U-Pb dating of a speleothem of Quaternary age

We demonstrate that U-Pb dating is a promising method for secondary carbonate materials of Quaternary age and older by obtaining a 206Pb∗/238U age for a speleothem with high U (>10 μg g−1) and very low Pb (<10 ng g−1) that is supported by an independent 230Th age. Thermal ionisation mass-spectrometry was used to determine the U and Pb isotopic ratios and concentrations for subsamples of a stalactite from Winnats Head Cave, Peak District, UK. We obtained 206Pb/204Pb ratios up to 50, and determined a 206Pb∗/238U age of 248 ± 10 ka, which is within error of the 207Pb∗/235U age of 333 ± 79 ka and a-spectrometric U-Th age of ∼255 ka. For samples of Tertiary and Quaternary age, the initial state of U-series disequilibrium is an important consideration and, as with most radiometric dating techniques, the mineral must have remained closed to U, Th, Pb, and all intermediate daughters. We show that dense calcite speleothems are ideal in this respect and that no loss of Rn has occurred. Unlike U-series disequilibrium methods, U-Pb dating has no upper limit and, hence, materials of Quaternary age older than 0.6 Ma can be analysed to investigate landscape development, paleoclimate, hominid evolution or hydrogeochemistry in carbonate terrains.

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