Metallogenic systems related to Mesozoic and Cenozoic granitoids in South China

CenteredbytheNanlingRange,SouthChinaisanimportantareaofmineralresourcesproduction,especiallyfornonferrous,precious,andraremetals.Manydepositsoflargeandsuper-largesizesarelocatedinthisarea,includingtheworldlargestantimonydeposit(Xikuangshan),severalworld-c…     

Zircon U-Pb geochronological framework of Qitianling granite batholith, middle part of Nanling Range, South China

The Qitianling granite batholith (QGB) is located in the southern Hunan Province, middle part of the Nanling Range, South China. Its total exposure area is about 520 km2. Based on our 25 single grain zircon U-Pb age data and 7 published data as well as the geological, petrological, and space distribution characteristics, we conclude that QGB is an Early Yanshanian (Jurassic) multi-staged composite pluton. Its formation process can be subdivided into three major stages. The first stage, emplaced at 163―160 M...     

Early Yanshanian post-orogenic granitoids in the Nanling region-- Petrological constraints and geodynamic settings

Early Yanshanian magmatic suites predominate absolutely in the Nanling granite belt.They consist mainly of monzogranite and K-feldspar granite.There occur associations of early Yanshanian A-type granitoids(176 Ma-178 Ma) and bimodal volcanic rocks(158 Ma-179 Ma) in southern Jiangxi and southwestern Fujian in the eastern sector of the granite belt and early Yanshanian basalts(177 Ma-178 Ma) in southern Hunan in the central sector of the belt.Both the acid end-member rhyolite in the bimodal volcanic rock association and A-type granitoids in southern Jiangxi have the geochemical characteristics of intraplate granitic rocks and the basic end-member basalt of the association is intraplate tholeiite,while the basaltic rocks in southern Hunan include not only intraplate tholeiite but also intraplate alkali basalt.Therefore the early Yanshanian magmatic suites in the Nanling region are undoubtedly typical post-orogenic rock associations.Post-orogenic suites mark the end of a post-collision or late orogenic event and the initiation of Pangaea break-up,indicating that a new orogenic Wilson cycle is about to start.Therefore it may be considered that the early Yanshanian geodynamic settings in the Nanling region should be related to post-orogenic continental break-up after the Indosinian orogeny and the break-up did not begin in the Cretaceous.     

Strongly peraluminous granites of Mesozoic in Eastern Nanling Range,southern China: Petrogenesis and implications for tectonics

The strongly peraluminous granites (SPGs) of Eastern Nanling Range (ENR) are a characteristic of all bearing highly aluminous minerals, such as muscovite±AI-rich biotite±tourmaline±garnet, and lack of cordierite. In respect of petrography, geochemistry, Nd isotope, and single grain zircon U-Pb dating, the representative granite bodies of them are studied. The research shows that these granites were emplaced in two stages, namely 228-225 Ma BP and J2-3 159-156 Ma BP, belonging to Indosinian and early Yanshanian periods, respectively, and they have low εNd(t) values (-10.6--11.1), high A/CNK, Rb/Sr ratios and tDM values (1887-1817 Ma), and REE's tetrad effect (TE1,3=1.13-1.34). In comparison with related geology, petrology and chronology of granites in adjacent regions, it is suggested that Indosinian SPGs of ENR formed in the circumstance of post-collisional extension 20 Ma after the major collision of Indosinian Movement (258-243 Ma BP) in Indo-China Peninsula, and early Yanshanian SPGs formed in the     

Petrogenetic differences between the Middle-Late Jurassic Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing and W-bearing granites in the Nanling Range,South China: A case study of the Tongshanling and Weijia deposits in southern Hunan Province

