Contents of Fixed-Ammonium (NH_4~+) in Lamprophyres in the Zhenyuan Gold Orefield, Yunnan Province, China: Implications for Its Characteristics of the Source Region

This paper determined the fixed-ammonium (NH 4) contents of lamprophyres in the Zhenyuan gold orefield, Yunnan Province, China. The results show that the NH 4 contents of minettes in the orefield range from 120×10 -6 to 469×10 -6 and those of kersantites from 74.3 ×10 -6 to 136×10 -6 . These values are higher than those of other mantle-derived rocks (less than 50×10 -6 ), but lower than those of carbonaceous wall rocks in the orefield (from 1200×10 -6 to 1343×10 -6 ). Combining with the Sr isotopic composition, this paper suggested that lamprophyres in the orefield with high NH 4 contents relative to other mantle-derived rocks would not have resulted from the primary magma contaminated by crustal materials in the process of rising or in the magma chamber, but from mantle metasomatism.     

The Bulong Gold Deposit-a Quartz-Barite Vein Type Gold Deposit in Xinjiang:Geological Characteristics and S, He and Ar Isotopic Compositions

The Bulong gold deposit, located in the southwest Tianshan in China, occurs in the Upper Devonian finegrained clastic rocks. The gold orebodies are controlled by an gently inclined interlayer fractured zone. They are hosted only in quartz-barite veins though there are barite veins and quartz veins in the ore district. The δ34S values of pyrite in the ores range from 14.6‰ to 19.2‰ and those of barite from 35.0‰ to 39.6‰, indicating that the sulfur was derived from the strata. 3He/4He ratios of fluid inclusions in pyrite are 0.24-0.82 R/Ra, approximating to that of the crust. The 40Ar/39Ar ratios range from 338 to 471, slightly higher than that of the atmosphere. 40Ar /4He ratios of ore fluids range from 0.015 to 0.412 with a mean of 0.153. Helium and argon isotope compositions of fluid inclusions show that the ore fluids of the Bulong gold deposit were mainly derived from the crust.     

The Discovery of Native Ruthenium in Nuanquanzi and Tuling—Shihu Gold Deposits：Implications for Source of Gold

Native ruthenium and platinum-bearing hedleyite were recognized two gold deposits contained in Archaean metamorphic rocks in northern China.They are coexistent with native gold,quartz and pyrite.The high W content of native ruthenium may reflect the precipitation of ores in a W-rich hydrothermal system at moderate to high temperatures,The presence of platinum-group minerals(PGM)in the two deposits suggests that Au and PGE were both derived from mantle-source rocks.     

Integrated P-T Paths of the High-Pressure Rocks and Their Tectonic Implications for the Mountain-Building of the North Qilian, China

After the integration of petrographic study, geothermobarometry and Gibbs method, the synthetic P-T paths for the rocks from different geological profiles in the North Qilian, China, have been derived. The composite P-T paths from different methods indicate that all the high-pressure rocks in the Qilian area recorded P-T paths with clockwise loops starting at the blueschist facies, later reaching peak metamorphism at the blueschist facies, eclogite fades or epidote-amphibolite facies and ending up with the greenschist facies. The incremental Ar-Ar dating shows that the plateau ages for the high-pressure rocks range from 410 to 443 Ma. The plateau ages could be used as a minimum age constraint for the subduction that resulted in the formation of these high-pressure rocks in the Qilian area. It is proposed that the late-stage decompressional and cooling P-T paths with ends at the greenschist facies for these high-pressure rocks probably reflect the uplift process which could occur after shifting the arc-t     

Geochronology and Geochemistry of the Granite Xenolith within the Lamprophyre at the Zhenyuan Gold Deposit (Yunnan Province, SW China)

