Geological characteristics and ore-forming process of the gold deposits in the western Qinling region, China

Liu, Jiajun; Liu, Chonghao; Carranza, Emmanuel John M.; Li, Yujie; Mao, Zhihao; Wang, Jianping; Wang, Yin‐Hong; Zhang, Jing; Zhai, Degao; Zhang, Huafeng; Shan, Liang; Zhu, Laimin; Lu, Rukui

doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2014.11.012

Cited by 70 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…However, in the ages of collision in the western part of Qinling show a range of 228 to 215 Ma (Dong et al, ) with subduction‐related granitoids and syn‐collisional granitoids (Dong & Santosh, ; Wang, Wang, & Zhang, ) formed later than those in the eastern part of Qinling (240 to 220 Ma, Li, Chen, Cong, et al, ; Ames et al, ; Eide, Mc Williams, & Liou, ). Therefore, the mineral deposits formed in this period might belong to both subduction and collision environments (Dong & Santosh, ; Liu et al, ; Mao et al, ; Wang et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Xiahe, Amishan, Dewulu, and Meiwu intrusions and intermediate and acidic dykes in this region were formed in the middle Triassic. Zircon U–Pb ages between 245 and 230 Ma (Jin et al, ; Xu, Chen et al, ; Xu, Liu et al, ; Luo et al, ; Sui & Li, ; Zhang, et al, ) suggest that these rocks formed in the subduction–collision setting (Dong & Santosh, ; Liu et al, ). Granites that developed in the Xiahe and Zhiliguan area are characterized by I‐type affinity with a high‐Mg # value, suggesting the involvement of mantle‐derived components in the partial melting of deep crust within a subduction setting.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Shanxi‐Gansu‐Sichuan Au concentration area is known as the “Golden Triangle” and has attracted attention as a major Au production base (Liu et al, ; Mao et al, ). Numerous Au deposits in various genetic settings occur in the northern part of this region (Li, Si, & Gai, ; Liu et al, ; Mao et al, , ; Yin, ). In the southern region of Gansu Province, more than 100 Au deposits (Figure ) have been discovered with a cumulative resource of more than 650 tons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Age and genesis of the Gangcha gold deposit, western Qinling orogen, China

et al. 2017

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The Gangcha gold deposit in Hezuo, Gansu, China, is a newly discovered medium‐scale (19 tons) epithermal deposit occurring within the western Qinling orogenic belt. The Daguanshan Formation, represented by metamorphosed volcanic–clastic rock suite, is the main ore‐bearing strata. Gold occurs mainly as submicroscopic inclusions in sulphides and quartz. The hydrothermal alteration is characterized by mid‐ to low‐temperature mineral assemblages such as pyrite, arsenopyrite, and fluorspar. We report results from Rb–Sr isotopic dating of pyrites in the main orebody, which yield an isochron age of 225.3 ± 3.4 to 229.9 ± 4.7 Ma suggesting that the mineral deposit formed during the middle Triassic within a collisional orogenic setting. The initial 87Sr/86Sr value of pyrite (0.710326 to 0.710349) is lower than that of the continental crust and higher than that of the mantle. The S isotope data of pyrites from the deposit show a narrow range from 0.6‰ to 1.3‰ with an average of 0.975‰. Their Pb isotopes exhibit characteristics of a crust–mantle mixed source with a μ (238U/204Pb) of 9.39 to 9.53 and a ω (232Th/204Pb) of 36.81 to 38.14. The S and Pb isotopic composition indicates that ore‐forming materials were derived from a magma sourced in the lower crust, which also incorporated mantle components.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Age and genesis of the Gangcha gold deposit, western Qinling orogen, China

et al. 2017

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“…The West Qinling Orogen is one of the most important gold producing regions in China and has drawn international attention (e.g., Chen & Santosh, ; Goldfarb, Taylor, Collins, Goryachev, & Orlandini, ; Mao et al, ). Since the 1980s, more than 50 gold deposits have been discovered in the east‐trending thrust and sutural zones in West Qinling Orogen (Figure ), including some large deposits with over 50 t Au reserves such as Dashui, Manaoke, Dongbeizhai, Jianchaling, and Zhaishang Au deposits (Chen et al, ; Liu et al, ; Mao et al, ; Zhang et al, ). Interestingly, those classified into orogenic gold deposits are located in the northern SQB and along Shangdan Suture, whereas most of the Carlin‐type and Carlin‐like Au deposits occur in the southern SQB as well as along the Mianlue Suture (Chen & Santosh, ; Mao et al, ).…”

Section: Tectonic Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Detailed investigations of the individual intrusions have been carried out in geology, geochronology, and geochemistry since 1990s (e.g., Deng, Liu, Zhang, Hu, & Li, ; Jiang et al, ; Li et al, ; Li et al, ; Liu et al, ; Luo, Zhang, & Lü, ; Qin, Lai, & Li, ; Qin, Lai, Wang, & Li, ; Qin et al, ; Qin et al, ; Qin, Lai, Wang, & Li, ; Qin, Lai, Diwu, Ju, & Li, ; Sun, Li, Sun, Zhang, & Li, ; Wang et al, ; Wang, Wang et al, ; Wang, Wang, & Zhang, ; Yang et al, ; Yang, Liu et al, ; Zhang, Jin et al, ; Zhang, Xiao, Zhang, Yuan, & Jin, ; Zhu et al, ). In addition to the Early Mesozoic granitoids, the other attractive geological features in the Qinling Orogen is the extensive distribution of gold deposits (Figure ; Jin, Li, Hofstra, & Sui, ; Liu, Lui et al, ; Liu, Dai et al, ; Liu, Lui et al, ; Liu, Liao et al, ; Mao et al, ; Zeng et al, ; Yang, Deng et al, ; Yang, Liu, et al, ), which were classified as orogenic (Chen et al, ; Chen & Santosh, ; Mao et al, ), Carlin‐type (Chen, Zhang, Zhang, Pirajno, & Li, ; Yang, Zhu et al, ) and Carlin‐like (Liu, Dai et al, ; Liu, Tan, Wang, & Wei, ; Zhang, Du, Wang, & Qi, ) in view of mineralization style, alteration assemblages, and geochemical signatures. Although the Early Mesozoic granitic intrusions are widespread over the West Qinling Orogen, their petrogenesis and tectonic implications have not yet been addressed in detail, more importantly their role in gold mineralization is controversial and poorly understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the Early Mesozoic granitoids in the Qinling Orogen: Implication for gold metallogeny