The Middle-Late Jurassic Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing and W-bearing granites in the Nanling Range have distinctly different mineralogical and geochemical signatures. The Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing granites are dominated by metaluminous amphibole-bearing granodiorites, which have higher CaO/(Na2O+K2O) ratios, light/heavy rare earth element(LREE/HREE) ratios, and δEu values,lower Rb/Sr ratios, and weak Ba, Sr, P, and Ti depletions, exhibiting low degrees of fractionation. The W-bearing granites are highly differentiated and peraluminous, and they have lower CaO/(Na2O+K2O) ratios, LREE/HREE ratios, and δEu values,higher Rb/Sr ratios, and strong Ba, Sr, P, and Ti depletions. The Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing granites were formed predominantly between155.2 and 167.0 Ma with a peak value of 160.6 Ma, whereas the W-bearing granites were formed mainly from 151.1 to 161.8Ma with a peak value of 155.5 Ma. There is a time gap of about 5 Ma between the two different types of ore-bearing granites.Based on detailed geochronological and geochemical studies of both the Tongshanling Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing and Weijia W-bearing granites in southern Hunan Province and combined with the other Middle-Late Jurassic Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing and W-bearing granites in the Nanling Range, a genetic model of the two different types of ore-bearing granites has been proposed. Asthenosphere upwelling and basaltic magma underplating were induced by the subduction of the palaeo-Pacific plate. The underplated basaltic magmas provided heat to cause a partial melting of the mafic amphibolitic basement in the lower crust, resulting in the formation of Cu-Pb-Zn mineralization related granodioritic magmas. With the development of basaltic magma underplating,the muscovite-rich metasedimentary basement in the upper-middle crust was partially melted to generate W-bearing granitic magmas. The compositional difference of granite sources accounted for the metallogenic specialization, and the non-simultaneous partial melting of one source followed by the other brought about a time gap of about 5 Ma between the Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing and W-bearing granites.     

Diversity of Mesozoic tin-bearing granites in the Nanling and adjacent regions,South China: Distinctive mineralogical patterns

The Nanling and adjacent regions of South China host a series of tin deposits related to Mesozoic granites with diverse petrological characteristics. The rocks are amphibole-bearing biotite granites, or(topaz-) albite-lepidolite(zinnwaldite) granites,and geochemically correspond to mealuminous and peraluminous types, respectively. Mineralogical studies demonstrate highly distinctive and critical patterns for each type of granites. In mealuminous tin granites amphibole, biotite and perthite are the typical rock-forming mineral association; titanite and magnetite are typical accessory minerals, indicating high fO2 magmatic conditions;cassiterite, biotite and titanite are the principal Sn-bearing minerals; and pure cassiterite has low trace-element contents. However,in peraluminous tin granites zinnwaldite-lepidolite, K-feldspar and albite are typical rock-forming minerals; topaz is a common accessory phase, indicative of high peraluminity of this type of granites; cassiterite is present as a uniquely important tin mineral,typically rich in Nb and Ta. Mineralogical distinction between the two types of tin granites is largely controlled by redox state,volatile content and differentiation of magmatic melts. In oxidized metaluminous granitic melts, Sn4+ is readily concentrated in Ti-bearing rock-forming and accessory minerals. Such Sn-bearing minerals are typical of oxidized tin granites, and are enriched in granites at the late fractionation stage. In relatively reduced peraluminous granitic melts, Sn2+ is not readily incorporated into rock-forming and accessory minerals, except for cassiterite at fractionation stage of granite magma, which serves as an indicator of tin mineralization associated with this type of granites. The nature of magma and the geochemical behavior of tin in the two types of granites thus result in the formation of different types of tin deposits. Metaluminous granites host disseminated tin mineralization,and are locally related to deposits of the chlorite quartz-vein, greisen, and skarn types. Greisen, skarn, and quartz-vein tin deposits can occur related to peraluminous granites, but disseminated mineralization of cassiterite is more typical.     

