The Rhenium-Osmium Dating Method

Versus The Osmium 188/187 Method

By Paul Nethercott

May 2014

 

How reliable is radiometric dating? We are repeatedly told that it proves the Earth to be billions of years old. If radiometric dating is reliable than it should not contradict the evolutionary model. According to the Big Bang theory the age of the Universe is 10 to 15 billion years.¹ Standard evolutionist publications give the age of the universe as 13.75 Billion years. ^{2, 3}

Standard evolutionist geology views the Earth as being 4.5 billion years old. Here are some quotes from popular text: “The age of the Earth is 4.54 ± 0.05 billion years.” ⁴ “The Solar System, formed between 4.53 and 4.58 billion years ago.” ¹ “The age of 4.54 billion years found for the Solar System and Earth.” ¹ “A valid age for the Earth of 4.55 billion years.” ^{5, 6}

                If we run the isotopic ratios give in standard geology magazines through the computer program Isoplot ⁷ we find that the Uranium/Thorium/Lead isotopic ratios in the rocks disagree radically with the Rhenium-Osmium ages. The U/Th/Pb ratios give ages older than the evolutionist age of the Earth, Solar System, Galaxy and Universe. How can Earth rocks be dated as being older than the Big Bang?

                If we use isotopic formulas given in standard geology text we can arrive at ages from the Osmium 188/187 and 187/186 ratios.  Here are examples of isotopic ratios taken from several articles in major geology magazines which give absolutely absurd dates. The article contains tables with Osmium 187/186 ratios that have no dates beside them. If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula below used in standard geology text books ^8-11 we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios.

 

(1)

 

 

In the above formula, t = billions of years. The same date can be calculated from the Osmium 187/188 ratios. If we use another formula ¹² we can convert the Osmium 187/188 ratio to the Osmium 187/186 ratio.

 

(2)

 

 

(3)

 

 

(4)

 

 

 

 

Isotopic Compositions Of Mantle Xenoliths

These rocks from North and Central America, Europe, southern Africa, Asia, and the Pacific region were dated in 1999 by scientist from the Department of Geology, University of Maryland using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ¹³ According to the article the true age is based on Rhenium depletion model is between 1,550 and 1,750 million years old. ¹⁴ The article contains a table with Osmium 187/188 ratios that have no dates beside them. ¹⁵ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula below used in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios.

 

 

 

The Origin Of Gold And Sulfides

These rocks from the Witwatersrand basin in South Africa were dated in 2000 by scientist from the University of Arizona and the CSIRO using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ¹⁶ According to the article the true age is based on Rhenium depletion model is 3,300 million years old. “Rhenium depletion ages (TRD) range from 3.5 Ga to 2.9 Ga, with a median age of 3.3 Ga.” ¹⁷ The article contains a table with Osmium 187/188 ratios that have no dates beside them. ¹⁸ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula below used in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 12,766 million year discrepancy between the supposed true age [3,300 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [9,466 million years future]. Column one has the Osmium isotope ratio age. Column two gives the percentage discordance between the model age [3,300] and column one. Column three gives the difference [million years] between the model age [3,300] and column one.

 

 

Diagram 1

 

Rhenium–Osmium Systematics

These meteorites were dated in 2000 by scientist from the Department of Geology, University of Maryland using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ¹⁹ According to the article the true age is based on Rhenium depletion model and 206Pb-207Pb method is 4,558 million years old. “An age of 4,558 Ma is assumed for the IIIA iron meteorites based on 53Mn-53Cr similarities between angrite meteorites and IIIA irons.” ²⁰ “The inferred IIIA age is only slightly younger than the oldest solar system objects known, Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) from the Allende meteorite, dated at 4,566 Ma, using the 206Pb-207Pb method.” ²⁰ The article contains a table with Osmium 187/188 ratios that have no dates beside them. ²¹ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula below used in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 6,610 million year discrepancy between the supposed true age [4,558 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [2,052 million years future]. The article claims that the Rhenium/Osmium dating method is 99.8% accurate: “The 187Re-187Os decay system potentially provides a unique chronometer to obtain absolute age constraints on processes that affected highly siderophile elements (HSE) during early solar system processing. Precise Re-Os ages (0.2– 0.6%, error) obtained on various groups of iron meteorites likely reflect system closure subsequent to metal crystallization in asteroidal cores.” ²⁰