The xenoliths in host rocks of hydrothermal gold deposits can generally provide much geochemical information of the deep rocks, which may have an implication for the sources of ore-forming materials. Geochronology and geochemical characteristics are reported for a granite xenolith, which is enclosed by the lamprophyre in the Zhenyuan gold deposit (Yunnan Province, SW China). This granite xenolith mainly consists of K-feldspar, quartz, and plagioclase with trace amounts of magnetite, titanite, apatite, zircon, and sulfides. Zircons from the granite xenolith yield a weighted average U-Pb age of 281.1 ± 1.3 Ma (MSWD = 2.1), which could represent the crystallization age of this granite xenolith. The Ti-in-zircon geothermometer and the Mn concentration in apatite calculate that this granite xenolith formed at 685 ± 43°C with the logfO2 values ranging from NNO + 3.7 to NNO + 6.4. The zircons in the granite xenolith have a restricted range of positive εHf(t) values ranging from +9.4 to +10.8, and the corresponding Hf TDM2 model ages range from 588 to 678 Ma. The zircon U-Pb age and the Hf isotopic compositions indicate this granite xenolith within the lamprophyre is mainly derived from partial melting of juvenile crustal rocks before the completed closure of the Ailaoshan Ocean. The pyrites in the granite xenolith have higher Bi concentrations, and lower As, Sb, and Tl concentrations than the gold-bearing pyrites of the ores in the Zhenyuan gold deposit. The low Au concentrations of the pyrites together with the ore-forming age of the Zhenyuan gold deposit (Oligocene) indicate the granite xenolith may have limited contribution to the gold mineralization of the Zhenyuan gold deposit.     

Laumontitization as an Exploration Indicator of Epithermal Gold Deposits： A Case Study of the Axi and Other Epithermal Systems in West Tianshan, China

In the light of field investigation, microscopic study, X-ray phase analysis and mineral infrared spectral analysis, it is considered that laumontitization is of extensive occurrence in the Axi gold orefield. The development of laumontitization and its relationship to mineralization show that the laumontitization appeared mainly at the top of and in the periphery of orebodies, and occurred at the edge of the epithermal system or at the late stage of epithermal system evolution. Therefore, laumontitization can be used as an exploration indicator of epithermal gold deposits. The fluids responsible for laumontitization in the Axi gold orefield are similar to those producing hot spring-type gold deposits or those from modem geothermal fields. Epithermal mineralization of the Axi gold deposit was dated at Carboniferous, indicating that the West Tianshan of China is a region favorable to epithermal-type gold mineralization and preservation. Hence the West Tianshan of China is a target area for exploring epithermal gold deposits.     

Structural geometry of orogenic gold deposits: Implications for exploration of world-class and giant deposits

