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We present Mg and Fe isotopic data for whole rocks and separated minerals (olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, garnet, and phlogopite) of garnet peridotites that equilibrated at depths of 134 -186 km beneath the Kaapvaal and Siberian cratons. There is no clear difference in δ 26 Mg and δ 56 Fe of garnet peridotites from these two cratons. δ 26 Mg of whole rocks varies from -0.243‰ to -0.204‰ with an average of -0.225 ± 0.037‰ (2σ, n = 19), and δ 56 Fe from -0.038‰ to 0.060‰ with an average of -0.003 ± 0.068‰ (2σ, n = 19). Both values are indistinguishable from the fertile upper mantle, indicating that there is no significant Mg-Fe isotopic difference between the shallow and deep upper mantle. The garnet peridotites from ancient cratons show δ 26 Mg similar to komatiites and basalts, further suggesting that there is no obvious Mg isotopic fractionation during different degrees of partial melting of deep mantle peridotites and komatiite formation.The precision of the Mg and Fe isotope data (≤ ±0.05‰ for δ 26 Mg and δ 56 Fe, 2σ) allows us to distinguish inter-mineral isotopic fractionations. Olivines are in equilibrium with opx in terms of Mg and Fe isotopes. Garnets have the lowest δ 26 Mg and δ 56 Fe among the coexisting mantle minerals, suggesting the dominant control of crystal structure on the Mg-Fe isotopic compositions of garnets. Elemental compositions and mineralogy suggest that clinopyroxene and garnet were produced by later metasomatic processes as they are not in chemical equilibrium with olivine or orthopyroxene. This is consistent with the isotopic disequilibrium of Mg and Fe isotopes between orthopyroxene/olivine and garnet/clinopyroxene. Combined with one sample showing slightly heavy δ 26 Mg and much lighter δ 56 Fe, these disequilibrium features in the garnet peridotites reveal kinetic isotopic fractionation due to Fe-Mg inter-diffusion during reaction between peridotites and percolating melts in the Kaapvaal craton.

Measurement of Ba isotope ratios of widely available reference materials is required for interlaboratory comparison of data. Here, we present new Ba isotope data for thirty‐four geological reference materials, including silicates, carbonates, river/marine sediments and soils. These reference materials (RMs) cover a wide range of compositions, with Ba mass fractions ranging from 6.4 to 1900 µg g−1, SiO2 from 0.62% to 90.36% m/m and MgO from 0.08% to 41.03% m/m. Accuracy and precision of our data were assessed by the analyses of duplicate samples and USGS rock RMs. Barium isotopic compositions for all RMs were in agreement with each other within uncertainty. The variation of δ138/134Ba in these RMs was up to 0.7‰. The shale reference sample, affected by a high degree of chemical weathering, had the highest δ138/134Ba (0.37 ± 0.03‰), while the stream sediment obtained from a tributary draining carbonate rocks was characterised by the lowest δ138/134Ba (−0.30 ± 0.05‰). Geochemical RMs play a fundamental role in the high‐precision and accurate determination of Ba isotopic compositions for natural samples with similar matrices. Analyses of these RMs could provide universal comparability for Ba isotope data and enable assessment of accuracy for interlaboratory data.