A tectono-genetic model for porphyry–skarn–stratabound Cu–Au–Mo–Fe and magnetite–apatite deposits along the Middle–Lower Yangtze River Valley, Eastern China

The Middle–Lower Yangtze River Valley metallogenic belt (YRB), situated along the northern margin of the Yangtze craton, is characterized by porphyry–skarn–stratabound Cu–Au–Mo–Fe deposits in the areas of uplift and magnetite–apatite deposits in Cretaceous fault basins. Following detailed field investigations and a review of published data, we recognize two episodes of magmatism and mineralization in the YRB: 1) 156–137 Ma high-K calc-alkaline granitoids associated with 148–135 Ma porphyry–skarn–stratabound Cu–Au–Mo–Fe deposits and 2) 135–123 Ma shoshonitic series, associated with 134.9–122.9 Ma magnetite–apatite deposits. A-type granitoids and associated alkaline volcanic have a small age range from 126.5 to 124.8 Ma and are temporally, spatially and genetically associated with the second episode. The geodynamic history of the YRB did not experience the Paleozoic to Mesozoic lithospheric thickening that took place in the North China craton. This process is inferred to be linked to partial melting of the delaminated lower crust at high pressures, resulting in the development of C-type adakitic rocks. The petrochemical and Sr/Nd isotopic data show that both the shoshonitic series and A-type granitoids are quite different from adakites, with only some of the K-calc-alkaline granitoids having adakitic signatures. Previous ore genesis models were established based on an assumed relationship with adakites and a continuous tectono-thermal evolution from 150 to 100 Ma.All data obtained for the Middle–Lower Yangtze River region consistently show that the Tan–Lu regional strike-slip fault zone, initiated at 233 ± 6 to 225 ± 6 Ma from the collision between the North China and Yangtze cratons and was reactivated at ca. 160 Ma. The Tan–Lu fault was caused by the oblique subduction of the Izanagi plate, which along the YRB the low-angle subducted slab and the overlying crust was disrupted or broken due to the disharmonious movement of the two blocks. The high-K calc-alkaline granitoids magmas were derived from melting of the subducted slab, with some input of crustal material. These magmas were emplaced at the intersections between NE- and EW-trending faults and formed porphyry–skarn–stratabound Cu–Au–Mo–Fe deposits between 156 and 137 Ma. After 135 Ma the subducted plate changed its direction of motion to northeast, now running parallel to the Eurasian continental margin, and leading to large-scale continental extension. The shoshonitic series and subsequent A-type granitoids magmatism and the development of magnetite–apatite ores in the YRB, took place in both fault basins and NE-trending rifts between 135 and 124 Ma.     

安徽宁芜地区铁氧化物-磷灰石矿床中金云母Ar-Ar定年及其地球动力学意义

铁氧化物-磷灰石型铁矿床是长江中下游成矿带的重要组成部分,对其成岩成矿时限的精确厘定,是理解长江中下游地区中生代大规模成矿作用的动力学演化的关键。本文分别对宁芜盆地南部白象山、和睦山及中部的陶村三个大-中型铁矿床中与磁铁矿密切共生的金云母单矿物进行了Ar-Ar同位素测年,获得白象山矿床金云母Ar-Ar坪年龄为134.9±1.1Ma,对应的反等时线年龄为133±2Ma;和睦山矿床金云母Ar-Ar坪年龄为132.9±1.1Ma,对应的反等时线年龄为133.9±2.4Ma;陶村矿床金云母的反等时线年龄为128±14Ma。该区铁氧化物-磷灰石型矿床与该区火山-次火山岩具有密切的时间联系,成岩成矿时限主要集中于135～126Ma。综合研究表明,长江中下游第二期成岩成矿作用的时限为135～126Ma,对应于岩石圈的大规模快速减薄的地球动力学背景。     

Pyrite–anhydrite–magnetite–pyroxene-type deposits and coexisting hydrothermal fluids in Mesozoic volcanic basins, Yangtze River Valley, China

Anhydrite–pyrite–magnetite–pyroxene–type deposits occur in the Mesozoic volcanic areas of the Middle–Lower Yangtze Valley in China. These deposits are hosted in alkaline basaltic rocks, and are generally accompanied by melanocratic and leucocratic alteration zones, both of which are characterized by a distinct vertical zonation pattern. Investigation of these zones indicates that the chemical compositions of solid solutions and polymorphs of various minerals vary spatially in the alteration profile, upwards from the lowest level, and outwards from the center.Here we report a case study on the Luohe deposit. In the melanocratic-alteration zone, the composition of magnetite (including trace elements Ti, V, Mg, Mn), pyroxene (Mg, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Al₂O₃), plagioclase (An_xAb_{1 − x}), pyrite (Co, Ni) and apatite (F, CeO₂ + Y₂O₃ + La₂O₃) changes with depth. The isotherms of hydrothermal fluids determined from fluid inclusion data, including homogenization temperature and salinity, also vary with depth.Activity diagrams were constructed from mineral and isotherm analysis to estimate the chemical constraints on the alteration-mineral assemblages and the coexisting hydrothermal solutions for the Na₂O–K₂O–CaO–MgO–FeO–Fe₂O₃–A1₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂SO₄–H₂S–HCI–H₂O system at 350 to 600 °C and 500 bars (50 MPa), assuming that the major alteration mineral assemblages along the profile reflect the nature of the coexisting hydrothermal solutions. The activity diagrams adopted the major minerals as buffers to fix the activities of the aqueous species in the system, simulating the physicochemical conditions of the magnetite–anhydrite–pyroxene equilibrium and of solid solutions of diopside–hedenbergite, grossular–andradite and anorthite–albite found in the profile.This study provides an approach to modeling the chemical constraints of coexisting fluids in ore-alteration zones based on field observations.     

