occurrence of pores and inclusions in
I–M (Xnt: xenotime; Thr: thorite; Kvt: keiveiite; UOx: uranium oxide).
Scale bars are 25 µm. Localities and sources: (A) granitic dyke, Acasta
Gneiss Complex, Canada (Rayner et al. 2005); (B) detrital zircon, Eck-
ergneiss Complex, Germany (unpubl.); (C) Hammer Granite, Bornholm,
Denmark (unpubl.); (D) garnet-hornblende metabasite, Ivrea Zone, Italy
(Vavra et al. 1999); (E–F) experimentally treated zircon grains from Sri
Lanka (Geisler et al. 2002, 2003b, unpubl.); (I, J) jadeite-bearing
metafelsite, Syros, Greece (Tomaschek et al. 2003); (K) Qingtian Gran-
ite, China (Xie et al. 2005); (L, M) alkaline pegmatite, Malawi (Soman
et al. 2006); (N, O) flux-grown zircon aggregate (Tomaschek 2004); (P)
zircon grown from a melt formed during the accident at the Chernobyl
nuclear power plant, Ukraine (Geisler et al. 2005).
44 F EBRUARY 2007
 A is supported by small-angle X-ray diffraction measurements
B fluid could be the cause of episodic Pb loss and resulting
FIGURE 2 Molecular-dynamics simulations of (A) a single recoil
event in zircon, resulting in a damage cascade that shows
a depleted core surrounded by a densified boundary and (B) a second
recoil event, resulting in two strongly overlapping collision cascades
(from Geisler et al. 2003c). Note the formation of interconnected regions
of depleted matter in (B). (Zr atoms: blue; Si atoms: orange; O atoms: red)
is liberated, which creates a few hundred isolated atomic
displacements along a 16 to 22 µm long track in the crys-
talline matrix surrounding the amorphous recoil cascade.
On the mesoscopic scale, the process of self-irradiation
(metamictization) of a crystalline zircon is characterized by
the transformation from an initial stage in which isolated
amorphous domains are surrounded by slightly disordered
crystalline material to a more advanced stage of damage in
which a few isolated, disordered, nanocrystalline islands
occur in an amorphous matrix. The crystalline-to-amor-
phous transformation has recently been described as a geo-
metrical phase transition (Salje et al. 1999). During the first
transition—the so-called “percolation transition”—the
amorphous domains start to form percolating clusters over
macroscopic length scales, whereas during the second tran-
sition the crystalline domains cease to be interconnected.
Molecular-dynamics simulations of high-energy recoil
events in zircon have shown that the amorphous cascade
consists of a matter-depleted core about 2–3 nm in diame-
ter surrounded by a zone of increased density (FIG. 2A; Tra-
chenko et al. 2003). The heterogeneous distribution of
atoms in the cascade is stabilized by the formation of con-
nected SiO4 units (polymerization) at the cascade boundary.
The existence of density fluctuations illustrated in FIGURE 2
ELEMENTS
on natural zircon crystals (Geisler et al. 2003b). The simula-
tion of a second and third recoil event showed that, when
the overlap is strong, the matter-depleted regions connect,
and the amorphous cascades are again depleted in matter in
the centre with a dense shell at their boundary (FIG. 2B;
Geisler et al. 2003c). As a consequence, a radiation-damaged
zircon has a unique microstructure, in which the amorphous
domains and in particular the areas of low density represent
sites where enhanced chemical transport is possible.
RE-EQUILIBRATION OF ZIRCON
IN THE PRESENCE OF A FLUID PHASE
Re-equilibration of Radiation-Damaged Zircon
by a Diffusion–Reaction Process
As long ago as the early 1960s, Silver and Deutsch (1963)
suggested that leaching of radiogenic Pb from natural radi-
ation-damaged zircon during interaction with an aqueous
discordant U–Pb zircon ages. Episodic Pb loss was later
reproduced experimentally by a series of hydrothermal
experiments with multigrain fractions of radiation-dam-
aged zircon (Pidgeon et al. 1966, 1995; Sinha et al. 1992).
These experiments also indicated that the rate of Pb loss
from zircon decreases with increasing duration of the exper-
iments, a result interpreted in terms of competition
between Pb loss from radiation-damaged zircon and recov-
ery (annealing) of the damaged structure. More recently,
Geisler and coworkers (2003a) have shown that the treat-
ment of radiation-damaged, gem-quality zircon crystals in
various aqueous solutions (pure H2O, HCl, CaCl2, and
AlCl3) produces inward-penetrating, irregular, and curved
reaction domains that resemble those found in natural
zircon (in FIG. 1, compare A with E, B with F, C with G, and D
with H). The experimentally altered domains are character-
ized by higher CL and lower BSE intensities compared with
the unreacted areas (in FIG. 1, compare E with F–H). Primary
oscillatory growth textures are locally retained in reacted
areas that form at fluid temperatures above 600°C (FIG. 1H).
In addition, in some experiments with almost fully amor-
phous zircon, radial sets of pocket-like wave fronts or oscil-
lating, irregularly curved patterns are visible in both CL and
BSE images, a feature characteristic of many diffusion–reac-
tion systems (Geisler et al. 2004).
The increase in the CL intensity in the experimentally
altered domains shown in FIGURES 1E–H was interpreted to
reflect recovery of the radiation-damaged structure (Geisler
et al. 2003a). A comparison between “dry” and “hydrother-
mal” annealing trends revealed that the kinetics of struc-
tural recovery is strongly enhanced when water is present
(Pidgeon et al. 1995; Geisler et al. 2003a). Nucleation and
growth of zircon at the expense of the amorphous phase
(termed recrystallization in the following) inside the
reacted domains occur at experimental temperatures above
200°C. Below 200°C, the disordered crystalline remnants
show only minor recovery (Geisler et al. 2003a). At higher
temperatures (>400°C), nanocrystalline ZrO2 was detected
in some experiments (Geisler et al. 2004). A further impor-
tant experimental observation revealed by micro-Raman
spectroscopy is that structural recovery across the reaction
interface into chemically unaltered areas is gradual, demon-
strating that effects other than temperature must activate
structural recovery processes. All these observations suggest
that the diffusion of a hydrous species (possibly protons)
into the radiation-damaged zircon structure “catalyzes”
structural recovery processes. The temperature dependence
of the recovery processes within the reacted areas is evidence
that they operate while the zircon is in the solid state.
45 F EBRUARY 2007
 Recrystallization of amorphous zircon dramatically reduces probe measurements on some reacted areas formed in
the molar volume of the reacted areas (up to 18%), creating experiments conducted at fluid temperatures above 600°C
strain that is partly released by fracturing (FIG. 1A AND E) and still yielded concordant U–Pb isotope ratios (Geisler et al.
also producing a porous structure at the nanoscale, as 2003a). However, the experimentally altered domains usually
observed with a transmission electron microscope (FIG. 3; retained only a memory of their U–Pb isotopic composition,
Geisler et al. 2004; Schmidt et al. 2006). The nanoporosity resulting, on the concordia diagram, in a linear array of data
created between the crystallites provides pathways for fast points (discordia) pointing to the time of the Pb-loss event.
chemical exchange between the reaction front and the
fluid. Ion microprobe and electron microprobe measure-
ments have revealed that the experimentally reacted areas
A B
gain significant amounts of solvent cations [e.g. Ca (FIG. 3A),
Al, Fe] as well as hydrous species (Geisler et al. 2003a, 2004).
Similar chemical features have been reported in studies on
naturally altered zircon, where the concentrations of Ca
(FIGS. 3C–D), Al, Fe, and various other elements in the
altered areas may reach several wt% (e.g. Krogh and Davis
1975; Geisler et al. 2003c; Romano et al. 2004; Rayner et al.
2005). In addition, common Pb is enriched in altered areas
of natural zircon (e.g. Rayner et al. 2005). These “non-for-
mula” elements are not compatible with the zircon struc-
ture and are thus probably dissolved in the amorphous rem-
nants inside the reacted areas (Geisler et al. 2003a; Rayner
et al. 2005). Furthermore, hydrothermally altered natural FIGURE 3 Transmission electron microscope images (bright field) of
hydrothermally treated, almost fully amorphous zircon
zircon relatively enriched in light REE has been reported
(from Geisler et al. 2004; Schmidt et al 2006). Note the porosity that is
(e.g. Hoskin 2005). This agrees with experimental results created between the nanosized crystallites. Whereas the crystallites in
showing that chemical exchange reactions also depend on (A) are crystallographically oriented, the crystallites in (B) show a random
the fluid composition (Sinha et al 1992; Pidgeon et al. 1995; orientation, as revealed by the electron diffraction patterns shown in the
insets. The diffuse halo in the diffraction pattern shown in (A) indicates
Geisler et al. 2003b; Schmidt et al. 2006). A further experi-
the presence of amorphous remnants.
mental observation is that concentrations of “non-formula”
solvent cations decrease towards the reaction front—further The CaO content (A) in experimentally altered, variably
FIGURE 4
evidence for a diffusion-controlled mechanism (Geisler et radiation-damaged zircon crystals from Sri Lanka (from
al. 2003b). Besides the gains in solvent cations, experimen- Geisler et al. 2003c, unpubl. data) and (B–D) in natural zircon crystals
tally treated, radiation-damaged zircon loses variable from different localities as a function of the cumulative alpha-decay
dose, calculated from the age of the zircon and the U and Th concen-
amounts of Zr, Si, Hf, REE, U, Th, and radiogenic Pb to the trations (from Geisler et al. 2003c; Romano et al. 2004; Rayner et al.
fluid (Pidgeon et al. 1966, 1995; Sinha et al. 1992; Geisler et 2005). Dc marks the present alpha-decay dose where alteration sets in.
al. 2003a; Schmidt et al. 2006). Surprisingly, ion micro- Curves are guides to the eyes only.

A B

C D

ELEMENTS
46
The impact of self-irradiation damage on the stability of the A
U–Pb isotope system in zircon has been demonstrated by
U–Pb isotope studies on natural zircon, which have
revealed that isotope discordance often becomes dramatic
once a threshold U content is reached (e.g. Williams 1992).
The influence of radiation damage on the stability of zircon
in aqueous solutions was first demonstrated experimentally
by Ewing et al. (1982), who showed that the rates of Zr
release from radiation-damaged zircon samples in KHCO3
solution at 87°C are one to two orders of magnitude higher
than those from crystalline zircon. Geisler et al. (2003b) car-
ried out a hydrothermal experiment with 16 variably radia-
tion-damaged zircon samples and found two anomalous
jumps in the alteration rate with increasing degree of radi-
ation damage (amorphization) in the starting materials. The
first dramatic increase in the experimental alteration rate
sets in when the amorphous domains form interconnected
clusters in the structure, i.e. at the first percolation point
(amorphous fraction of ~30%). Geisler et al. (2003c) suggested
that this percolation point is reflected in natural altered zir-
con by a dramatic increase in Ca and other “non-formula”
elements and by a loss of radiogenic Pb at a certain thresh-
old alpha-decay dose, Dc (FIG. 3). Note that the actual value
of Dc depends on the period between zircon growth and B
alteration and on the cooling (annealing) history of the sam-
ple. Although such behavior should be universal, it may not
be observed in all altered zircon crystals due to the likeli-
hood that not all damaged areas in a natural zircon may be
accessible to an ingressing fluid. The second dramatic
increase in the alteration rate, at an amorphous fraction of
~70%, could be related to the percolation of the nanosized
regions of depleted matter (FIG. 2).
In summary, the structural characteristics of the reaction
domains produced experimentally have been interpreted to
be the result of a moving recrystallization front (above
~200°C) or structural recovery front (below ~200°C) that
follows some distance behind the percolation-controlled,
inward diffusion of a currently unknown hydrous species.
The chemical changes reflect competition between the
kinetics of long-range elemental diffusion and ion
exchange reactions and the kinetics of the short-range dif-
fusion necessary for the solid-state recovery processes. At
high fluid temperature, elements compatible within the zir-
con structure are incorporated in the newly grown zircon FIGURE 5 (A) Schematic outline of the proposed diffusion–reaction
phase before they can diffuse over macroscopic length mechanism for fluid temperatures above 200°C. Note
scales. This conceptual model, which accounts for the that the scaling of the microstructure of the unreacted, radiation-damaged
zircon is about 10 to 20 times larger than that of the reacted areas. (B)
sharpness of the interface in CL and BSE images, is schemat- Schematic outline of the proposed coupled dissolution–reprecipitation
ically outlined in FIGURE 5A. mechanism. See text for further details.

Re-equilibration of Crystalline Zircon by a
Coupled Dissolution–Reprecipitation Process
As mentioned in the previous section, a number of experi-
mental studies have demonstrated that the treatment of
radiation-damaged zircon in an aqueous solution can produce
internal textures and chemical and structural modifications
that resemble those in natural zircon. So far, however, there
is no experimental evidence that the interaction of an aque-
ous fluid with crystalline, non-metamict zircon can also
produce internal re-equilibration textures. However, in sev-
eral studies on natural zircon, secondary domains have
yielded U–Pb ages indistinguishable from those of the pri-
mary growth zones (Schaltegger et al. 1999; Vavra et al.
1999; Soman et al. 2006). This demonstrates that these nat-
ural zircon crystals did not accumulate significant self-irra-
diation damage prior to the re-equilibration event.
Tomaschek et al. (2003) have described secondary zircon
domains truncating primary growth zones in Y-rich zircon
crystals that were crystalline at the time of the re-equilibra-
tion event. They interpret these features as forming during
reaction with a metamorphic fluid under blueschist facies
conditions through a coupled dissolution–reprecipitation
process. Such a process has also been proposed for many
other mineral replacement reactions (see Putnis 2002 and
references therein). A key observation supporting this inter-
pretation is that the secondary domains are porous and
contain mineral inclusions such as xenotime and keiviite
[(Y,HREE)2Si2O7] (FIGS. 1I AND J). Micrometer-sized pores and
silicate or phosphate inclusions [e.g. thorite, coffinite,
xenotime, thortveitite (Sc2Si2O7), keiviite, and yttrialite-(Y)
(Y2Si2O7)] in secondary zircon domains have also been
reported in a number of other studies (e.g. Spandler et al.
2004; Xie et al. 2005; Soman et al. 2006; FIGS. 1I–L). A
further observation common to these studies is that the
inclusion-rich and porous zircon domains are characterized
by lower concentrations of minor and trace elements, such
as Th (FIG. 1M), compared to pristine domains of the same
crystal. The proposed mechanism of a coupled dissolu-
tion–reprecipitation process is dynamic and interfacial in
nature, such that the breaking of bonds and element release
(dissolution), accompanied by contemporaneous nucleation

ELEMENTS 47 F EBRUARY 2007

and growth (reprecipitation) of new zircon, occur at an
inward-moving interface, as schematically illustrated in FIGURE
5B. We emphasize that such a coupled dissolution–reprecip-
itation process is very different from a process in which dis-
solution and reprecipitation are temporally and spatially
disconnected. The latter process results in distinctive core–
overgrowth textures (e.g. Vavra et al. 1999; Ayers et al. 2003).
A possible explanation for the occurrence of pores and
inclusions involves the thermodynamics of solid solution–
aqueous solution systems (SS–AS). In a non-ideal zircon–MSiO4
solid solution (M represents U, Th, or Pu)–aqueous solution
system, for example, the zircon solid solution has a higher
solubility in an aqueous phase than the pure zircon end
member (Lippmann 1980). This means that the composi-
tion of the aqueous fluid resulting from the dissolution of
the MSiO4-rich zircon is in equilibrium with a zircon that has
a lower MSiO4 content. This solubility difference provides
the driving force for a coupled dissolution–reprecipitation
process. A non-ideal SS–AS system is further characterized
by a “eutectic” point at which, in our example, a MSiO4-
poor zircon and a zircon-poor MSiO4 phase (e.g. thorite)
will coexist with an aqueous phase. This means that during
an interfacial dissolution–reprecipitation process, the com-
position of the aqueous phase at the interface may evolve
towards the “eutectic” point, resulting in the precipitation
of MSiO4-poor zircon along with a zircon-poor MSiO4
phase. This re-equilibration of a zircon (Zrn)–thorite (Thr)
solid solution (ss) in an aqueous fluid (aq), for example, can
be described by
Inclusions in the replaced areas, as seen in FIGURES 1I–K, can
thus be explained by the thermodynamics of “eutectic”-
bearing SS–AS systems. However, we emphasize that inclu-
sions will be absent if the “eutectic” point is not reached.
The coupled dissolution–reprecipitation process described
above is independent of the absolute solubility of a zircon
in an aqueous fluid, which is very low in natural fluids (Tro-
mans 2006). It can result in the complete replacement of
one zircon by another without losing the external shape or
crystal morphology of the parent zircon, as in pseudomor-
phism (Putnis 2002; Putnis et al. 2005). The exchange of
elements between the dissolution–reprecipitation front and
the external fluid is maintained by the formation of poros-
ity. This porosity results from the higher solubility and the
higher molar volume of the dissolved parent zircon com-
pared with the reprecipitated, chemically more pure zircon.
The coupled dissolution–reprecipitation reaction is thus
characterized by a loss of volume. However, communica-
tion between the interfacial and external fluid is not essen-
tial for the reaction to occur, since the reaction does not
need chemical species from the external fluid, as, for exam-
ple, during the replacement of albite by potassium feldspar
(Labotka et al. 2004). It is also conceivable that a part of the
porosity in natural zircon is transient due to a pore-ripen-
ing process. During such a process large pores appear at the
expense of small ones to minimize the surface energy—this
effect has recently been observed in situ during the replace-
ment of KBr by KCl in an aqueous solution (Putnis et al.
2005). As a consequence, micrometer-sized pores in a
replacement zone indicate a coupled dissolution–reprecipi-
tation process, but they may not necessarily be preserved.
The dissolution of metastable zircon solid solutions is kinet-
ically favored due to structural strain that increases surface
reactivity. Furthermore, radiation damage may also kineti-
cally enhance a coupled dissolution–reprecipitation
process. Experimental support for such an effect has come
from a recent study by Geisler et al. (2005b), which revealed
ELEMENTS
that during the treatment of a radiation-damaged zircon
ceramic containing ~5 mol% 238PuSiO4 in an acidic solu-
tion at 175°C, the zircon recrystallized to a zircon poorer in
238PuSiO without any change of the external shape of the
4
ceramic. The high degree of recrystallization found in this
experiment at a rather low temperature contrasts with the
low degree of structural recovery observed under the same
experimental conditions in a natural zircon with a similar
degree of radiation damage but very low amounts of impu-
rities. This comparative experiment supports the existence
of two fundamentally different re-equilibration processes
for zircon in the presence of a fluid phase. Whereas the
high degree of recrystallization in the Pu-rich zircon
ceramic is consistent with the notion of a coupled dissolu-
tion–reprecipitation process, the low degree of structural
recovery in the radiation-damaged, pure zircon can be better
explained by the diffusion–reaction process outlined in the
previous section.
RE-EQUILIBRATION OF ZIRCON
IN THE PRESENCE OF A MELT
It has not yet been unambiguously demonstrated that natural
zircon crystals can re-equilibrate by reaction with a melt.
However, evidence for such a reaction has come from
recent fluxed zircon synthesis experiments by Tomaschek
(2004), which yielded compositionally zoned (Zr,Y)(Si,P)O4
zircon crystals as a result of cooling from 1250°C and flux
volatilization. The early-crystallized zircon rich in YPO4
reacted with the melt (FIGS. 1N AND O). Micrometer-sized
pores elongated parallel to the [001] direction of the zircon
crystals mark an irregular, curved reaction front towards
YPO4-rich zircon (FIG. 1N). Within single-crystal aggregates,
thermal tension cracks allowed the initial contact between
the melt and early-formed growth zones, which were not in
equilibrium with this melt. The reaction zones are charac-
terized by significantly lower YPO4 contents, indicating
that early YPO4-rich zircon was replaced by YPO4-poor zircon
as a result of progressive changes in melt composition during
synthesis (FIG. 1O). The pores and channels seen in FIGURE
1N provide pathways for chemical exchange between the
reaction front and the melt. Another example in which re-
equilibration of early-formed zircon undoubtedly occurred
during interaction with a melt are the zircon crystals that
crystallized in the silicate melt formed during the accident
at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (Geisler et al. 2005b).
In these crystals the oscillatory growth zonation is partly
truncated by irregular-curved, low-BSE intensity (i.e. low U)
domains with pores. These domains replace earlier-crystal-
lized U-rich growth zones (FIG. 1P). The textural features
seen in both of these examples are strongly analogous to
those in feldspar solid solutions that were partly re-equili-
brated by the reaction with a melt, resulting in porous product
feldspar (e.g. Johannes et al. 1994).
Linnen and Keppler (2002) found that the solubility of
hafnon in granitic melts can significantly exceed the solu-
bility of zircon at a given melt composition and tempera-
ture. This means that even in the ideal zircon–hafnon system,
there is a thermodynamic driving force that can cause a zir-
con solid solution to re-equilibrate in response to changes
in the physicochemical conditions. Due to the textural and
chemical similarities to the re-equilibration of solid solu-
tions in aqueous fluids, we suggest that a coupled dissolu-
tion–reprecipitation process is an effective mechanism for
zircon re-equilibration in a melt (see Putnis 2002).
IMPLICATIONS FOR U–Pb GEOCHRONOLOGY
Although both proposed re-equilibration processes share
some similarities in terms of their textural characteristics,
48 F EBRUARY 2007
 TABLE 1 TEXTURAL, CHEMICAL, AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RE-EQUILIBRATED ZIRCON DOMAINS
FORMED BY A DIFFUSION–REACTION AND A COUPLED DISSOLUTION–REPRECIPITATION PROCESS, RESPECTIVELY

Diffusion–reaction process1 Coupled dissolution–reprecipitation process1

Prerequisite Zircon solid solution

Radiation damage (i.e. amorphous fraction >30%)
(parent zircon) (high structural strain enhances dissolution)

T (–P) conditions Down to weathering conditions Not yet known

Reaction medium Aqueous fluids Aqueous fluids and melts

Irregular, curved, inward-penetrating, and patchy reaction zones

(may be featureless, i.e. follows primary growth zones)

Textural features Occurrence of nanopores2 Occurrence of micrometer-sized pores2

Occurrence of inclusions such as thorite,

Possible occurrence of nanocrystalline ZrO2
coffinite, xenotime3

Memory of the parent isotope compositions Complete re-equilibration of the isotope systems
Chemical features
High concentration of “non-formula” elements such Commonly lower minor and trace element
as Ca, Ba, Al, Fe, Mn, and possibly common Pb concentrations compared with the parent zircon

Always crystalline; epitactic relationship with

Structural features Temperature-dependent structural recovery4 the parent zircon4

especially if inclusion phases are absent and the pores have
been sealed as a result of textural equilibration, some chemical
differences may allow distinguishing between the processes.
These are summarized in TABLE 1 along with textural and
structural characteristics of re-equilibrated domains pro-
duced by both processes.
1 Note that these are “end member” processes, which could also
operate simultaneously.
2 Absent in texturally re-equilibrated, natural crystals (see text).
3 Absent if the “eutectic” point was not reached (see text).
4 May be obscured by post-alteration radiation damage.

