Nickel-rich sulfide mineralization from the On & ccedil;a Preta orebody, Jaguar orefield, Caraj & aacute;s, Brazil, comprises pentlandite, violarite/bravoite, pyrite, sphalerite, and minor chalcopyrite. The orebody, placed at the contacts between units of the Neoarchean Serra do Puma layered complex and granite, is interpreted as a hybrid of Fe-Zn-Ni skarn and iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) mineralization. We use micro- and nanoanalytical methods to characterize the sulfides and their potential for a platinum-group elements (PGE) signature. Sulfide mineralization occurs as disseminations and along shears in magnetite-rich ores. Microtextures preserved in pentlandite are concordant with cycles of replacement via coupled dissolution-reprecipitation reaction (CDRR). Grain-scale element mapping reveals evidence for remobilization and reprecipitation of metals as inclusions and/or at grain boundaries. Rare accessory nickel-bismuth minerals, including arsenohauchecornite [(Ni16.5Fe1.28 Co0.39Zn0.17Cu0.01)18.35(Bi2.9As0.77Sb0.08Te0.08)3.8(S15.85Se0.01)15.9], ognitite [(Ni1.02Fe0.01Pd0.004)1.04 (Bi0.58Pb0.002As0.001)0.585(Te1.36S0.02Se0.001)1.38], and parkerite [(Ni2.85Fe0.045Ag0.007Pd0.001)2.9 (Bi2.024Pb0.005)2.03(S2.02Te0.038Se0.008)2.07] are relatively abundant. The extensive solid solution inferred between ognitite (NiBiTe; Ogn) and melonite (NiTe2; Mlt) is confirmed by imaging and modeling using mixed Bi-Te sites for the intermediate member Ogn60Mlt40 found at On & ccedil;a Preta. The accessory mineral assemblage also includes Bi-tellurides of the tetradymite group and Pb-Bi sulfosalts from the lillianite homologous series. Nanoscale analysis, combined with crystal structure models and simulations of arsenohauchecornite, confirms the I-centered tetragonal superstructure previously described. Aggregates of parkerite found at boundaries between ognitite and pentlandite are associated with abundant defects and/or misorientation fabrics crossing into pentlandite. Such nanostructures delineate fluid pathways, as they host nanoparticles of various tellurides (moncheite, volynskite, hessite, altaite, tellurobismuthite, tsumoite), galena, and native bismuth. Self-patterning during crystal growth is considered based on rhythmic chemical banding (Bi) and antiphase boundaries in ognitite. Formation of nickel-bismuth minerals is attributed to CDRR replacement of pentlandite during percolation of Bi-Te-bearing fluids. Likewise, the formation of bismuth tellurides and sulfosalts resulted during CDRR replacement of pentlandite by pyrite or violarite/bravoite. Identification of moncheite and Pd in ognitite (up to 0.68 wt% Pd), pentlandite, and violarite/bravoite (at ppm levels) at On & ccedil;a Preta further extends the potential for PGE in hydrothermal Ni sulfide ores in the southern Caraj & aacute;s Domain. This finding has implications for exploration in the region and analogous terranes elsewhere.