With very few exceptions, orogenic gold deposits formed in subduction-related tectonic settings in accretionary to collisional orogenic belts from Archean to Tertiary times. Their genesis, including metal and fluid source, fluid pathways, depositional mechanisms, and timing relative to regional structural and metamorphic events, continues to be controversial. However, there is now general agreement that these deposits formed from metamorphic fluids, either from metamorphism of intra-basinal rock sequences or de-volatilization of a subducted sediment wedge, during a change from a compressional to transpressional, less commonly transtensional, stress regime, prior to orogenic collapse. In the case of Archean and Paleoproterozoic deposits, the formation of orogenic gold deposits was one of the last events prior to cratonization. The late timing of orogenic gold deposits within the structural evolution of the host orogen implies that any earlier structures may be mineralized and that the current structural geometry of the gold deposits is equivalent to that at the time of their formation provided that there has been no significant post-gold orogenic overprint. Within the host volcano-sedimentary sequences at the province scale, world-class orogenic gold deposits are most commonly located in second-order structures adjacent to crustal scale faults and shear zones, representing the first-order ore-forming fluid pathways, and whose deep lithospheric connection is marked by lamprophyre intrusions which, however, have no direct genetic association with gold deposition. More specifically, the gold deposits are located adjacent to ～10°-25° district-scale jogs in these crustal-scale faults. These jogs are commonly the site of arrays of ～70° cross faults that accommodate the bending of the more rigid components, for example volcanic rocks and intrusive sills, of the host belts. Rotation of blocks between these accommodation faults causes failure of more competent units and/or reactivation and dilation of pre-existing structures, leading to deposit-scale focussing of ore-fluid and gold deposition.Anticlinal or antiformal fold hinges, particularly those of 'locked-up' folds with ～30° apical angles and overturned back limbs, represent sites of brittle-ductile rock failure and provide one of the more robust parameters for location of orogenic gold deposits.In orogenic belts with abundant pre-gold granitic intrusions, particularly Precambrian granitegreenstone terranes, the boundaries between the rigid granitic bodies and more ductile greenstone sequences are commonly sites of heterogeneous stress and inhomogeneous strain. Thus, contacts between granitic intrusions and volcano-sedimentary sequences are common sites of ore-fluid infiltration and gold deposition. For orogenic gold deposits at deeper crustal levels, ore-forming fluids are commonly focused along strain gradients between more compressional zones where volcano-sedimentary sequences are thinned and relatively more extensional zones where they are thickened. World-class orogenic gold deposits are commonly located in the deformed volcano-sedimentary sequences in such strain gradients adjacent to triple-point junctions defined by the granitic intrusions, or along the zones of assembly of micro-blocks on a regional scale. These repetitive province to district-scale geometrical patterns of structures within the orogenic belts are clearly critical parameters in geology-based exploration targeting for orogenic gold deposits.     

The Effects of Applying the Association of Al, K, and Sn in Stream Sediments for Gold Exploration in Different Landscapes

Geochemical data of altered wall rocks are important for the metallogenic prognosis of hydrothermal gold deposits. Indicator elements of altered wall rocks such as K, Al, As, Sb, and Hg have been successfully used to assess gold anomalies in lithogeochemical survey. However, such researches have rarely been done in stream sediment survey for the exploration of gold from various landscapes. On the basis of the geochemical analysis of altered wall rocks of gold deposits in the cold desert areas of Gansu (甘肃) Province in Northwest China, it is found that the combination of Al, K, and Sn could serve as an important indicator of hydrothermal gold deposits and can be used to evaluate the metallogenic prospective of gold anomalies in stream sediments. More studies performed in the cold grassland areas and the moderate-low relief mountainous areas showed that, both weak and strong geochemical anomalies can be extracted, if strictly abiding by the ways of calculation and addition of the binary values of the indicator elements with equal weight, and this provides the sound delineation of metallogenic perspective areas.     

Helium and argon isotopic compositions of the Longquanzhan gold deposit in the Yishu fault zone and their geological implications

The Longquanzhan gold deposit hosted in granitic cataclasites with mylontization of the foot wall of the main Yishui-Tangtou fault. 3He/4He ratios in fluid inclusions range from 0. 14 to 0. 24 R/Ra,close to those of the crust-source helium. 40Ar/36Ar ratios were measured to be 289-1811, slightly higher than those of atmospheric argon. The results of analysis of helium and argon isotopes suggested that ore-forming fluids were derived chiefly from the crust. The δ18O values of fluid inclusions from vein quartz range from -1.78‰ to 4.07‰, and the δD values of the fluid inclusions vary between -74‰ and -77‰. The hydrogen and oxygen isotope data indicated that the ore-forming fluid for the Longquanzhan gold deposit had mixed with meteoric water in the process of mineralization. This is consistent with the conclusion from the helium and argon isotope data.     