The diffusion–reaction process causes only partial loss of
radiogenic Pb, i.e. the reacted domains retain an isotopic
memory. This process could thus account for many of the
discordia defined by zircon U–Pb data sets (e.g. Silver and
Deutsch 1963; Stern et al. 1966; Geisler et al. 2003c). Since
the lower intercept of such a discordia often points towards
the origin of the concordia diagram, the event that caused
the disturbance of the U–Pb system has frequently been
termed a “recent lead-loss event” in the geochronological
literature, although in most cases the lead-loss mechanism
has not been evaluated (Mezger and Krogstad 1997 and ref-
erences therein). Limited structural recovery in radiation-
damaged zircon at temperatures as low as 75°C on laboratory
timescales supports previous suggestions that radiogenic Pb
can be removed from radiation-damaged zircon, even under
low-temperature weathering conditions (e.g. Stern et al. 1966).
An unambiguous chemical indication of the alteration of
radiation-damaged zircon by a diffusion–reaction process is
an observed enrichment, in the wt% range, of “non-for-
mula” elements such as Ca, Al, and Fe. The enrichment of
“non-formula” elements is highly unlikely to occur during
a coupled dissolution–reprecipitation process because dur-
ing this process the parent zircon dissolves completely
before new crystalline zircon reprecipitates. In the common
case where a high-temperature magmatic zircon reacts at
lower temperatures with an aqueous fluid, a coupled disso-
lution–reprecipitation process will produce a zircon that
contains, on average, less minor and trace elements than
the parent zircon. This also applies to inherited, radiogenic
or common Pb, since Pb (like Ca, Al, and Fe) is not incor-
porated in significant amounts in the zircon structure (e.g.
Watson et al. 1997). As a result, domains formed by a cou-
pled dissolution–reprecipitation process should yield U–Pb
isotope data that are concordant so long as they are not
affected by a second hydrothermal re-equilibration event
and the analysis points do not overlap with adjacent
domains. Moreover, these re-equilibrated zircon domains
will very likely remain concordant since a coupled dissolu-
tion–reprecipitation process usually results in a reduction of
the U and Th contents of the zircon. This limits post-
re-equilibration, self-irradiation damage and as a conse-
quence decreases the potential for later, low-temperature
alteration. It is likely that other isotope systems in zircon,
for instance the Lu–Hf and oxygen isotope systems, will
behave in a similar fashion to the U–Pb system during both
re-equilibration processes and may thus provide independ-
ent means of distinguishing between the processes. Experi-
mental studies on the behavior of these isotope systems
during the interaction of zircon with aqueous fluids and
melts remain a challenge for the future.
The reaction of zircon with aqueous fluids and melts pro-
vides a very effective way of re-equilibrating zircon via the
two proposed mechanisms. This conclusion is particularly
important for the interpretation of measured U–Pb ages
from re-equilibrated domains in zircon crystals from meta-
morphic rocks. These ages likely correspond to the timing
of fluid influx or melt production (anatexis) rather than to
the age of peak metamorphic conditions (see Harley et al.
2007 this issue). This conclusion agrees with that of Ayers
et al. (2003), who suggested that the growth of metamor-
phic rims around primary zircon by Ostwald ripening is
strongly enhanced by the presence of an aqueous fluid or a
melt. Therefore, the importance of aqueous fluids and melts
for re-equilibration and growth of zircon must be borne in
mind when reconstructing pressure–temperature–time
paths from U–Pb ages obtained from secondary zircon
domains.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank Mark Keiter, Klaus Mezger, Kilian Pollok, Chris-
tine Putnis, and Andrew Putnis for many fruitful and con-
troversial discussions and for their comments on an early
draft of the manuscript. John Ayers, Paul Hoskin, and Ian
Parsons are thanked for their constructive reviews. We are
also grateful to Nicole Rayner, Rucheng Wang, and Christ-
ian Schmidt for providing the images in FIGURES 1A, 1K, AND
3B, respectively. .

ELEMENTS 49 F EBRUARY 2007

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zircons from the Morton Gneiss,
Minnesota. Earth and Planetary Science
Letters 1: 369-371
Tomaschek F, Kennedy AK, Villa IM, Lagos
M, Ballhaus C (2003) Zircons from Syros,
Cyclades, Greece - recrystallization and
mobilization of zircon during high-
pressure metamorphism. Journal of
Petrology 44: 1977-2002
Tomaschek F (2004) Zircon reequilibration
by dissolution-reprecipitation: reaction
textures from flux-grown solid solutions.
Beihefte zum European Journal of
Mineralogy 12: 214
Trachenko K, Dove MT, Salje EKH (2003)
Structural changes in zircon under α-
decay irradiation. Physical Review 65:
180102(R)
Tromans D (2006) Solubility of crystalline
and metamict zircon: A thermodynamic
analysis. Journal of Nuclear Materials
357: 221-233
Ushakov SV, Gong W, Yagovkina MM,
Helean KB, Lutze W, Ewing RC (1999)
Solid solution of Ce, U, and Th in zircon.
Ceramic Transactions 93: 357-363
Vavra G, Schmid R, Gebauer D (1999)
Internal morphology, habit and U-Th-Pb
microanalysis of amphibolite-to-granulite
facies zircons: geochronology of the Ivrea
Zone (Southern Alps). Contributions to
Mineralogy and Petrology 134: 380-404
Watson EB, Cherniak DJ, Hanchar JM,
Harrison TM, Wark DA (1997) The
incorporation of Pb into zircon.
Chemical Geology 141: 19-31
Williams IS (1992) Some observations on
the use of zircon U-Pb geochronology in
the study of granitic rocks. Transactions
of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth
Sciences 83: 447-458
Xie L, Wang R, Chen X, Qiu J, Wang D
(2005) Th-rich zircon from peralkaline A-
type granite: Mineralogical features and
petrological implications. Chinese
Science Bulletin 50: 809-817 .
F EBRUARY 2007
Hydrothermal
Zircon
Urs Schaltegger
Numerous cases have been reported where zircon may have
precipitated from a hydrothermal fluid or a fluid-saturated
residual melt. Temperatures for hydrothermal zircon for-
mation range from 600°C in late-magmatic systems at the
magmatic-to-hydrothermal transition down to 300°C in
mesothermal ore-forming systems. Late-magmatic to
hydrothermal zircon may precipitate from fluid-saturated
magma and possibly from the fluids exsolved from miner-
alized granites and pegmatites. For example, in the Sn–W-
mineralized Mole Granite, New South Wales, Australia, zircon
occurs in growth zones in hydrothermal quartz, along with
monazite, xenotime and thorite (FIG. 1). This zircon – con-
sidered to be hydrothermal – preserves a crystallization history,
from magmatic oscillatory-zoned growth domains produced
under fluid-undersaturated to fluid-saturated magmatic
conditions, to margins modified by hydrothermal growth
and overprinted by replacement zones unrelated to crystal
surfaces. Hydrothermal, spongy and inclusion-rich zircon
crystallized under similar conditions together with topaz,
fluorite, biotite and monazite in Sn–W-mineralized quartz
veins crosscutting the granite.
Vein-type mesothermal gold occurrences, for example
Archaean gold deposits, provide further examples of probable
hydrothermal zircon. However, despite several reports and
considerable potential for gold deposit research, no consis-
tent picture of gold-related zircon morphology, internal
texture and chemical composition has yet emerged, and
suggestions for a hydrothermal origin have been met with
skepticism. In a convincing example from Kalgoorlie,
Australia (McNaughton et al. 2005), hydrothermal zircon
rims rutile, and apatite–zircon aggregates occur either as
inclusions in quartz and sericite or as poikilitic masses at
quartz–ankerite grain boundaries in a syn- to late-mineral-
ization lamprophyre dyke.
A hydrothermal origin for zircon can be inferred by its pres-
ence in low-SiO2 rocks, such as eclogite, peridotite and
pyroxenite, which should normally be devoid of zircon.
Extensive evidence has been presented that hydrothermal
zircon (mostly called “metasomatic”) forms in volatile-rich
partial melts from metasomatized mantle beneath old con-
tinental roots, later sampled accidentally by kimberlites
(Griffin et al. 2000). Hydrothermal zircon may form during
alteration of ophiolitic rocks (Dubinska et al. 2004) and
during the metasomatism of harzburgite by basaltic liquid
and accompanying fluids (Grieco et al. 2001).
RECOGNITION OF HYDROTHERMAL ZIRCON
Zircon precipitated entirely from fluid or fluid-saturated
melt may exhibit coherent internal structures with oscillatory
or sector zoning – features that are also typical of magmatic
zircon. Hydrothermally overprinted zircon may show complex
internal textures in which secondary domains cut across
primary growth zones. Depending on the re-equilibration
mechanism, the secondary domains are characterized by
high concentrations of trace elements like Ca, Al, and Fe, by
a high microporosity, and by the presence of abundant
phosphate or silicate inclusions. However, the best textural
arguments for the hydrothermal origin of a zircon grain are
its occurrence in hydrothermal quartz or carbonate,
ELEMENTS
FIGURE 1 Zircon (top centre of photomicrograph) included in
hydrothermal quartz in Sn–W-mineralized veins in the
Mole Granite, accompanied by a diagonal trail of fluid inclusions
(Pettke et al. 2005). Width of field of view is about 250 micrometers.
together with other hydrothermal minerals and/or fluid
inclusions, and the presence of hydrothermal mineral
inclusions. Morphology is not diagnostic. The most con-
vincing examples of hydrothermal zircon provided by
McNaughton et al. (2005) feature morphological character-
istics that correspond precisely with those of synthetic,
flux-grown zircon crystals (Burakov et al. 2002). However,
in other examples of probable hydrothermal origin, zircon
crystals are polyfacetted and may form intergranular films
(Rubin et al. 1989).
Zircon crystallized at the magmatic–hydrothermal transition
in the Mole Granite (Pettke et al. 2005) is characterized by
lower concentrations of light rare earth elements, Li, F, Y,
Sc, Nb, Ta, Hf, Th, U and Sn compared to higher tempera-
ture magmatic zircon and by a larger positive Ce anomaly,
in response to greater oxygen partial pressure, in late-stage
(hydrothermal) zircon. The opposite evolution was found
in the Boggy Plain Pluton in eastern Australia (Hoskin
2005), where decreasing fO2 during the magmatic–
hydrothermal transition led to a less-pronounced positive
Ce anomaly in the late-stage zircon. The oxidation state of
Ce in zircon may be a critical tool for estimating the Cu
potential of the host porphyry (Ballard et al. 2002). The
trace element distribution in zircon, however, is considered
to be a function of the crystallization sequence of accessory
minerals (e.g. apatite, xenotime, monazite, allanite,
betafite) in fluid-saturated, residual magmatic liquids and
fluids exsolved at the magmatic–hydrothermal transition
and, thus, appears not to indicate whether the zircon grew
from a silicate melt or a hydrothermal fluid (Pettke et al.
2005). Recognizing the hydrothermal nature of zircon is
crucial for reconstructing ore-forming processes by U–Pb
dating. U–Pb dating of reliably identified hydrothermal
zircon would complement less-precise and multiply biased
U–Pb ages of apatite, monazite, rutile and titanite from
hydrothermal ore deposits. .
REFERENCES
Ballard JR, Palin MJ, Campbell IH (2002) Relative oxidation states
of magmas inferred from Ce(IV)/Ce(III) in zircon: application to
porphyry copper deposits of northern Chile. Contributions to
Mineralogy and Petrology 144: 347-364
Burakov BE, Hanchar JM, Zamoryanskaya MV, Garbuzov VM, Zirlin
VA (2002) Synthesis and investigation of Pu-doped single crystal
zircon (Zr, Pu)SiO4. Radiochimica Acta 90: 95-97
Dubínska E, Bylina P, Kozĺowski A, Dörr W, Nejbert K, Schastok J,
Kulicki C (2004) U–Pb dating of serpentinization: hydrothermal
zircon from a metasomatic rodingite shell (Sudetic ophiolite, SW
Poland). Chemical Geology 203: 183-203
Cont’d on page 79
51 F EBRUARY 2007

ZIRCON IN
TECHNOLOGY
AND EVERYDAY LIFE
The pages of this issue provide a glimpse into
the scientific uses and advantages of zircon,
which are both numerous and remarkable.
This extraordinary mineral is also valued for
more worldly reasons. Because of its high
refractive index (~1.95) and dispersion (giving
it brilliance and “fire”), zircon was used as a
substitute for diamond before the manufacture
of cubic zirconia. Clear zircons are not uncom-
mon, and colored varieties include yellow
(hyacinth), orange, red, pink, green, brown,
black, grey, and blue, the last of which is an
alternative to topaz as the birthstone for
December. In medieval times, zircon was
believed to cure diseases, protect from poisons,
induce sleep, and aid digestion (in some mod-
ern-day researchers it has caused insomnia and
indigestion). Today, the main sources of gem-
quality zircon are Australia, Cambodia, Myanmar,
Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Zircon is the primary source of zirconium
oxide (ZrO2; zirconia), which was first isolated
from zircon in 1789 (the reduced metal was not
produced until 1824 because of the tenacity
with which Zr forms bonds with both oxygen
and nitrogen). Zirconia is used as a commercial
refractory for furnace linings: porous, ZrO2-
based ceramics make outstanding thermal
insulators. Zirconia is also used as a container
Faceted zircon crystals from Sri Lanka and Thailand,
ranging in weight from 7.76 to 40.19 carats.
PHOTO COURTESY AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY /
VAN PELT PHOTOGRAPHERS.
ELEMENTS
Min e ra l Ma t t e rs
for melting high-temperature glasses and metals
such as platinum. Zircon itself has been slip-
Synthetic zircon crystals grown from PbO–SiO2 melt
cast as dense, refractory bricks for applications (scale bar is 200 microns)
requiring strength, chemical durability, and
temperature resistance, and has even served as
a container in experimental petrology (see
photos). This versatile mineral has also been
proposed as a radioactive waste form for
transuranic elements (see Elements, volume 2,
issue 6). At atmospheric pressure, zircon breaks
down to ZrO2 and SiO2 at ~1660°C. Together
these oxides melt in eutectic fashion at ~1690°C;
the melting point of ZrO2 by itself is ~2700°C.
Zirconium metal is used in a number of tech-
nological applications, perhaps most impor-
tantly in the cladding of uranium oxide fuel
rods in nuclear reactors, where its corrosion
resistance, mechanical strength and very low
cross-section for thermal neutrons make it
advantageous over all other metals. Added to
niobium, Zr forms a superconducting alloy. Polycrystalline zircon brick
Zirconium (and hafnium) fluoride glasses are
used in the core and cladding of infrared (IR)
guide fibers because of their extremely high
transmission in the IR region.
E. Bruce Watson
Polycrystalline zircon capsules containing quenched
basaltic melt
TOP INSERT:Zircon, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Brilliant-cut, heat-
treated, 208.65 cts. (largest fine gem zircon:
AMNH42724). PHOTO COURTESY AMERICAN MUSEUM OF Zircon structure (by EBW)
NATURAL HISTORY / VAN PELT PHOTOGRAPHERS.
F EBRUARY 2007
52
 So c ie t y Ne w s

www.appliedgeochemists.org

Association of Applied
Geochemists
Rob Bowell in front of the Schubert glacier in Greenland

INTRODUCING AAG of expertise are process chemistry process chemistry, environmental

The Association of Applied Geochemists (AAG), founded in 1970, is an and the geochemical engineering geochemistry, environmental
international organisation specialising in the field of applied geochem- and treatment of mine waste and engineering and mineralogy. His
istry. Until a few years ago, it was known as the Association of Explo- mine water. He has worked on PhD was on the economic
ration Geochemists. The purpose of the AAG is to: mineral exploration in tropical geochemistry of lateritic gold ores
w advance the science of geochemistry as it relates to exploration
and deeply weathered terrains, in West Africa.
particularly in Africa, and has
and the environment; David Lentz
w further the common interests of exploration geochemists;
done academic research in
dlentz@unb.ca
w facilitate the acquisition and distribution of scientific knowledge;
w promote the exchange of information; The last International Applied Geochemistry Symposium
w encourage research and development;
(IAGS 2005) was held in Perth, Australia. Like many

w advance the status of the profession;

of the AAG’s earlier meetings elsewhere in the world,
this meeting was a huge success.
w sponsor symposia, seminars and technical meetings.

The Association is active in Association. It also presents the

disseminating results of applied
geochemistry work through its
journal Geochemistry: Exploration,
Environment, Analysis (GEEA), in
association with the Geological
Society of London. In addition it
publishes a quarterly newsletter,
EXPLORE, a website-based
bibliography of geochemically
oriented papers, as well as short
course volumes, symposia
volumes, and occasional books in
applied geochemistry. The
Association has three levels of
membership: Fellow (voting
member), Member (non-voting),
and Student. For more informa-
tion, check the website
www.appliedgeochemists.org/
The AAG has established the
Distinguished Geochemists Fund
to honour those who have made
a significant advance in the
science of applied geochemistry,
and it will use this fund to
promote and support applied
geochemistry research. In
addition the Association supports
academics from developing
countries by providing assisted
membership in the Association
and by furnishing financial
support to help students attend
the biannual symposia of the
SGS Minerals Services Award for
the best submission in its student
paper competition. In 2005, Ian
Nichol was awarded Honorary
Membership in the Association
and Gwendy Hall was awarded
the Gold Medal for outstanding
achievement in geochemistry.
The AAG offers a Distinguished
Lecture Series. In 2005-2006, it The accompanying photograph from the AAG dinner shows (from left to right,
was given by Stew Hamilton of back row first) Brenda Mazzucchelli, Rob Bowell (current AAG president), Richard
Mazzucchelli, Beth McClenaghan (EXPLORE editor), David Garnett (a past president
the Ontario Geological Survey in
and AAG councillor), Gwendy Hall (GEEA journal editor and AAG treasurer), Karen
Canada. Stew had three lectures
Kelley, Dave Kelley (current AAG past president), Gerry Govett (one of the
available: AEG/AAG founders), and Idelies Govett.
w Reduced Chimneys and
Electrochemical Transport over
Oxidizable Geological Features;
APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY SYMPOSIUM
w ‘Forest Rings’ and their
The 23rd International Applied Geochemistry Symposium (IAGS
Implications to Geochemical 2007) will be held in Oviedo (Asturias, northwestern Spain), June 14–19,
Exploration for Oil, Gas and 2007. Oral and poster sessions include (1) Classic Mining Districts: Explo-
Mineral Deposits;
w Deep Penetrating Geochemistry
ration and Environmental Geochemistry in the Shadow of Headframes,
(2) Geochemistry in the Government Sector: Exploration and Environmen-
Using Selective Leach Methods tal Applications, (3) Geochemistry in the Industry Sector: Exploration and
over Mineral Deposits. Environmental Applications, (4) Exploration Case studies: A Symposium
in Honour of Dr. Eion Cameron, (5) Exploration, Classic European Mining
The current AAG president is
Districts, and New Technologies, (6) Hydro-biogeochemistry, (7) Ore
Dr. Rob Bowell. Rob is principal
Deposit–Forming Systems: A Geochemical Perspective, (8) Analytical Geo-
geochemist with SRK Consulting
chemistry, (9) Lithogeochemistry, (10) Data Interpretation, (11) Geo-
in Cardiff, Wales. He specialises
chemical Mapping, and (12) Geochemistry and Health. In addition,
in the application of geochem-
several field trips and workshops are planned, and no doubt wine tast-
istry and mineralogy to a wide
ing—hey, we are “applied” geochemists… what did you expect?
range of mining and engineering
problems associated with the For further information, check the website
mining industry. His main fields http://www.uniovi.es/IAGS2007

ELEMENTS 53 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s
team responsible for connecting
the DMG to Elements includes
Michael Burchard at the Universität
Heidelberg, who is our society
news editor; and Hans Keppler
from the Universität Bayreuth
and Klaus Mezger from the
Universität Münster, who are
members of Elements Advisory
www.dmg-home.de
Board. In addition, Friedhelm von
Blanckenburg is our member on
the Executive Committee.
I look forward to fruitful coopera-
tion and discussion with all
societies participating in Elements!
Gregor Markl
Past President

WINNERS OF THE 2006

German Mineralogical DMG AWARDS AND MEDALS

Society The 2006 Abraham-Gottlob-Werner Medal

FROM THE PAST Our annual meeting in Germany
attracts 350 to 600 participants,
PRESIDENT
and we play an active role in
forming a cooperative German
geoscientific community beyond
mineralogy. In addition to perform-
ing outstanding scientific work,
networking is, I believe, the
central goal in the next decade.
Efficient networking will help to
strengthen cooperation on all
levels: national, European, and
Gregor Markl
international.
in Silver to Jochen Hoefs
The Werner Medal in Silver is the highest honour
bestowed by the DMG for basic research. It is given
in recognition of outstanding scientific work. The
2006 medalist is Prof. Dr. Jochen Hoefs, head of the
geochemical institute at the University of Göttin-
gen. His fundamental research on the isotope geo-
chemistry of hydrogen, lithium, carbon, oxygen,
and sulfur is the foundation of today’s understand-
ing of geochemical cycles. He has published the results of his research
in more than 100 international papers and book chapters. His book
Stable Isotope Geochemistry is the foundation of many university
courses worldwide.

