Phlogopite40Ar/39Ar geochronology of mantle xenoliths from the North China Craton: Constraints on the eruption ages of Cenozoic basalts

► Ar-Ar ages of phlogopite separate from mantle xenoliths and their co-existing basaltic groundmass from the NCC. ► The phlogopite ages are considered more accurate than the whole-rock grains in these samples. ► Ar-Ar phlogopite chronology is shown to be an effective method for dating eruption time of Cenozoic basalts.