Palladium, Platinum and Gold Concentrations in Fengshan Porphyry Cu–Mo Deposit, Hubei Province, China

Abstract: The Fengshan porphyry-skarn copper–molybdenum (Cu–Mo) deposit is located in the south-eastern Hubei Province in east China. Cu–Mo mineralization is hosted in the Fengshan granodiorite porphyry stock that intruded the Triassic Daye Formation carbonate rocks in the early Cretaceous (~140 Ma), as well as the contact zone between granodiorite porphyry stock and carbonate rocks, forming the porphyry-type and skarn-type association. The Fengshan granodiorite stock and the immediate country rocks are strongly fractured and intensely altered by hydrothermal fluids. In addition to intense skarn alteration, the prominent alteration types are potassic, phyllic, and propylitic, whereas argillation is less common. Mineralization occurs as veins, stock works, and disseminations, and the main ore minerals are chalcopyrite, pyrite, molybdenite, bornite, and magnetite. The contents of palladium, platinum and gold (Pd, Pt and Au) are determined in nine samples from fresh and mineralized granodiorite and different types of altered rocks. The results show that the Pd content is systematically higher than Pt, which is typical for porphyry ore deposits worldwide. The Pt content ranges from 0.037 to1.765 ppb, and the Pd content ranges between 0.165 and 17.979 ppb. Pd and Pt are more concentrated in porphyry mineralization than skarn mineralization, and have negative correlations with Au. The reconnaissance study presented here confirms the existence of Pd and Pt in the Fengshan porphyry-skarn Cu–Mo deposit. When compared with intracontinent and island arc geotectonic settings, the Pd, Pt, and Au contents in the Fengshan porphyry Cu–Mo deposit in the intracontinent is lower than the continental margin types and island are types. A combination of available data indicates that Pd and Pt were derived from oxidized alkaline magmas generated by the partial melting of an enriched mantle source.     

Extensional Setting of Hainan Island in Mesoproterozoic: Evidence from Granitic Intrusions in the Baoban Group

The Mesoproterozoic Baoban Group is the oldest basement in Hainan Island and has played an important role in Columbia (Nuna) supercontinent reconstructions. The Mesoproterozoic granitic intrusions in the Baoban Group are the most widely-exposed Precambrian magmatic rocks and are the key to understanding the tectonic settings of Hainan Island and its relationship with the South China Block and the Columbia supercontinent. New LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating on three mylonitic granite samples from the Tuwaishan and Baoban areas yield ages ranging from 1447 Ma to 1437 Ma, representing the absolute timing of the emplacement of the granitic intrusions. Combined with previously published geochronological data for rocks from the Baoban Group and regional mafic intrusions, it is concluded that the Baoban Group formed at 1460–1430 Ma, coeval with the emplacement of the granitic and mafic intrusions. New in-situ zircon Lu-Hf isotope analyses for the three mylonitic granite samples yielded positive εHf(t) values, ranging from +0.49 to +8.27, with model ages (TCDM) ranging from 2181 Ma to 1687 Ma, suggesting that the granitic intrusions originated from a mixed source of Paleoproterozoic crust with juvenile crust. New zircon trace element data show characteristics of high Th/U values of 0.24–1.50, steep slopes from LREE to HREE and negative Pr, Eu anomalies with positive Ce, Sm anomalies, representing typical magmatic zircons formed in continental crust. Compared with available magmatic and detrital zircon ages from Precambrian rocks in the Cathaysia Block, Yangtze Block and western Laurentia, it is inferred that Hainan Island was separated from both the Cathaysia Block and the Yangtze Block, instead being connected with western Laurentia in the Columbia supercontinent. Considering the decreasing tendency of basin deposition time along the western margin of Laurentia, it is proposed that Hainan Island was located to the north or northwest of the Belt-Purcell Supergroup, along the western margin of Laurentia, during the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent.     