Eclogites are a characteristic product of subduction-driven metamorphism and generally regarded as mineralogical evidence for modern-style plate tectonics. Consequently considerable effort has been expended to determine when eclogite appeared in the geological record, including claims of Archaean-aged eclogite. One area of such contention is the Belomorian Orogenic Belt in NW Russia. There are two schools of thought regarding Belomorian high pressure metamorphism. One is that metamorphism occurred at c. 2.7 Ga, representing potentially the oldest occurrence of eclogite (eg Volodichev et al 2021; Minerals, 11, 1029). The other view is that high pressure metamorphism occurred at around 2 Ga, forming part of the global set of c. 2.Ga eclogites (eg Yu et al., 2017; Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 35, 855-869). A combination of sample-scale X-ray mapping, laser ablation ICPMS and Time-of-Flight mapping has been used to delineate two generations of garnet in a sample from the well-studied Stolbikha Island locality in the Belomorian Belt. The sample contains voluminous diopside-plagioclase symplectites whose re-integrated composition is consistent with the former presence of pyroxene with Xjd ~ 0.26-0.3. The symplectites overprint hornblende that probably formed during melt crystallisation. The cores of the older generation garnet are comparatively HREE rich, and give an in-situ laser ablation Lu-Hf age of 2490 ± 40 Ma. The second generation garnet is comparatively HREE depleted, and gives a Lu-Hf age of 1875 ± 86 Ma. The comparatively large uncertainties reflect low Lu concentrations in the analysed garnets. Both generations of garnet preserve partially relaxed major element zoning, and given the apparent diffusivities of major elements relative to Lu and Hf, it is probable both derived ages are meaningful. An important difference between the two garnet generations is the presence of rutile inclusions in younger garnet and their absence in older garnet. P-T modelling suggests c. 2.5Ga metamorphism occurred at c. 6-8kbar at temperatures > 750°C. For the younger mineral assemblage, P-T modelling taking into account the presence of the older garnet as well as the inferred clinopyroxene composition, combined with Zr-in rutile thermometry from rutile-qtz-zircon clusters in c. 1875 Ma garnet, gives c. 1.5 GPa and 700°C. The results indicate Belomorian Orogen high pressure metamorphism occurred at c.1875 Ma, confirming the conclusions of other workers (eg Yu et al 2017) that high pressure metamorphism is Palaeoproterozoic in age. However we find no evidence for notably elevated pressures (> 2GPa) for the metamorphism at c. 1875 Ma as suggested by some previous workers, or evidence for high pressure metamorphism at c. 2.7 Ga. The Belomorian high-P rocks belong to the now globally distributed suite that records the emergence of eclogite in the initial stages of Nuna assembly. The general emergence of eclogite in the geological record at around 2 Ga probably reflects a combination of subduction into a cooler mantle and continental processes that facilitated preservation.

In situ Re–Os geochronology by LA-ICP-MS/MS is demonstrated for Cenozoic molybdenite from Bingham Canyon and Henderson mine.

Down-hole fractionation (DHF), a known phenomenon in static spot laser ablation, remains one of the most significant sources of uncertainty for laser-based geochronology. A given DHF pattern is unique to a set of conditions, including material, inter-element analyte pair, laser conditions, and spot geometry. Current modelling methods (simple or multiple linear regression, spline-based regression) for DHF do not readily lend themselves to uncertainty propagation, nor do they allow for quantitative inter-session comparison, let alone inter-laboratory or inter-material comparison. In this study, we investigate the application of orthogonal polynomial decomposition for quantitative modelling of LA-ICP-MS DHF patterns. We outline the algorithm used to compute the models, apply it to an exemplar U–Pb dataset across a range of materials and analytical sessions, and finally provide a brief interpretation of the resulting data. In this contribution we demonstrate the feasibility of quantitative modelling and comparison of DHF patterns from multiple materials across multiple sessions. We utilise a relatively new data visualisation method, uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP), to help visualise the data relationships in this large dataset while comparing it to more traditional methods of data visualisation. The algorithm presented in this research advances our capability to accurately model LA-ICP-MS DHF and may facilitate reliable decoupling of the DHF correction for non-matrix-matched materials, lead to improved uncertainty propagation, and facilitate inter-laboratory comparison studies of DHF patterns. The generalised nature of the algorithm means it is applicable not only to geochronology but also more broadly within the geosciences where predictable linear (x-to-y) relationships exist.

Porphyry-style hydrothermal alteration has long been recognized in the Delamerian Orogen, Southeastern Australia. However, the fertility of porphyry prospects in this belt, including the Anabama Hill, remains elusive, due to intermittent exploration activities and sparse exposure. Recent significant discoveries of porphyry-epithermal Cu-Au deposits in the adjacent Stavely Arc have led to renewed exploration interest. Reinvestigation of the Anabama Hill drill cores highlights that K-feldspar-rich and epidote-chlorite-dominated alterations are superimposed by extensive quartz-pyrite +/- chalcopyrite +/- molybdenite veins with white mica-quartz selvedges, related to early-middle Ordovician granitic stocks. Granodiorite and diorite hosts have diagnostic geochemical characteristics, including high Sr/Y, V/Sc ratios, and listric-shaped REE trends, implying amphibole-leading fractionation due to high water contents in primitive melts. LA-ICP-MS analyses show that characteristic element compositions, e.g., high Fe, Sr, Pb, U, and Bi and low Mg and REEs in the Anabama Hill epidote, and high Mn, Zn, Zr, and U and low Ca, Ba, and Pb in the chlorite, suggest the two minerals resulting from propylitic alteration rather than metamorphism. Compared to well-mineralized porphyry deposits, the epidote shows high Bi, Cu, Sr, Ti, Zr, and U, and the chlorite is high in Ti/ Sr and Al/ Si ratios, implying that they are most likely deposit-proximal or near a heat center. This is supported by intermediate to high temperatures of 200-420 degrees C calculated by chlorite geothermometer. Propylitic epidote and chlorite outside pyrite halos typically define geochemical shoulders by anomalous As-Sb and Mn-Zn highs, 1-1.5 km away from the mineralized centers. Given that most of the epidote and chlorite are intergrown with sulfides, their close proximity to a likely mineralized center accounts for low to moderate concentrations of distal pathfinder elements and subdued performances on the As-Sb and Mn-Zn fertility plots. Combined with bulk-rock results, proximal-fertility indicators recorded in epidote and chlorite provide encouraging implications for porphyry exploration in the Delamerian belt.