I am very glad to be able to finish
my presidency of the German
Mineralogical Society (DMG) with
this open letter to our members,
as well as to friends and colleagues
from the other societies partici-
pating in Elements. Being part of
this active and steadily growing
group of societies, which have
managed to found an intellectual-
ly and scientifically superb
journal that in addition acts as an
international connection between
our societies, is one of the most
important steps a national society
can take. I am grateful to board
members of the DMG and to all
members who, during our annual
meeting in Hannover in Septem-
ber 2006, unanimously supported
the idea to “enter the club.” So,
here we are!
DMG currently has about 1200
personal and about 100 institu-
tional members and, therefore, is
one of the largest mineralogical
societies worldwide. However,
size alone does not matter. We
are an active society as well.
Together with our partner
societies from Italy, France, and
Spain, we publish the European
Journal of Mineralogy. We sponsor
workshops for senior scientists
and PhD students, and we offer
travel grants for student members
for participation in both national
and international conferences.
I believe we are on track, and I
hope being part of Elements will
create an even more dynamic
environment for the evolution of
the DMG and our partner societies.
Let us try not to stop at the
boundaries of mineralogy and
geochemistry—our colleagues in
geology, geophysics, paleontol-
ogy, and geomicrobiology are our
“natural” allies in the public
competition for money, where
large groups such as the physicists,
the chemists, and the biologists
easily manage to marginalize us
just by their numbers.
A task like becoming an active
part of Elements is nothing without
the people working on it. The
Hans Keppler Klaus Mezger
Friedhelm von Michael Burchard
Blanckenburg
The 2006 Victor-Moritz-Goldschmidt Award
to Andreas Audétat
The Goldschmidt Award is given to honor excellent
young researchers. The 2006 award was bestowed
on Dr. Andreas Audétat for his research on the
hydrothermal formation of ore deposits. Andreas
Audétat developed a new laser-ablation method for
determining the composition of single fluid inclu-
sions. This method will be useful in the study of
complex hydrothermal systems.
The 2006 Georg-Agricola Medal to Ekhard Salje
The Georg-Agricola Medal is given to recognize
excellence in the field of applied mineralogy. The
2006 medalist is Prof. Dr. Ekhard K.H. Salje, profes-
sor at Cambridge University and fellow of the Royal
Society. He is honored for his innovative work on
encapsulation of radioactive debris and on the fer-
roelastic properties of minerals.
The 2006 Paul-Ramdohr Award to Juliane Gross
The Paul-Ramdohr Award is given to recognize
excellent presentations at the annual DMG meeting
by young graduate or postgraduate students.
Juliane Gross is recognized for the presentation of
her diploma thesis in a lecture entitled “Petrology
of the contact zone between eclogite and marble,
Stümpelfelsen, Hammerunterwiesenthal, West-
erzgebirge.” Juliane is now a graduate student at
Ruhr-Universität Bochum.

ELEMENTS 54 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s

IN MEMORIAM DMG SHORT COURSES

HUGO STRUNZ (1910–2006) FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Prof. Dr. Hugo Strunz passed away in Bavaria,
Germany, on April 19, 2006. The German Min-
eralogical Society has lost a long-standing hon-
orary fellow and one of the world’s best-known l Applications of Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy
mineralogists. in Mineral and Geological Sciences

Hugo Strunz was born in Weiden, Bavaria, on 29 May–1 June 2007

February 24, 1910. After leaving school in 1929
Location: Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics,
he studied mineralogy in Munich, his teachers
being B. Gossner and H. Steinmetz at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Uni- Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150,
versität and the Technische Universität. In 1933 he went to study 44780 Bochum, Germany
with W.L. Bragg at Victoria University in Manchester and in Information: Michael Fechtelkord
1935–1937 with P. Niggli at the Eidgenössische Technische (Michael.Fechtelkord@ruhr-uni-bochum.de)
Hochschule in Zurich, Switzerland. He attained two doctorates in
Munich: Dr.phil. in 1933 and Dr.sc.techn. in 1935.
P. Ramdohr invited him in 1937 to be his scientific assistant at the
Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Berlin (now the Humboldt-Univer- l Synchrotron X-ray and IR Methods
sität), where he qualified as a university lecturer in 1939 and became in the Geosciences
curator of the mineralogical collections of the Museum of Natural
History in 1943. October/November 2007
After interruptions during World War II, he lectured in Regensburg, Location: Research Center Karlsruhe, Hermann-von-
where he built up a state institute of mineralogy and geology and a Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen,
representative mineralogical collection. In 1951 he became full pro- Germany
fessor at the Technische Universität Berlin, where he worked until his
retirement in 1978. He restored the Institute of Mineralogy and Crys- Information: Jörg Göttlicher (joerg.goettlicher@iss.fzk.de)
tallography after the war, due to his excellent connections with the
local authorities, associations, and industries. As dean of the Faculty
of Mining and Metallurgy, he contributed decisively to the new
building of the faculty and the reconstruction of the mineralogical l Vibrational Spectroscopy (Infrared Absorption
show collection, which celebrated its 225th anniversary in 2006. In
and Raman): Applications in Geosciences
1954 he spent a year at Harvard University in Cambridge, USA, work-
ing as a research professor. 5–9 March 2007
Hugo Strunz was particularly interested in crystal chemistry, mineral Location: Institute of Mineralogy and Crystallography,
systematics and geochemistry, special mineralogy (he discovered 15 University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, A-1090 Vienna,
new minerals), and the mineral occurrences in his native Bavaria. Austria.
Certainly, of his more than 200 publications, the best known is his
main work, the Mineralogical Tables, a classification of minerals based Information: Lutz Nasdala (lutz.nasdala@univie.ac.at)
on crystal chemistry, first published in 1941. He continued this work
in cooperation with Ch. Tennyson for decades. It was last published
in English in 2001, with E. Nickel as co-author. The Mineralogical
l Diffusion in Geological Materials
Tables are published all over the world in many languages. They are
the classification basis for nearly all the important mineralogical col-
lections. 8–12 October 2007
Several thousand students received their basic training in mineralogy Location: Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
and crystallography from Hugo Strunz. For this purpose he totally
revised and re-edited the standard textbook Klockmanns Lehrbuch der Information: Rainer Abart (abart@zedat.fu-berlin.de)
Mineralogie.
In 1974, Hugo Strunz, then president of the International Miner-
alogical Association, organized its 9th conference at the Technische
Universität Berlin. His mineralogical expeditions led him to most l In Situ Isotope and Trace Element Analysis in
European countries, but also to Namibia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zim- Geosciences using Laser-Ablation Mass Spectroscopy
babwe, and elsewhere. Hugo Strunz obtained numerous honors all
1–5 October 2007
over the world. He was an honorary member of the mineralogical
societies of America, Great Britain, Germany, and the USSR; of the Location: Johann-Wolfgang von Goethe Universität Frankfurt,
geological societies of Bulgaria and Hungary; and of the Gemmolog- Institute of Geosciences, Senckenberganlage 28,
ical Society of Japan. He was a senator of the German Academy of 60054 Frankfurt, Germany
Natural Scientists Leopoldina and was awarded the Bořicky Medal of
the Karls University Prague and the Bundesverdienstkreuz first class Information: Stefan Weyer (stefan.weyer@em.uni-frankfurt.de)
of the Federal Republic of Germany. The mineral strunzite is named
after him (as well as ferrostrunzite and ferristrunzite).
Hugo Strunz will live on in innumerable anecdotes and legends.

Susanne F. Herting-Agthe
Technische Universität Berlin

ELEMENTS 55 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s
From its foundation, the official
journal of the Society has been
the Rendiconti della Società Italiana
di Mineralogia e Petrologia. In
1989, the Italian, French, and
German mineralogical societies
(joined in 2004 by the Spanish
society) merged their journals
into the bimonthly European
http://simp.dst.unipi.it Journal of Mineralogy (EJM). Over
the years, EJM has achieved a
remarkable position among
researchers in the fields of
mineralogy, petrology, geochem-
istry, and mineral deposits,
respectively. The Plinius Medal is
awarded to distinguished members
of the Society for research
excellence in the fields of
mineralogy and petrology. One
scholarship grant to carry out
research in foreign countries and
two prizes for the best PhD theses
are also awarded each year.

Italian Society of journals in its field. With the

Mineralogy and Petrology
FROM THE PRESIDENT
When Roberto Compagnoni, a member of the
Elements Advisory Board, showed me a copy of
Elements, I was immediately fascinated by the
captivating format—an attractive typographic
setting; concise, but authoritative, summaries
of some of the “hot” topics in Earth sciences;
thoughtful reflections on the political and eth-
ical aspects of science, and up-to-date infor-
mation on the activities of some of the leading
scientific societies in the fields of mineralogy,
petrology, and geochemistry. Therefore, in
January 2006, as soon as I stepped in as the
president of the Società Italiana di Mineralogia
e Petrologia (SIMP), I urged the Council of the Society to join this excit-
ing editorial venture. Council supported enthusiastically my suggestion,
and at the annual general assembly, members approved it unanimously.
We look forward to a fruitful cooperation with all the societies involved.
Piero Lattanzi
SIMP President
A SHORT OUTLINE OF SIMP
The Società Italiana di Mineralogia members of the international
e Petrologia (Italian Mineralogical mineralogical community and
and Petrological Society) was includes free SIMP publications.
established in Pavia on December
SIMP, as the official Italian
12, 1940, as the Italian Miner-
representative of the mineral
alogical Society. Ugo Panichi was
sciences, has delegates in the main
its first president. The Society,
international scientific bodies,
which took the present name of
such as the International Miner-
Società Italiana di Mineralogia e
alogical Association (IMA) and
Petrologia (SIMP) in 1970, is
the European Mineralogical Union
devoted to the development of
(EMU). SIMP was one of the
mineral sciences in their broadest
founders, in 1996, of the
sense, including crystallography,
Federazione Italiana di Scienze
systematic mineralogy, mineral
della Terra (FIST – Italian Earth
deposits, geochemistry, petrology,
Sciences Federation), a coordinat-
volcanology, and their applications
ing institution that includes 14
to material sciences, environmental
Italian scientific societies active in
issues, and cultural heritage. SIMP
all branches of the Earth sciences.
aims at promoting any kind of
activity, research, and organiza-
SIMP holds a national meeting each
tion in the different fields of the
year. The first SIMP meeting was
mineral sciences. Currently, the held in Pavia, in May 1941. Up to
Society has about 400 individual now, 85 meetings have taken
members (ordinary and junior) place (a short account of the last
and 50 institutional members, one is included in these pages).
mostly Italian but also from Since 1997, every second year, the
European and non-European meeting has been held in conjunc-
countries. The title of honorary tion with the FIST General Forum.
member is conferred to eminent
ceasing of Rendiconti, a new The SIMP council consists of a
president, a vice president (two-
national bulletin was started
(Plinius) and constitutes the year appointments), a secretary, a
treasurer, and six councillors
Italian supplement to EJM. Plinius
(four-year appointments). In
(32 issues published so far) includes
documents related to the Society’s addition, representatives of three
informal groups (the National
life, abstracts of SIMP meetings,
Group of Mineralogy, the National
and the extended abstracts of the
Group of Petrography, and the
PhD dissertations of Italian
National Group of Georesources,
graduates. It is currently distrib-
Environment and Cultural Heritage)
uted in CD format.
are full members of Council.
Prizes named after outstanding
Further information about SIMP
members of the Society—Ugo
can be found on the Society
Panichi, Angelo Bianchi, Carlo
website: http://simp.dst.unipi.it/
Minguzzi, Johndino Nogara—are
E-mail: simp@dst.unipi.it.
awarded to young Italian
SIMP ANNUAL MEETING
Fluminimaggiore, Sardinia – September 27–30, 2006
The 85th meeting of the Società Italiana di Mineralogia e Petrologia
was held at Hotel Antas (Fluminimaggiore, Sardinia) from September
27 to 30, 2006. The location was chosen to emphasize the importance
of the island of Sardinia, and specifically of the Sulcis-Iglesiente
province, for the Earth sciences. The area hosts one of the best-pre-
served Cambrian carbonate platforms of the Variscan chain, a great
variety of Palaeozoic fossils, and an uncommon wealth of mineral
deposits, mainly Pb–Ag–Zn, that made Iglesiente one of the great met-
alliferous provinces of Europe. Nowadays mining activity has ceased,
but it has left behind a remarkable cultural, historical, and scientific
heritage, which is now protected by UNESCO in the World Heritage
List and made accessible to the public by the Parco Geominerario della
Sardegna. The Parco was the principal sponsor of our meeting,
together with the Fondazione Banco di Sardegna and the Università di
Cagliari.
The meeting included a plenary session consisting of five invited lec-
tures devoted to mineral resources and the environment, with specific
reference to Sardinia; a mini-symposium of computational mineralogy
including four invited lectures; and several parallel sessions covering
practically all aspects of mineral sciences—mineralogy, petrology, geo-
chemisty, volcanology, ore deposits, and applications to the environ-
ment and to cultural heritage. About 150 individuals from all parts of
Italy and a few foreigners attended the meeting. The high percentage
of young people was particularly refreshing. A total of 46 oral and 74
poster presentations were offered. Abstracts are included in the last
issue of Plinius.
After the meeting, five field trips illustrated a part of the rich geologi-
cal, mineralogical, and cultural treasures of the island. The meeting,
and especially the field trips, were blessed by typical end-of-Septem-
ber, sunny Sardinian weather, so that many participants took the
opportunity to combine a stimulating scientific experience with relax-
ing at the beach or swimming in the sea.

ELEMENTS 56 F EBRUARY 2007


SIMP PRIZES FOR 2006
Panichi Prize (for mineralogy)
Minguzzi Prize (for geochemistry)
Every year SIMP awards prizes to outstanding young researchers in various
SIMP branches (mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, and ore deposits).
The ex aequo winners of the 2006 Panichi Prize (for mineralogy) are G. Diego
Gatta (Milano) and Gianluca Iezzi (Chieti). The winner of the 2006 Minguzzi
Prize (for geochemistry) is Luigi Folco (Siena).
G. Diego Gatta received his
Laurea degree in geological
sciences from the University of
Perugia, Italy, in December 1998,
and his PhD degree in mineralogy
from the University of Florence,
Italy, in March 2002. He was a
postdoctoral research associate at
the Bayerisches Geoinstitut–Uni-
versity of Bayreuth, Germany,
between 2002 and 2005. Cur-
rently, Dr Gatta is a senior
research scientist/assistant
professor in the Earth Sciences
Department, University of Milan,
Italy. His main research interest is
the study of the crystal structure
and crystal chemistry of minerals
Gianluca Iezzi is a lecturer/
assistant professor of applied
mineralogy and petrography in
the Earth Science Department of
the University of Chieti, Italy. He
received his Laurea degree at this
same university in 1997, when he
presented a dissertation on the
petrology of the pre-caldera
volcanic products at Campi
Flegrei and Ischia, Naples (Italy).
For his PhD he shifted his
scientific interests to mineralogy.
He began his thesis in 1999 at the
ELEMENTS
So c ie t y Ne w s
respectively. His research activity
focuses mainly on the mineralogy
and geochemistry of primitive
and differentiated meteorites,
with the aim of defining the
original structure of their parent
asteroids and the processes of
igneous differentiation. Luigi
Folco has led several meteorite
search expeditions to Antarctica
as part of the Italian Programma
Nazionale delle Ricerche in
by single-crystal and powder- Antartide (PNRA), and has
diffraction methods using
Luigi Folco completed an conducted interdisciplinary
honors degree in Earth sciences at studies aimed at understanding
conventional and non-conven-
the University of Siena (Italy) in the meteorite concentration
tional sources (synchrotron and
1991 and a PhD in planetary mechanism in Antarctica and its
neutrons) under ambient and
sciences at the Open University relationship to the glacial history
non-ambient conditions. Dr Gatta
(UK) in 1997. He is the curator of of the Antarctic ice sheet. Luigi
is author or co-author of more
the meteorite collection at the Folco is an associate editor for the
than 30 peer-reviewed papers on
Museo Nazionale dell’Antartide in Meteoritical Bulletin of the Mete-
the elastic and thermo-elastic
Siena and a lecturer in mineral oritical Society, a member of the
behaviour of natural silicates, on
resources at the Department of Nomenclature Committee of the
the pressure- and temperature-
Earth Sciences, University of Meteoritical Society, and the Italian
induced structural evolution of
Siena. He was Chercheur Associé delegate to the Astromineralogy
minerals, and on the crystal
CNRS and Professeur Invité CNRS Working Group of the Interna-
chemistry of natural and synthetic
at the Centre Européen de tional Mineralogical Association.
materials of technological interest.
Recherche et d’Enseignement des The 7006 Folco asteroid was named
He collaborates with colleagues in
Géosciences de l’Environnement, after him by the International
Italy and abroad on the same
Université d’Aix-Marseille III Astronomical Union.
subjects. He is an associate editor
(France) in 2005 and 2006,
of American Mineralogist and
Mineralogical Magazine.
He received an award from the
Italian Society of Mineralogy and
Petrology (SIMP) for the best PhD
Geoitalia 2007
thesis in 2002, and he was awarded Geoscience and Society in Italy in the
the Prize of the Italian Associa- International Year of Planet Earth, 2008
tion of Crystallography (AIC) as
the best young researcher in 2004
for the excellence and novelty of The Sixth Italian Forum of Earth Sciences,
his research activities. “Geoitalia 2007,” will be held in Rimini on
September 12–14, 2007. Pre-congress
workshops and short courses will also be
ISTO-CNRS in Orleans (France) held between September 7 and 11.
and in December 2001 he
defended its PhD thesis entitled The International Year of Planet Earth – proclaimed for 2008 by the UN
“Crystal chemistry of Li-bearing General Assembly in late December 2005 – was initiated jointly by the
amphibole, an experimental International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and the United
approach”. In 2002 he conducted Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
post-doctoral research at the
University of Chieti, followed by The scientific program of the Sixth Italian Forum of Earth Sciences
more post-doctoral work at the focuses on several of the major research themes of the International
Bayerisches Geoinstitut of Year of Planet Earth. The Scientific Program Committee, in which
Bayreuth (Germany). The SIMP takes part, has called for proposals from a wide community of
scientific interests of Dr Iezzi geoscientists. This has led to the development of a comprehensive
include the crystal chemistry of program consisting of two plenary lectures, 66 thematic sessions, 15
chain silicates and garnets and
disciplinary sessions, 4 round tables, 12 pre-congress workshops,
their phase transitions as a
function of T and P, as well as the
and 3 short courses. All fields of Earth sciences will be covered,
including several currently important topics in mineralogy, petrol-
dynamics of lava flows. Cur-
ogy, and geochemistry. More than 1000 participants are expected
rently, he is responsible for two
to attend the meeting.
scientific projects, one devoted to
the determination of the crystal-
lization parameters of silicate
Deadline for advance registration: May 14, 2007
melts and another focused on the For more info:
crystal chemistry of synthetic http://www.geoitalia.org
feldspathoids. He has co-authored
more than 25 international
publications.
57 F EBRUARY 2007

International Association
of Geoanalysts
FROM THE PRESIDENT
It is with great pleasure that the International Asso-
ciation of Geoanalysts, as of this issue, joins the Ele-
ments constellation as the twelfth participating
society. As president of the IAG, it is appropriate for
me to introduce our association and to describe
some of our core activities to colleagues in the
other member societies.
Michael Wiedenbeck
The International Association of
Geoanalysts (IAG) was formally
established in Vail, Colorado,
during the Geoanalysis 1997
conference, hosted by the United
States Geological Survey. That
event provided a more formal
structure to a movement that had
actually been initiated some years
earlier, when Gwendy Hall and
colleagues at the Geological
Survey of Canada put out a call
for papers for the first Geoanaly-
sis meeting, held in Huntsville,
Ontario, in June 1990. The goal
of these pioneers was to provide
an informal setting for discussing
technical advances in the
chemical analysis of geological
and environmental samples.
During those early days, few
envisioned this gathering would
form the foundation on which a
self-sustaining professional
association of scientists from
industry and academia would be
built. Now, some 16 years later,
the IAG has grown into a global
organization with members in 20
countries on six continents.
Members are devoted to improv-
ing the laboratory and statistical
methods by which the composi-
tions of natural materials are
determined.
Proficiency testing is the
cornerstone of geochemical
metrology in which the analyst
reports the composition of an
ELEMENTS
So c ie t y Ne w s
unknown sample determined
under normal operating condi-
tions. In such a test, sometimes
called a blind intercomparison,
the results from many independ-
ent laboratories are compiled, and
the resulting data set is subjected
to a rigorous statistical assess-
ment. A report is then provided
to each of the participating
laboratories, which indicates to
the analyst how he or she
performed relative to the other
participants. This approach is
often the only means by which a
research lab or an analytical
service provider might flag the
presence of a previously unsus-
pected bias in their analytical
method. It is then up to the
individual laboratory to assess
where they might need to modify
their procedure, perhaps by
adding an extra acid digestion
step or correcting for a previously
unsuspected interference. The
IAG is currently the only body
that routinely produces and
distributes powders for the
purpose of proficiency testing of
bulk-rock analytical routines.
Twice annually the IAG’s GeoPT
programme grinds, homogenizes
and packages suitable sample
aliquots. These are sent to
participating labs, which are
given three months to report
their results. After the reporting
deadline has passed, the IAG
58
produces a detailed report,
containing only anonymous
laboratory identifiers, which is
sent to each of the participants.
Participation in the GeoPT
programme has now grown to
over 70 laboratories. Silicate
compositions dominate the list of
samples that have been distrib-
uted, but other “exotic” material
types, such as carbonates and
loess, have also been employed.
The IAG also operates a similar
programme, the G-Probe profi-
ciency testing scheme, for in situ
microbeam analytical techniques.
Reference materials (RMs),
which many of us called “stan-
dards” during our university days,
are a key component for many
laboratory techniques. For both
the calibration of laboratory
equipment and quality control
purposes, quality RM is often the
weakest link in the entire
analytical chain. The lack of a
properly characterized, matrix-
matched RM often compels
analysts to use the next-best
material available, an “in-house
standard” or another material
whose suitability has not been
established. In 2004 the IAG was
granted observer status at ISO
REMCO, the international
organization based in Geneva
responsible for overseeing the
production and certification of
RM. As such, the IAG is the
organization that represents the
interests of the analytical
geochemist at the international
level. Furthermore, the IAG has
developed and published the only
ISO-compliant RM certification
F EBRUARY 2007
protocol for geological samples.
This protocol was the first
endeavour of the IAG’s certifica-
tion committee, which was
established in 2002. In 2005 the
IAG used this protocol to certify
the concentrations of 44 elements
in the OU-6 Penrhyn Slate, which
remains among the best-
characterized rock reference
materials currently in existence.
With the successful completion of
this proof-of-principle project, the
IAG’s certification committee is
organizing the production of
further samples of specific
interest to the geological and
mining communities; the
intention is to produce a new
certified reference material
approximately every 12 months.
These materials, along with
samples remaining from earlier
proficiency testing rounds, are to
be distributed through our
marketing company, IAGeo Ltd.
Here I have been able to touch on
but some of the activities of our
association, though many other
important endeavours are worth a
brief mention: support of the
journal Geostandards and Geoana-
lytical Research, sponsorship of the
triennial Geoanalysis Conference
Series, and funding of our Early
Career Researcher Award. I am
looking forward to describing
these other exciting initiatives in
future issues of Elements.
Michael Wiedenbeck
GeoForschungsZentrum
Postsdam, Germany.
President, International
Association of Geoanalysts
 So c ie t y Ne w s

FROM THE PRESIDENT marked the birth of the library of

the Society – a matter of utmost
It is a great pleasure and satisfac-
importance for Polish mineralogists
tion for all members of the
in a period of limited access to
Mineralogical Society of Poland
foreign publications.
(Polskie Towarzystwo Mineralog-
iczne) to join with other societies The current activities of the Society
participating in Elements. include the organization of
scientific conferences and work-
The Mineralogical Society of
www.ptmin.agh.edu.pl Poland currently has about 200
shops, the publishing of journals,
and the fostering of collaboration
members active in the mineralog-
with mineralogists from neigh-
ical sciences and related disciplines.
boring countries. The promotion
Mineralogical Society Although Poland has a long
tradition in mineralogical
of the mineralogical sciences
among amateurs is an important
of Poland research and in the teaching of
mineralogy, this national
function of the Society.
organization for Polish mineralo- I am convinced that being a part
gists is relatively young. The of Elements will prove beneficial
XIII MEETING OF THE PETROLOGY GROUP Society was founded in 1969, and for members of the Mineralogical
OF THE MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY OF POLAND within two months, it had grown Society of Poland and that
to 160 members. In 1970, the collaboration among the various
The XIII Meeting of the Petrology Group was held in Leśna (Lower
first volume of the journal societies involved in Elements will
Silesia, Poland) during, as is traditional, the third weekend of October
Mineralogia Polonica, containing be fruitful.
(19–22 October 2006). The meeting was organized by the Mineralogical
papers exclusively in English, was
Society of Poland, the Institute of Geological Sciences of the University Marek Michalik
published. The exchange of the
of Wroc ĺaw, and the Institute of Geological Sciences of the Jagiellonian President
journal with other institutions
University. The theme of the meeting was “The Mantle beneath SW
Poland and Some Occurrences of Related Tertiary Volcanism”. About
70 participants (mostly from Poland but also from Austria, Hungary, IN MEMORIAM
and the United Kingdom) presented 20 lectures and 35 posters in the
thematic sessions and in the general session. Professor Wojciech PROFESSOR ANDRZEJ BOLEWSKI
Nar˛ebski, Honorary Member of the Society and expert on ophiolites,
The centenary of the birth of Professor Andrzej
honoured the meeting by his presence. Two field trips were held in
Bolewski (1906–2002), an outstanding scientist,
the Tertiary basalts rich in mantle xenoliths of Lower Silesia. Extended
teacher, and organizer in the geosciences—but
abstracts in English were published in volume 29 of Mineralogia Polonica
above all a mineralogist—was celebrated during a
– Special Papers (volume editor: Jacek Puziewicz).
scientific conference held in Kraków on 18–19 Sep-
tember 2006. It was organized by the Department
of Mineralogy, Petrography, and Geochemistry of
the Faculty of Geology, Geophysics, and Protection
of the Natural Environment of his alma mater the
University of Science and Technology (AGH), the Mineralogical Soci-
ety of Poland, and the Commission on Mineralogical Sciences of the
Polish Academy of Sciences. The conference took place under the
joint auspices of the rector of the University and the mayor of Kraków.

