| Abstract: | The black shales of the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation in Weng'an.on the Yangtze platform of south China,contain voluminous polymetallic sulfide deposits.A comprehensive geochemical investigation of trace,rare earth,and platinum group elements(PGE)has been undertaken in order to discuss its ore genesis and correlation with the tectono.depositional setting.The ore-bearing layers enrich molybdenum(Mo),nickeI(Ni),vanadium(V),lead(Pb),strontium(Sr), bariam(Ba),uranium(U),arsenic(As),and rare earth elements(REE)in abundance.High uranium/thorium(U/Th)ratios(U/Th>1)indicated that mineralization was mainly influenced by the hydrothermal process.The δU value Was above 1.9.showing a reducing sedimentary condition.The REE patterns showed high enrichment in Iight rare earth elements (LREE)(heavy rare earth elements (HREE)(LREE/HREE=5-17),slightly negative europium(EU)and cerium(Ce)anomalies(δEu=0.81-0.93).and positive Ce anomalies(δCe=0.76-1.12).PGE abundance was characterized by the PGE-type distribution patterns,enriching platinum(Pt),palladium(Pd),ruthenium(RuJ and osmium(Os).The Pt,Pd ratio was 0.8.which is close to the ratios of seawater and ultramafic rocks.AII of these geochemical features suggest that the mineralization was triggered by hydrothermal activity in an extensionai setting in the context of break-up of the Rodinian supercontinent. |