Gold Content of Mantle-Derived Rocks from Eastern China and Its Implications

We have analyzed the gold content of 65 samples of mantle-derived xenoliths and their host rocks from eastern China, which is found to be inhomogeneous, falling in the ranges of 1.0×109-8.2×109 (averaging 3.8 ×10-9) and 0.2×10-9-5.3×10-9 (averaging 2.7×10-9) in the mantle-derived xenoliths and the host basalts respectively. Except the samples from Wanquan County of Hebei Province and Anding County of Hainan Province, the gold content is the highest on the margins of the North China platform and decreases spatially towards the north and south, and temporally the samples of the Tertiary have a higher gold content than those of the Quaternary. The gold content of the mantle-derived xenoliths and the host Paleozoic kimberlites is 3.8×10-9-180×109and 0.1×10-9-38.0×10-9 respectively, which are higher than that in the mantle-derived xenoliths in basalt and the host Cenozoic basalts. The mantle-derived xenoliths have a higher gold content than the host rocks, but their relativity is not very clear, su     

Multistage mineralization in the Haoyaoerhudong gold deposit,Central Asian Orogenic Belt:Constraints from the sedimentary-diagenetic and hydrothermal sulfides and gold

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt,as one of world-class gold economic belts,preserves a number of giant,large black shale-hosted gold deposits,while it is still debated for origin of sulfides and gold mainly due to lack of identification for multiple stages of sulfides.The Haoyaoerhudong gold deposit is hosted in a sequence of Mesoproterozoic carbonaceous and pyritic slate,phyllite,and schist that form a tight syncline along the north margin of the North China Craton.Detailed petrography of the host rocks and mineralization have defined five stages of pyrites.The earliest form of pyrite(Py₁)occurs as fine-grained dispersed pyrite in black carbonaceous slate and medium-to coarse-grained disseminated pyrite in pyrite-rich layers,contains relative low gold and high arsenic content,indicating a syn-sedimentary or diagenetic in origin.Stage Ⅱ pyrite(Py₂)occurs with garnet and quartz inclusions and Py₃ occurs as pyrite veins,contains higher gold and lower As content,and are interpreted to have formed from the dissolution-reprecipitation of Py₁ during the peak metamorphism or post-peak metamorphism.Stage Ⅳ pyrite(Py₄)from the pyrite-quartz veins crosscut the metamorphic garnet,contains the highest gold concentrations and other trace elements,and is considered to have formed post-peak metamorphism.Abundant native gold,electrum,and maldonite occur as inclusions within Py₄ and monazite and in fractures that crosscut garnet.While,Py₅ with typical remobilized feature is thought to be a product of melting of former pyrites(Py₁ to Py₄)triggered by the large-scale Hercynian magmatism.The sedimentary/diagenetic Py₁ have δ³⁴S values that range from +12.4‰to +16.2‰.Later generations of sulfides,including Py₂ to Py₅,and Ccp₂ to Ccp₃,have δ³⁴S values from +9.5‰to +12.7‰.Monazite with maldonite inclusions from quartz-pyrite veins yielded an intercept age of 341.3±6.6 Ma,while coarse grained monazite associated biotite along fractures in the reefs yielded an intercept age of 254.6±8.2 Ma.The paragenetic,textural,chemical,and isotopic data suggest three distinct gold producing episodes at Haoyaoerhudong gold deposit.Gold and arsenic were clearly initially concentrated in organic muds,and enriched along the structures of diagenetic arsenic-rich pyrite.Subsequently,accompanying metamorphism and deformation,gold was liberated from the dissolution of diagenetic pyrites to form the pyrite veins.Finally,accompanying transformation of pyrite into pyrrhotite,gold was released into the metamorphic fluids to become concentrated as native gold,electrum,and maldonite in pyrite-quart veins.Monazite with age of 341 Ma from quartz-pyrite veins suggests that the third major gold mineralizing event in Haoyaoerhudong occurred before the Hercynian magmatism,suggesting that the Haoyaoerhudong deposit is a typical orogenic gold deposit rather than intrusion-related deposit.     