 

 

Diagram 2

 

190Pt–186Os and 187Re–187Os Systematics

These sulphide ores from the Sudbury Igneous Complex, Ontario were dated in 2000 by scientist from the Colorado State University using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ²² According to the article the true age is 1,850 million years old. “At McCreedy West and Falconbridge, the isochron Re–Os ages are 1835 Ma and 1827 Ma, and the initial 187Os/188Os ratios 0.514 and 0.550, respectively. The ages agree with the canonical value of 1850 Ma for the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC). For Hangingwall and Deep Zone ores at Strathcona, the age of 1780 Ma may reflect resetting by dyke activity.” ²² The article contains a table with Osmium 188/187 ratios that have no dates beside them. ²³ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 2.2 trillion year discrepancy between the supposed true age [1,850 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [2,257 million years future]. The article claims that the 1850 Ma date method is at most one million years in error ²¹ [99.95% accurate] but the error level obtained from the undated ratios gives an error level of 122,007,880% ! This means that their calculation of the maximum error level is 1,220,689 times too small.

 

 

 

Behaviour of Re and Os

These soil samples from the Himalayas were dated in 2001 by scientist from the Centre for Geochemical Research in Notre-Dame, France using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ²⁴ According to the article the true age is based on the Rhenium/Osmium method is 840 million years old. ²⁵ The author admits that many dates are impossible and the true age is just a guess:

“This apparent Re loss is confirmed by the impossibly high Re/Os model ages of nearly all of the soils, most of which exceed the age of the earth.” ²⁵

 

“The median model age of the soils (10 Ga) is much higher than those of typical HHC and LH rocks, indicating that the soils have in general suffered much more extensive recent Re loss.” ²⁵

 

“These soils display very radiogenic Os isotopic ratios that cannot be explained by their 187Re/188Os ratios, which imply impossible model ages (11–13.5 Ga for MO 601; 16–23 Ga for MO 602, and 6.1 Ga for saprolite MO 600). ²⁵

 

The article contains a table with Osmium 188/187 ratios that have no dates beside them. ²⁶ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula below used in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 1.86 trillion year discrepancy between the oldest model age [331,800 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [1,528,332 million years future].  

 

 

Table 6

 

 

187Os Isotopic Constraints

These Lava flows from Belingwe, Zimbabwe were dated in 2001 by scientist from the University of Maryland and the University of London using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ²⁸ According to the article the true age is based on the Lead 207/206 and Neodymium/Samarium dating methods is 2,720 million years old. “Regression of the data for the mineral concentrates yields an age of 2.721 +- 21 Ga, which is consistent with Pb-Pb and Sm-Nd ages that have been previously reported for the komatiites, and an initial 187Os/188Os ratio of 0.11140” ²⁸ The article contains a table with Osmium 188/187 ratios that have no dates beside them. ²⁹ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 456,586 million year discrepancy between the supposed true age [2,720 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [-456,934 million years future]. The article claims that the 2,721 Ma date is only has an error margin of 21 million years [99.559% accurate]. ²⁸ Since there is a 456,586 million year discrepancy between dates the error margin is 21,742 times too small.

 

 

 

Comparative 187Re-187Os Systematics Of Chondrites

These meteorites were dated in 2002 by scientist from the University of California using the 187Re/187Os dating methods. ³⁰ According to the article the true age is based on 187Re/187Os method is 4,500 million years old. “Chondrites are among the most primitive of solar system materials. Assuming derivation from a reservoir with a uniform initial 187Os/188Os ratio, it would be expected that bulk chondrites should plot very close to the Re-Os isochron defined by the IIIAB irons, which are assumed to have crystallized within 10 to 20 Ma of the inception of the solar system.” ³¹ The article contains a table ³² with Osmium 188/187 ratios that have no dates beside them. If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 46,318 million year discrepancy between the supposed true age [4,500 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [50,818 million years future].

