High‐precision Pb‐Sr‐Nd‐Hf isotopic characterization of USGS BHVO‐1 and BHVO‐2 reference materials

Abstract

The recent development of multiple‐collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC‐ICP‐MS) and increasing use of the technique have created the need for well‐characterized rock standards, especially for isotopic systems where no internal fractionation correction can be applied. This paper presents a careful leaching experiment on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reference materials BHVO‐1 and BHVO‐2 (Hawaiian basalts) and documents the evidence for contamination of the rock powders during processing. This contamination accounts for the difference in Pb isotopic ratios of BHVO‐1 and BHVO‐2 as well as for their lack of homogeneity both in Pb isotopic compositions and in some trace element contents.