A comparison study of tungsten-bearing granite and related mineralization in the northern Jiangxi-southern Anhui provinces and southern Jiangxi Province in South China

The southern Jiangxi Province(SJP) and northern Jiangxi-southern Anhui provinces(NJSAP) are the two most important tungsten metallogenic districts in South China. The SJP district is a well-known tungsten producer in South China where distributes several ore concentrated areas such as the "Chongyi-Dayu-Shangyou", "Yudu" and "Longnan-Quanan-Dingnan"areas, with many large and super large tungsten deposits including the famous Xihuashan, Piaotang, Pangushan and Dajishan deposits. In recent years, major prospecting breakthrough for W-polymetallic resources has been made in the NJSAP district.Several large and super large W-Cu(Mo) deposits, such as the Dahutang, Zhuxi, Dongyuan and Baizhangyan deposits, are discovered. These deposits are all genetically associated with the Yanshanian(Mesozoic) granitic magmatism. In this study, a systematic comparison of the temporal and spatial distribution, petrology, geochronology, and geochemical characteristics of the tungsten-bearing granites between the SJP and NJSAP districts has been made, with an aim to improving the understanding of the petrogenesis of the granites and associated metal enrichment mechanisms in the two tungsten ore districts in South China. The following conclusions can be drawn:(1) The ages of the tungsten-bearing granites and associated mineralization are different in the two districts, in the SJP district the ages are mainly concentrated in 165–150 Ma, whereas in the NJSAP district it displays two age periods, one is 150–140 Ma(Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous), and the other is 135–120 Ma(Early Cretaceous).(2) The tungsten-bearing granites from both the NJSAP and SJP districts are highly fractionated granitic rocks, but the SJP granites have experienced higher degree of fractional crystallization and more extensive fluid metasomatism than the NJSAP granites.(3) The petrogeneses of the tungsten-bearing granites from the two districts are different, those from the NJSAP district originated from partial melting of less mature sandstone-mudstone intercalated with meta-volcanic rocks of the Neoproterozoic Shuangqiaoshan Group which are both W and Cu enriched, in contrast those from the SJP district were likely derived from the highly mature,clay-rich mudstones of the Mesoproterozoic age which are only W enriched. In summary, the different source rocks with different metal enrichment features and different magmatic evolution and fractional degrees for the granites in the two districts might be the key factors that controlled the different matallogenic characteristics of tungsten ore deposits in the two districts in South China.     

Geodynamics of decratonization and related magmatism and mineralization in the North China Craton

The North China Craton(NCC) experienced strong destruction(i.e., decratonization) during the Mesozoic, which triggered intensive magmatism, tectonism and thermal events and formed large-scale gold and other metal deposits in the eastern part of the craton. However, how the decratonization controls the formation and distribution of large-scale of gold and other metal deposits is not very clear. Based on a large number of published data and new results, this paper systematically summarizes all the data for the rock assemblages, chronology, geochemistry and petrogenesis of Mesozoic magmatic rocks, as well as for the mineralizing ages of gold and other metal deposits and the evolution of the Mesozoic basins in the eastern NCC. The results are used to restore the extensional rates of Mesozoic to Cenozoic basins and the strike-slip distance of the Tanlu Fault, to ascertain the location of the Paleo-Pacific plate subduction zones during the Mesozoic to Cenozoic, and to reconstruct the temporal and spatial distribution of Mesozoic gold and other metal deposits and magmatic rocks in the eastern NCC. It is obtained that the magmatism and mineralization in the eastern NCC westward migrate from east to west during the Early to Middle Jurassic, but they eastward migrate from west to east during the Early Cretaceous. The metallogenesis of these deposits is genetically related to magmatism, and the magmas provided some ore-forming materials and fluids for the generation of metal deposits. The geodynamic mechanism of decratonization and related magmatism and mineralization is proposed, i.e., the westward low-angle subduction of the Paleo-Pacific slab beneath the NCC formed continental magmatic arc with plenty of porphyry Cu-Mo-Au deposits in the Jurassic, similar to the Andean continental arc in South America. The mantle wedge was metasomatized by the fluids/melts derived from the subducting slab, laying a material foundation for hydrothermal mineralization in the Early Cretaceous. While the rollback of the subducting slab with gradually increasing subduction angle and the retreat of the subduction zones during the Early Cretaceous induced strong destruction of the craton and the formation of extensive magmatic rocks and large-scale gold and other metal deposits.     