The Cryogenian period represents a critical interval in Earth’s history, characterized by drastic tectonic and environmental changes. Evidence of low-altitude glacial deposits from this time has been recognized globally, alluding to the most extensive icehouse regimes known on our planet. These conditions of successive global freezing and warming during the Neoproterozoic have been dubbed as ‘Snowball Earth’ events. Importantly, the Cryogenian may have played a key role in the accelerated evolution of early life, as microorganisms became more complex and abundant after this period. Consequently, it is important to constrain the absolute timing, duration, and termination of these glacial and interglacial events. Despite their significance, robust, direct dating of Cryogenian sections remains challenging. The most accurate way to constrain these units is through dating of interbedded volcanics. However, they are not present across all sections globally, making correlations difficult to establish. As such, we present a novel strategy to address this issue by directly dating a broad array of Cryogenian carbonates through an in situ U-Pb mapping approach. Our case study includes inter-glacial and post-glacial carbonates from sections in Australia, Oman, and Greenland. We show that this method allows for the concurrent collection of geochemical, petrographic, and geochronological information at sufficient precision to address key geological questions. Geochemical proxies such as elevated Mn/Sr ratios and Al or Si can be used to filter areas affected by alteration or detrital input, respectively. Secondary phases such as veins and overgrowths can also be petrographically avoided as an advantage of the spatially coherent mapping technique. Regions that yield enrichment in U and best spread in U–Pb ratios can be preferentially selected. Triaging such datasets and spatial information can help identify subdomains within a sample that is most suitable for dating, maximizing the success rate of this approach. The technique is capable of yielding age precision of ±1% depending on the concentration of U, the range in radiogenic isotopes, and the number of pixels that make up an analytical point.

Furnace slags are potential new sources of critical metals. We undertook a micron- to nanoscale study that addresses speciation, distribution and associations of phases in air-cooled flash furnace (FF, oxidised) and electric furnace (EF, reduced) slags from the Olympic Dam mining-smelting-refinery operation. Results enable understanding of the behaviour and partitioning of critical metals between melt and cooling crystalline phases in a controlled smelter environment that mimics Fe-Si-rich systems in Nature. Melts at 1300 °C result in slags that differ in the relative proportions of component phases. Both FF and EF slags comprise major magnetite and two, compositionally distinct Si-Fe-rich glasses (glass-1 and -2); fayalite is a main component of EF slag. Glass-1 is rich in REE + Y (4.5–5.4 wt → fayalite + glass-1 → monazite → glass-2. Immiscibility of REE-rich liquid from Si-Fe-rich melt is inferred from amorphous ‘monazite-like’ droplets. Chondrite-normalised fractionation patterns are defined by downwards-sloping LREE segments in both glasses. Partition coefficients are calculated for magnetite and fayalite relative to glasses. DREY for HREE exceeds those for LREE in all phases and fayalite has an order of magnetite higher DHREE than co-existing EF magnetite. Applying lattice strain models to experimental values show excellent fits for DHREE-model trends, even if lattice strain is not the sole factor controlling partitioning. Melt polymerisation, variable/unpredictable oxidation states, and constraints from specific crystallographic sites, also impact on observed trends. This study provides clues to element behaviour in metallurgical plants that can assist potential utilization of copper smelter slags to meet the demand for REE and other contained critical metals.

Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) and bornite (Cu5FeS4) from the Olympic Dam Cu-U-Au-Ag deposit (South Australia) are characterized using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) to identify microstructures and their correlations with trace element concentrations measured by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Natural chalcopyrite is shown to be a rich source of micro-structural and -textural information, preserving <110> and <001> crystallographic preferred orientations (CPO), {110} and {112} twin systems, grain boundary migration, foam textures, and subgrain boundaries. Selected examples of chalcopyrite illustrate different aspects of its behavior and relationship with bornite across the mineralogically zoned deposit. The oriented stress imposed by brecciation and/or fluid fluxes at Olympic Dam, alongside temperature, pressure, and strain rate, is shown to induce various microstructures preserved in chalcopyrite. Microstructures can, therefore, be used to elucidate sequential stages of low- to medium-temperature (<300 degrees C) ore evolution. Pyrite microstructures are already routinely used to understand higher temperature ore evolution, and the complementary microstructural study of chalcopyrite coexisting with pyrite has the potential to reveal deformational events across a more complete range of temperatures. Chalcopyrite is particularly well suited to unravel episodes of low- to medium-temperature overprinting in ore systems that lack obvious evidence for post-mineralization deformation. EBSD mapping reveals what appears as single grains of chalcopyrite in reflected light are, in fact, aggregates composed of similar to 100 individual grains. In contrast, analyzed bornite displays overwhelming crystallographic homogeneity. Rare instances of misorientation in bornite are all associated with replacement and, if correlated with EBSD analysis of coexisting chalcopyrite and its inclusions (e.g., cobaltite), can be used to discern the origin and evolution of different bornite associations. LA-ICP-MS trace element mapping of chalcopyrite aggregates indicates that grain boundaries host Pb, Bi, Ag, and Sb concentrations, with twin boundaries displaying a weaker concentration of the same elements. Bornite grain boundaries are also enriched in Pb. These observations confirm the critical role played by microstructures in Cu-(Fe)-sulfides as traps for Pb, a non-target contaminant in copper concentrates, as well as new evidence for the physical state of Ag and potential value-added critical metals like Bi and Sb. The preferential occurrence of Pb, Bi, Ag, and Sb along permeable grain boundaries may incentivize efforts to remove contaminants and/or recover by-products via leaching.

Chalcocite, bornite, and chalcopyrite are the main copper minerals in the world-class Olympic Dam Cu-U-Au-Ag deposit, South Australia. Olympic Dam is characterized by systematic, inwards and upwards zonation of Cu-Fe-sulfide assemblages, encompassing chalcopyrite-pyrite, bornite-chalcopyrite, bornite-chalcocite and chalcocite-only zones. Trace element analysis of Cu-(Fe)-sulfides ( 3500 spot analyses) by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on samples from across the deposit identifies the role of spatial position, protolith, and the presence/absence of co-existing sulfides (sphalerite, tetrahedrite-tennantite and carrollite) in control of trace element endowment. Cu-(Fe)-sulfides host concentrations of precious metals (Ag, Au), potential value-add elements (Se, Te, Bi, As, Sb, In) and deleterious elements (Pb, Hg). Where bornite-chalcocite co-exist, Ag is partitioned into chalcocite and Bi into bornite; in the absence of either bornite or chalcocite, chalcopyrite is a significant host for both elements. Chalcocite from the chalcocite-only zone is depleted in Bi-Te-Ag-Au compared to the bornite-chalcocite zone, demonstrating the role of bornite as an initial scavenger of these elements. A distinct inherited Cr-Ni-Zn signature is identified in chalcopyrite hosted by banded iron formation derived lithologies and proximal to crosscutting dykes. Despite some variation, Cu-(Fe)-sulfides generally contain more Bi and lesser Se towards deeper levels. The concentrations of these elements in paired bornite-chalcocite assemblages show promise as ore vectors, whereas Ag/Te in brown bornite and Se/Ag in chalcopyrite are prospective lateral vectors. Results carry implications for understanding deposit evolution, provide insights towards developing reconnaissance exploration vectors, and offer guidance on trace element deportments likely to impact ore quality and geometallurgical performance.

