PROCEDURE DETERMINING AGE OF ROCKS AND MINERALS Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: study in fields of geology and mineralogy of the Earth and other planets. SUBSTANCE: procedure can be used for search and prospecting for deposits of mineral resources. Ratios of total contents of selected elements not intercoupled by atomic reactions of decay (one element is not decay product of another element) which either all unstable and presented by isotopes with various periods of half-decay, or presented by one or several unstable elements with isotopes with given periods of half-decay and other (one or several) stable elements comprising stable isotopes are determined. Ratio of total contents of elements decaying with different rates is functionally tied up with age of given rock. Elimination of isotopic measurements from procedure determining age of rock simplifies analysis and makes it less expensive. Said procedure serves as new independent method to conduct geochronological studies which makes it possible to increase authenticity and to diminish errors in determination of absolute age of rocks and minerals. EFFECT: reduced cost, simplification and increased reliability of procedure. 1 cl, 1 tbl