Petrogenesis and significance of early Yanshanian syenite-granite complex in eastern Nanling Range

According to the statistics for granitoid distribution map of 1/2000000 Nanling region[1], the granitoids in the Nanling region sum up an area of more than 170000 km2, occupying about one fifth of the entire Nanling region. Granitoid rocks in the Nanlingregion are mainly composed of monzogranites (occu- pying more than 84%), granodiorites (about 11%) and syenogranites (about 3%)[2]. There also exists a small amount of syenites (0.12%) with a sum area of about 94 km2[2]. However, nearly half …     

Role of mantle-derived magma in genesis of early Yanshanian granites in the Nanling Range,South China: <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> zircon Hf-O isotopic constraints

Although a number of petrographic observations and isotopic data suggest that magma mixing is common in genesis of many granite plutons, it is still controversial whether the mantle-derived magmas were involved in granites. We carried out in this study a systematic analysis of in situ zircon Hf-O isotopes for three early Yanshanian intrusions dated at ca. 160 Ma from the Nanling Range of Southeast China. The Qinghu monzonite has very homogeneous zircon Hf-O isotopic compositions, εHf(t) =11.6±0.3 and δ18O=5...     

Lithology, kinematics and geochronology related to Late Mesozoic basin-mountain evolution in the Nanxiong-Zhuguang area, South China

The Nanling Mountain is an important Mesozoic orogenic belt in the south of China, its E-W-trending granites and adjacent sedimentary basins form a dis-tinctive basin-mountain landform. The Nanxiong basin and the Zhuguang granite, both located in the northern Nanling belt, make up a typical basin-mountain sys-tem. Since the 1970s, a systematical research on gran-ites and their deposit ores was carried out, from that the two main viewpoints were proposed[1—5], including (1) the polyphase gr…     

Early Yanshanian post-orogenic granitoids in the Nanling region Petrological constraints and geodynamic settings

Early Yanshanian magmatic suites predominate absolutely in the Nanling granite belt. They consist mainly of monzogranite and K-feldspar granite. There occur associations of early Yanshanian A-type granitoids (176 Ma-178 Ma) and bimodal volcanic rocks (158 Ma-179 Ma) in southern Jiangxi and southwestern Fujian in the eastern sector of the granite belt and early Yanshanian basalts (177 Ma-178 Ma) in southern Hunan in the central sector of the belt. Both the acid end-member rhyolite in the bimodal volcanic rock association and A-type granitoids in southern Jiangxi have the geochemical characteristics of intraplate granitic rocks and the basic end-member basalt of the association is intraplate tholeiite, while the basaltic rocks in southern Hunan include not only intraplate tholeiite but also intraplate alkali basalt. Therefore the early Yanshanian magmatic suites in the Nanling region are undoubtedly typical post-orogenic rock associations. Post-orogenic suites mark the end of a post-collision or late orogenic event and the initiation of Pangaea break-up, indicating that a new orogenic Wilson cycle is about to start. Therefore it may be considered that the early Yanshanian geodynamic settings in the Nanling region should be related to post-orogenic continental break-up after the Indosinian orogeny and the break-up did not begin in the Cretaceous.     

Mineralogical feature and geological significance of muscovites from the Longyuanba Indosinian and Yanshannian two-mica granites in the eastern Nanling Range

Emplacement P-T condition estimations using granites are important for understanding metamorphic and erosional processes of orogenic belt.Granites are widespread in South China and a majority of them are peraluminous.Particularly,over 91%of the Indosinian granites exposed in the region are peraluminous in composition.It is extremely hard to determine the pressure of intrusion of these peraluminous granites due to the absence of amphibole,a good mineral barometer commonly identified in metaluminous granites.Muscovite is a common mineral in peraluminous granites,certain kind of it could be used as a mineral barometer to constrain the emplacement pressure of peraluminous granites.In this paper,results of petrographic and geochemical studies of muscovites from the Indosinian and early Yanshanian two-mica granites at the Longyuanba in the eastern Nanling Range are reported.Based on petrographic studies,the primary muscovite can be discriminated from the secondary muscovites.Muscovites from the Indosinian two-mica granites are enriched in Ti,Al,Mg,and Na,and depleted in Fe and Mn.Geochemically,these muscovites were considered as primary,whereas those from the Yanshanian two-mica granites fall into the area of secondary muscovite on discrimination diagrams.Barometer estimations show that pressures calculated for primary muscovites are accurate,but those calculated for secondary muscovites are overestimated.The average pressure of emplacement of the Longyuanba Indosinian two-mica granites is 5.9 kbar,corresponding to~19 km in depth,suggesting that the Indosinian granitic magmas were probably generated by partial melting of a thickened crust root in a compressional tectonic setting.     