From right to left, Hilary Downes, Jacek Puziewicz (chairman of the Organizing
Committee), and Marek Michalik
The conference was comprised of two parts. In the first part, lectures
delivered by Professor Bolewski’s students and co-workers were
devoted to various aspects of his many-sided scientific, pedagogical
and organizational abilities. The speakers recalled the importance of
Professor Bolewski’s activities as a scientist and academic teacher, his
innovations in the management of mineral raw materials, and his
efforts in the organization of the State Geological Survey and the Pol-
ish Academy of Sciences. Particular attention was also paid to his
activities during World War II when, after liberation from imprison-
ment by the Gestapo, Professor Bolewski took part in clandestine
teaching. Later, he contributed, as a Polish economic expert, to the
establishment of the final boundaries of Poland at the Potsdam Con-
ference. In addition, the speakers emphasized his significant roles in
the formation of technical universities in Kraków and Gliwice after
1945, the Mineralogical Society of Poland, and other mineralogical
and geological commissions. Finally, his very rich body of written
work was reviewed. This work includes numerous academic textbooks
on various branches of the mineralogical and geological sciences.

The second part of the conference was an excellent opportunity to

review the current state of the mineralogical sciences, both pure and
applied, in Poland. A formal supper, held in an antique manor-house
in Mogilany near Kraków, was the focus for an unforgettable evening.
During the conference, a commemorative plaque was unveiled on
the wall of a lecture hall newly named in honor of Professor A. Bolewski.
Field trip to a Tertiary basalt quarry

ELEMENTS 59 F EBRUARY 2007


www.minsocam.org
Mineralogical Society
of America
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Introducing our Newest Editor, Dr. Frank Dudás
Publications are the lasting legacy of many scientific organizations.
MSA’s world-renowned publications include American Mineralogist,
Reviews in Mineralogy & Geochemistry, Elements, books in the monograph
series, and now the Handbook of Mineralogy (HoM).
In 2001, MSA was gifted the
copyright and future publication
rights to the Handbook by its
editors, the late Richard (Dick)
Bideaux, Kenneth W. Bladh,
Elizabeth Anthony-Morton (for
John W. Anthony), and Barbara
G. Nichols (for Monte Nichols).
This five-volume set includes a
single-page synopsis of “data
crucial to identification of all
mineral species” (HoM, vol. II,
p. v; see also www.minsocam.org/
MSA/Handbook.html).
This treasure trove of information
is invaluable for both academic
mineralogists and the large
mineral-collecting community.
Dick continued his passion for
editing and updating the Handbook
until his untimely death in 2004.
Dr. Frank Dudás has agreed to
edit the Handbook of Mineralogy,
which has languished for two
years without an editor. I initially
met Frank at the 1996 Teaching
Mineralogy workshop, when he
was a geology professor at Old
Dominion. Subsequently, we
interacted many times at the
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
where Frank’s love and knowl-
edge of mineralogy was evident.
Growing up in a family of mineral
dealers, working as a mineralogist
for Kennecott Corp., sampling ore
deposits around the world, and
analyzing isotopes underscore his
appreciation for minerals. Many
of you know Frank as manager of
ELEMENTS
So c ie t y Ne w s
Sam Bowring’s radiogenic isotope
lab at MIT. In his newest
extracurricular activity as HoM
editor, his vision is consistent
with Dick Bideaux’s: to create an
up-to-date web-based, searchable
version of the Handbook. Many of
you may be contacted by Frank to
lend your expertise as a “contrib-
utor” to the update of a mineral
group, series, or species. He will
sort, harvest, and validate
information, thereby giving the
Handbook MSA’s seal of approval.
Gifts of publications to MSA are
not new. In fact, our prestigious
journal, American Mineralogist,
was “given” to MSA in 1919
because the then editors and
business manager wanted to
better secure its future. Within
ten years, Colonel Washington A.
Roebling gave $40,000 in bonds
to MSA explicitly to “improve the
American Mineralogist.” This
generous financial gift continues
to support American Mineralogist
and currently also constitutes
much of the support for MSA
awards and the website. Perhaps
history will repeat itself.
Please welcome Frank and give
him your support for his endeavors.
If you are interested in contribut-
ing to the Handbook, contact
Frank at fdudas@mit.edu. I’ve
already signed up.
Barb Dutrow, President
president@minsocam.org
60
NOTES FROM CHANTILLY
• The 2006 MSA elections were held, for the second year, on the Web.
For 2007, the president of the Society is Barb Dutrow; our 2007 vice
president is Peter Heaney. In his second term as treasurer is John M.
Hughes. George Harlow remains in office as secretary, and the new
councilors are Jean Morrison and Klaus Mezger. They join continuing
councilors Roberta L. Rudnick, Simon A.T. Redfern, Ross John Angel,
and Robert T. Downs. MSA thanks outgoing councilors Dave London
and Mickey Gunter for three years of dedicated service to the Society.
A total of 898 ballots were received (39.8% of those eligible) by the
August 1 deadline. This is the highest number of voters since 1986
when 967 members voted. This level of participation has been consistent
for some time. Even in the early years of the Society (1920s–1930s),
the number of voting members seldom reached 50%. If you did not
vote, plan to do so next year. As recent events have shown, election
results do matter.
• Accepting the recommendations of the respective award committees,
MSA Council has selected Gordon E. Brown Jr. as the 2007 Roebling
Medalist, Richard John Harrison as the 2007 MSA Awardee, and Thomas
Armbruster as the 2008 Dana Medalist. The recipient of the 2007 Dis-
tinguished Public Service Medal is Marie Huizing.
• The 2007 Kraus Crystallographic Research Grant recipient is Ms.
Siobhan Wilson for her study “Quantifying Uptake of Atmospheric
Greenhouse Gases in Hydrotalcite-group Minerals,” which will be
conducted at the University of British Columbia. The 2007 Mineralogy/
Petrology Research Grant recipients are Emily Pope for her proposal
“Fluid Stable-Isotope Signatures in Hydrous Alteration Minerals,” to
be carried out at Stanford University of California, and Philip Skemer
for his study “Rheology and Microstructural Evolution of Experimentally
Deformed Orthoenstatite,” which he will undertake at Yale University.
The Mineralogical Society of America and
the Geochemical Society – 2007 Short Courses
Fluid–Fluid Equilibria in the Paleoelevation: Geochemical
Crust: Petrology, Geochemistry, and Thermodynamic
and Economic Potential. Approaches.
August 16–17, 2007, before the October 26–27, 2007 before the
2007 Goldschmidt Conference in fall 2007 Geological Society of
Cologne, Germany. America meeting, Denver, Colorado.
SHORT COURSE ORGANIZERS: A. SHORT COURSE ORGANIZER: M. Kohn,
Liebscher and C. Heinrich, University of South Carolina
Technical University of Berlin
More information and registration forms will be available
in the spring of 2007 on the MSA website.
The Mineralogical Society of America
2008 Grants for
RESEARCH IN CRYSTALLOGRAPHY,
MINERAL PHYSICS
OR CHEMISTRY, AND MINERALOGY
from the Edward H. Kraus Crystallographic Research Fund
with contributions from MSA membership and friends
STUDENT RESEARCH IN MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY
from an endowment created by MSA members
Selection is based on the qualifications of the applicant, the quality, inno-
vativeness, and scientific significance of the research of a written proposal
and the likelihood of success of the project. There are three US$5000
grants with no restrictions on how the funds may be spent, as long as they
are used in support of research. Application instructions and forms are
available from the MSA home page, http://www.minsocam.org, or the
MSA offices. Completed applications must be received by June 1, 2007.
F EBRUARY 2007
 So c ie t y Ne w s

MSA AND GS SHORT COURSE

– WATER IN NOMINALLY ANHYDROUS MINERALS
The MSA and GS short course Water in
Nominally Anhydrous Minerals took place on
October 1–4 in Verbania, northern Italy, on
the shores of Lago Maggiore. About 90
participants enjoyed four days of lectures and
poster sessions on various aspects of water in
the mantle. The sessions were complemented
by a field trip to the marble quarry producing
the stones for the cathedral of Milan, a wine-
tasting party, and a conference dinner on an
island in the lake. Unlike past short courses,
some short oral presentations on new results
complemented the overview lectures by
invited speakers.
The conference started with lectures by
George Rossman on analytical techniques
and by Bernard Marty on water in the early
Earth. Bernard Marty made a convincing case
that the Earth´s original water budget mostly
came from chondrites. Estimating the bulk
water content of the Earth based on cosmo-
chemical arguments is nearly impossible,
however, because of the many uncertainties
concerning the extent of potential water loss
due to impacts, hydrodynamic escape, and
other processes.
The evidence on mantle water contents from
xenoliths was reviewed in a series of talks.
The highest water contents—several hundred
ppm—are usually found in pyroxenes, while
olivine from kimberlitic xenoliths typically
contains 100–200 ppm of water. These
numbers are, however, only lower limits to
the actual water content in the mantle, as
many xenoliths may have lost water.
Therefore, “remote sensing” of water contents
in the mantle by geophysical techniques
would be highly desirable. Among the various
technologies discussed, electrical conductivity
and shear wave velocities appear to be
particularly sensitive to water. Some first
applications of these techniques suggest that
the actual water content in the transition
zone may be several thousand ppm, with
significantly higher concentrations possible
at some locations.
The main mechanism for the dissolution of
water in minerals appears to involve magne-
sium vacancies in most minerals. However,
coupled substitutions with aluminum become
very important in pyroxenes, and they largely
control, for example, the partitioning of water
between pyroxenes and silicate melts. The
main effect of water on rheological properties,
however, is probably controlled by silicon
vacancies, despite the fact that the abundance
of such vacancies is small in most minerals
compared to that of magnesium vacancies.
Incorporating the effects of water in mantle
convection models suggests that plate tectonics
may only be possible in a mantle containing
traces of water. Earth is the water planet—not
only because of its oceans, but also because of
its tectonic style.
The short course was
supported by MSA, the
Geochemical Society,
the U.S. Department
of Energy, the German
Mineralogical Society,
and Bayerisches
Geoinstitut, and RiMG
volume 62 was
published as an
outcome of the short
course.
Hans Keppler

NEW TITLES MSA 2007 ELECTIONS

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Reviews in Mineralogy The slate of candidates for the
upcoming MSA Council elections is
Nominations are sought for the following and Geochemistry
as follows:
Mineralogical Society of America
awards and must be received by June 1, 2007 and Geochemical Society PRESIDENT
Peter Heaney
• The Roebling Medal is MSA’s highest award and is given VOLUME 63
for eminence as demonstrated by outstanding published “Neutron Scattering in VICE PRESIDENT (ONE TO BE SELECTED)

Earth Sciences,” Hans-Rudolf Nancy Ross

original research in mineralogy.
Wenk and Nancy Ross (editors),
• The Dana Medal recognizes continued outstanding ISBN 978-0-939950-75-1 $40
scientific contributions through original research in the
mineralogical sciences by an individual in mid-career. VOLUME 64
“Medical Mineralogy and
• The Mineralogical Society of America Award is given Geochemistry,” Nita Sahai and
for outstanding published contribution(s) prior to the Martin A.A. Schoonen (editors),
awardee’s 35th birthday or within 7 years of the PhD. ISBN 978-0-939950-76-8 $40
For detailed description, tables of
• Society Fellowship recognizes a member’s significant contents, and online ordering,
scientific contributions. visit www.minsocam.org or
contact Mineralogical Society of
Mineralogical Society of America America, 3635 Concorde Pkwy
Ste 500, Chantilly, VA 20151-
1125, USA; phone: +1 (703) 652-
Submission requirements and procedures are on MSA’s home page: 9950; fax: +1 (703) 652-9951;
www.minsocam.org e-mail: business@minsocam.org
Jeffrey Post
SECRETARY (ONE TO BE SELECTED)
Philip E. Brown
Mickey Gunter
COUNCILLORS (TWO TO BE SELECTED)
Carol Frost
Lee A. Groat
Bruce D. Marsh
Peter C. Burns
John M. Hughes continues in office
as treasurer. Continuing as coun-
cilors are Roberta L. Rudnick,
Simon A.T. Redfern, Klaus Mezger,
and Jean Morrison. Election
materials will be available to MSA
members in April, in time for the
voting deadline of August 1, 2007.

ELEMENTS 61 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s
GS is currently seeking informal proposals for the 2010 and 2012 Gold-
schmidt meetings. Both meetings are expected to be held in North
America. Informal proposals should include the planned date and
venue, the organizing committee, the programming committee, a list of
participating institutions, and an estimate of the cost to delegates. Infor-
mal proposals should be sent via e-mail to the addresses below by March
31. After the Board has examined these informal proposals, we will ask
for formal proposals to be presented at the Board of Directors meeting in
Cologne (August 18, 2006).
www.geochemsoc.org Please submit your informal proposals to host a meeting in North Amer-
ica. As you know, Goldschmidt Conferences are generally huge suc-
cesses. Hosting such a meeting is one of the most important contribu-
Geochemical Society tions you can make to your society.

Sue Brantley,
President, Geochemical Society (brantley@eesi.psu.edu)
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Seth Davis,
Seeking Goldschmidt Conference Proposals Business Manager, Geochemical Society (gsoffice@geochemsoc.org)
The Geochemical Society and the European Association for Geochem-
istry held the Goldschmidt Conference for the first time in Australia in
August 2006. The meeting was a resounding success under the leader-
ship of a first-rate executive committee (chaired by Simon Turner of
Macquarie University), programming committee, and the conference
management skills of Tour Host Pty Limited. It marked the second time
that the Goldschmidt Conference was held outside North America and www.goldschmidt2007.org
Europe (the previous time was the 13th Goldschmidt Conference, held 17th Annual Goldschmidt Conference,
in Kurashiki, Japan, in 2003). Cologne, Germany

GS and EAG are now returning to the regular rotation of Goldschmidt August 19–24, 2007
meetings between Europe and North America. The 2007 Goldschmidt Organizing Committee:
(www.goldschmidt2007.org) will be held in Cologne, Germany, August Herbert Palme, Albrecht Hofmann, Carsten Münker,
19–24, 2007 with the theme “atoms to planets.” The Cologne Gold- and Sumit Chakraborty
schmidt organizing committee is chaired by Herbert Palme (herbert.
palme@uni-koeln.de) of Universität zu Köln. Prof. Dominique Weis
(dweis@eos.ubc.ca) of the University of British Columbia is chairing the
organizing committee for the 2008 Goldschmidt Conference in Van- NOTES FROM SAINT LOUIS
couver, BC, Canada (July 13–18, 2008). Preparations are also being made
to return to Davos, Switzerland, for the 2009 Goldschmidt Conference, Coming up in the January 2007 Edition
led by Chris Ballentine (chris.ballentine@manchester.ac.uk) of the Uni- of The Geochemical News
versity of Manchester.
• A retrospective of the Mel-
bourne Goldschmidt from
Past and Future Goldschmidt Conferences Denisa Adamova et al.
YEAR ORGANIZING COMMITTEE CHAIR(S) LOCATION
• Melbourne field trip reports
1988 Hu Barnes Baltimore, MD, USA
from Ian Plimer, Jon Wood-
1990 Peter Deines Baltimore, MD, USA head, Martin Van Kranendonk,
1992 Bruce Doe Reston, VA, USA and Andrew Christian
1994 Ben Harte Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
1995 Hu Barnes, Peter Deines University Park, PA, USA
• Useful information regarding
the 2007 Cologne Goldschmidt
1996 Hans Lippolt Heidelburg, Germany
from Herbert Palme et al.
1997 Michael Drake Tucson, AZ, USA
1998 Jacques Schott, Stacey Callahan Toulouse, France • Review of RiMG Volume 59, Molecular Geomicrobiology, by Brad Tebo
1999 Stein Jacobsen Cambridge, MA, USA
2000 Max Coleman, Christopher Hawkesworth, Oxford, UK
Look for it online at www.geochemsoc.org.
Keith O’Nions
2001 Robert Bodnar, Michael Hochella Hot Springs, VA, USA
Thank you Peggy and Trish!
2002 Alex Halliday, Jan Kramers, Rainer Wieler Davos, Switzerland On December 31, Peggy Delaney (University of California–Santa Cruz)
and Patricia Dove (Virginia Polytechnic Institute) completed their
2003 Yukihiro Matsuhisa, Jun-ichi Matsuda Kurashiki, Japan
terms as directors on the Board. For the full list of 2007 board mem-
2004 Susan Stipp, Bjørn Jamtveit, Børge Nielsen Copenhagen, Denmark
bers, visit http://www.geochemsoc.org/aboutgs/personnel.html
2005 Scott Wood, Mickey Gunter, Peter Larson Moscow, ID, USA
2006 Simon Turner Melbourne, Australia Geochemsoc.org Phase I
2007 Herbert Palme, Albrecht Hofmann, Cologne, Germany Over the next several months, we will be making noticeable changes
Carsten Münker, Sumit Chakraborty
to our website. Our goal is to make the site useful and easy to navigate.
2008 Dominique Weis Vancouver, BC, Canada
If you have comments or suggestions regarding our changes, please let
2009 Christopher Ballentine Davos, Switzerland us know.

ELEMENTS 62 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s

JOINT ASSEMBLY
ACAPULCO, MEXICO 22-25 May, 2007
www.agu.org/meetings/ja07/
Geochemical Society–Sponsored Sessions at the AGU
Joint Assembly
• Session V03: The Origin,
Evolution, and Tectonic Signifi-
cance of Coeval Magmas of
Differing Parentage
CONVENERS: James F. Luhr
(Smithsonian Institution) and
Surendra P. Verma (Centro de
Investigación en Energía UNAM)
• Session V09: Diversity of the
Subarc Mantle – Insights from
Studies of Peridotite Xenoliths,
Ophiolites, and Metamorphic
Rocks from Subduction Zones
CONVENERS: Ralf Halama
(University of Maryland) and
Ivan Savov (Carnegie Institu-
tion of Washington)
• Session V19: High-Mg
Andesites, Slab Melts, and
Wedge Melts – Significance for
Crustal Genesis?
CONVENERS: Ian Smith (University
of Auckland) and Simon Turner
(Macquarie University)
• Session V22: Volcanoes,
Plutons, and Ore Deposits:
What’s the Connection?
• Session GS03: Petrography,
Microstructure, Textures, and
Reactivity of Swelling Clays
CONVENERS: Luis Martinez (UMR
G2R 7566 CNRS-UHP) and
German Montes-Hernandez
(UMR G2R 7566 CNRS-UHP)
• Session GS04: The Role of
Radioisotopes in Geologic
Environments
CONVENERS: Maureen Kathleen
Corcoran (US Army Engineer
Research and Development
Center) and Julie Kelley (US
Army Engineer Research and
Development Center)
• Session GS05: Fluid Geo-
chemistry (Associated with
Fluid–Rock Interactions, Gas
Clathrate CO2 Sequestration and
Fluid Inclusions)
CONVENER: Zhenhao Duan
(Institute of Geology and
Geophysics, Chinese Academy
of Sciences)
• Session GS06: Uranium in the
Environment
teed. Your financial support to this program will increase the number
of available student grants. If you are interested in applying for a stu-
dent travel grant, please visit our website (www.geochemsoc.org).
Meeting Assistance Program
The Geochemical Society Program Committee allocates up to five
US$2000 grants to financially support geochemistry sessions/sym-
posia at any scientific conference of geochemical relevance. Your
financial support of this program will increase the number of available
grants. If you are interested in applying for a meeting grant, please
contact the business office for more information.
Organic Geochemistry Division
The Organic Geochemistry Division was established in 1960 to promote
and recognize achievement in organic geochemistry. Current pro-
gramming includes sponsoring organic geochemistry sessions/sym-
posia and awarding the OGD Best Paper Award and the A.E. Treibs
Medal. Your financial support of OGD will allow OGD to improve its
ability to promote organic geochemistry.
The Geochemical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Seth Davis, Business Manager
Washington University
One Brookings Drive, CB 1169
Saint Louis, MO 63130-4899
Tel.: 314-935-4131 • Fax: 314-935-4121
E-mail: gsoffice@geochemsoc.org
Website: www.geochemsoc.org

CONVENERS: John Mavrogenes CONVENERS: Ignacio Alfonso

(Australian National University)
and Adam C. Simon (University
of Nevada–Las Vegas)
• Session GS02: Coastal
Lagoons Geochemistry and
Pollution
CONVENERS: Federico Páez-Osuna
(UNAM-Instituto de Ciencias
del Mar y Limnología) and Ana
Carolina Ruiz-Fernández
(UNAM–Instituto de Ciencias
del Mar y Limnología)
Reyes Cortes (Universidad
Autónoma de Chihuahua),
Mostafa Fayek (University of
Manitoba), and Philip C.
Goodell (University of Texas, El
Paso)
• Session U16: Global Geody-
namics – Core, Mantle, and Crust
CONVENERS: Andrew Campbell
(University of Maryland),
Adrian Lenardic (Rice Univer-
sity), and Tracy Rushmer
(University of Vermont)

Support GS!
Everything we do at the Geochemical Society is made possible through
our generous members, volunteers, and contributors. Please consider
making a donation to the Geochemical Society. If you like, you may
specify where your donation should be allocated (three programs are
featured below). If you are interested in supporting some other GS pro-
gram, just let us know. A link to our donations page can be found at
www.geochemsoc.org.