长江中下游成矿带玢岩铁矿研究新进展及对矿床成因的启示

长江中下游成矿带的宁芜和庐枞火山岩盆地中发育了大量与早白垩世(约130 Ma)陆相火山-侵入岩有关的玢岩铁矿。这类矿床的特征为具有磁铁矿-磷灰石-阳起石(透辉石)矿物组合,在国际上一般被称为铁氧化物-磷灰石型(Iron Oxide-Apatite, IOA)或基鲁纳型(Kiruna-type)矿床。玢岩铁矿的概念自20世纪70年代提出以来,其成因就一直存在争议,主要有矿浆、岩浆热液及矿浆-热液过渡的观点。近年来的高精度年代学揭示出宁芜和庐枞盆地内玢岩铁矿在约130 Ma集中爆发成矿。矿物学、岩石学及地球化学的综合研究表明成矿物质主要来源于次火山岩体,且成矿早期流体具有高温(550~780 ℃)和超高盐度(可达90% NaCl_eq)的特点。这些特点与成矿岩体及周围火山岩在成矿早阶段发育大规模钠质蚀变相吻合;但同时S-Sr等同位素和流体包裹体成分分析表明在铁成矿过程中还有外来壳源(如膏盐层物质)流体的加入。一些研究工作还表明玢岩铁矿与夕卡岩型铁矿具有相似的热液蚀变演化过程,暗示两者或许存在某些成因联系,很可能是相似流体与不同性质围岩及在不同温度下水岩交代产物。这些新的证据为探讨玢岩铁矿的成矿作用过程和成因机制提供了新的制约,也带来了新问题。本文从成岩成矿年代学、成矿物质来源、成矿早期流体性质、玢岩铁矿与夕卡岩铁矿及其外围新发现的金铜矿化的成因联系等角度,对近年来长江中下游成矿带玢岩铁矿研究的主要新进展进行初步总结。当前IOA型矿床的成因研究成为国际上矿床学研究的一个热点,除了长期争论的矿浆成因和岩浆热液成因,最近提出多个了岩浆-热液复合成矿模型,如岩浆磁铁矿-气泡悬浮模型及富水铁熔体的上升、脱气和侵位成因模型。将IOA型矿床成因争论的焦点逐渐聚焦在岩浆到岩浆后(岩浆热液)阶段,铁质究竟是以含铁岩浆热液、铁矿浆 (Fe-O或P-Ca-Fe-O),还是岩浆磁铁矿微晶或其他未知的形式来富集成矿的,还有待进一步研究,文章对以上的新模型进行简要介绍和评述,并与长江中下游的矿床进行对比。     

Late Mesozoic magmatism of the Jiurui mineralization district in the Middle–Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt, Eastern China: Precise U–Pb ages and geodynamic implications

The Middle–Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt (MLYRMB), extending from Daye in Hubei Province in the west to Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province in the east, hosts a number of large polymetallic (Cu–Au–Mo, Fe, Zn, Pb, and Ag) deposits and constitutes one of the most important metallogenic belts in China. The Cu–Au–Mo deposits in the Jiurui district are an important component of the MLYRMB. In this study we carried out precise and detailed zircon U–Pb dating for all types of magmatic rocks from the Wushan ore deposit in the Jiurui district. Three samples of Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries from different ore belts at Wushan were analyzed and yielded zircon U–Pb ages of 148.0 ± 1.0 Ma, 145.4 ± 0.9 Ma and 147.3 ± 0.9 Ma, respectively. A series of dykes were emplaced immediately following the Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries at Wushan. A dark-colored basic dyke which intruded into the granodiorite porphyry at Wujia gold deposit near Wushan was dated at 144.5 ± 1.2 Ma. Two lamprophyre dykes taken from the north ore belt at Wushan underground mining stops were dated at 143.6 ± 0.9 Ma and 144.3 ± 0.9 Ma, respectively. A late-stage dyke which was also taken from the Wushan north ore belt yielded an age of 142.6 ± 1.0 Ma and might represent the end of magmatism in the Wushan ore deposit. These new geochronological data demonstrate that the time range of magmatism in the Wushan ore deposit is approximately between 148 Ma and 143 Ma, showing that the magmatic activity at Wushan was rapid and intensive. The ages of Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries from other areas in the Jiurui district, such as the Dongleiwan, Yangjishan and Chengmenba ore deposits, were also measured and yielded zircon U–Pb ages of 141.5 ± 1.7 Ma, 143.4 ± 1.4 Ma and 146.6 ± 1.0 Ma, respectively. Combined with those previously reported zircon U–Pb age results from the Jiurui district, the present age data set demonstrates that extensive magmatism in the Jiurui district was coeval and intensive, marked by a magmatic activity in the age range of 148 to 138 Ma and peaked between 148 Ma and 142 Ma. According to the statistics of all those precise zircon U–Pb ages, the Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries in the Edong and Tongling districts in the MLYRMB show similar ages, and they have a slightly younger peak age and a longer duration than that of the Jiurui district. The geographic shape of the MLYRMB in the Cretaceous shows an arcuate structure, the Jiurui district is located at the transitional point of the arcuate structure and the Edong and Tongling districts are situated on both sides of the arcuate structure. Considering that the Jiurui district has a slightly older peak age and a shorter duration of magmatic activity than that in the Edong and Tongling districts, it seems that the arcuate structure of the MLYRMB played an important role in the formation of these Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries. Consequently, we suggest that the genesis of the Late Mesozoic magmatic rocks along the MLYRMB may have been due to a tectonic activity developed from southeast to northwest, which probably has a close relationship with the subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate beneath the Eurasian plate in Mesozoic times.