Yang

Tong

et al. 2017

Geological Journal

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The Qinling Orogen is located between the North China and South China blocks, and considered to form by the multiple accretionary processes, being also characterized by development of voluminous magmatic intrusions as well as abundant mineral resources. Here we compile the geological, geochemical and geochronological data of the Early Mesozoic granitoids from the Qingling Orogen and attempt to constrain the Early Mesozoic tectonic evolution and mechanism of gold mineralization in this region. The Early Mesozoic granitoids are most widespread in the Qinling Orogen, especially in western part, and can be classified into S‐, I‐, I‐A‐types, with the I‐type constituting the major variety. The isotopic ages of the three types granitoids are 200–222 Ma, 185–248 Ma, 210–227 Ma, respectively, indicating overlapping ages with a wide span of I‐type granitoids. The S‐, I‐, I‐A‐type granitoids show obvious zonation characteristics, that is the S‐type granitoids only occurred in southern South Qinling Belt, the I‐type granitoids are most widespread in the western Qinling Orogen, and the I‐A‐type granitoids are mainly exposed in the North Qinling Belt. The S‐type granitoids crystallized at relatively low temperature (800–850 °C) and deep‐crustal level (ca. 8 kb) and derived mainly from partial melting of a clay‐poor psammitic source. The I‐type granitoids formed at high temperature (>925 °C) and pressures above the garnet‐in phase boundary (>1.2 GPa) and derived from greywackes and partially igneous source. Moreover, the I‐A‐type granitoids probably derived from distinct sources with sufficient interaction, or common origin but underwent different degrees of crustal contamination, and generated at high temperatures (ca. 950 °C) and low pressures (1.0–0.2 GPa) conditions. These features indicate the Qinling Orogen experienced subduction, syn‐collisional, and post‐collisional during the Early Mesozoic, and also suggest the S‐, I‐, I‐A‐types granitoids underwent an episodic growth documenting the tectonic regime switchover at this stage. The gold deposits in the western Qinling Orogen can be classified as orogenic, Carlin‐type, and Carlin‐like gold deposits with the formation age of Late Triassic. The orogenic and Carlin‐type gold deposits have no genetic relation to granitic magmatism, but the Carlin‐like gold deposits is related to the synchronous magmatism. Combined with regional geology and metallogenic systems, we suggest that the multi‐stage Qinling Orogenesis resulted in the formation of the Early Mesozoic S‐, I‐, I‐A‐type granitoids and different types of gold deposits with some characteristic differences.

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Origin of the Tudigou intrusion and associated porphyry Cu mineralization in the southern Qinling, Central China: Implication for regional tectonic setting

et al. 2022

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The Tudigou porphyry Cu deposit is located in the central part of the southern Qinling belt. Copper mineralization is closely associated with monzogranite porphyry.Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of monzogranite porphyry suggests that the ages of magmatism at Tudigou vary between 150 ± 1 and 148 ± 1 Ma and overlap with the molybdenite Re-Os age of 150-148 Ma, indicating that the Tudigou intrusion and associated mineralization formed during the Late Jurassic. The enrichment in largeion lithophile elements, depletion in high-field-strength elements, high Ba/Th and La/ Yb ratios, and negative correlation between Dy/Yb and La/Sm ratios, together with narrow ranges of ε Hf (t) values (ε Hf (t) = À4.0 to +1.4) suggest monzogranite porphyry was derived from a metasomatized lithospheric mantle with minor crustal components contribution, which is also evidenced by the lead isotopic result. The La/Yb ratios of 30 Mesozoic plutons in the southern Qinling belt were used to calculate the Moho depth, which suggests that the magmatism and mineralization in the region occurred during lithosphere thinning in response to the tectonic transition from compression to extension transitional regime. The calculated oxygen fugacity of the Late Mesozoic porphyry deposits in the Qinling-Dabie orogen have identical ΔFMQ values (averaging +1.4 to +2.4). However, the V/Sc ratios (the proxy for water content) are distinct among different deposit sizes, indicating that the dissolved water in the magma plays a critical role in porphyry-type mineralization.

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Geological characteristics and ore-forming process of the gold deposits in the western Qinling region, China

Cited by 70 publications

References 83 publications

Age and genesis of the Gangcha gold deposit, western Qinling orogen, China

Age and genesis of the Gangcha gold deposit, western Qinling orogen, China

A review of the Early Mesozoic granitoids in the Qinling Orogen: Implication for gold metallogeny

Origin of the Tudigou intrusion and associated porphyry Cu mineralization in the southern Qinling, Central China: Implication for regional tectonic setting

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