Rutile stands as a classical mineral within U-Pb geochronology, offering insights into both magmatic and metamorphic events, and contributing to the understanding of provenance of detrital sedimentary rocks. Addressing the paucity of high-quality Archaean rutile reference materials suitable for microbeam U-Pb dating, we present a natural rutile (RKV01) sourced from the Kaap Valley pluton, South Africa, positing it as a potential Archaean reference material. Major element determination was executed via electron probe microanalysis, while trace element determination was conducted using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The determination of U-Pb ages involved the application of isotope dilution-thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and LA-ICP-MS. The ID-TIMS mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age is 3225.61 ± 0.64 Ma (2s, MSWD = 0.83), interpreted as the best estimate for the crystallisation age. The relatively high U mass fraction (~ 83 μg g^-1), extremely low Th mass fraction (~ 0.003 μg g^-1), negligible common Pb and isotopically homogeneous compositions collectively facilitated precise ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age determination via microbeam methods. Both LA-ICP-MS and SIMS ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages are characterised by reproducibility and were consistent with the ID-TIMS age within 2s analytical uncertainty. The results underscore the potential of RKV01 rutile as an Archaean reference material for microbeam U-Pb dating.

中文翻译：

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RKV01 金红石——一种用于微束 U-Pb 测年的新的潜在太古代参考材料

金红石是 U-Pb 地质年代学中的经典矿物，可提供对岩浆和变质事件的见解，并有助于了解碎屑沉积岩的来源。针对适合微束 U-Pb 测年的高质量太古宙金红石参考材料的缺乏，我们提出了一种来自南非卡普谷岩体的天然金红石 (RKV01)，将其视为潜在的太古宙参考材料。通过电子探针微量分析进行主量元素测定，而使用激光烧蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱（LA-ICP-MS）进行微量元素测定。 U-Pb 年龄的测定涉及同位素稀释热电离质谱 (ID-TIMS)、二次离子质谱 (SIMS) 和 LA-ICP-MS 的应用。 ID-TIMS 平均²⁰⁷ Pb/ ²⁰⁶ Pb 年龄为 3225.61 ± 0.64 Ma（2 s，MSWD = 0.83），解释为结晶年龄的最佳估计。相对较高的 U 质量分数 (~ 83 μg g ^-1 )、极低的 Th 质量分数 (~ 0.003 μg g ^-1 )、可忽略不计的普通 Pb 和同位素均质成分共同促进了通过微束方法精确测定²⁰⁷ Pb/ ²⁰⁶ Pb 年龄。 LA-ICP-MS 和 SIMS ²⁰⁷ Pb/ ²⁰⁶ Pb 年龄均具有重现性，并且在 2 s分析不确定度内与 ID-TIMS 年龄一致。结果强调了 RKV01 金红石作为微束 U-Pb 定年的太古代参考材料的潜力。