Major, minor and trace geochemistry is perhaps the most commonly collected form of analytical data within the Earth sciences, either as the sole approach to a research question or to supplement other methods such as geochronology, thermochronology or isotopic studies. With increasing access to instrumentation and diversification of research applications, inorganic geochemistry data is being produced in volumes which exceed the capacity of existing data management systems, reducing the ability of data to be found, accessed and reused as part of the data lifecycle, thus consigning much data as ‘single use’. Lack of visibility additionally removes the ability to critically assess data quality and validity of interpretations, which is vital for maintaining a healthy research ecosystem. Here we propose a new, flexible inorganic geochemistry reporting schema available within the open access EarthBank platform, as a service to store, interpret, disseminate and explore geochemistry data. The application of this data structure, augmented by purpose-built data interrogation tools, is demonstrated using real-world case studies, including volcanic evolution and magma genesis, mineralisation prospectivity, and catchment provenance and contamination through stream sediment geochemistry. The combination of data schema and integrated data analytics through EarthBank offers a service beyond a basic repository, and allows for active exploration and interpretation of in-house and community geochemistry data, providing a resource beneficial across the entire data lifespan, from generation to publication and reuse.

Jatob & aacute; is a magnetite-hosted Cu-Ni deposit in the Caraj & aacute;s Domain, Brazil. The deposit is located along E-W structures belonging to the Cana & atilde; dos Caraj & aacute;s shear zone and hosted within the Neoarchean Gr & atilde;o Par & aacute; Group. Micron to nanoscale investigation of magnetite from mafic host lithologies and Cu-Ni-mineralisation facilitate constraints on ore genesis. Two texturally and geochemically distinct types of magnetite are defined: 'trellis' (country rocks) and 'silicate-mottled' (ore). An overlap between the types is recognised as ilmenite changes from lamellar trellis to blebby and patchy textures in the silicate-mottled magnetite. The blebby type comprises Al-hydroxides (gibbsite) and talc, replacing hercynite and Mg-amphibole, respectively. The mottled magnetite contains Mg-(Fe)- and Ce-bearing calcic amphiboles, both associated with non-classical pyriboles (NCP). Geochemical signatures change from Ti-Cr-Co-Mn in trellis magnetite to a pronounced REE enrichment in the mottled type. Nano-inclusions of allanite occur as epitactic intergrowths with actinolite within magnetite. Amphiboles in the host rocks mirror those found in magnetite, with ferro-tschermakite present in both cases.Ilmenite-magnetite nano-thermobarometry yields a range of temperature and logfO2 values (temperature from 728 degrees C at logfO2= -12 to 414 degrees C at logfO2= -31) for re-equilibration between magnetite and ilmenite from initial trellis to the trellis + blebby and to patchy ilmenite in the densely mottled magnetite. Ferro-tschermakite geobarometry enables an estimate of 6.4-7.4 kbar, compatible with amphibolite-facies metamorphism at similar to 20 km depth. Syn-metamorphic deformation textures include magnetite + apatite as pods, banding and folds, as well as sigmoidal scapolite and pressure shadows surrounding magnetite. Collectively, these data support a genetic model implying deep shear-zone metamorphism at the base of the Cana & atilde; dos Caraj & aacute;s strike-slip structure. This area is a reservoir for metal sources as fluids can tap into granitoids and ultramafic lithologies in the basement. The telescoped transition from trellis to silicate-mottled magnetite records fluid fluxes of variable overprinting effects during protracted fluid-rock interaction.

In complex metamorphic rocks, monazite U–Pb dates can span a wide concordant range, leading to ambiguous geological interpretations (e.g. slow protracted cooling versus multiphase growth). We present in situ monazite Lu–Hf analysis as an independent chronometer to verify U–Pb age interpretations. Monazite Lu–Hf dates were attained via laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry equipped with collision/reaction cell technology (LA-ICP-MS/MS). In situ Lu–Hf dates for potential reference monazites with uncertainties <1.6 % agree with published U–Pb dates, validating the approach. We demonstrate the method on complex metamorphic samples from the Arkaroola region of the northern Flinders Ranges, South Australia, which exhibit protracted thermal and monazite growth histories due to high geothermal gradient metamorphism. In situ Lu–Hf dates reproduce the main U–Pb monazite age populations, demonstrating the ability to reliably resolve multiple age populations from polymetamorphic monazite samples.

