K-feldspar, sphene and zircon in quartz monzonite from Shahewan, south Qinling, showing strong zoning structure. Characteristics of microstructure and chemical compositions of K-feldspar, sphene and zircon with zoning structure were investigated using advanced instruments of electron probe micro analyses equipped with wavelength dispersive spectrometer (EPM-WDS), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS) and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Our study suggests that K+ could be substituted by small amounts of Na+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Fe2+ and Ce3+. Ca2+ in sphene could be replaced by V3+, Ce3+, Ba2+ and Ti4+ could be substituted by both Fe2+ and Al3+. Zircon contains trace elements like Fe, Th, U, Nb, Ta, Y, Hf, Yb and Pb. Concentration of Si, Al, K, Ca, Na, Mg and Ba in K-feldspar ranked from high to low, among which the contents of K and Na are negatively correlated, the lighter part of BSE images featuring K-feldspar is attributed to comparably higher Ba content, additionally, Si and K contents are elevated while Na content decreased rimward. Ca, Si, Ti, Ba, V, Ce, Al and Fe concentration listed downward, among which higher iron content corresponds to brighter portion of BSE images. Element concentration of zircon could be ranked from high to low as Zr, Si, Nd, Ce, Hf, U, Pb and Th, in which Hf and Zr exhibit negatively correlated. Zr concentration increased while Hf, U and Th concentration decreased from core to rim.