Geochronology,geochemistry and Hf isotopes of andesites in the Sandaowanzi gold deposit(Great Xing'an Range,NE China): implications for petrogenesis,tectonic setting,and mineralization

The Sandaowanzi gold deposit is an extremely Au-rich deposit in the Northern Great Hinggan Range in recent years.Zircon U-Pb geochronology,Hf isotope analysis,and the geochemistry of andesites of the Longjiang Formation from the Sandaowanzi gold deposit were used to investigate the origin,magmatic evolution as well as mineralization and tectonic setting of the Early Cretaceous epithermal gold deposits in the northern Great Hinggan Range area.Zircon U-Pb dating reveals an emplacement age of 123.4±0.3 Ma,indicating that the andesites of the Sandaowanzi gold deposit was formed during the Early Cretaceous.The andesites are enriched in light rare earth elements relative to heavy rare earth elements and have weak negative Eu anomalies(δEu=0.76-0.90).The rocks are also enriched in large-ion lithophile elements,such as Rb,Ba,Th,U,and K,and depleted in the high-field-strength elements,such as Nb,Ta,and P.These characteristics are typical of volcanic rocks related to subduction.Igneous zircons from the andesite samples have relatively homogeneous Hf isotope ratios,~(176)Hf/~(177)Hf values of 0.282343-0.282502,εHf(t) values of-12.58 to-6.95,and two-stage model ages(T_(DM2)) of 1743-1431 Ma.The characteristics of the andesites of the Longjiang Formation are consistent with derivation from partial melting of enriched mantle wedge metasomatized by subducted-slab-derived fluids.These rocks formed in an extensional environment associated with the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean and subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate.Mineralization occurred towards the end of volcanism,and the magmatic activity and mineralization are products of the same geodynamic setting.     

A preliminary study of rare-metal mineralization in the Himalayan leucogranite belts,South Tibet

The Himalayan leucogranite occurs as two extensive (>1000 km) E-W trending belts on the Tibetan Plateau with the unique features. The leucogranite comprised biotite granite, two-mica/muscovite granite, tourmaline granite and garnet granite, which have been identified in previous studies, as well as albite granite and granitic pegmatite that were identified in this investigation. Fifteen leucogranite plutons were studied and 12 were found to contain rare-metal bearing minerals such as beryl (the representative of Be mineralization), columbite-group minerals, tapiolite, pyrochlore-microlite, fergusonite, Nb-Ta rutile (the representative of Nb-Ta mineralization), and cassiterite (the representative of Sn mineralization) mainly based on the field trip, microscope observation and microprobe analysis. The preliminary result shows that the Himalayan leucogranite is commonly related to the rare-metal mineralization and warrants future investigation. Further exploration and intensive research work is important in determining the rare-metal resource potential of this area.     

Sm-Nd dating and rare earth element geochemistry of the hydrothermal calcites from Guling carbonate-hosted talc mineralization in the central Guangxi province,South China

