Mesozoic and cenozoic sandstone-hosted copper deposits in south China

Mesozoic and Cenozoic sandstone-hosted copper deposits in South China are confined to the variegated rock formation of the faulted basins, the intermontane basins and piedmont basins around a copper-bearing old land. The variegated rock formation is generally of fluviolacustrine delta facies, shore facies and shore-cauce facies. The ore bodies are stratiform, occurring in the light-coloured beds of the variegated rock formation. The mineralization comprises chalcocite, bornite, chalcopyrite, native copper, covellite, pyrite and hematite, showing obvious zonation. The associated profitable elements in the ore are mainly silver, lead, zinc, molybdenum, selenium and uranium. The copper deposits are believed to have been formed through three processes of enrichment, i.e. weathering (copper-bearing weathered crust was formed as a result), deposition (source bed formed) and diagenesis (ore body formed). The variegated rocks with Cu, Ag, Pb, Zn, U, Mo, Cl and organic carbon anormalies and a great deal of pyrite, distributed in the faulted basins around the Cu-bearing old land, are recognized as the most favourable area for copper ore exploration.