 

 

 

Pt-Re-Os Systematics

These Iron meteorites were dated in 2003 by scientist from the University of California using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ³³ According to the article the true age is based on Re/Os method is 0000 million years old. “The Re-Os isochron ages for the complete suites of IIAB and IIIAB irons are 4,530 +/- 50 Ma and 4,517 +/- 32 Ma, respectively, and are similar to previously reported Re-Os ages for the lower-Ni end members of these two groups. Both isochrons are consistent with, but do not require crystallization of the entire groups within 10-30 Ma of the initiation of crystallization.” ³³ The article contains a table with Osmium 188/187 ratios that have no dates beside them. ³⁴ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 14,763 million year discrepancy between the supposed true age [4,530 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [-10,233 million years future]. The article claims that the Rhenium/Osmium dating method is accurate within 50 million years [98.9 %]. ³³

 

 

 

Re-Os, and Mo Isotope Systematics

These black shales from the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa were dated in 2004 by scientist from the University Of Berne, Switzerland using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ³⁵ According to the article the true age is based on Rhenium/Osmium method is 3,250 million years old. “Re-Os data and PGE concentrations as well as Mo concentrations and isotope data are reported for suites of fine clastic sediments and black shales from the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa (Fig Tree and Moodies Groups, 3.25–3.15 Ga), the Belingwe Greenstone Belt, Zimbabwe (Manjeri Formation, ca. 2.7 Ga) and shales from the Witwatersrand, Ventersdorp and Transvaal Supergroups, South Africa ranging from 2.95 to 2.2 Ga.” ³⁵ The article contains a table with Osmium 188/187 ratios that have no dates beside them. ³⁶ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula in standard geology text books we can calculate dates from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 2,413,235 million year [2.4 trillion year] discrepancy between the supposed true age [3,250 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [2,409,985 million years future].

 

 

 

Evolution of the South China block

These mineral samples from Taiwan were dated in 2008 by scientist from the Macquarie University, Sydney using the Rhenium/Osmium dating methods. ³⁷ According to the article the true age is based on several dating methods is 1,000 million years old. “Such sulphides yield TRD age peaks of 1.9, 1.7–1.6, 1.4–1.3 and 0.9–0.8 Ga, which may record the timing of melt extraction and/or metasomatic events in the mantle. These periods are contemporaneous with the major crustal events recorded by U–Pb dates and Nd and Hf model ages in the overlying crust.” ³⁷ The article contains two tables with Osmium 188/187 ratios that have no 188/187 dates beside them. ³⁸ If we put the tables into Microsoft Excel and use the formula in standard geology text books we can calculate dates [Table 11] from the undated isotopic ratios. There is a 54,000 million year discrepancy between the supposed true age [1,000 million years ago] and the Osmium isotope ratio age [53,129 million years future]. The second table contains Rhenium depletion ages. These dates are summarized in table 12. There is a 116 billion year difference between the youngest [-90 billion] and the oldest [25.9 billion] dates. The author’s choice of true age is just a random guess.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

Evolutionists Schmitz and Bowring claim that Uranium/Lead dating is 99% accurate. ³⁹ Looking at some of the dating it is obvious that precision is much lacking. The Bible believer who accepts the creation account literally has no problem with such unreliable dating methods. Much of the data used in this dating method is selectively taken to suit and ignores data to the contrary.

Yuri Amelin states in the journal Elements that radiometric dating is extremely accurate: “However, four 238U/235U-corrected CAI dates reported recently (Amelin et al. 2010; Connelly et al. 2012) show excellent agreement, with a total range for the ages of only 0.2 million years – from 4567.18 ± 0.50 Ma to 4567.38 ± 0.31 Ma.” ^40-42 To come within 0.2 million years out of 4,567.18 million years means an accuracy of 99.99562%. Looking at some of the dating it is obvious that precision is much lacking. The Bible believer who accepts the creation account literally has no problem with such unreliable dating methods. Much of the data in radiometric dating is selectively taken to suit and ignores data to the contrary.

                Prominent evolutionist Brent Dalrymple states: “Several events in the formation of the Solar System can be dated with considerable precision.” ⁴³ Looking at some of the dating it is obvious that precision is much lacking. He then goes on: “Biblical chronologies are historically important, but their credibility began to erode in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when it became apparent to some that it would be more profitable to seek a realistic age for the Earth through observation of nature than through a literal interpretation of parables.” ⁴⁴ The Bible believer who accepts the creation account literally has no problem with such unreliable dating methods. Much of the data in Dalrymple’s book is selectively taken to suit and ignores data to the contrary.