The Liaonan Metamorphic Core Complex： Constitution, Structure and Evolution

The Liaonan metamorphic core complex (mcc) has a three-layer structure and is constituted by five parts, i.e. a detachment fault zone, an allochthonous upper plate and an supradetachment basin above the fault zone, and highly metamorphosed rocks and intrusive rocks in the lower plate. The allochthonous upper plate is mainly of Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic rocks weakly deformed and metamorphosed in pre-Indosinan stage. Above these rocks is a small-scale supradetachment basin of Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks. The lower plate is dominated by Archean TTG gneisses with minor amount of supracrustal rocks. The Archean rocks are intruded by late Mesozoic synkinematic monzogranitic and granitic plutons. Different types of fault rocks, providing clues to the evolution of the detachment fault zone, are well-preserved in the fault zone, e.g. mylonitic gneiss, mylonites, brecciated mylonites, microbreccias and pseudotachylites. Lineations in lower plate granitic intrusions have consistent orientation that indicate uniform top-to-NW shearing along the main detachment fault zone. This also provides evidence for the synkinematic characteristics of the granitic plutons in the lower plate. Structural analysis of the different parts in the mcc and isotopic dating of plutonic rocks from the lower plate and mylonitic rocks from detachment fault zone suggest that exhumation of the mcc started with regional crustal extension due to crustal block rotation and tangential shearing. The extension triggered magma formation, upwelling and emplacement. This event ended with appearance of pseudotachylite and fault gauges formed at the uppermost crustal level. U-Pb dating of single zircon grains from granitic rocks in the lower plate gives an age of 130±5 Ma, and biotite grains from the mam detachment fault zone have 40Ar-39Ar ages of 108-119 Ma. Several aspects may provide constraints for the exhumation of the Liaonan mcc. These include regional extensional setting, cover/basement contact, temporal and spatial coupling of extension and magmatism, basin development and evolution of fault tectonites along detachment fault zone. We propose that the exhumation of the Liaonan mcc resulted from regional extension and thinning of crust or lithosphere in eastern North China, and accompanied with synkinematic intrusion of granitic plutons, formation of detachment fault zone, uplifting and exhumation of lower-plate rocks, and appearance of supradetachment basin.     

Ore Controls and Metallogenesis of Au-Ag Deposits at Atalla Mine, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt

Gold-silver deposits in the Atalla area occur as hydrothermal quartz veins in NE–SW pre-existing fractures within the Atalla granitic pluton. The orientation of such quartz veins has been attributed to extensional behavior related to the Atalla Shear Zone (ASZ). The Atalla area is covered by a variety of lithologies that are (from oldest to youngest): metasedimentary rocks, metavolcanic rocks, ophiolite assemblage (serpentinites/talc-carbonates), Atalla granite and Dokhan volcanic rocks. Microscopically, Atalla granite ranges in composition from granodiorite to monzogranite. Whole-rock geochemistry constrains the calc-alkaine affinity of the Atalla granite that was intruded within an orogenic (syn-collision) tectonic regime. The ore minerals are represented by gold/silver (electrum), pyrite (Py1 & Py2), arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, covellite and goethite. The temperature of ore formation ranges from 240 to 285°C and the estimated fluid pressure is in the range of 20–100 MPa. Based on the geological setting, ore textures and fluid characteristics; the Atalla Au-Ag deposits are considered to be orogenic in nature, formed from a continental collision (~653-590 Ma), synchronous with the emplacement of calc-alkaline magmatism during the evolutionary history of the Arabian Nubian Shield (ANS). The initial ore-forming fluid was primarily derived from a metamorphic source related to ophiolitic-serpentinite rocks under deep regional conditions of greenschist-amphibolite facies, where the Atalla granitic eruption provided the required temperature conditions for the metamorphic process to take place. Under such conditions, the transportation of ore metals as bisulfide complexes is favoured. The deposition of ore minerals was triggered by fluid-wallrock interaction through fracture pathways in conjunction with a temperature-pressure drop that is likely to have been related to uplift into the crustal levels.     