Layered Mafic Intrusions (LMI) represent the solidified remnants of basaltic magma chambers and provide important insights for understanding subsurface igneous processes, including those linked to the formation of economic deposits of Fe-Ni-Cu-Co sulphides, platinum group elements (PGE), Cr-Fe-Ti-V-oxides and apatite. However, constraining the timing of emplacement of LMI can be challenging, as datable minerals like zircon have a relatively low abundance in mafic rocks. In this study, we use apatite, a common accessory mineral in mafic rocks that can reach high modal abundances in the most evolved parts of LMI to evaluate the robustness of the in-situ U-Pb and Lu-Hf dating methods by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-reaction cell mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS/MS) for constraining the timing of LMI petrogenesis. We present in-situ apatite U-Pb and Lu-Hf dates from apatite-rich lithologies from four major LMI localities: the Fe-Ti Boulder Lake North deposit (Duluth Complex, USA), the Upper Zone (Bushveld Complex, South Africa), the Nebo-Babel Intrusion (Giles Complex, Musgrave Province, Australia), and the Proterozoic anorthosite massifs of the Grader Intrusion and Lac Perron deposit (Grenville Province, Canada). Trace element discrimination plots, coupled with petrological data, indicate that apatite from all four localities exhibit typical mafic compositions and are classified as cumulus apatite. The U-Pb dates in apatite either represent primary magmatic ages or exhibit varying degrees of Pb-loss, as seen in the Nebo-Babel intrusion, and in the Bushveld Complex, where the degree of Pb loss is dependent on apatite crystal size. In contrast, the apatite Lu-Hf system is undisturbed and records primary LMI crystallisation ages as demonstrated for the Duluth and Bushveld Complexes, and Nebo-Babel intrusion. In the Grenville Province, the long-lived magmatic systems likely record younger apatite growth ages compared to zircon ages. Hence, this study demonstrates in-situ LA-ICP-MS/MS Lu-Hf of apatite as a robust tool for obtaining primary magmatic ages of LMI.

In situ garnet Lu‐Hf geochronology has the potential to revolutionise the chronology of petrological and tectonic processes, yet there is a paucity of well‐characterised reference materials to account for laser‐induced matrix‐dependant elemental fractionation. Here, we characterise two reference garnets GWA‐1 (Lu ~ 7.0 μg g−1) and GWA‐2 (Lu ~ 8.5 μg g−1) for in situ garnet Lu‐Hf geochronology. Isochron ages from isotope dilution Lu‐Hf analyses yield crystallisation ages of 1267.0 ± 3.0 Ma with initial 176Hf/177Hfi of 0.281415 ± 0.000012 (GWA‐1), and 934.7 ± 1.4 Ma with 176Hf/177Hfi of 0.281386 ± 0.000013 (GWA‐2). In situ Lu‐Hf analyses yield inverse isochron ages up to 10% older than the known crystallisation age due to matrix effects between garnet and reference glass (NIST SRM 610) under different instrument tuning conditions. This apparent age offset is reproducible for both materials within the same session and can be readily corrected to obtain accurate ages. Our results demonstrate that GWA‐1 and GWA‐2 are robust reference materials that can be used to correct for matrix‐analytical effects and also to assess the accuracy of in situ Lu‐Hf garnet analyses across a range of commonly encountered garnet compositions.

Epidote group minerals, including allanite, clinozoisite and epidote are common in a range of metamorphic, igneous and hydrothermal systems, and are stable across a wide range of pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions. These minerals can incorporate substantial amounts of rare earth elements (REEs) during their crystallisation, making them potential candidates for Lu–Hf geochronology to provide age constraints on various geological processes. Here we report on a first exploration into the feasibility of in situ Lu–Hf geochronology for epidote group minerals from various geological settings and compare the results with age constraints from other geochronometers. Magmatic allanite samples from pegmatites and monzogranites in the Greenland anorthosite complex, Coompana Province and Qingling Orogen provided dates consistent with magmatic events spanning from c. 2660 to 1171 Ma. In the Qingling pegmatites, a younger phase of hydrothermal allanite was dated at c. 215 Ma, consistent with the timing of regional REE mineralisation. Allanite from the Yambah Shear Zone, Strangways Metamorphic Complex, yielded Lu–Hf age of c. 430 Ma. It predates the garnet and apatite growth at c. 380 Ma, suggesting the Lu–Hf system can be preserved in allanite during prograde amphibolite-facies metamorphism. Additionally, Lu–Hf dates for hydrothermal clinozoisite and epidote are consistent with the timing of hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation in a range of settings, demonstrating the utility of the technique for mineral exploration. Despite the current lack of matrix-matched reference materials, the successful application of laser ablation Lu–Hf geochronology to epidote group minerals offers valuable geochronological insights into various geological processes that can be difficult to access through other geochronometers.