 

 

References

 

1              http://web.archive.org/web/20051223072700/http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/age.html

The age of 10 to 15 billion years for the age of the Universe.

 

2              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_the_universe

 

3              http://arxiv.org/pdf/1001.4744v1.pdf

Microwave Anisotropy Probe Observations, Page 39, By N. Jarosik

 

4              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_the_Earth

 

5              http://sp.lyellcollection.org/content/190/1/205

The age of the Earth, G. Brent Dalrymple

Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2001, Volume 190, Pages 205-221

 

6              The age of the earth, Gérard Manhes

Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Volume 47, Issue 3, May 1980, Pages 370–382

 

7              http://www.bgc.org/isoplot_etc/isoplot.html

 

8              Principles of Isotope Geology, Second Edition, By Gunter Faure,

Published By John Wiley And Sons, New York, 1986. Pages 269.

 

9              Isotopes in the Earth Sciences, By H.G. Attendorn, R. Bowen

Chapman And Hall Publishers, London, 1994. Page 289

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=k90iAnFereYC&printsec=frontcover

 

10           Introduction to Geochemistry: Principles and Applications, Page 241

By Kula C. Misra, Wiley-Blackwell Publishers, 2012

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=ukOpssF7zrIC&printsec=frontcover

 

11           Radioactive and Stable Isotope Geology, Issue 3

By H. G. Attendorn, Robert Bowen, Page 298

Chapman and Hall Publishers, London, 1997           

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=-bzb_XU7OdAC&printsec=frontcover

 

12           http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/classes/Geo656/656notes03/656%2003Lecture11.pdf

 

13           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Volume 65, Number 8, Pages 1311–1323, 2001

Isotopic compositions of mantle xenoliths

 

14           Reference 13, page 1318

 

15           Reference 13, page 1312

 

16           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Volume 65, Number 13, Pages 2149–2159, 2001

The origin of gold and sulfides

 

17           Reference 16, page 2149

 

18           Reference 16, page 2153

 

19           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Volume 65, Number 19, Pages 3379–3390, 2001

Rhenium–osmium systematics

 

20           Reference 19, page 3379

 

21           Reference 19, page 3382

 

22           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Volume 66, Number 2, Pages 273–290, 2002

190Pt–186Os and 187Re–187Os systematics

 

23           Reference 22, page 278, 279

 

24           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2002, Volume 66, Number 9, Pages 1539,

Behavior of Re and Os

 

25           Reference 24, page 1545

 

26           Reference 24, page 1542

 

27           Reference 24, page 1542, 1545

 

28           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2002, Volume 66, Number 18, Pages 3317,

187Os isotopic constraints

 

29           Reference 28, page 3318

 

30           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2002, Volume 66, Number 23, Pages 4187,

Comparative 187Re-187Os systematics of chondrites

 

31           Reference 30, page 4192

 

32           Reference 30, page 4190, 4191

 

33           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2004, Volume 68, Number 6, Pages 1413,

Pt-Re-Os systematics

 

34           Reference 33, page 1416

 

35           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2005, Volume 69, Number 7, Pages 1787,

Re-Os, and Mo isotope systematics

 

36           Reference 35, page 1792

 

37           Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2009, Volume 73, Pages 4531,

Evolution of the South China block

 

38           Reference 37, page 4537-4539

 

39           Schmitz MD, Bowring SA. An assessment of high-precision U-Pb geochronology.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2001, Volume 65, Pages 2571-2587

 

40           Dating the Oldest Rocks in the Solar System, Elements, 2013, Volume 9, Pages 39-44

 

41           Amelin, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2010, Volume 300, Pages 343-350

 

42           Connelly, Science, 2012, Volume 338, Pages 651-655

 

43           The Age Of The Earth, By G. Brent Dalrymple, 1991, Stanford University Press,

Stanford, California, Page 10.

 

44           Reference 43, Page 23

 

 

 

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