Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age of a tuff from the Akaiwa Formation of the Tetori Group in the Shiramine area, Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan

Abstract

The Tetori Group in the Shiramine area (Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan) is subdivided into the Gomijima, Kuwajima, Akaiwa, and Kitadani formations (from bottom to top). A variety of animal and plant fossils have been reported from the Kuwajima, Akaiwa, and Kitadani formations, but the depositional ages are still poorly constrained. We obtained the first reliable zircon U-Pb age from the Akaiwa Formation of the Tetori Group in the Shiramine area using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The dated sample was taken from the lower part of the Akaiwa Formation along the Osugidani River (Shiramine area), and its U-Pb age is 121.2±1.1 Ma (95% confidence interval).