Student Travel Grants Program

The Geochemical Society provides up to US$10,000 annually in grants
to support students traveling to the Goldschmidt Conference. In 2006,
we were able to bolster this amount by virtue of a $30,000 grant from
the National Science Foundation (www.nsf.gov). As successful as last
year’s program was, NSF funding for the 2007 meeting is not guaran-

ELEMENTS 63 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s
www.eag.eu.com
European Association
for Geochemistry
FROM THE INCOMING EAG PRESIDENT
Geochemistry on the Move
Dear colleagues,
First, I have to say a big ‘thank you’ to the con-
venors and organisers of the Melbourne Gold-
schmidt. It was a great meeting, and the venue
and professional approach taken to the confer-
ence organisation made a noticeable difference.
The geochemistry community worldwide is
indebted.
It is with a sense of some excitement that I am
Alex Halliday, taking over from Bruce Yardley as president.
EAG President Bruce has left the European Association for Geo-
chemistry (EAG) in a much stronger position
than when he first started the job two years ago, and we have a great
team of enthusiastic, talented, hardworking and committed individuals
ready to take things forward into the future.
The new EAG Council represents a broad spectrum of top geochemistry
expertise. Not all of the team members are new. Eric Oelkers is stepping
down as secretary to become vice-president; Susan Stipp, member of
Council, will become secretary; and Catherine Chauvel is still treasurer.
We have some new councillors, namely Chris Ballentine, who has been
co-opted as the primary convenor of the 2009 Goldschmidt Conference
in Davos, Bernard Bourdon, Lara Duro, Mike Walter and Bernard Wehrli.
With a significant number of organisational changes being made to
EAG, Council will be meeting about three times a year for the foresee-
able future. This is a significant step up in activity. The new members of
the team are already busy at work.
EAG is your Society
But EAG is not about us, it is about you. EAG is your society. Unlike the
case in many research institutions, there is no ‘top down’ science strat-
egy. EAG is about allowing scientists to communicate, explore, discuss
and give credit to science across the gamut of geochemistry, from stars
to life. Our role is to provide the best vehicles for doing this, with the
specific needs of Europe-based scientists in mind.
EAG in a Global Partnership
We have a fantastic partner in this endeavour: the Geochemical Society
(GS) and the EAG have long worked together to provide the necessary
forum for the exchange of ideas and to plan joint ventures. This goes
beyond collaboration. EAG and GS benefit greatly from the considerable
expertise that they can offer each other in how to organise different
facets of a strong society. The invaluable help being provided to EAG by
Seth Davis, GS business manager, is of course a good example.
ELEMENTS
The Goldschmidt Forum
This excellent partnership needs to be maintained if we are to tackle the
important issues that face professional development in our field on the
global scale. At every Goldschmidt Conference, the presidents and vice-
presidents of EAG and GS (collectively the Goldschmidt Forum) get
together to discuss issues of joint concern. Three recurrent problems
with broad implications are membership, finances and organisation of
Goldschmidt Conferences. Although each society is responsible for its
own distinctive aspects, there is no question we will be able to provide a
lot of support and help to each other as things move forward.
The EAG Website
EAG has plenty of its own ideas about special projects that it wants to
undertake. The new website (http://www.eag.eu.com/), established by
Eric Oelkers and colleagues, is a step in the right direction. We plan to
add lots of information relevant to European geochemists over the com-
ing year. Feel free to get in touch with Eric Oelkers about aspects you
would like to see developed. It is your website.
Important Changes to the Organisation
As EAG takes on additional tasks and attempts to achieve more for sci-
ence, it has to streamline its activities and build a broader organisational
base. Up until now the number of officers has been fewer than in the GS
for example, which means that the range of work they each undertake
is significantly greater. We need to change this as a matter of priority. As
a consequence we are setting up new committees, and some of the work
that was previously handled by the executive officers will be turned over
to others. Details are presented below.
EAG Innovation Award
We will soon be introducing a new honour – the EAG Innovation Award.
This prestigious medal will be bestowed on individuals who have had a
dramatic impact on the landscape of geochemistry as a result of a par-
ticularly innovative breakthrough. The subject area of the award will
rotate each year. It is expected that one or two medals will go yearly to
established scientists at the mid-career (35 to 55 years old say) level, and
as such, it will fill a gap in our current awards.
Goldschmidt in Cologne – Be There, and Bring your Students
The 2007 Goldschmidt Conference (http://www.goldschmidt2007.org)
will be held in Cologne, Germany, on 19–24 August. Goldschmidt Con-
ferences have become the key meetings for communicating ideas across
a wide spectrum of geochemistry. This meeting is expected to be one of
the biggest to date, and the organisers have worked hard to make it as
affordable as possible so that students in particular will be able to par-
ticipate fully. Please make it a priority to be there; the great success of
this annual conference is dependent on your attendance. The organisers
have identified an impressive range of 16 science themes from which
symposia will be developed. Feel free to contact the organisers to get
your session considered for inclusion in the program.
A Final ‘Thank You’
Much more is developing within EAG, and in the next issue of Elements
we will bring you up to date on some of these aspects. In closing, how-
ever, I will mention briefly our great appreciation for members of EAG
who have helped with its organisation. This is particularly important
because EAG has not been easy to run, partly because, unlike many other
societies, it does not have a steady income stream. We intend to change
that, but we are particularly grateful to those who have kept it going
under difficult circumstances. If you would like to get involved, please
do not hesitate to get in touch. It will be exciting and rewarding.
In the meantime I would like to thank Terry Seward (past president),
Bruce Yardley (president), Eric Oelkers (secretary) and four councillors,
Sigurdur Gislason, Graham Pearson, Susan Stipp and Gerhard Woerner,
all of whom are stepping down. We really appreciate their efforts on
behalf of the Society and on behalf of geochemistry worldwide.
Alex N. Halliday, President
64 F EBRUARY 2007

EAG NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
EAG Announces the Re-launch
of its Website
As mentioned by Alex Halliday, the EAG
website has been completely reformatted,
with easy-to-use menus, regular updates and
new features to better serve the scientific
community. We invite everyone to visit it
regularly at www.eag.eu.com.
EAG Council Meeting Highlights
The EAG Council held its fall meeting at
University College in London, November
5–6, 2006. Highlights of the meeting include
the following:
It was approved to hold the 2009 V.M.
Goldschmidt Conference in Davos, Switzer-
land. Davos is an ideal site because of its
central and dramatic location, the availability
of a conference centre able to accommodate
at least 2000 participants and the availability
of over 90,000 hotel rooms at discounted
prices during the summer months. The
organisation of the conference will be led by
Chris Ballentine of the University of
Manchester, who will head the scientific
steering committee, Judith McKenzie of the
ETH, who will head the local organising
committee, and Eric Oelkers of the CNRS
Toulouse, who will, as EAG vice-president,
oversee financial and administrative details.
An extensive revision of the EAG by-laws was
discussed and implemented. The new by-laws
include the creation of five new EAG
committees:
THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION
FOR GEOCHEMISTRY INVITES YOU ALL TO
GOLDSCHMIDT 2007
“Atoms to Planets”
The 2007 Goldschmidt Conference will be held in
Cologne, Germany, on August 19–24, 2007. The Gold-
schmidt Conference is the premier annual meeting in
geochemistry and mineralogy. In addition to its usual
sponsors, the European Association for Geochemistry
and the Geochemical Society, the Cologne meeting is
co-sponsored by the German Mineralogical Society.
This meeting will cover the full range of geochemistry,
from cosmochemistry to mineralogy and the origin of
life. Sessions are planned on the following themes:
• Analytical Geochemistry
• Atmospheres and Oceans
(including Climate Change)
• Biogeochemistry and Geomicrobiology
• Computational Geochemistry
ELEMENTS
So c ie t y Ne w s
§ The EAG Communications Committee,
chaired by Michael Walter. This commit-
tee’s responsibilities include maintaining
and developing content for the EAG web
pages; soliciting, editing and submitting
contributions to Elements; and promoting
EAG and its activities through representa-
tion at conferences.
§ The EAG Program Committee, chaired by
Bernard Bourdon. Responsibilities of this
committee include soliciting and proposing
special sessions for the annual European
From left to right: Catherine Chauvel (EAG Treasurer),
Geosciences Union (EGU) and other Bruce Yardley (Past President), Eric Oelkers (Vice
appropriate meetings, and providing a President) and Susan Stipp (Secretary) discussing the
regularly updated list of all future meetings revised by-laws during a break at the November
of potential interest to European geo- Council meeting
chemists for inclusion on the EAG web page.
vice-president, Eric Oelkers; and the Houter-
§ The EAG Publications Committee, chaired mans Medal Committee, headed by EAG past
by Philippe Van Cappellen. This committee president, Bruce Yardley.
will serve as a liaison between the EAG and
The EAG Council approved the creation of a
Elsevier, the publisher of Chemical Geology;
series of EAG innovation awards to recognize
explore/implement agreements between
contributions made by scientists in mid-
EAG and other journals/publishers; and
career during the past 10–15 years. The
explore/implement special publications
awards will be made for a coherent set of
sponsored by the EAG.
papers that together constitute an innovative
§ The EAG Nominations Committee, chaired
advance in the field. One or two awards are
by Bernhard Wehrli. The main role of this to be given each year in different fields on a
committee is to nominate future officers rotating basis. Field in which awards will be
and councilors of the EAG. made are currently: (1) low-temperature
§ The EAG Audit Committee, chaired by
geochemistry/surface chemistry; (2) climate,
oceans, and global cycles: (3) isotope
Terry Seward, will oversee the EAG geochemistry; (4) mineral physics; and (5)
financial accounts as run by the treasurer. biogeochemistry. The choice of fields will
These committees complement existing evolve with the field of geochemistry.
committees of the EAG: the joint EAG–GS Further details on the EAG Council meeting,
Geochemical Fellows Committee; the Urey including its minutes, can be found on the
Medal Committee, headed by the current EAG website: www.eag.eu.com.
• Cosmochemistry
• Crystal Chemistry and Crystallography
• Environmental Geochemistry and Mineralogy
• Experimental Geochemistry and Mineralogy
• Fluid–Rock Interaction
•
•
Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Surfaces
Igneous Petrology
• Isotope Geochemistry and Geochronology
• Metamorphic Petrology
• Mineral Deposits and Economic Geology
• Mineralogy
• Organic Geochemistry
• Planetary Geochemistry
• Sedimentary Geochemistry
Cologne has just over one million inhabitants and is the fourth-
largest city in Germany. Founded by the Romans, Cologne is
the oldest of the major German cities and is still characterized
by its 2000 years of history. The metropolis on the Rhine
annually attracts many millions of visitors.
To get further information on the 2007 Goldschmidt Conference,
please visit the website
www.the-conference.com/gold2007
65 F EBRUARY 2007
 So c ie t y Ne w s

CMS SEEKS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

We are seeking a highly motivated treasurer. Reasonable overheads
individual to serve as Editor-in- (including the Managing Editor’s
Chief of Clays and Clay Minerals, salary) and travel expenses to
an internationally recognized attend professional society meetings
journal published by The Clay will be reimbursed. This is a three-
Minerals Society. The successful year renewable appointment with
www.clays.org candidate must have a PhD, have a starting date of January 1, 2008.
expertise in clay science, have
Individuals interested in this
excellent organizational/manage-
opportunity are invited to submit
ment skills, and have superior
a letter of interest that specifically
The Clay Minerals Society communication skills (oral and
written). The Editor should be identifies the candidate’s
(1) knowledge of clay science,
even handed, independent
(2) editorial experience, and
minded, and tactful. Editorial
FROM THE SECRETARY experience, the ability to help (3) organizational/management
What does the secretary of an organization like The skills. Along with this letter please
supervise online versions of Clays
Clay Minerals Society do? The short answer is, just send a curriculum vitae, a list of
and Clay Minerals, and a willing-
about everything that isn’t specifically assigned to three references, and a proposed
ness to develop a strategy for
someone else. The secretary is one of the few indi- budget for the editorial office to
continued growth of the journal
viduals who, as set down in the bylaws, are eligible David Laird, USDA, ARS, National
readership are desired. The Editor
for re-election without limitation. The official Soil Tilth Laboratory, 2150 Pammel
will select and work closely with
duties of the secretary consist of keeping the Drive, Ames, Iowa 5001, USA
a board of Associate Editors, whose
records of the proceedings of the Society as well as Tel.: 515-294-1581;
function will be to assist with the
the respective proceedings of the Executive Com- Fax: 515-294-8125;
review of manuscripts submitted
mittee and the Council. Only the editor-in-chief e-mail: Laird@nstl.gov
for publication. The Editor will
and the treasurer have such a degree of permanence, for understandable also appoint and supervise a Potential candidates are urged
reasons. The other officers serve one-year terms. So, along with help Managing Editor, who will be to contact David Laird for more
from the office manager, who provides the glue that holds the Society’s responsible for technical aspects information, including a list of
business activities together year after year, the institutional memory of of copy preparation and other duties for the Editor-in-Chief and
the organization resides in the offices of secretary, editor, and treasurer. assigned tasks. Development and a copy of the current budget.
management of the editorial office Consideration of applications will
I was fortunate that Dick Berry (San Diego State University) preceded me
budget is also a duty of the Editor, start March 1, 2007, and will
in the post as he did a careful and meticulous job developing operational
in conjunction with the Society continue until the position is filled.
schemes for all the secretarial activities. So I was able to step right in and
pick up where he left off. This has been extremely helpful because over
the past two years the Society has been negotiating with the Mineralog-
ical Society of America to relocate the CMS office from Aurora, CO, to
the MSA headquarters in Chantilly, VA. This has meant moving all of
44th ANNUAL MEETING
the Society’s records, hiring a new office manager, modifying and updat- ENCHANTED CLAYS
ing accounting and other business practices, filing transfer requests for 2–7 JUNE 2007
the Society’s legal status, and various other necessary but time-consum- SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
ing activities. CMS was fortunate, again, to have at its helm a very capa-
ble and dedicated team of Executive Committee members, each of The 44th annual meeting of The Clay Min-
whom pitched in at the appropriate time to help make the transition as erals Society will be held in early June 2007, in
smooth as possible. The secretary’s task in all this has been to participate beautiful and historic Santa Fe, New Mexico,
in all Council, Executive Committee and Long Range Planning Com- USA. Santa Fe provides an idyllic location in the
mittee meetings to insure the accurate documentation of discussions southwestern United States for attendees to enjoy technical and
and decisions and, when necessary, to sign various legal documents social sessions while soaking up the diverse culture and wonderful
enabling the transfer process. While I can imagine that my responsibili- climate of New Mexico – The Land of Enchantment. We encourage
ties are mirrored to one extent or another in most professional societies, you to attend, share knowledge and ideas, benefit from technical
it nevertheless can, at times, produce a considerable amount of work in interactions, and relax in the wonderful historic and enchanted
addition to my normal duties at my institution. However, I find the environs of Santa Fe.
effort well worthwhile and very rewarding.
The meeting includes two and a half days of technical sessions and
In the midst of all the relocation efforts, a major undertaking by the symposia, with oral sessions scheduled all day Monday, Tuesday
Society has been to enlarge its membership through active recruiting, morning, and all day Wednesday. Poster presentations are scheduled
both in North America and abroad. From October 2005 to October 2006, for Monday afternoon and Tuesday early evening. The following
over three-quarters of the manuscripts submitted to the Society’s jour- technical sessions and symposia are planned:

Carbon Sequestration Ÿ Carbon Stabilization by Clays Ÿ Characterizing

nal, Clays and Clay Minerals, came from non–North American countries,
Clay Minerals Ÿ Clays in Soils and Sediments Ÿ Clays and Environ-
and so Council has made a concerted effort to encourage these individ-
mental Processes Ÿ Clays and Archeology Ÿ Clays and their Role in
uals to become members. Many of us have direct ties with other active
Protolife Ÿ Clays as Nanomaterials Ÿ Clays in Extreme Environments
clay science groups through our collaboration with students and col-
Ÿ Clays in Oil Shale Ÿ Molecular Simulation of Clays Ÿ Zeolites
leagues. In my case, I have worked continually with students from
Turkey since the mid-1970s. Our hope is that these international efforts
will result in a membership increase in CMS. Go to www.sandia.gov/clay/ for more information.
Warren D. Huff The meeting registration deadline is 3 April 2007.
Department of Geology, University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0013

ELEMENTS 66 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s

THE CLAY MINERALS SOCIETY AWARDS AND GRANTS

Student Research Grants
Several grants of up to $2500
each are available; they are
designed to support master’s and
doctoral research for graduate
students in clay science and
technology. The closing date for
applications for the student
research grants is March 20, 2007.
Student Travel Grants
The travel grant program is
designed to provide partial
financial support to students to
attend the annual meeting of The
Clay Minerals Society. All student
members of the Society are eligible
for the Travel Grant Program.
Applications will be judged on
a competitive basis. Applicants
selected will be nominated by a
five-member CMS committee and
approved by the CMS Council.
There is no restriction with regard
to nationality. Grants of up to
$500 for intracontinental and
$1000 for intercontinental travel
are awarded. The closing date for
applications for the student travel
grants is March 20, 2007.
The Marilyn and Sturges
W. Bailey Distinguished
Member Award
The Marilyn and Sturges W.
Bailey Award—the highest honor
of The Clay Minerals Society—is
awarded solely for scientific
eminence in clay mineralogy (in
its broadest sense) as evidenced
primarily by the publication of
outstanding original scientific
research and by the impact of
this research on the clay sciences.
Service to clay mineralogy,
teaching, and administrative
accomplishments are not
considered in the evaluation of
nominees. Nominations should
be sent to the relevant committee
chair by March 1, 2007.
The George W. Brindley
Lecture
This lecture award is intended to
recognize a clay scientist who will
infuse the Society with new
ideas—someone who is both a
dynamic speaker and involved in
innovative research. Dr. Brindley
himself approved the concept of
the Lecture, and the speaker Marion L. and Chrystie M.
should deliver a lecture that Jackson Mid-Career Clay
Brindley himself would applaud. Scientist Award
Nominations should consist of a
The award is to recognize mid-
cover letter from the nominator,
career scientists for excellence in
a curriculum vitae, and two
the contribution of new knowl-
supporting letters, and should be
edge to clay minerals science
sent to the relevant committee
through original and scholarly
chair by March 1, 2007.
research. The awardee will be
between the ages of 39 and 60.
Pioneer in Clay Science
Nominations should consist of a
Award cover letter from the nominator,
This award recognizes research a curriculum vitae, and two
contributions that have led to supporting letters. Nominating
important new directions in clay materials must be received by the
minerals science and technology. relevant committee chair no later
The awardee is selected by the than March 1, 2007.
local organizing committee of the
CMS annual meeting at which Further information on all grants
the award will be presented. The and awards is available from The
intent is to select a person who Clay Minerals Society website:
will strengthen the technical
http://www.clays.org/home/
program, which may include a
HomeAwardsAndGrants.html
symposium in an area where the
Pioneer awardee is recognized for
his/her seminal contributions.
The awardee is expected to be in
attendance for the entire CMS
meeting and to present a plenary
lecture on the subject for which
he/she is being recognized.

CLAYS IN THE NEWS

Clays and Hurricane Katrina ASU Researchers Test Antibacterial
Effects of Healing Clays
Researchers led by Tarek Abdoun, Rensselear
Polytechnic Institute, studied the effects of
Hurricane Katrina on the levees of New Orleans.
They used a 150 g-ton centrifuge to model one
of New Orleans’ levee sections and the hurri-
cane forces that led to its failure. The goal of
the test was to learn how layers of peat and clay
beneath the levees might have contributed to
the failure.

The centrifuge is part of the National Science

Foundation (NSF) George E. Brown Network for
Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES), an
interconnected, nationally distributed system
of 15 facilities for studying the effects of full-
scale earthquake forces on structures and mate- If research by CMS member Lynda Williams
rials. (an Arizona State University geochemist) and
microbiologist Shelley Haydel on the antibac-
During the experiment, the researchers sub-
terial properties of clays realizes its full potential,
jected a scaled-down model of the 17th Street ISBN 0-9886314-0-7
clay minerals could one day take their place
Canal levee in New Orleans—complete with
comfortably with antibacterial behemoths like 809 pages, accompanying CD
local-source peat—to extreme conditions like
penicillin. The National Institutes of Health Only $75
those experienced during the hurricane on
recently awarded a grant to Williams and Haydel
August 29, 2005. The experiment suggested
for a study of the healing mechanism of clays Order online at
that earth sliding along a weak clay layer
that cure Buruli ulcer. The work is in collaboration
underlying a bed of peat directly beneath the www.mineralogicalassociation.ca
with CMS members Dennis Eberl (USGS) and
levee helped to bring down the 17th Street
Ross Geise (SUNY Buffalo). For more informa-
structure. For more information: www.nsf.gov/
tion: http://www.asu.edu/news/stories/200611/
news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=106790.
20061102_clay.htm.

