U-Pb Isotopic Data and Ages for Zircon and Titanite from Alaskan Rocks, 2004-2019

U-Pb isotopic data and ages for zircon and titanite minerals from igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks collected in south-central and southwestern Alaska. The data release includes isotopic compositions of uranium and thorium, lead and uranium isotope ratios, and calculated ages for individual grains, with some samples also containing trace element concentrations. The data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey between 2004 and 2019 as part of geological mapping and analysis funded by the Mineral Resources Program.

Use Cases

• Determining crystallization ages of igneous and metamorphic bedrock based on zircon and titanite U-Pb data.
• Analyzing sediment provenance and depositional ages based on detrital zircon U-Pb isotopic signatures.
• Correlating geological units across the western Alaska Range and Tikchik Mountains using the reported mineral ages.
• Investigating trace element geochemistry in zircon grains where SHRIMP-RG data is available.

Strengths

• Data collection spans a 15-year period from 2004 to 2019, providing a temporal scope for the sampling effort.
• Analysis was performed using established laboratory techniques including SHRIMP-RG and LA-ICP-MS at recognized institutions.
• The dataset covers multiple rock types (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary) and mineral targets (zircon, titanite) from a defined geographic region.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale statistical analysis.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Collection Method

Field samples were processed into mineral separates at USGS labs or by contractors (A2Z, GSS) and analyzed via SHRIMP-RG at Stanford University or LA-ICP-MS at other labs.

Time Range

2004 to 2019

Geography

Western Alaska Range, Northern Aleutian Range, Taylor Mountains, Wood River Mountains, and Tikchik Mountains regions, Alaska, USA