This paper reports the results from a second characterisation of the
91500 zircon, including data from electron probe microanalysis, laser
ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS),
secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and laser fluorination analyses.
The focus of this initiative was to establish the suitability of this
large single zircon crystal for calibrating in situ analyses of the rare
earth elements and oxygen isotopes, as well as to provide working values
for key geochemical systems. In addition to extensive testing of the
chemical and structural homogeneity of this sample, the occurrence of
banding in 91500 in both backscattered electron and cathodoluminescence
images is described in detail. Blind intercomparison data reported by
both LA-ICP-MS and SIMS laboratories indicate that only small systematic
differences exist between the data sets provided by these two
techniques. Furthermore, the use of NIST SRM 610 glass as the calibrant
for SIMS analyses was found to introduce little or no systematic error
into the results for zircon. Based on both laser fluorination and SIMS
data, zircon 91500 seems to be very well suited for calibrating in situ
oxygen isotopic analyses.