ELEMENTS 67 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s

sciences in Canada and abroad. of advanced degrees in the Earth

Les and Elsa have been heavily
involved in the mineralogy of
the Monteregian alkaline igneous
complexes for over thirty years.
At Mont Saint-Hilaire, for example,
they were the first to find more
www.mineralogicalassociation.ca than 60 of the 365 species known
from the locality, including five
new mineral species discovered
by themselves and two others in
Mineralogical Association cooperation with other colleagues.
The dedication of the species
sciences at well-established
universities. Les studied metal-
lurgy in Hungary and metallurgy
and management in Canada. He
was born in Hungary in 1937,
and came to Canada at age 20
at a time of great upheaval in
his country. Elsa was born in
Switzerland, arrived in Canada
in 1968, and worked for many
years as a research technician in
the Department of Biochemistry

of Canada horváthite-(Y), discovered in the

Poudrette pegmatite dike,
at McGill University. Both are
now retired, which allows them
recognizes their long-term to focus on their passion—
FROM THE PRESIDENT involvement and impact. mineralogy, especially that of
alkaline complexes.
The past year has been a banner year for the Mineralogical Association
of Canada. Since 1990, the MAC business office had been in Ottawa Les is responsible for two
under the direction of Fran and Bob Pinard, and we are indebted to them “public-service-type” items hosted
for their outstanding contributions to MAC. In the past few years, part on the MAC website under the
of the office was in Quebec City under the direction of Pierrette Trem- heading “Contributions to
blay. At the end of 2006, the two offices combined into a single business Canadian Mineralogy.” The most
office in Quebec City under the very competent direction of Pierrette important is a catalog, annually
Tremblay and Johanne Caron. The office is graciously supplied by the updated, of mineral species
Québec office of the Geological Survey of Canada and the Institut occurring in Canada, each entry
National de la Recherche Scientifique—federal and provincial organiza- complete with a reference.
tions respectively—who together have donated space and resources to
the MAC. In part, this donation reflects the high regard that government Les is the author of Mineral Species
Earth science organizations have for the MAC, its publications, and its First Discovered in Canada, Special
associated societies. Publication 6 of The Canadian
Mineralogist, published in 2003.
The move of the MAC business office to Quebec City was completed last Les insisted on making the book
fall, and everything is running efficiently and smoothly. If you have not a useful original contribution in
already done so, I urge you to renew your membership in MAC, and if many ways. First, it covers the
you are not a member please consider joining to receive all the benefits development of the mineralogical
we provide to our members. These benefits include The Canadian Miner- sciences in Canada right from
alogist, discounts on our special publications and short course volumes, the beginning. Second, Les (and
the new and wonderful magazine Elements, and discounts to a variety of Elsa) visited as many type
meetings that MAC sponsors. László Horváth and Elsa Pfenninger-Horváth, localities as possible to improve
2007 Pinch Medalists
the first-reported coordinates
Many on the MAC Executive see the expansion of mineralogy into a
with their GPS device. Third, Les
diversity of new disciplines as strategic in advancing science, particularly Together, the Horváths have
acquired catalog numbers of all
Earth science. Mineralogy sits at the interface between geology, biology, systematically documented the
holotype and cotype specimens
physics, and chemistry, and many researchers dance around this inter- mineralogy and paragenetic
in the major museums of the
face in their use of mineralogy. MAC would like to highlight the role associations of Mont Saint-Hilaire,
world, so that future generations
mineralogy plays at these interfaces. MAC’s future efforts will include the Francon quarry in Montreal,
would not waste time tracking
sponsoring meetings that involve these disciplines and expanding our and the Varennes quarry in
down material for further study.
publications to include them. It is an exciting time for mineralogy, and Saint-Amable, as well as many
Finally, he acquired photos and
we see MAC and our sister mineralogical societies as playing a pivotal other Quebec localities. All this
biographical details about all
role in many different fields of science. knowledge has been chronicled
people honored by having a
in major publications in The
Kurt Kyser, President mineral species named after them.
Mineralogical Record. Spinoff
Kyser@geol.queensu.ca articles have appeared in Lapis, Elsa and Les Horváth have given
Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, and a great boost to mineralogy in
Mineralien Welt. The Horváths Canada, and indeed worldwide.
PINCH MEDAL TO HORVÁTH have generously made available Both are still very active, as they
AND PFENNINGER-HORVÁTH important samples from their extend their activities to the
collection to researchers ophiolite belt of southern Quebec,
worldwide. What sets them apart in particular in the Asbestos and
The Pinch medal is awarded tions to mineralogy. The Miner-
is the thorough documentation Thetford Mines area. We can
every other year since 2001 to alogical Association of Canada
that comes with the samples, look forward to more valuable
recognize major and sustained awarded the 2007 Pinch Medal
including complete information contributions from the Horváths
contributions to the advancement to László (Les) Horváth and Elsa
on paragenesis, location within to the advancement of mineral-
of mineralogy by members of Pfenninger-Horváth at the 2007
an outcrop, and position with ogy on the national and
the collector–dealer community. Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.
respect to contacts. international scenes.
The medal is named for William
The Horváths are passionate
Wallace Pinch of Rochester, New Their vast mineralogical Robert F. Martin
amateur mineralogists who have
York, in recognition of his knowledge is not the product
had a lasting impact on the
enormous and selfless contribu-
development of the mineralogical

ELEMENTS 68 F EBRUARY 2007


2006 STUDENT TRAVEL AND RESEARCH AWARDS
MAC awarded eight travel and
research grants to students in
2006 for a total of $5595. We
would like to recognize these
deserving students by presenting
highlights of their reports (full
reports available on our website).
Laurel Basciano received a
research grant to enable the
purchase of a Parr pressure bomb.
Laurel is currently working on the
mineralogy and crystal chemistry
of minerals of the jarosite group
for her PhD at Queen’s University,
Kingston, ON. To synthesize end
members of this mineral group,
samples were ion-exchanged at
2000C in the Parr pressure bomb.
This exchange was successful, and
samples were analyzed using X-ray
diffraction and Rietveld refinement
to determine unit cell dimensions
and atomic coordinates. Knowing
how these minerals control metals
in mine waste settings or in
industrial processes will help us
understand and remediate
polluted sites.
Beverley C. Coldwell attended
the MAC short course on melt
inclusions in plutonic rocks, held
in Montreal prior to the GAC-MAC
meeting in May 2006. Her PhD
research at Kingston University,
UK, focuses on the generation of
adakitic magmas in Peru and on
the tectonic setting of the melt
source region. To unravel this
mystery, she is studying melt
inclusions found in quartz
phenocrysts in an adakitic
Interested
in Zircon?
We have some
publications for you!
Order online
www.mineralogicalassociation.ca
ELEMENTS
So c ie t y Ne w s
batholith and a related ignimbrite
deposit. The short course enabled
her to meet many of the scientists
who have made significant progress
in the field. She came away with
new ideas on how to approach
the problems she was encounter-
ing, as well as a much clearer
understanding of how to
interpret her observations.
Skya Fawcett travelled to the
Argonne National Laboratory in
Chicago, IL, to determine the
oxidation state of Sb model
compounds (sulfides, oxides,
sulfosalts, and metal), mine waste
material, and sediment, using the
synchrotron light source. As part
of her PhD thesis at Queen’s
University, she has sampled
surface water, sediment pore
water, and the associated mining-
impacted sediments near the
Giant Mine near Yellowknife,
NWT. She was able to determine
that the Sb(V), Sb(III), and Sb(0)
absorption edges are distinguish-
able (i.e. the resolution is adequate).
In addition, preliminary observa-
tions suggest the presence of
Sb(III) in the environmental
samples. This work will be
continued in 2007 at the
Canadian Light Source.
Nils Peterson, MSc student at
the University of British Colum-
bia (UBC), traveled to Dr. Penny
King’s lab at the University of
Western Ontario (UWO) for one
week in June 2006. He brought
samples of spinel-bearing mantle
69
xenoliths from the British
Columbia Cordillera to find
hydroxyl and quantify the water
content of the peridotites. There
he became acquainted with the
operation of and particular methods
used on the FTIR spectrometer.
Even more exciting was the
discovery of quantifiable amounts
of hydroxyl in the olivine. Using
what he learned at UWO, he is
pursuing the application of
these methods at UBC.
Geneviève Robert attended the
11th Experimental Mineralogy,
Petrology and Geochemistry
Conference, in Bristol, United
Kingdom, in September 2006.
The EMPG offered her a chance
to interact with experimentalists
from different fields of expertise.
She learned a great deal from the
many presentations by prominent
researchers and came back with
many ideas for her project. As
part of her MSc at the University
of British Columbia, she studies
the rheological behavior of
porous volcanic rocks under both
anhydrous and hydrous conditions.
She has designed, built, and
calibrated a new experimental
apparatus capable of holding
fluid pressures relevant to
volcanologic processes. At
the conference, she presented
preliminary results from the new
experimental apparatus, as well
as its design and calibration.
F EBRUARY 2007
Heather Wilson received a
travel grant to present her research
as a honours student at the
University of Calgary at the 2006
GAC-MAC conference in Montreal.
She gave her talk, “Physical
Properties as a Means for
Investigating Changes in the
Dynamics of the 2360 BP
Eruption of Mount Meager, BC,”
to an audience of interested and
enthusiastic researchers. She reports
that subsequent presentations
have been easier thanks to the
confidence she gained from her
experience at the GAC-MAC!
Siobhan (Sasha) A. Wilson,
University of British Columbia,
received a research grant to fund
some analytical work towards
determining the crystal structure
of dypingite. Knowledge of the
crystal structure of dypingite will
enable one to quantify the amount
of natural and enhanced carbon
sequestration occurring in ultra-
mafic mine tailings and to account
for it in terms of the global carbon
budget. See Elements 2: 318.
Heather Wolczanski presented
the results of her honours thesis
at Acadia University at the 2006
GAC-MAC meeting in Montreal.
She reports that the poster session
was fun and challenging. Her
poster, entitled “Petrology and
Regional Tectonic Implications
of The Wolves Islands, Offshore
Southwest New Brunswick,” won
third place in the Jérôme H.
Remick III Poster Competition.
 So c ie t y Ne w s
together in Cornwall from as far
away as New Zealand and Canada
to celebrate our founder’s
achievements. Michael Collins,
the great-grandson of Joseph
Collins, has studied the family
history. He kindly presented the
local China Clay History Society
www.minersoc.org with J.H. Collins’s heavily
annotated copy of Molesworth’s
Pocket Book of Engineering
Formulae, which will be kept at
Mineralogical Society of the St. Austell China Clay
Museum at Wheal Martin. The
family intends carrying out
further research into the achieve-
ments of our founder. The Society
is extremely grateful to Professor
Colin Bristow of Carlyon Bay for
bringing this matter before the
Society and the family. Currently
the Society’s Council is considering
introducing a new medal award
to be named after the founder
for mid-career achievement.

Great Britain and Ireland

NOTES FROM LONDON

The Collins family poses with the spirits of Clay Country Past at the China Clay Museum,
Wheal Martyn. Far left, Ivor Bowditch of Imerys plc with Brian Collins (great-grandson)
on his left; far right Michael Collins (great-grandson), with Peter Collins (great-great-
grandson) on his right. PHOTO COURTESY OF COLIN BRISTOW

Undergraduate Student Award Winners for 2006

The Society Gets its Own Home at Last! Each year the Society presents awards to the best students in the mineral
The Society has rented premises at 41 Queen’s Gate in London’s South sciences in their penultimate year of study as undergraduates. The awards
Kensington area for over 50 years, but this year the owners of the build- comprise a certificate of excellence, one of the Society’s book publica-
ing, the Royal Entomological Society (RES), have decided to move out tions and two years’ free subscription to Elements magazine. The scheme
and sell the building for development. The building, a Grade II–listed is offered to all university Earth science departments in the United Kingdom
Victorian property built by William Jackson in 1870, was bought in 1920 and Ireland. The following students were given awards in 2006.
by the RES for their headquarters. The Society is grateful to the RES for
the stability this building has provided. However the Society, undaunted Louise ALEXANDER, Birkbeck
by the prospect of being without a base, has seen this as an opportunity Neil BENNETT, University of Birmingham
to invest in its own premises. These will be located in Twickenham, 11 Holly BRIDGWATER, University of Leeds
miles from the centre of London and a five-minute walk from Twicken-
Elizabeth BURTON, University of Brighton
ham railway station (35 minutes by train from Waterloo). The building
it has purchased (see photo) is in a private mews in a quiet residential Oliver DUFFY, The University of Manchester
area. It comprises around 1000 square feet over two floors. Downstairs Iain GRAHAM, University of Leicester
there is a reception area, kitchenette, lavatory and store cupboard lead- Rebecca HAMLIN, University of Exeter
ing into a smart meeting room, which opens onto a patio at the back. Anna JAGEN, The University of Edinburgh
The meeting room will be large enough for most business meetings
Bethan JAMES, University College London
except Council. Upstairs there is enough space for up to five work sta-
tions and general storage. We hope to move into the new premises on Alex KAYE, The University of Liverpool
1 March 2007. The address for correspondence will be The Mineralogical Gus LOGAN, University of Cambridge
Society, 12 Baylis Mews, Amyand Park Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, Edward LYNCH, National University of Ireland, Galway
TW1 3HQ. Cora MCKENNA, Trinity College Dublin
Hannah MILNE, University of Aberdeen
Founder’s Descendants Make Pilgrimage to Cornwall
Louise MUNRO, University of Glasgow
Following the erection of a time of the dedication of the
Rachael OGILVIE-HARRIS, Bristol University
plaque to the Society’s founder, plaque but without success. It
Joseph Henry Collins, in June wasn’t until the following year Katie PREECE, Keele University
2005 in Charlestown parish that the Society was contacted by Alex QUAS-COHEN, Cardiff University
church, Cornwall (see Elements the great-great-grandson of Mark REDDING, The University of Reading
1: 235), news of the event filtered Joseph Collins, Peter Collins. Timothy RICE, Kingston University London
through via the Internet to the Then the family got into action,
Michael SOULSBY, University of Derby
descendants of our founder. The and in August 2006 members of
Society had tried to contact the Collins family (see photo) Nicola TRAYNOR, University College Dublin
members of the family at the covering three generations came

ELEMENTS 70 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s

The President’s Luncheon and Medals Ceremony

The President, Professor Ben
Harte, held a luncheon for
invited guests at the Grange
Strathmore Hotel, Kensington, on
16 November. This occasion,
attended by Council members,
past presidents, staff and invited
guests from other organizations,
was an opportunity to present
this year’s medal awards. The
senior award, the Schlumberger
Medal, was presented to Professor
David Vaughan (photo) of the
University of Manchester for his
major contributions to miner-
alogical research. The Max Hey
Medal, awarded each year to an
outstanding young research
worker, was given to Dr Dominic
Fortes (photo) of University
College London for his research
in planetary science. Details of
the medallists’ achievements were
given in the October 2006 issue
of Elements (p. 309). The lunch
was also an opportunity for
members to express their gratitude
to Russell Rajendra, the Society’s
Finance Manager, who completed
10 years with the Society this
A joint meeting of the Mineralogical
year and received a presentation Society of Great Britain and Ireland,
from the President (see photo). the Mineralogical Society of America,
the Mineralogical Association of
Canada and the Société Française
de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie

David Vaughan,
2006 Schlumberger
Fitzwilliam College and the
medallist Department of Earth Sciences,
University of Cambridge,
Cambridge UK

Ben Harte presenting Russell

Rajendra (right) an award for
26-28 June 2007
10 years service to the Society
Abstract and registration on our website
Deadline 28 February 2007

Ben Harte (left) with 2006 Max

Hey medallist Dominic Fortes
(centre) and citationist John
Brodholt (right)

The Society’s Annual Accounts for 2005–2006

The Society’s annual accounts for the period from July 2005 to June
2006 show total income of £420,523 against expenditures of £414,949,
providing a small surplus of £5574. After a promising start to the year
the stock market slowed, providing a more modest gain (unrealised) of
£15,586 than in the previous year in the value of the Society’s invest-
ments. The total value of all funds at 1 July 2006 was £1,165,974. The
full accounts can be downloaded from the Announcements page at
www.minersoc.org/pages/announce/announce.html.

Frontiers 2007 • 26–28 June 2007, Cambridge, UK

REGISTER NOW!
Hurry now to register for this important meeting showcasing what’s
new in the mineral sciences. If you get your registration in online
before 28 February, you will enjoy the benefit of discounted registra-
tion fees. Full details of the meeting and online registration can be
found on the website at www.minersoc.org/Frontiers2007.html.

ELEMENTS 71 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s
www.sfmc-fr.org
Société Française
de Minéralogie
et de Cristallographie
SFMC JOINS THE FÉDÉRATION FRANÇAISE DE GÉOLOGIE
Several years ago, four major French geological societies initiated discus-
sions with the aim of forming a federation to better coordinate their
activities. These societies are the Société Géologique de France (SGF),
the Société Française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie, the Union
Française des Géologues (UFG) and the Comité National Français de
Géologie (CNFG), which is the French representative in the Interna-
tional Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). Eight additional societies
later joined this initiative.
The discussions have now succeeded. Statutes for the Fédération
Française de Géologie (FFG) have been drawn up and approved by the
four founding members and by the other eight societies. The first FFG
general assembly was held on December 7, in Dijon. The twelve mem-
ber societies elected the FFG council, which will start work in 2007.
The aims of the newly created FFG are
• to increase the visibility of the member societies at the
national level;
• to organize joint activities at the scientific level through
workshops, symposia and conferences, in education, and
for the preservation of heritage;
• to better promote the accomplishments, advances and
challenges in their field to the general public and to the
decision makers.
SFMC is proud to be part of this exciting adventure, which will con-
tribute to the promotion of the Earth sciences in France.
Join the Société Française de Minéralogie
et de Cristallographie in 2007
For only 50 (35 for students) you will:
• receive the Bulletin de Liaison, the link between
the members, which contains all the society
news;
• have free internet access to the European
Journal of Mineralogy;
• pay reduced fees for all SFMC activities, as well
as all activities organized by the member
societies of the newly founded Fédération
Française de Géologie;
• and of course, receive, the excellent magazine Elements!
ELEMENTS
SFMC MEETINGS IN 2007
“AnIsotropic Earth,” Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris,
13 March 2007: a meeting aimed at gathering the viewpoints of
seismology and mineral physics on anisotropy in the Earth
“Journées Mars,” Toulouse, 29–30 May 2007: a symposium on
Mars, co-organized by the SFMC and the Observatoire Midi-
Pyrénées
“Frontiers in Mineral Sciences,” Cambridge, UK, 26–28
June 2007: a joint meeting of the Mineralogical Society of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Mineralogical Society of America, the
Mineralogical Association of Canada and the SFMC
“Journées Serpentines,” Grenoble, October 2007: a town
meeting on serpentinites, with a field trip in the Alps
“Analytical Techniques in Mineralogy,” Paris, November
2007: a meeting aimed mainly at students and young researchers
More information will be available soon on the SFMC website
www.sfmc-fr.org
Anisotropic Earth
When Mineral Physics, Petrology,
Seismology and Geophysics Meet
It is now well accepted that the Earth is anisotropic,
but from the seismological and mineralogical points
of view, this anisotropy is sometimes difficult to meas-
ure and to interpret. The reasons are the multiple ori-
gins of anisotropy, the complexity of the phenome-
nons involved and the multiple scales (from the
microscopic scale to the global scale of the Earth) that
must be considered.
We wish to gather researchers from different disci-
plines who work on anisotropy. The goal is to promote
communication between different fields and to help
defining new challenges for further studies. This work-
shop will be organized around a few keynote presen-
tations aiming at introducing the major issues of each
field followed by ample discussion.
This one-day meeting and workshop will be organized
in Paris by Patrick Cordier and Jean Paul Montagner
Institut de Physique du Globe,
Blue room, T14-24 Second floor
4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05.
Tuesday March 13, 2007.
http://www.univ-lille1.fr/lspes/anisotropie.html
72 F EBRUARY 2007
 SSo
o c ie t y Ne w s

EVERYONE LIKES A FREE DRAW!

www.iagc.ca
International Association
of GeoChemistry
IAGC 40th ANNIVERSARY
lanning continues for the IAGC’s 40th birthday celebration at the Uni-
P versity of Cologne, Germany, on Saturday, 18 August 2007, immedi-
ately prior to the 2007 Goldschmidt Conference. Recent developments
are summarised in the report on the business meeting in this issue.
The IAGC will host an anniversary reception to honour past presidents
and other important figures in IAGC’s history. The recipients of the inau-
gural set of IAGC awards – the Vernadsky Medal, the Ebelman Medal,
and the Hitchon Award – will be formally presented during the Gold-
schmidt Conference at the joint society awards ceremony. Certificates of
Merit in recognition of special service to IAGC will be presented at the
anniversary celebration.
The chair of the Organizing Committee for the IAGC 40th Anniversary
Celebration and Symposium is Jochen Hoefs. Any IAGC members wish-
ing to join the committee or otherwise volunteer to assist with the
organisation and implementation of the event should contact Prof. Dr.
Hoefs by e-mail (jhoefs@gwdg.de).
Two major conferences were supported by IAGC last summer: the 16th
Annual Goldschmidt Conference, held in Melbourne, Australia, on
August 28 to September 1, and the 7th International Symposium on
Environmental Geochemistry (ISEG-7), held in Beijing, on September
25–27. The IAGC had a booth at both events, and about 30 new mem-
bers were signed up at each. The IAGC was also well represented at the
annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Philadelphia,
USA, on October 22–25.
At each of these meetings,
prospective members who hap-
pened to look at the booth for just
a fraction of a second too long
were called over and tempted by a
tray of candies, IAGC key rings,
the possibility of winning a set of
back issues of Applied Geochemistry
and/or free dues and a subscrip-
tion to the journal for 2007. The
lucky winners were informed at
Yousif Kharaka and Yanxing Wang the meetings where possible.
(Secretary General, WRI-12), at
ISEG-7 in Beijing
Mel Gascoyne, Business Office Manager
and Newsletter Editor
BUSINESS MEETING IN PHILADELPHIA
A meeting of the IAGC was held on 21 October 2006 in the Loews Hotel,
Philadelphia, PA. An insufficient number of officers were present to
make a quorum, so the meeting defaulted to a business meeting. John
Ludden has resigned from his IAGC post due to added work responsibil-
ities and Russell Harmon (vice-president) has taken over the presidential
duties as mandated in the statutes. Council will be asked to approve this
transition and that of the nomination of Russ’s successor, Clemens
Reimann. If approved, both officers would serve until 2008, when new
elections would be held.
It was reported that Applied Geochemistry is going well (see the latest data
on impact factors below). On average, 21 manuscripts are received per
month. A special issue on mercury was published in November 2006.
Future issues will focus on halogens, watershed-scale geochemistry, and
acid rain. Online paper submission began on 31 October 2006.

