Ore Geology, Fluid Geochemistry and Genesis of the Shanggong Gold Deposit, Eastern Qinling Orogen, China

Abstract. The Shanggong Au deposit in the Xiong'er Terrane, East Qinling, has reserves of about 30 t Au, making it one of the largest orogenic‐type Au deposits hosted in volcanic rocks in China. The deposit is hosted in the andesitic assemblage of the Xiong'er Group of 1.85?1.4 Ga. Three stages of hydrothermal ore‐forming processes are recognized, Early (E), Middle (M) and Late (L), characterised by quartz‐pyrite, polymetallic sulfides and carbonate‐quartz, respectively. Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions are between 380‐320d?C for the E‐stage, 300‐220d?C for the M‐stage and 200‐120d?C for the L‐stage. The composition of fluid inclusions changed from CO₂‐rich in the E‐stage to CO₂‐poor L‐stage. The M‐stage fluid has the highest contents of cations and anions (e.g., SO₄^2‐, Cl¹, K+), the highest (K+Na)/(Mg+Ca) and lowest CO₂/H₂O ratios, which probably resulted from CO₂ phase separation. This, together with the alkaline and reducing conditions, as indicated by highest pH and lowest Eh values, is most conducive to the deposition of polymetallic sulfides and native elements such as Au, Ag and Te. H‐O isotope systematics indicate that ore fluids evolved from deep‐sourced through to shallow‐sourced, with the M‐stage being a mixing phase of these two fluid‐systems. Nineteen δ¹⁸O_W values, from 4.2 to 13.4 %o, averaging 8.1 %o, suggest that the E‐stage fluids derived from metamorphic devolatilization of sedimentary rocks at depth. Comparison of the H‐O isotope systematics between the Shanggong deposit and the main lithologies in the Xiong'er Terrane, shows that neither these nor the underlying lower crust and mantle, or combinations thereof, could be considered as the source of ore fluids and metals for the Shanggong Au deposit. Instead, a source which meets the isotopic constraints, is a carbonaceous carbonate‐sandstone‐shale‐chert (CSC) sequence, which is present in the Guandaokou and Luanchuan Groups in the south of the Xiong'er Terrane. This conclusion is supported by thirteen high δ¹⁸O values of the Meso‐Neoproterozoic strata south of the Machaoying fault, and the high δ¹⁸O_W values calculated for their possibly metamorphic fluids. It can be also supported by previous observation that the Guandaokou and Luanchuan Groups were underthrust beneath the Xiong'er Terrane, during the Mesozoic collision between the Yangtze and Sinokorean continents. Available isotope ages, together with geological field data, constrain the timing of the Au metallogenesis between 250?110 Ma. This metallogenesis and associated granitic magmatism, can be related to the Yangtze‐Sinokorean continental collision that resulted in the formation of the Qinling Orogen. This collision event progressed from early compression (Triassic to Early Jurassic), through middle compression‐to‐extension transition (Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous), to late extension (Cretaceous). These three stages in the evolution of the Qinling Orogen form the basis of an ore genesis model that combines collisional orogeny, metallogeny and fluid flow (CMF model). These three evolutionary stages correspond to the three‐stages of ore‐forming fluids of the Shanggong Au deposit. We conclude that the formation of the Shanggong Au deposit is a result of the Mesozoic northward intracontinental A‐type subduction along the Machaoying fault during Yangtze‐Sinokorean continental collision, which led to the metamorphic devolatilization of the CSC sequence, thereby providing both fluids and metals.     

Nature and origin of Triassic igneous activity in the Western Qinling Orogen: the Wenquan composite pluton example

The Western Qinling has been acknowledged to witness superimposed orogeny including north subduction of Paleotethys ocean and collision between North China and South China blocks; however, the precise timing constraints on transition of tectonic regime are remaining enigmatic. The Wenquan composite batholith comprising five phases and mafic enclaves is an ideal example to unlock this puzzle. The host granitoids are felsic, metaluminous to peraluminous, and high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic suite with I-type affinity. The mafic enclaves, however, are intermediate, and high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic. Zircon ages of multiple phases indicate an episodic growth lasting nearly 30 million years ranging from 238, 228, 218 to 208 Ma, consistent to Triassic igneous activity recording a transition regime from a subduction setting to a syn-collision setting and a post-collision setting in Western Qinling. Lead isotopes of whole-rock and K-feldspar at Wenquan and Lu-Hf isotopes of zircons separated from biotite monzogranite porphyry, porphyritic monzogranite, monzogranite porphyry, and hosted mafic enclaves suggest that the heat and the hot mafic melt initiated by the break-off of the northward subducting South China block lithosphere triggered partial melting of the Mesoproterozoic subcontinental lithospheric mantle to produce mafic magmas, and the underplated mafic magmas caused partial melting of the shallow subducted Mesoproterozoic lower crust generating granitic magmas at Wenquan. Combined our field observations and petrology study with a holistic review on previous geochronological and geochemical data of Triassic granitoids throughout the Western Qinling, we in this contribution proposed that the Triassic igneous activity in the Western Qinling corresponding to superimposed orogeny evolved from the northward subduction of Palaeotethys ocean (250–235 Ma) through syn-collision (228–215 Ma) to post-collision (215–185 Ma) between the North China and South China blocks.     

