STUDIES ON THE LEAD METHOD OF AGE DETERMINATION, PART 1

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1953

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4421453· OSTI ID:4421453

Kulp, J L; Eckelmann, W R; Owen, H R; Bate, G L

Ages of a number of radioactive minerals have been determined from Pb²⁰⁷/Pb²⁰⁶, Pb²⁰⁶/U²³⁸, Pb²⁰⁷/U²³⁵ and Pb²⁰⁶/Pb²¹⁰ ratios. Values obtained for minerals from classic localities agree well with those reported by other investigators. Major attention has been given to the anomalies of the ages of a given mineral computed from the various possible isotope ratios. The development of the Pb²¹⁰ method adds greatly to the fund of data required to obtain accurate ages. The 206/210 age is essentially independent of uranium leaching or radoff leakage. The latter is a significant factor in 206/238 and 207/206 ratios and must be measured experimentally to evaluate ages from these ratios. It appears that throughout most of the span of geologic time the 207/235 and 206/210 ages are the most reliable. The 206/238 supersedes the 207/235 age in accuracy for very young minerals. The 207/206 age does not merit the reliability ascribed to it by earlier investigators.

• Research Organization: Lamont Geological Observatory, Columbia Univ.
• NSA Number: NSA-08-001351
• OSTI ID: 4421453
• Report Number(s): NYO-6199
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE ESTIMATION
COMPUTERS
LEACHING
LEAD 204
LEAD 206
LEAD 207
LEAD 210
LEAKS
MEASURED VALUES
MINERALOGY, METALLURGY, AND CERAMICS
MINERALS
RADON
URANIUM 232
URANIUM 238