We are pleased to announce a Petrology Lunch with Sarah Bowie on the topic of: Tracking U speciation and distribution in mineralized carbonates - implications for U-Pb geochronology.

Abstract:

In-situ U-Pb carbonate geochronology is a well-established techniquethat directly constrains the timing and rates of important geological processes including fluid flow in mineralized systems, diagenesis, and tectonic events. However, the fundamental controls on U behaviour in carbonate mineralsremain unclear, limiting geological interpretations. Knowledge gaps include the controls on U incorporation, the highly heterogeneous distribution of U at a crystal scale, and the incorporation of U with respect to other (redox-sensitive) elements. The application of synchrotron X-ray microspectroscopy (µXAS) is ideal for investigating these topics, as it can map chemical changes and measure the valance state of key elements at the micron-scale.