The effect of weathering on fission track dating

Abstract

Fission track ages have been determined on sphene, apatite, and zircon separated from fresh and highly weathered rock samples. Sphene and zircon ages are unaffected by even extreme weathering. Apatite from partially weathered granite gives a similarly unaffected age. Badly corroded apatites from a residual clay, however, do show a 17% reduction in apparent age, involving loss of both spontaneous fission tracks and uranium from the crystals. © 1974.