Abstract
Direct dating of corundum and the establishment of age constraints for corundum crystal growth are restricted due to the absence of a geochronometer. Syngenetic mineral inclusions may help define minimum ages for corundum growth. Here, we present results of in situ LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating applied to rutile inclusions in corundum from localities along the Mozambique belt. U–Pb dating of rutile inclusions gave ages of 533 ± 11 Ma (2 σ) for the Gitonga pit (John Saul ruby mine) and 526 ± 13 Ma for the Aqua Ruby mine, both in the Mangari area of Kenya, and an age of 499 ± 12 Ma for ruby from the Morogoro area, Tanzania. These ages are interpreted as cooling ages that set a minimum age for corundum growth following metamorphism along the East-African Antarctic Orogen, and might be used for petrogenetic tracing of corundum in placer deposits.
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