Fluid evolution of the Yuchiling porphyry Mo deposit,East Qinling,China

The Yuchiling Mo deposit, East Qinling, China, belongs to a typical porphyry Mo system associated with high-K calc-alkaline intrusions. The pure CO₂ (PC), CO₂-bearing (C), aqueous H₂O-NaCl (W), and daughter mineral-bearing (S) fluid inclusions were observed in the hydrothermal quartz. Based on field investigations, petrographic, microthermometric and LA-ICP-MS studies of fluid inclusions, we develop a five-stage fluid evolution model to understand the ore-forming processes of the Yuchiling deposit. The earliest barren quartz ± potassic feldspar veins, developed in intensively potassic alteration, were crystallized from carbonic-dominant fluids at high temperature (> 416 °C) and high pressure (> 133 MPa). Following the barren quartz ± potassic feldspar veins are quartz-pyrite veins occasionally containing minor K-feldspar and molybdenite, which were formed by immiscible fluids at pressures of 47–159 MPa and temperatures of 360–400 °C. The fluids were characterized by high CO₂ contents (approximately 8 mol%) and variable salinities, as well as the highest Mo contents that resulted in the development of quartz-molybdenite veins. The quartz-molybdenite veins, accounting for > 90% Mo in the orebody, were also formed by immiscible fluids with lower salinity and lower CO₂ content of 7 mol%, at temperatures of 340–380 °C and pressures of 39–137 MPa, as constrained by fluid inclusion assemblages. After the main Mo-mineralization, the uneconomic Cu-Pb-Zn mineralization occurred, as represented by quartz-polymetallic sulfides veins consisting of pyrite, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, digenite, galena, sphalerite and quartz. The quartz-polymetallic sulfide veins were formed by fluids containing 5 mol% CO₂, with minimum pressures of 32–110 MPa and temperatures of 260–300 °C. Finally, the fluids became dilute (5 wt.% NaCl equiv) and CO₂-poor, which caused the formation of late barren quartz ± carbonate ± fluorite veins at 140–180 °C and 18–82 MPa.It is clear that the fluids became more dilute, CO₂-poor, and less fertile, with decreasing temperature and pressure from quartz-pyrite to late barren veins. Molybdenite and other sulfides can only be observed in the middle three stages, i.e., quartz-pyrite, quartz-molybdenite and quartz-polymetallic sulfide veins. These three kinds of veins are generally hosted in potassic altered rocks with remarkable K-feldspathization, but always partly overprinted by phyllic alteration. The traditional porphyry-style potassic–phyllic–propylitic alteration zoning is not conspicuous at Yuchiling, which may be related to, and characteristic of, the CO₂-rich fluids derived from the magmas generated in intercontinental collision orogens.Among the fluid inclusions at Yuchiling, only the C-type contains maximum detectable Mo that gradationally decreases from 73 ppm in quartz-pyrite veins, through 19 ppm in quartz-molybdenite veins, and to 13 ppm in quartz-polymetallic sulfide veins, coinciding well with the decreasing CO₂ contents from 8 mol%, through 7 mol%, to 5 mol%, respectively. Hence it is suggested that decreasing CO₂ possibly results in decreasing Mo concentration in the fluids, as well as the precipitation of molybdenite from the fluids. This direct relationship might be a common characteristic for other porphyry Mo systems in the world.The Yuchiling Mo deposit represents a new type Mo mineralization, with features of collision-related setting, high-K calc-alkaline intrusion, CO₂-rich fluid, and unique wall-rock alterations characterized by strong K-feldspathization and fluoritization.