A laser ablation–multiple collector–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA–MC–
ICP-MS) analytical protocol is used to date accessory minerals (zircon, monazite, and
titanite) at high spatial resolution (5–40μm) using standard petrographic thin sections. The
MC–ICP-MS instrument is equipped with a modified collector array containing a combination
of Faraday buckets and multiple ion counters, which produces accurate and precise
geochronological data using small sample volumes (pit depth≤ 2μm at 5μm and≤ 15μm at …