Officers discussed activities and

plans for the IAGC’s 40th birth-
day, to be held in conjunction
with the next Goldschmidt
Conference in Cologne, Ger-
many, in August 2007. The fol-
lowing items were resolved or
are to be confirmed:
• Jochen Hoefs has agreed to chair the organising committee.
He will discuss with Goldschmidt committees the scheduling
of the sessions and their venue(s).
• An IAGC event will last for at least one day and precede
the Goldschmidt Conference.
• Past presidents and Ingerson Lecturers will be honoured
at the event.
• IAGC will give out its awards at the event and may also
sponsor a technical symposium.
• A reception, with an invited after-dinner speaker, will follow.
• At Goldschmidt, an additional IAGC-sponsored technical
session will be held in honour of Al Levinson. It will be
organised by Brian Hitchon, who will also serve as a guest editor
for a special issue of Applied Geochemistry.
• IAGC will reimburse the travel costs of invited honourees and
provide assistance to Council members and officers to help
them attend the meeting.
Further details are given in the December Newsletter (#45).

ELEMENTS 73 F EBRUARY 2007

 So c ie t y Ne w s
www.ima-mineralogy.org
International
Mineralogical Association
FRANCES WALL IS NEW IMA
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
IMA reported in a recent issue of Elements that a new Council post had
been created, namely that of Communications Officer. I can now reveal
that the Council has duly elected me in this role. I enjoyed meeting IMA
colleagues during my recent term of office as General Secretary of the
Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland and look forward to
working with the international mineralogical community to publicise,
discuss and explore the activities of IMA.
It is very much a testament to the success of Elements that my post is
now required. An important part of the job is to channel IMA reports
and articles into the Elements pages, where IMA has the opportunity to
communicate with scientists worldwide – and perhaps as important –
where, through its member organisations, scientists worldwide are able
to communicate with the readership of Elements. There are 38 member
mineralogical societies or groups in IMA. Seven of them are partners in
Elements and therefore have plenty of opportunity to tell us of their
activities. This leaves mineralogical societies (with a small ‘s’ because
some are groups within geological societies) in another 31 countries
about whom I hope we will learn more in future editions of Elements. I
plotted the seven ‘Elements countries’ and the 31 other IMA member
countries on a world map to make the point that we can considerably
expand the countries that contribute to Elements by welcoming submis-
ELEMENTS
Frances Wall, new IMA
Communications Officer,
studying maar deposits in the
Auvergne during her ‘day job’
as petrology researcher at the
Natural History Museum,
London, UK.
sions from IMA members. My plan is to feature occasional articles from
member countries, aiming eventually to complete the tour of all of
them. Looking at the world map, one notices large gaps in the coverage
in Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia, which have virtually no
mineralogical representation. Presumably ‘mineral physics is not big in
Malawi’, and of course mineral scientists working in these countries may
be members of their geological societies, national organizations in other
countries, and/or geochemical or clay minerals societies. But I wonder
how well we reach these people, who must be most in need of good
international communications. Perhaps this is a question I can try to
answer in the coming issues.
Articles explaining the work of three IMA commissions and working
groups have been published in Elements, and over time I would like to
explain what all of the groups do. Editorial matter from the IMA
Council will also continue, together with news of meetings and, never
the most glamorous reading but essential reporting if we are to keep you
informed of IMA activities and decisions, the accounts of business
meetings.
Frances Wall
IMA Communications Officer
f.wall@nhm.ac.uk
Seven national mineralogical societies
are partners in Elements and members of
IMA (blue). There are a further 32 IMA
member countries (red).
74 F EBRUARY 2007
 Co n fe re n c e N e w s

IGCP-486 Field Workshop

The International Geoscience Program (IGCP) Project 486 “Au-Ag-tel-
luride-selenide deposits” (2003–2008) focuses on studies of Au-Ag-tel-
luride-selenide mineralisation of all types (hydrothermal, magmatic,
metamorphic). The project bridges the gap between the research of
scientists working in the laboratory, on either experimental or microan-
alytical aspects of deposit mineralogy, and the work of geologists inter-
ested in exploration for and genetic modelling of ore deposits. The goal
of IGCP-486, as for all IGCP projects, is to provide scientists from across
the globe with a multidisciplinary platform to exchange knowledge and
methodology.

IGCP-486 has sponsored sessions at a number of scientific meetings,

such as the International Geological Congress, Florence, Italy (2004), the
8th Biennial SGA Meeting, Beijing, China (2005) and the 12th IAGOD
The open pit at the Ovacik deposit
Quadrennial Symposium, Moscow, Russia, (2006). The project has also
held a number of field workshops, including in the ‘Golden Quadrilat-
eral’ of Romania (2004), in Bulgaria (2005) and a joint workshop with
IGCP-473 in the Chatkal-Kurama area of Uzbekistan (spring 2006). Most
recently, around 60 participants took part in the third field workshop of
the project, held at the Dokuz Eylul University, Geochemistry and Ore
Deposits Division, Izmir, Turkey, 24–29 September 2006.

Workshop participants inspect drillcore at the Ovacik deposit

Participants at the 3rd IGCP-486 Field Workshop, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey,
September 24–29, 2006

· low-sulphide, epithermal type and includes late-stage hydrothermal

The workshop, superbly organised by Prof. Ismet Özgenc, Dr. Tolga
Oyman and their team, included three days of excursions to the gold
deposits of Kişladaǧ, Ovacik and Efemçukuru in western Turkey, and a
two-day scientific symposium at the field study centre of Dokuz Eylul
University. Although the deposits visited during the field excursions
have not yet been shown to contain tellurides and/or selenides, the sym-
posium included 29 papers dealing with different aspects of Au–Ag ore
deposits containing tellurides and/or selenides in Bulgaria, Canada, Fin-
land, Greece, Romania, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Sardinia, Slovakia, Rus-
sia, Serbia, Turkey and Uzbekistan.
The Kişladaǧ deposit is an epithermal, latite porphyry–hosted gold
deposit containing 214.8 Mt of ore reserves at an average grade of
1.04 g/t Au. The Ovacik gold ore is hosted in four quartz veins, up to 20 m
in width, within andesitic volcanic rocks. Proven ore reserves are 4.15 Mt
at an average grade of 7.6 g/t Au; indicated reserves are 1.24 Mt at a
grade of 13.1 g/t Au. The ore is mined both from an open pit and under-
ground. The Efemçukuru vein deposit, where future mining is planned
as a totally underground operation for environmental reasons, is hosted
by rhodonite–rhodochrosite–quartz veins, with phyllite and hornfels as
wall rocks. Ore reserves in the vein are 1.8 Mt at an average grade of
13.4 g/t Au. The thickness of the vein varies from 1.5 to 20 m, the length
is 1200 m, the depth 250 m and the dip 60o to the NNW. The vein is of
breccia. The field workshop showed clearly that Turkey has a significant
gold potential.
IGCP-486 plans to hold several events in 2007, including a five-day
workshop in southern Finland in August 2007; a scientific session and a
one-day field trip to Cripple Creek at the fall GSA meeting in Denver,
Colorado, 28–31 October 2007; and a fieldtrip to northern Peru in
November 2007. A final summary symposium for the project will take
place at the International Geology Congress in Oslo, Norway, 5–14
August 2008.
See the project website for details of future events and project publica-
tions: www.nhm.uio.no/geomus/homepages/cook/IGCP.html. Further
information on the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) can be
found at www.unesco.org/science/earth/igcp.shtml.
Nigel J. Cook
Principal coordinator, IGCP-486
Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Norway
nigelc@nhm.uio.no
Kari K. Kojonen
Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, Finland
Kari.Kojonen@gsf.fi

ELEMENTS 75 F EBRUARY 2007

 Co n fe re n c e N e w s

The 16th Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference,

Melbourne, Australia
The 16th Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference,
‘Geochemistry Downunder’, was held between
August 27 and September 1, 2006, in the
Melbourne Convention Centre, Australia.
The supporting societies were the Geochemi-
cal Society, the European Association for
Geochemistry, the Geological Society of
Australia and the Geochemical Society of
Japan. In addition, the conference was
generously supported by 18 sponsors and
exhibitors, with Nu Instruments as the
principle sponsor. Underwriting was provided
by the conference organisers, Tour Hosts, and
Macquarie University.
The conference received 1515 abstracts and
had 1341 registrants, including delegates from
37 countries, the largest demographic (326)
being Australia, followed by the USA (284),
the UK (117), Japan (104), Germany (77),
China (63), France (59) and Canada (54).
Attendees were greeted with a complimentary
bottle of Coopers Pale Ale and a cooler bag
containing a bottle opener (courtesy of
Melbourne University); the bag was selected
as the conference satchel so that it would
have future utility!
The conference organisers were Simon Turner
(Macquarie University), Hugh O’Neill and
Greg Yaxley (Australian National University),
Janet Hergt (University of Melbourne) and
John Foden (University of Adelaide). From the
outset, we wished to achieve a number of
objectives, which were based on observations
and feedback from previous Goldschmidt
Conferences. In particular, we wanted to host
the meeting in a state-of-the-art venue and
under a single roof to keep delegates together
and networking. To this end, morning coffee,
lunches and afternoon drinks were provided
daily in the main exhibition hall amongst the
posters and exhibitors’ booths. In order to
provide a daily focus, plenary talks were held
immediately after lunch. All 320 posters were
exhibited for the duration of the meeting and
given a scheduled presentation time between
4:30 and 5:30 p.m., during which time
beverages were served. The conference
program was designed as a pocket book for
easy use, and the conference abstracts were
provided on a CD, which included a delegate
list and history of V.M. Goldschmidt. The
abstracts were also published as a special issue
of Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.
The conference was organised into 11 themes,
which attracted more than 90% of the abstracts;
an additional 16 general sessions covered
other geochemical topics. Each theme was
divided up into between five and nine sessions.
The oral program consisted of 12 parallel
sessions. Because the conference was held in a
single venue, participants could move between
sessions easily. Many sessions included one or
more keynote speakers, whose talks occupied
double time slots. Social events included the
conference dinner and tours around Melbourne,
to Philip Island to watch penguins and to the
vineyards of the Yarra Valley.
At an early stage in planning it was recognised
that a field trip program might be an added
incentive to attract overseas registrants.
Accordingly we put together a program of
trips that highlighted some of the many iconic
geological features of Australia and its environs.
Of the initial eight proposed trips, four
received the necessary support from registrants
and were very successfully run with ~110
participants in all. The organising committee
recognises that the success of the tour program
was almost entirely due to the efforts of the
trip organisers and thanks them for their
efforts. The four excursions were:
• The Great Barrier Reef: A Record of Holocene
Environmental Change, organised and led
by Andrew Christian and Malcolm McCulloch
(23–27 August)
• A Geological Tour of Western Victoria,
organised and led by Jon Woodhead and
Janet Hergt (22–26 August). This excursion
highlighted Cenozoic basalts and their
mantle xenoliths.
• Proterozoic Mineralisation and Metamorphism
at Broken Hill, organised and led by Ian
Plimer (2–6 September)
• The Pilbara Region of Western Australia: Early
Archaean Environments and Evidence for
Early Life, organised and led by Martin Van
Kranendonk and John Lindsay (2-9 September)
Feedback from delegates has been overwhelm-
ingly positive, and many seemed reluctant to
leave at the end of the final day of the meeting.
The Goldschmidt Conferences are clearly ‘the’
annual event in the geochemical calendar. See
you next year in Cologne!
Simon Turner, Janet Hergt,
Hugh O’Neill and John Foden

GERMAN MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING,

HANNOVER, GERMANY, 25–27 SEPTEMBER 2006
For its 84th annual meeting, the German Mineralogical Society returned
to Hannover for the third time, after previous visits in 1923 and 1965.
The venue was the Welfenschloss, a historical building belonging to the
Leibnitz University of Hannover. An excellent choice for the meeting,
the building offered plenty of well-equipped rooms for the lectures. The
spacious atrium served as a meeting point and poster display area and,
with its tables and coffee facilities, as an ideal place for scientific discussions.
The German Mineralogical Society covers a broad range of fields in Earth
and materials science. This fact is traditionally reflected by the confer-
ence sessions. This year the three days covered the whole field of min-
eralogy and petrology, from mineral deposits to metamorphic rocks,
clay minerals to archeometry, glass to Mars to museums. Each session
was opened by a keynote lecture given by a leading scientist in the
respective field. The keynote speakers came from all over the world, as
did the invited speakers at the plenary lectures. The six plenary lectures
were held without any parallel sessions, thus providing a unique chance
to hear state-of-the-art science from fields other than that one’s own.
This year’s speakers were Prof. Jeffrey A. Karson (Syracuse, USA), Prof.
Scott D. King (Indianapolis, USA), Prof. Ekhard Salje (Cambridge, UK),
Prof. A. Stein (Minnesota, USA), Dr. James D. Webster (New York, USA),
and Dr. Art F. White (Los Angeles, USA). They covered themes including
the Earth’s mantle and oceanic crust, weathering and fluids, mineral
physics, and synthetic minerals. The Goldschmidt Prize winner,
Dr. Mario Trieloff (Heidelberg, Germany), delivered an exciting lecture
entitled “The Formation of the Terrestrial Planets.”
Extraterrestrial topics were further covered by three sessions and four
keynote speakers: Prof. Martin Bizzarro (Copenhagen, Denmark) in the
cosmochemistry session, Prof. Tim Swindle (Tucson, USA) in the session
“Mars and the Terrestrial Planets” and Prof. Frances Westall (Orléans,
France) in the session “Environments on Early Earth and Astrobiology.”
The fourth extraterrestrial keynote lecture was given in the session on
mineralogical museums and collections and was delivered by Dr. Beda
Hofmann (Bern, Switzerland). Another tradition is the public lecture
held in German and aimed at an interested lay audience. In Hannover
Prof. B. Stribrny (Hannover, Germany) got a lot of attention speaking
about minerals as raw materials and their use in everyday products such
as toothpaste.
The meeting was international in scope and attended by many young
scientists. Twenty percent of the attendees travelled to Hannover from
outside Germany, and 122 out of 350 participants signed in as students.
Finally, and very importantly, the Hannover team did a great job organ-
izing the meeting and made it the success it was.
Dr. Susanne P. Schwenzer
Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, Mainz

ELEMENTS 76 F EBRUARY 2007


2007
March 8–11 GSA Field Forum: Marine
Impact Craters on Earth: Field
Investigation of the Wetumpka Impact
Structure, a Well-Preserved Marine
Impact Crater, and the K-T Boundary
in the Alabama Gulf Coastal Plain,
Wetumpka, Alabama, USA. Details: David
King; e-mail: kingdat@auburn.edu; web
page: www.geosociety.org/fieldForums/
07wetumpka.htm
March 12–16 38th Lunar and Planetary
Science Conference, League City, TX,
USA. Details: Mary Cloud, Lunar and
Planetary Institute; tel.: 281-486-2143;
e-mail: cloud@lpi.usra.edu; web page:
www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2007
March 20–23 IAVCEI International
Workshop on Volcanism and Tectonics,
Havana, Cuba. Details: Prof. Alessandro
Tibaldi; e-mail: alessandro.tibaldi@
unimib.it; web page: www.scg.cu/geoc/
geofisica/1tivt_ing.htm
March 20–25 El Chichón Volcano:
25 Years Later, San Cristobal de las Casas,
Chiapas, México. Details: José Luis Macías;
tel.: 52-55-56224124 ext. 19, 16, and 13;
e-mail: macias@geofisica.unam.mx;
web page: www.geofisica.unam.mx/
vulcanologia/chichon
March 25–29 American Chemical
Society 233rd National Meeting,
Chicago, IL, USA. Details: ACS Meetings,
1155-16th St NW, Washington, DC
20036-489. Tel.: 202-872-4396; fax:
202-872-612; e-mail: natlmtgs@acs.org;
web page: www.chemistry.org/portal/
a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=meet-
ings%5cchicago2007%5chome.html
March 27–30 EarthScope 2007
National Meeting, Portola Plaza,
Monterey, CA, USA. Details: EarthScope,
1200 New York Ave, NW, Suite 700; tel.:
202-682-0633; fax: 202-464-1161;
e-mail: earthscope-info@earthscope.org;
website: www.earthscope.org
April 1–4 American Association of
Petroleum Geologists and Society for
Sedimentary Geology (SEPM) Joint
Annual Meeting, Long Beach, California,
USA. Details: AAPG Conventions
Department, PO Box 979, 1444 S.
Boulder Ave., Tulsa, OK 74101-0979,
USA. Tel.: 918-560-2679; fax: 918-560-
2684; e-mail: convene@aapg.org; web
page: www.aapg.org/longbeach
April 9–13 Materials Research Society
Spring Meeting, San Francisco CA, USA.
Details: Timothy J. Bunning; e-mail:
timothy.bunning@wpafb.af.mil;
web page: www.mrs.org/s_mrs/
sec.asp?CID=4750&DID=164575
April 15–20 European Geosciences
Union (EGU) General Assembly,
Vienna, Austria. Web page:
http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2007
April 22–27 International Conference
on Evolution, Transfer, and Release of
Magmas and Volcanic Gases, Academia
Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. E-mail: mag2007@
earth.sinica.edu.tw; web page:
www.earth.sinica.edu.tw/~mag2007
April 29–May 2 CIM Conference and
Exhibition, Montréal, Canada. Details:
Jean-Marc Demers; tel. 514-939-2710;
e-mail: jmdemers@cim.org;
website: www.cim.org
May 1–4 Hyperspectral Imaging (for
Microscopy and Microanalysis), a
Microbeam Analysis Society–NIST
ELEMENTS
Ca le n da r
workshop, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
Details: Ed Vicenzi, vicenzi@volcano.si.edu;
web page: www.microbeamanalysis.org/
masjh/index.php
May 6–10 10th European Workshop
on Modern Developments and
Applications in Microbeam Analysis
(EMAS 2007), Antwerp, Belgium.
Details: EMAS Secretariat, c/o University
of Antwerp, Dept. of Chemistry, Campus
Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610
Antwerp-Wilrijk, Belgium. Tel.: 32 3 820
23 43; fax: 32 3 820 23 43; e-mail:
Luc.Vantdack@ua.ac.be
May 6–12 Granitic Pegmatites:
The State of the Art International
Symposium, Porto, Portugal.
E-mail: Peg2007@fc.up.pt;
web page: www.fc.up.pt/peg2007
May 8–12 7th High Pressure
Mineral Physics Seminar (HPMPS-7),
Matsushima, Japan. E-mail:
hpmps@ganko.tohoku.ac.jp; web page:
www.ganko.tohoku.ac.jp/hpmps
May 20–23 American Ceramic Society
2007 Glass and Optical Materials
Division Meeting and 18th University
Conference on Glass, Rochester, NY,
USA. Details: Carol Click; e-mail:
carol.click@usschott.com; web page:
www.ceramics.org/glass2007
May 22–25 22nd Himalayan-
Karakoram-Tibet Workshop, University
of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Details: HKT Secretariat, Dept. of Earth
Sciences, University of Hong Kong,
Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong. Tel.: +852
28598047; fax: +852 25176912; e-mail:
hkt22@hkucc.hku.hk; web page:
http://147.8.150.91/HKT22_1st.htm
May 22–25 AGU Joint Assembly,
Acapulco, Mexico. Details: AGU
Meetings Department, 2000 Florida
Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009
USA. Tel.: 800-966-2481, ext. 333 or
202-777-7330; fax: +1-202-328-0566;
e-mail: ja-help@agu.org; web page:
www.agu.org/meetings/ja07/
May 23–25 Geological Association of
Canada and Mineralogical Association
of Canada Joint Meeting (GAC–MAC):
Yellowknife 2007 – For a Change in
Climate, Yellowknife, Canada. Web page:
www.nwtgeoscience.ca/Yellowknife2007
May 27–31 IMWA Symposium: Water
in Mining Environments, Cagliari,
Sardinia, Italy. Details: Rosa Cidu,
University of Cagliari, Department of
Earth Sciences, via Trentino 51, I-09127
Cagliari, Italy. Tel.: +39 070 6757724:
fax +39 070 282236; e-mail:
cidur@unica.it
June 2–7 44th Annual Meeting of the
Clay Minerals Society, Santa Fe, New
Mexico, USA. Details: Randall Cygan,
Sandia National Laboratories; e-mail:
rtcygan@sandia.gov; tel.: 505-844-7216;
web page: www. sandia.gov/clay
June 10–15 Gordon Research
Conference: Interior of the Earth,
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley,
MA, USA. Web page: www.grc.org/
07sched.htm
June 17–20 10th International
Conference and Exhibition of the
European Ceramic Society, Berlin,
Germany. Details: Deutsche Keramische
Gesellschaft e.V., Am Grott 7, D-51147
Köln. Tel.: +49-2203-96648-0; fax: +49-
2203-69301; e-mail: ecers2007@dkg.de;
website: www.ecers2007berlin.de
77
June 17–20 3rd International
Conference on Sustainable Development
Indicators in the Minerals Industry
(SDIMI 2007), Milos Island, Milos,
Greece. E-mail: sdimi2007@heliotopos.net;
web page: http://milos.conferences.gr/
sdimi2007
June 26–28 Frontiers in Mineral
Sciences 2007: Combined Societies’
Meeting: MinSoc, MSA, MAC, and SFMC,
Cambridge, UK. E-mail: info@minersoc.org;
web page: www.minersoc.org/pages/
meetings/frontiers/index.html
July 2–6 Sixth Hutton Symposium
on the Origin of Granites and Related
Rocks, Stellenbosch University, South
Africa. E-mail: Hutton@sun.ac.za;
web page: http://academic.sun.ac.za/
geology/hutton/hutton2007.htm
July 2–13 International Union of
Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) 2007
General Assembly, Perugia, Italy.
E-mail: secretary@IUGG2007perugia.it;
website: www.iugg2007perugia.it
July 8–13 Gordon Research Conference:
Catchment Science: Interactions of
Hydrology, Biology & Geochemistry,
Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH,
USA. Details: Elizabeth W. Boyer & Helen
A. De Wit; web page: www.grc.org/
programs/2007/catch.htm
July 8–13 Gordon Research Confer-
ence: Origins of Solar Systems, Mount
Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA,
USA. Details: Lee W. Hartmann; e-mail:
lhartm@umich.edu; web page:
www.grc.org/programs/2007/origins.htm
July 9–13 11th Congress of the
International Society of Rock
Mechanics, Lisbon, Portugal. Contact:
Sociedade Portuguesa de Geotecnia,
LNEC, Av. do Brasil, 101, 1700-066
Lisboa, Portugal. Tel.: +351 218443321;
fax: +351 218443021; e-mail: spg@
inec.pt; website: www.isrm2007.org
July 12–16 Bioastronomy 2007:
Molecules, Microbes, and Extraterres-
trial Life, San Juan, Puerto Rico. E-mail:
sonoda@ifa.hawaii.edu; web page:
www.ifa.hawaii.edu/UHNAI/bioast07.htm
July 17–20 European Current Research
on Fluid Inclusions (ECROFI-XIX), Bern,
Switzerland. Details: Sarah Antenen,
Institute of Geological Sciences, University
of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 1+3, CH 3012 Bern,
Switzerland; e-mail: antenen@geo.unibe.ch;
web page: www.geo.unibe.ch/ecrofi
July 21–26 American Crystallographic
Association 2007 Meeting, Salt Lake City,
Utah, USA. Details: Jill Trewhella, Dept.
of Mol. & Micro. BioSciences, Univ. of
Sydney NSW 2006 Australia. Tel.: 61 2
935 187; fax: 61 2 935 147 26; e-mail:
82jtrewhella@usyd.edu.au; web page:
www.hwi.buffalo.edu/ACA/meetingspg_list/
futuremeetings.html
July 22–27 Euroclay 2007, Aveiro,
Portugal. Details: Secretariado Euroclay
2007, Dep. Geociencias, Universidade de
Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193
Aveiro, Portugal; fax +351 234 370605;
e-mail: info@euroclay2007.com; website:
www.euroclay2007.com
July 31–August 5 Twelfth Interna-
tional Symposium on Water–Rock
Interaction (WRI-12), Kunming, China.
Details: Secretary General,Yanxin Wang,
School of Environmental Studies, China
University of Geosciences, 430074
Wuhan, P. R. China.
F EBRUARY 2007
Tel.: +86-027-67885040; fax: +86-027-
87481365; e-mail: wri12@cug.edu.cn;
website: www.wri12.org
August 12–17 15th International
Zeolite Conference (15th IZC), Beijing,
China. Contact: Prof. Shilum Qiu,
Organizing Secretary, 15th IZC, State
Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis
and Preparative Chemistry, Jilin
University, Linyuan Road 1788, Changchun
130012, China. Tel.: +86-431-5168590;
fax: +86-431-5168614; e-mail: izc@
jlu.edu.cn; website: www.15izc.org.cn
August 12–17 9th EMU School
‘Nanoscopic Approaches in Earth and
Planetary Sciences’, Munich; Germany.
Organizers: Frank E. Brenker (f.brenker@
em.uni-frankfurt.de), Guntram Jordan
(guntram.jordan@lrz.uni-muenchen.de);
e-mail: info@9th-emu-school.de;
website: www.9th-EMU-School.de
August 13–17 2007 Meteoritical
Society Annual Meeting, Tucson,
Arizona, USA. Details: Dr. Tim Jull,
e-mail: jull@u.arizona.edu; web page:
http://metsoc2007.org
August 19–23 American Chemical
Society 234th National Meeting,
Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Details:
ACS Meetings, 1155-16th St., N.W.,
Washington, DC 20036-4899. Tel.:
(202) 872-4396; fax (202) 872-6128;
e-mail: natlmtgs@acs.org; web page:
www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/
acsdisplay.html?DOC=meetings%5cfuture.
html
August 19–24 Goldschmidt 2007,
Cologne, Germany. Details: Dr. Herbert
Palme; e-mail: herbert.palme@uni-koeln.de;
website: www.the-conference.com/
gold2007/index.php
August 20–24 9th Biennial SGA
Meeting, Trinity College, Dublin,
Ireland. Details: Gerry Stanley,
Geological Survey of Ireland; e-mail:
gerry.stanley@gsi.ie; website:
www.cpregistrations.com/sga2007
August 22–27 24th European
Crystallographic Meeting (ECM24),
Marrakech, Morocco. Details: Bouhimida
Nouzha, General Secretary, Université
Cadi Ayyad - Faculté des Sciences,
40000, Marrakech; tel.; 00212
24438989; fax: 00212 24421600;
e-mail: athalal@menara.ma;
website: www.ecm24.org
August 29–31 European Mantle
Workshop (EMAW): Petrological
Evolution of the European Lithos-
pheric Mantle: From Archean to
Present Day, Ferrara, Italy. Details:
Massimo Coltorti, Dipartimento di
Scienze della Terra, Università di Ferrara,
Via Saragat 1, I-44100 Ferrara, Italy; tel.:
+39 0532 974721; e-mail: clt@unife.it;
web page: www.geoitalia.org/
index.php?action=doc_detail&doc_id=6
76&folder_id=67
September 1–15 Modular Course
in Structure, Tectonics, and Mineral
Exploration (Field-Based), Sudbury,
Ontario, Canada. Information: Bruno
Lafrance, Mineral Exploration Research
Centre, Department of Earth Sciences,
Laurentian University, Willet Green Miller
Centre, 933 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury,
Ontario, P3E 6B5, Canada. Tel.: 705-
675-1151, ext. 2264; fax: 705-675-4898;
e-mail: blafrance@laurentian.ca; website:
http://earthsciences.laurentian.ca.