Many carbonate-hosted talc mineralization,which are widespread in South China,exclusively developed in Carboniferous dolomitic limestone with many siliceous bands and nodules,and cherts.One of those typical deposits is the Guling talc deposit in Mashan County,central Guangxi province,with a talc reserve of1.51 million tons.Mineral associations in the deposit are sample,mainly including talc and calcite.In this paper,Sm-Nd isotopic system and rare earth elements and yttrium(REE + Y) for the hydrothermal calcite intergrown with talc are used to constrain the age and origin of the talc mineralization.The hydrothermal calcite samples from the deposit display Sm and Nd concentrations ranging from 0.18 to 0.85 and 0.85 to 4.56 ppm,respectively,and variable Sm/Nd ratios of 0.21-0.24.These calcites further yield an Sm-Nd isochron age of 232 ±19 Ma(2a)(MSWD = 0.47) with an concordant initial ~(143)Nd-~(144)Nd ratios of 0.511967 ± 0.000017,which should be interpreted as the mineralization age of the Guling talc deposit.In addition,the calcite samples are enriched in REE with the variable SREE contents ranging from 4.82 to21.50 ppm and display relatively consistent chondritenormalized REE + Y patterns with the LREE enrichment(LREE/HREE=2.00-3.60)and the obvious negative Eu(δEu=0.52-0.68)and Ce(δCe=0.16-0.33)anomalies.The Y/Ho ratios of seven calcites varies from 43.30 to59.34,with a mean value of 49.73.The available mineral associations and REE parameters(i.e.,REE patterns and Y/Ho ratios) of those calcites indicate that the ore-forming fluids of the talc mineralization be probably derived from the meteoric waters,in particular evolved ones in the Karst areas and the ore-forming materials(e.g.,Si and Mg) are likely to be originated from the ore-bearing dolostone in the Yanguan Formation(C_1y) and underlying siliceous rocks in the Liujiang Formation(D_3l).Furthermore,the talc mineralization could take place within a hydrothermal system with relative oxidizing environment and middle temperature,due to the obvious negative Eu and Ce anomalies in the calcites in the Guling deposit.     

Fluid flow and mineralization of Youjiang Basin in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area,China

Comprehensive studies, based on isotope geochemistry of C, H, O, S and Sr, chronology, common element and trace element geochemistry of fluid inclusions for the epithermal Au, As, Sb and Hg deposits in the Youjiang Basin and its peripheral areas, suggested that the ore fluid was the basin fluid with abundant metallic elements and the large-scale fluid flow of the same source in the late Yenshan stage was responsible for huge epithermal mineralization and silicification. The ore fluid flowed from the basin to the platform between the basin and the platform and migrated from the inter-platform basin to the isolated platform in the Youjiang Basin. The synsedimentary faults and paleokast surface acted respectively as main conduits for vertical and lateral fluid flow.     

Origin of Mesozoic gold mineralization in South Korea

Abstract   The Mesozoic gold–silver deposits in South Korea are closely associated with the Mesozoic granitoids. The Jurassic gold–silver deposits can be distinguished from the Cretaceous ones in terms of occurrence, alteration style, gold fineness, associated mineral assemblage, fluid inclusion and stable isotopic compositions. The Jurassic deposits were formed in mesozonal environments related to deep-seated granitoids, whereas the Cretaceous ones were formed in epizonal environments related to shallow-level granitoids. The Jurassic auriferous deposits (about 165–145 Ma) show fluid characteristics typical of an orogenic-type gold deposit, and were probably generated in a compressional regime caused by an orthogonal convergence of the Izanagi oceanic plate into the Asiatic margin. However, strike-slip faults and caldera-related fractures, together with subvolcanic to volcanic activity, may have played an important role in the formation of Cretaceous gold–silver lode deposits (about 110–45 Ma) under a continental arc setting.     

Fluid flow and mineralization of Youjiang Basin in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area,China

Comprehensive studies, based on isotope geochemistry of C, H, O, S and Sr, chronology, common element and trace element geochemistry of fluid inclusions for the epithermal Au, As, Sb and Hg deposits in the Youjiang Basin and its peripheral areas, suggested that the ore fluid was the basin fluid with abundant metallic elements and the large-scale fluid flow of the same source in the late Yenshan stage was responsible for huge epithermal mineralization and silicification. The ore fluid flowed from the basin to the platform between the basin and the platform and migrated from the inter-platform basin to the isolated platform in the Youjiang Basin. The synsedimentary faults and paleokast surface acted respectively as main conduits for vertical and lateral fluid flow.