西秦岭天水地区流水沟岩浆杂岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年和岩石地球化学特征

流水沟岩浆杂岩分布于西秦岭北缘天水关子镇地区,主要由变辉长岩、变辉长闪长岩和变闪长岩组成。为确定其构造属性,探讨西秦岭北缘构造演化过程,对其进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年和主量、微量、稀土元素分析。结果表明,岩浆杂岩体的锆石为岩浆成因,其形成时代为548.7Ma±1.8Ma（MSWD=0.56）。流水沟岩浆杂岩具有SiO2变化范围大（52.47%～66.95%）,低TiO2,低碱,Mg#值变化范围较大的特征,主量元素在SiO2-氧化物变异图解上具有较好的线性相关性。稀土元素配分曲线总体呈近平坦型,LREE/HREE比值多数在1.14～2.60之间,轻重稀土元素分馏较弱,δEu介于0.65～1.90之间,大多数具有弱的负Eu异常;在微量元素蛛网图上,大离子亲石元素Cs、Sr、Th、U富集,Rb、K和高场强元素Nb、P、Ti、Y亏损,Ti/Y=113～253,Th/Yb=0.23～2.85,Th/Nb=0.09～1.00,Hf/Th=0.41～2.97,显示了流水沟岩浆杂岩形成于岛弧环境。流水沟岩浆杂岩可能反映在中央造山系中存在一期与＂泛非造山运动＂有关的构造热事件,为中央造山系在新元古代晚期—早古生代的构造演化提供了证据。     

新疆阿尔泰萨热阔布-铁木尔特地区两类矿化及成因

新疆阿尔泰南缘萨热阔布-铁木尔特一带的矿床均赋存于下泥盆统康布铁堡组的变质岩系中。早泥盆世的海相火山形成了Zn--Pb ( Cu) 矿化,晚泥盆世--早石炭世的碰撞造山相应形成了Cu--Au 石英脉矿化; 前者以铁木尔特VMS 型Zn--Pb ( Cu) 矿床为代表,后者以造山型萨热阔布金矿为代表,与造山有关的脉状矿化还叠加在铁木尔特等VMS 矿床中。通过对比两类矿化的稳定同位素特征,结合矿化的变形变质和流体包裹体特征,研究了成矿物质、成矿流体来源和矿床成因。萨热阔布金矿主成矿阶段硫化物石英脉和铁木尔特Zn--Pb ( Cu) 矿床中晚期发育的含黄铜矿石英脉中均富含碳质 ( CO2--CH4--N2 ) 流体包裹体,可能与碰撞造山的热液流体作用有关。铁木尔特Zn--Pb ( Cu) 矿床中代表VMS 期的浸染状矿石中硫化物δ34S 为－26. 46 × 10-3 ～ －19. 72 × 10 -3,硫主要来源于海水硫酸盐的无机还原和细菌还原作用; 而代表后期叠加改造的脉状矿化硫化物值与萨热阔布金矿床硫化物石英脉中δ34S 值接近,硫主要来源于造山过程中的深源流体。萨热阔布金矿床硫化物石英脉和铁木尔特Zn-- Pb ( Cu) 矿床晚期含黄铜矿石英脉的δDH2O 值和δ18OH2O 值,均反映了碰撞造山期热液与岩浆活动和变质作用有关。萨热阔布金矿硫化物石英脉中碳质流体包裹体CO2 体系中δ13 C 为－ 21. 15 × 10-3 ～ －7. 51 × 10 -3,CH4 体系的δ13C 为－34. 11 × 10 -3 ～ －28. 38 × 10-3 ; 铁木尔特Zn--Pb ( Cu) 矿床含黄铜矿石英脉中碳质包裹体测得的δ13C 为－8. 02 × 10 -3 ～ －6. 99 × 10 -3,δ13 C 特征与海相火山沉积无关,具岩浆源或深部源的特点。     

Igneous and metamorphic geochronologic evolution of granitoids in the central Eastern Segment,southern Sweden

The Eastern Segment abutting the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt (TIB) mostly consists of rocks with overlapping igneous ages. In the Eastern Segment west of Lake Vättern, granitoids of clear TIB affinity exhibit strong deformational fabrics. This article presents U–Pb zircon ages from 21 samples spanning the border zone between these deformed TIB rocks in the east, and more thoroughly reworked rocks in the west. Magmatic ages fall in the range 1710–1660 million years, irrespective of the degree of deformation, confirming the overlapping crystallization ages between deformed TIB rocks and orthogneisses of the Eastern Segment. A common history is further supported by leucocratic rocks of similar ages. Prolonged orogenic (magmatic) activity is suggested by continued growth of zircon at 1.66–1.60 Ga. Six of the weakly gneissic rocks show zircons with cathodoluminescence-dark patches and embayments, possibly partly replacing metamict parts of older magmatic crystals, with ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages dominantly between 1460 and 1400 million years, whereas three of the gneisses have zircon rims with calculated ages of 1440–1430 million years. Leucosome formation took place at 1443 ± 9 and 1437 ± 6 Ma. The minimum age of SE–NW folds was determined by an undeformed 1383 ± 4 million years crosscutting aplitic dike. Sveconorwegian zircon growth was not found in any of the samples from the studied area. To our knowledge, 1.46–1.40 Ga metamorphism affecting the U–Pb zircon system has not previously been reported this far northeast in the Eastern Segment. We suggest that the E–W- to SE–NW-trending deformation fabrics in our field area were produced during the Hallandian–Danopolonian orogeny and escaped later, penetrative Sveconorwegian reworking.