September 6–7 AGREE II – Arctic
Geology, Resources and Environment
Conference, Tromsø, Norway. Details:
Geological Society of Norway (NGF).
Web page: http://www.geologi.no/
cgi-bin/geologi/imaker?id=8529
September 6–9 2nd International
Symposium: Advanced Micro- and
Mesoporous Materials, Varna, Bulgaria.
Web page: http://micro2007.innoslab.com
September 8–11 6th European
Conference on Mineral Spectroscopy
(ECMS 6), Stockholm, Sweden. Details:
Peter Lazor, Department of Earth Sciences,
Villavagen 16, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden;
e-mail: ECMS6@geo.uu.se; web page:
http://www.mpt.geo.uu.se/ECMS6
September 10–12 Geological Society
of London Bicentennial Conference –
Earth Science in the Service of Society;
The Next 200 Years, London, UK. Web
page: http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/
template.cfm?name=Bicentenary
September 10–12 Volcanic &
Magmatic Studies Group meeting,
London, UK. Special session at the
Geological Society of London Bicentennial
Conference. Details: K. Goodenough,
e-mail: kmgo@bgs.ac.uk
September 10–14 7th International
Symposium on Applied Isotope
Geochemistry, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Website: http://academic.sun.ac.za/
geology/aig7.htm
September 10–14 23rd International
Organic Geochemistry Meeting
(IMOG07), Torquay, Devon, UK. Details:
Sally Cornford, IGI Ltd, Hallsannery,
Bideford, Devon EX39 5HE, UK; tel.: +44
(0) 1237 471749; fax: +44 (0) 1237
421700; e-mail: sal@igiltd.com; web page:
www.eaog.org/meetings/meetings.html
September 12–14 Geoitalia 2007 –
Sixth Italian Forum of Earth Sciences,
Rimini, Italy. Details: Lorenza Fascio,
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra,
Università di Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, I-56126
Pisa, Italy; tel.: +39 050 2215704; e-mail:
simp@dst.unipi.it; website:
www.geoitalia.org/
September 13–17 Hutton, Horne and
Barrow: Classic Field Localities near
Edinburgh and in the Eastern Scottish
Highlands, Geological Society of London:
Details: Alys Johnson, Burlington House,
Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BG, UK; tel.:
020 7434 9944; fax: 020 7 439 8975;
e-mail: alys.johnson@geolsoc.org.uk;
web page: www.geolsoc.org.uk/
template.cfm?name=Bicentenary_Field_
Excursion_Hutton_ Horne_and_Barrow
September 14–19 Geological Society
of London Mineral Deposits of South-
West England, venue TBA. Details: Alys
Johnson, Burlington House, Piccadilly,
London, W1J 0BG; tel.: 020 7434 9944;
fax: 020 7 439 8975; e-mail: alys.johnson@
geolsoc.org.uk; web page: www.geol-
soc.org.uk/template.cfm?name=Bicente-
nary_Field_excursion_Mineral_deposits
September 15–16 Accessory Minerals
“In Situ”: Microanalytical Methods
and Petrological Applications,
workshop, Kraków, Poland. E-mail:
michalik@geos.ing.uj.edu.pl and
budzyn@geos.ing.uj.edu.pl
September 16–20 Material Science
& Technology 2007 Conference and
Exhibition (MS&T ’07), Detroit, Michigan,
USA. Details: TMS, 184 Thorn Hill Rd,
Warrendale, PA, USA 15086.
ELEMENTS
Ca le n da r
Tel.: 724-776-9000, e-mail:mtgserv@
tms.org; web page:www.matscitech.org/
2007/home.htm
September 17–18 Electron Microscopy
and Microanalysis Conference, Kraków,
Poland. E-mail: tylko@zuk.iz.uj.edu.pl or
michalik@ing.uj.edu.pl
September 17–20 3rd International
Meeting in Lille: Clays in Natural and
Engineered Barriers for Radioactive
Waste Confinement, Lille, France.
Details: Martine Klajman; fax: 33 1 46 11
84 10; e-mail: secretariat@lille2007.com;
web page: www.lille2007.com
September 22–26 Bridging the Gap
II: Effect of Target Properties on the
Impact Cratering Process, Saint-Hubert
(Montreal), Canada. Details: Mary Cloud,
Lunar and Planetary Institute; tel.: 281-
486-2143; e-mail: cloud@lpi.usra.edu;
web page: www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/
gap2007/home.shtml
September 23–28 SEG International
Exposition & 77th Annual Meeting,
San Antonio, Texas, USA. E-mail:
meetings@seg.org
September 24–28 MISCA – Meeting
of the Italian and Spanish Crystallo-
graphic Associations (AIC and GE3C),
Staletti (CZ), Italy. Details: Alessandra
Crispini, Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita
della Calabria, Via P. Bucci 46, I-87036
Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy; tel.: +39
0984 492888; e-mail: misca2007@unical.it;
web page: http://misca2007unical.it/
September 24–30 AGS-2007
Symposium: Ores and Orogenesis:
Circum-Pacific Tectonics, Geologic
Evolution, and Ore Deposits,
Tucson, Arizona, USA. Website:
www.agssymposium.org/
September 25–29 WIRMS 2007:
International Workshop on Infrared
Microscopy and Spectroscopy with
Accelerator Based Sources, Awaji Island,
Japan. Details: Takao Nanba, Hiroaki
Kimura, or Shin-ichi Kimura, Kobe
University, SPring-8, UVSOR Facility; e-mail:
nanba@phys.sci.kobe-u.ac.jp or kimura@
spring8.or.jp or kimura@ims.ac.jp; web
page: www.uvsor.ims.ac.jp/WIRMS2007
October 1–5 2nd International
Conference on Crystallogenesis and
Mineralogy, St Petersburg, Russia. E-
mail: KM2007@minsoc.ru; web page:
www.minsoc.ru/KM2007/
October 18–21 Orogenic and
Platform Granitoids, XIV Meeting of
the Petrology Group of the Miner-
alogical Society of Poland, Zakopane,
Poland. E-mail: jciesiel@wnoz.us.edu.pl;
website: http://ptmin.us.edu.pl
October 28–November 1 Geological
Society of America Annual Meeting,
Denver Colorado, USA. Details: GSA
Meetings Dept., P.O. Box 9140, Boulder,
CO 80301-9140, USA; tel.: 303-447-2020;
fax: 303-447-1133; e-mail: meetings@
geosociety.org; web page: www.
geosociety.org/meetings/index.htm
October 29–31 AMPHIBOLES,
Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Rome,
Italy. Details: TBA. Contacts: G. Della
Ventura, F. Hawthorne, A. Mottana and
R. Oberti. Contact for North America:
frank_hawthorne@umanitoba.ca
November 11–16 18th International
Symposium on Environmental
Biogeochemistry (ISEB-18), Taupo,
New Zealand. Website: www.isebiogeo-
chemistry.com/ISEBXVIII.htm
78
November 19–23 Cities on
Volcanoes 5, Shimabara, Japan. Details:
Secretariat, Cities on Volcanoes 5,
Gamadas Dome, Shimabara City 855-
0879, Japan. Tel.: +81-957-65-5540; fax:
+81-957-65-5542; e-mail: convention@
citiesonvolcanoes5.com; website:
www.citiesonvolcanoes5.com
November 26–30 Materials Research
Society Fall Meeting, Boston, MA, USA.
Details: Duane Dimos; e-mail: dbdimos@
sandia.gov; web page: www.mrs.org/s_
mrs/sec.asp?CID=4749&DID=164574
December 10–14 AGU Fall Meeting,
San Francisco, California, USA. Details:
AGU Meetings Department, 2000 Florida
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009,
USA. Tel.: 202-777-7335; fax: 202-328-
0566; e-mail: meetinginfo@agu.org;
web page: www.agu.org/meetings
2008
April 6–10 American Chemical
Society 235th National Meeting, New
Orleans, LA, USA. Details: ACS Meetings,
1155-16th St., N.W., Washington, DC
20036-4899, USA; tel.: 202-872-4396;
fax: 202-872-6128; e-mail: natlmtgs@
acs.org; web page: www.chemistry.org/
portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=me
etings%5cfuture.html
April 20–23 AAPG Annual Conven-
tion and Exhibition, San Antonio, TX,
USA. Web page: www.aapg.org/
meetings/misc_mtgs.cfm
May 26–28 Geological Association of
Canada/Mineralogical Association of
Canada Annual Meeting, Québec, QC,
Canada. Website: www.quebec2008.net
May 31–June 5 American Crystallo-
graphic Association (ACA) Annual
Meeting, Knoxville, TN, USA. Details:
Paul Butler, National Institute of Standards
& Technology, 100 Bureau Dr. MS8562,
Gaithersburg MD 20899; tel.: (301) 975
2028; e-mail: butler@nist.gov; web page:
www.hwi.buffalo.edu/ACA/meetingspg_list/
futuremeetings.html
July 2008 Resurgence of Economic
Geology and the Minerals Industry in
Africa, Joint Conference of the Geological
Society of South Africa and SEG,
Johannesburg, South Africa. E-mail:
info@seg-gssa2008.org; web page:
www.seg-gssa2008.org
July 13–18 Goldschmidt 2008,
Vancouver, BC, Canada. E-mail:
gold2008@the-conference.com; website:
www.goldschmidt2008.org
August 5–14 The 33rd International
Geological Congress (IGC 33),
Lillestrom (Oslo), Norway. Details:
Congress Conference AS, PO Box 2694
Solli, No 0204 Oslo; tel.: +47-2256
1930; fax: +47-2256 0541; website:
www.33igc.org
August 17–21 American Chemical
Society 236th National Meeting,
Philadelphia PA, USA. Details: ACS
Meetings, 1155-16th St., N.W., Washington,
DC 20036-4899; tel.: (202) 872-4396;
fax (202) 872-6128; e-mail: natlmtgs@
acs.org; web page: www.chemistry.org/
portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=me
etings%5cfuture.html
August 17–22 Geochemistry of the
Earth’s Surface 8: Joint Meeting of the
IAGC, MinSoc and the Natural History
Museum (UK). Contact: M.E. Hodson,
m.e.hodson@reading.ac.uk
F EBRUARY 2007
August 18–24 IAVCEI 2008 General
Assembly, Reykjavik, Iceland. Details: Dr.
Armann Hoskuldsson, Institute of Earth
Sciences, ASKJA, University of Iceland,
Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland; tel:
+354-5254215; fax: +354-5254499;
e-mail: armh@hi.is; web page:
www.iavcei.org/meetings_w.html
August 23–31 XXI Congress of
the International Union of Crystal-
lography, Osaka, Japan. Web page:
www.congre.co.jp/iucr2008
September 7–9 6th International
Conference on Mineralogy and
Museums, Denver, Colorado, USA.
Details: Paul Bartos; e-mail: pbartos@
mines.edu
Sept. 8–10 9th International Congress
for Applied Mineralogy, Brisbane,
Australia. Details: Alison M. McKenzie,
Senior Coordinator Conferences & Events,
The AusIMM, PO Box 660, Carlton South,
Victoria, Australia 3053; tel.: +61 3 9662
3166; fax: +61 3 9662 3662; e-mail:
conference@ausimm.com.au; website:
www.icam2008.com/home.asp
Sept. 8–12 Meteoritical Society
Annual Meeting, Matsue, Japan. Details:
Dr. Mitsuru Ebihara; e-mail: ebihara-
mitsuru@c.metro-u.ac.jp
September 9–14 Second Central
European Mineralogical Conference
(11–14 September) and Workshop on
Powder Diffraction Rietveld Refinement
(9–10 September), Lower Silesia, Poland.
Details forthcoming
September 24–28 4th Mid-European
Clay Conference, Kraków, Poland.
Details forthcoming; e-mail: gorniak@
agh.edu.pl
October 5–8 Geological Society of
America Annual Meeting, Houston, TX,
USA. Details: GSA Meetings Dept., P.O.
Box 9140, Boulder, CO 80301-9140, USA;
tel.: +1 303 447 2020; fax: +1 303 447
1133; e-mail: meetings@geosociety.org;
web page: www.geosociety.org/
meetings/index.htm
December 15–19 2008 AGU Fall
Meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Details: AGU Meetings Department,
2000 Florida Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20009, USA; tel.: +1-202-777-7335;
fax: +1-202-328-0566; e-mail:
meetinginfo@agu.org; web page:
www.agu.org/meetings
2009
March 9–13 2008 TMS Annual
Meeting & Exhibition, New Orleans,
LA, USA. Details: TMS Meetings Services;
184 Thorn Hill Road, Warrendale, PA
15086; tel.: (724) 776-9000, ext. 243;
e-mail: mtgserv@tms.org
The meetings convened by the societies
participating in Elements are highlighted
in yellow. This meetings calendar was
compiled by Andrea Koziol. To get
meeting information listed, please
contact Andrea at
Andrea.Koziol@notes.udayton.edu

BULL’S-EYE!
A casual glance might lead one to
believe that our satellite Parting
Shot shows impact structures on a
dusty, alien world like Mars. In
fact it shows one of the geological
wonders of our own world, the
great ring-dyke of Meugueur-
Meugueur, in the Aïr region of
Niger, in the central Sahara. It is
almost perfectly circular, 65 km
in diameter and, on average,
250 m thick. Before you disfigure
your issue of Elements with a
compass, I will tell you that it is
actually slightly extended along a
NNE–SSW axis. There is a
kilometre-scale offset marked by a
dyke in the southeast. Over most
of its length the Meugueur-
Meugueur intrusion has been
eroded out to form a steep-walled
valley, most obvious where it cuts
the composite ring intrusion of
Tamgak in the north of the
photograph. The Tagmeurt ring
intrusion, to the east, is younger
than the ring dyke. There are 28
igneous ring complexes in the
Aïr, many of them almost
perfectly circular, which were
emplaced over a brief interval in
the Silurian, at 407 ± 8 Ma. Many
of these so-called ‘anorogenic’
intrusions are composed of alkali
granite, but most of those in the
photograph are composed of
plagioclase-rich cumulates,
including anorthosites, with
subordinate granitic and syenitic
derivatives. The Meugueur-
PARTING QUOTE
IASK YOU TO LOOK BOTH WAYS. FOR THE ROAD TO A KNOWLEDGE OF
THE STARS LEADS THROUGH THE ATOM; AND IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE
OF THE ATOM HAS BEEN REACHED THROUGH THE STARS.
ARTHUR EDDINGTON 1882-1944
ELEMENTS
Pa rt in g S h o t
Meugueur intrusion itself is
composed of olivine-rich gabbro,
with inclusions of leucogabbro,
anorthosite and dunite. Like
anorogenic magmatism world-
wide, the basic members have
geochemical affinities with ocean
island basalts (OIB). The ability of
anorogenic and OIB magmatism
to begin, apparently sponta-
neously, in undeformed conti-
nental or oceanic crust and its
persistence over long periods of
geological time remain outstand-
ing problems in igneous petrology.
The dune system in the north-
eastern corner of the image is the
edge of the fearsome Grand Erg
du Ténéré. Camel caravans still
carry salt across this great sand
sea over 600 km from the oasis of
Bilma to the city of Agadez. In
the last century, these caravans
were 20,000 strong. Northern
Niger is the domain of the
Taureg, who cruise this arid
terrain on magnificent peach-
coloured camels, with elaborate 20 km
saddles decorated with silver from
recycled Austro-Hungarian
schillings, and carrying great
curved swords beaten from early TERRACOLOR IMAGERY COURTESY EARTHSTAR GEOGRAPHICS (WWW.ES-GEO.COM)
Land Rover springs. They are
masters of a landscape in which
most Elements readers, denied
their air-conditioned cars, would
soon expire.
Ian Parsons
Cont’d from page 51
ian.parsons@ed.ac.uk
Hydrothermal Zircon
Grieco G, Ferrario A, von Quadt A, Koeppel V, Mathez EA (2001) The zircon-
bearing chromitites of the phlogopite peridotite of Finero (Ivrea
Zone, Southern Alps): Evidence and geochronology of a metasom-
atized mantle slab. Journal of Petrology 42: 89-101
Griffin WL, Pearson NJ, Belousova E, Jackson SE, van Achterbergh E,
O’Reilly SY, Shee SR (2000) The Hf isotope composition of
cratonic mantle: LAM-MC-ICPMS analysis of zircon megacrysts in
kimberlites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 64: 133-147
Hoskin PWO (2005) Trace-element composition of hydrothermal zircon
and the alteration of Hadean zircon from the Jack Hills, Australia.
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 69: 637-648
McNaughton NJ, Mueller AG. Groves DI(2005) The age of the giant Golden
Mile Deposit, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia: Ion-microprobe zircon
and monazite U-Pb geochronology of a synmineralization
lamprophyre dike. Economic Geology 100: 1427-1440
Pettke T, Audétat A, Schaltegger U, Heinrich CA (2005) Magmatic-to-
hydrothermal crystallization in the W–Sn mineralized Mole
Granite (NSW, Australia): Part II: Evolving zircon and thorite trace
element chemistry. Chemical Geology 220: 191-213
Rubin JN, Henry CD, Price JG (1989) Hydrothermal zircons and zircon
overgrowths, Sierra Blanca Peaks, Texas. American Mineralogist
74: 865-869 .
79 F EBRUARY 2007
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ELEMENTS 80 F EBRUARY 2007