Zircons of rare metal specialized granites from five large Brazilian tin provinces were compared morphologically and chemically through backscattered electron images and X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) in terms of Hf, Zr/Hf and Hf + Y + Th + U contents. Zircon crystals from the mineralized, evolved hydrothermalized rocks are fine-grained, anhedral, corroded and show little or no obvious zoning. They exhibit high Hf and Hf + Y + Th + U contents and low Zr/Hf values (generally <15) compared to those from less evolved unmineralized granites. Electron microprobe and LA-ICP-MS analyses of zircons from tin-mineralized and barren granites identified similar geochemical trends to those obtained by semiquantitative SEM-EDS. The Geochemical signature of zircon can be used as a prospective guide for specialized granites and zircon SEM-EDS analyses are a reliable tool in preliminary prospecting for this type of mineralization.