A Study on Organic Inclusions in Clastic Reservoir Rocks and Their Application to the Assessment of Oil and Gas Accumulations

Terrigenous clastic reservoir rocks are widespread in China,and nearly all the industrial oil and gas accumulations in eastern China occur in the clastic rocks.The study shows that organic inclusions are mostly distributed in the secondary fissures and pores which were ormed in the process of oil-rock interaction,rather than in the cements or secondary enlargements. The organic inclusions are dominantly organic gas-rich or are composed of pure hydrocarbons.Homogenization temperatures range mainly from 120℃ to 130℃，which shows a relatively high maturity of organic matter.Vertical and horizontal temperature changes provide the grounds for the investigation of basin evolution and thermal fluid-kinetics-model.Fluorescence spectral characteristics o the organic inclusions indicate that oils and gases in the area studied probably have experienced two-stage or two-time migration.Micro-fluorescence rescearch is one of the effective approaches to oil/source correlation and oil migration-stage determination.The abundance and occurrence of organic inclusions is one of the indicators of oil and gas abundance and accumulation in rock layers.With the help of other informatio,organic inclusions can provide the basis for the prospective assessment of oil and gas in clastic reservoir rocks.     

A Microscopic and Nanoscale Understanding of the Formation of Gold Geochemical Provinces

Gold geochemical provinces in China were delineated through stream sediment or catchment sediment sampling in this study. Each gold geochemical province delineated by a threshold value of 2.5 ng/g covers an area of thousands of kilometers. It is a dilemma that geochemists traditionally thought that gold could not migrate for a long distance in rivers or streams to form a large-scale geochemical anomaly due to its chemical inertness and high specific density. The quantitative spectroscopic analysis and observations under a scanning electron microscope(SEM) indicate the presence of submicroscopic gold particles(5 μm in diameter) in large quantities, and observations under a Transmission Electron Microscopy(TEM) further suggest the presence of nanoscale gold particles(several tens of nanometre in diameter) in ores, rocks, soils and stream sediments. Particularly, submicroscopic and nanoscale gold particles less than 5 μm were only found in samples having a low gold content(10ng/g). This result shows that geochemical provinces, delineated by a threshold value of 2.5 ng/g, are formed by long-distance transport of ultrafine gold in streams. The findings may provide direct microscopic evidence for gold migration to form geochemical provinces.     

Anomalous Enrichment of Silver in Organic Matter of the Songxi Shale-hosted Ag-Sb Deposit in Northeastern Guangdong

The silver contents of organic matter in the host rocks of the Songxi shale-hosted Ag-Sb deposit of northeastern Guangdong, South China, have been directly determined using the electron microprobe technique. The silver contents in two types of organic matter, marine vitrinite and solid bitumen, vary in the range from 100×10-6to 350×10-6, which are from tens of times to thousands of times higher than those of the host rocks in the ore deposit. The average silver content of the organic matter is also several times higher than the pay grade of silver for commercial mining of the ore deposit. It is quite obvious that the organic matter of the host rocks in the ore district is characterized by an anomalous enrichment of silver. The results of this study indicate that the silver anomalies in the organic matter have been derived from both the host rocks and the silver-bearing fluids of the Songxi black shale ore source. In the course of sedimentation and later hydrothermal reworking, organic matter was able     

Geology, Genetic Types and Metallogeny of Gold Deposits in the Eastern Tianshan, Xinjiang

As a typical Palaeozoic island arc system, the eastern Tianshan area, Xinjiang, is different from eastern China but similar to the Meso-Cenozoic island arc metallogenic provinces along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in metallogenic environment, geology and geochemistry. Three types of gold deposits, ductile shear zone-hosted gold deposits (Kanggur ), magmatic hydrothermal gold deposits (Jinwozi) and volcanic- or subvolcanic-hosted gold deposits (Xitan and Mazhuangshan), have been identified in this area. Regionally, gold deposits are structurally controlled by the Kanggur Tag ductile shear zone, Shaquanzi fault, Hongliuhe fault and Yamansu fault. Generally, gold mineralization occurs in the transition zones from volcanic rocks to sedimentary rocks. The horizon bearing well-developed jasper is an important indicator for gold mineralization. Each of the three types of gold deposits has its distinctive metallogenic background and geological-geochemical characteristics.     

