A simple way to extract baddeleyite (ZrO2)
[1] Baddeleyite is a reliable geochronometer for dating the crystallization of mafic and other silica-undersaturated intrusive rocks. Its high U and negligible initial Pb content enable precise age determinations with statistical errors of a few million years or less. The widespread use of baddeleyite for dating has, however, been limited by the low content of baddeleyite in many samples and by di