The table below is not exhaustive but lists the main systems in use today. The closure concept relies on there being a lower temperature limit to effective diffusion of particular atoms in and out of particular mineral lattices. Consequently different minerals (with different lattice structures) behave differently for the diffusion of the same element AND different elements diffuse through the same mineral lattice at different rates.
| System/mineral | Temperature °C |
|---|---|
| K-Ar (Ar-Ar) |
|
| Hornblende | 530±40 |
| Biotite | 280±40 |
| Muscovite | ~350 |
| K-feldspar | ~130 (but very "leaky") |
| U-Pb | |
| Zircon | >750 |
| Sphene | >650 |
| Rb-Sr | |
| Biotite | 320 |
| Muscovite | 500 |
| Fission tracks | |
| Zircon | 175-225 |
| Apatite | 105±10 |
n.b. fission tracks are "burn holes" in mineral lattices formed by principally spontaneous fission of uranium. The creation of these tracks follows radioactive decay principles but they represent the ghosts of daughters. However, they are very sensitive to being healed as mineral lattices adjust - even at quite low temperatures. Consequently they give rather low "closure" temperatures (strictly called annealing temperatures).