Metallogenic Epoch of Nonferrous Metallic and Silver Deposits in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China and its Geological Significance

As China's most important gold-producing district,the Jiaodong Peninsula also contains copper,lead-zinc,molybdenum(tungsten),and other nonferrous metal ore deposits,but the space-time and genetic relationships with gold deposits remain uncertain.To investigate the temporal relationship between these nonferrous metal and gold ore deposits,We collected the samples from a number of nonferrous metallic and silver deposits and metallogenetic rock bodies in the eastern Jiaodong Peninsula for isotopic dating.The results show that the Re-Os isotopic model ages of the Lengjia molybdenum deposit in Rongcheng range from 114.5± 1.8 Ma to 112.6± 1.5 Ma,with an average age of 113.6± 1.6Ma;the LA-ICP-MS ~(206)Pb/~(238)U ages of 33 zircons in the sericitization porphyritic monzogranite that hosts the Tongjiazhuang silver deposit in Rongcheng range between 122 Ma and 109 Ma,with a weighted mean age of 116.04± 0.95 Ma;the LA-ICP-MS ~(206)Pb/~(238)U ages of 31 zircons in the copper metallogenic pyroxene monzodiorite that hosts the Kuangbei copper deposit in Rongcheng range from126 Ma to 106 Ma,with a weighted mean age of 116.6± 1.7 Ma;and the LA-ICP-MS ~(206)Pb/~(238)U ages of19 zircons in the pyroxene monzodiorite surrounding the Dadengge gold and multimetal deposit in Weihai range from 113 Ma to 110 Ma,with a weighted mean age of 111.7± 0.6 Ma.All these results indicate that the metallogenic ages of the silver and nonferrous metallic deposits in the Jiaodong Peninsula are in a limited range from 118 Ma to 111 Ma.Previous studies have demonstrated that the isotopic ages of gold deposits in the Jiaodong Peninsula range from 123 Ma to 110 Ma,while Weideshanian magmatism occurred between 126 Ma to 108 Ma.Both these ranges are grossly consistent with the metallogenic ages of silver and nonferrous metallic deposits in this study,suggesting that the large-scale mineralization occurred in the Early Cretaceous when magmatic activities were strong.This epoch may be linked to the lithosphere thinning and the thermo-upwelling extension in eastern China at that time.In addition,field investigation also shows that gold and nonferrous metallic deposits are distributed nearby the Weideshanian granite,with the nonferrous metallic deposits lying within or surrounding the granite pluton and the gold deposits outside the granite pluton.We propose the following mineralization scenario:In the Early Cretaceous,an intensive lithospheric extension induced partial melting and degassing of the metasomatized lithospheric mantle,which resulted in the formation of mantle-derived fluids enriched in metal elements.During the rapid process of magma ascent and intrusion,crust-derived fluids were activated by the magmatic thermal dome and served to further extract ore-forming materials from the crust.These fluids may have mixed with the mantle-derived fluid to form a crust-mantle mixing-type ore-forming fluid.The high-temperature conditions in the center or in contact with the granitic magmatic thermal dome would have been favorable for the formation of porphyry-type,skarn-type,and hydrothermal-vein-type ores,thus forming a series of Mo(W),Cu,and Pb-Zn deposits in the mid-eastern Jiaodong Peninsula.In contrast,the medium-to low-temperature conditions in the periphery of the magmatic thermal dome would have favored the deposition of gold(silver) ores under the appropriate physiochemical and structural conditions.The metallogenic epoch of the molybdenum,copper,and silver deposits,and their spatio-temporal and genetic relations to the gold deposits,as demonstrated in this study,not only provide important insights to the study of regional metallogeny,our understanding of the metallogenesis of the Jiaodong type gold deposit,and the geodynamic background of the large-scale mineralization in the Jiaodong Peninsula,but also have practical value in guiding the mineral exploration.