Monazite U-Th-Pb and sericite Rb-Sr dating of the Xiajiadian black shale-hosted gold deposit in the Qinling orogen,central China:Implications for regional gold metallogeny

The Qinling orogen in central China contains several black shale-hosted gold deposits,but the age of their formation and a possible relation between gold mineralization and regional tectonism remain undetermined.Here we present results of in situ monazite U-Th-Pb dating and sericite Rb-Sr dating of the Xiajiadian black shale-hosted gold deposit to provide tight constraints on the time of gold deposition and information on the tectonic setting under which the deposit formed.The Xiajiadian gold deposit is mainly hosted in black shales of the Lower Cambrian Shuigoukou formation,with minor ores contained in sandy conglomerate of the Lower Devonian Xichahe formation.Gold ores in the black shales have been intensively oxidized and consist mainly of hematite,goethite,gypsum,quartz,calcite,native gold,and unrecognized iron oxides.However,gold ores in the sandy conglomerate are free of oxidation and thus provide an opportunity to date the formation of the Xiajiadian gold deposit.The ores consist of pyrite,marcasite,sericite,and quartz,which are associated with a variety of accessory minerals,including monazite,apatite,and titanite.Gold is mainly present as structure-bound ions or nanoparticles in pyrite and marcasite,but minor native gold grains also occur as inclusions in pyrite.Monazite is well developed in the ores,and has close textural association with Au-bearing pyrite and marcasite.Most monazite grains have zoned textures consisting of a core area(Mnz1)and an overgrowth zone(Mnz2).Mnz1 contains 4.8–13 wt.%ThO_(2)and shows large variations in HREE and prominent negative Eu anomalies in the chondrite-normalized REE patterns.It yields common lead-corrected^(208)Pb/^(232)Th dates ranging from 910±10 to416±4 Ma(2σ).These dates are interpreted in terms of a detrital origin for monazite in the core area.Mnz2 has much lower ThO_(2)contents of 0.8–1.7 wt.%and shows weak negative Eu anomalies in the chondrite-normalized REE patterns.It yields common lead-corrected^(208)Pb/^(232)Th dates of 229–209 Ma(2σ)with a weighted mean of 217.6±3.0 Ma(2σ),which is considered as the time of Mnz2 crystallization.Sericite in gold ores and associated alteration zones has close relations to Au-bearing pyrite and marcasite,and yields a well-defined Rb-Sr isochron age of 222.2±3.3 Ma(2σ).The sericite Rb-Sr age is indistinguishable within analytical errors from the weighted mean Th-Pb age of Mnz2.The age data presented here indicate that the Xiajiadian gold deposit formed at ca.220 Ma in the Late Triassic(Norian).We therefore suggest that gold mineralization at Xiajiadian occurred during the transitional stage from oceanic subduction to continental collision that led to the formation of the Qinling orogen.During this stage,metamorphic devolatization of the underlying Early Paleozoic to Proterozoic carbonaceous sequences likely supplied ore fluids from which the Xiajiadian gold deposit formed.

Age and Genesis of the Laodaizhanggou Pb-Zn-Ag Deposit in the Fudian Ore Field,Southern North China Craton:Implications for Regional Mineral Prospecting

The Fudian ore field in the southern North China Craton hosts the giant Donggou porphyry Mo deposit and several Pb-Zn-Ag vein deposits. Ore genesis of the Pb-Zn-Ag deposits and their relationships with the Donggou porphyry-related system are still controversial, which further restricts the regional prospecting and exploration. The Laodaizhanggou Pb-Zn-Ag deposit in the northwest of the ore field was focused in this study, to investigate its ore-forming age and genesis, and further to explore the implications for regional prospecting of Pb-Zn-Ag and Mo. The Pb-Zn-Ag veins at Laodaizhanggou are structurally controlled by the east-striking fault zones transecting the host volcanic rocks of Proterozoic Xiong’er Group. Field observations and textural relationships indicate that there are four paragenetic stages during ore-forming process, including the quartz-pyrite veins(stage I), siderite-polymetallic sulfide veins(stage II), ankerite-polymetallic sulfide veins(stage III), and quartz-calcite veins(stage IV). Ore-related sericite 40 Ar/39 Ar dating shows that the Pb-Zn-Ag mineralization at Laodaizhanggou was formed at 124.7±1.2 Ma. Carbonate minerals(siderite, ankerite, and calcite) have δ13 CPDB values of-9.1‰ to-3.9‰ and δ18 OSMOW of 12.1‰ to 15.6‰, corresponding to calculated values for the ore fluids of-8.0‰ to-2.8‰ and 4.9‰ to 10.1‰, respectively. These isotope values are in accordance with those of magmatic fluids. Sulfide minerals at Laodaizhanggou have δ34 S values of 5.3‰ to 10.1‰, and galena separates have 206 Pb/204 Pb ratios of 17.380 to 17.458, 207 Pb/204 Pb ratios of 15.459 to 15.485, and 208 Pb/204 Pb ratios of 38.274 to 38.370. Both S and Pb isotope data of Laodaizhanggou are consistent with those of the Donggou porphyry Mo deposit and distal Sanyuangou and Wangpingxigou Pb-Zn-Ag deposits, suggesting they share a similar magmatic origin. However, the Laodaizhanggou deposit was not the distal product of the giant Donggou porphyry-related magmatic-hydrothermal system, as the former is about 7 Ma older than the latter. The ore-forming age of Laodaizhanggou is consistent with that of the phase 1 magmatism of Taishanmiao batholith, indicating the Laodaizhanggou deposit is genetically related to ca. 125 Ma magmatism in the area. Combined the geochronological and geochemical data on Laodaizhanggou and the regional geological setting, we propose that the fracture systems in the northeast of the Taishanmiao batholith are potential sites for prospecting Pb-Zn-Ag deposit and the deep part among Laodaizhanggou, Xizaogou, and Liezishan is a target for prospecting porphyry Mo deposit.

Source and Evolution of the Ore-Forming Fluids of Carlin-Type Gold Deposit in the Youjiang Basin,South China:Evidences from Solute Data of Fluid Inclusion Extracts

The source and evolution of ore-forming fluids is important to understand the genesis of Carlin-type gold deposit.Constraints on the source and evolution of ore fluid components by the con-ventional geochemical methods have long been a challenge due to the very fine-grained nature and complex textures of hydrothermal minerals in these deposits.In this study,we present the crush-leach analyzed solute data of fluid inclusion extracts within quartz,calcite,realgar,and fluorite from the Shuiyindong,Nibao,and Yata gold deposits in the Youjiang Basin,providing new insights into the source and evolution of ore-forming fluids.The results show that the high molar Cl/Br ratios up to 2508 in fluid inclusion extracts are indicative of a contribution of magmatic hydrothermal fluids.Flu-ids mixing between basinal and magmatic-hydrothermal fluids are evident on the plots of Cl/Br versus Na/K ratios,showing that ore-stage milky quartz near the magmatic-hydrothermal fluids reflects magma origin of the ore-forming fluids,whereas late ore-stage drusy quartz and realgar near the de-fined basinal fluids suggest the later input of basinal fluids in late-ore stage.Although the predominate-ly host rocks in Shuiyindong,Nibao and Yata gold deposit are bioclastic limestone,sedimentary tuff,and calcareous siltstone,respectively,the solute data of fluid inclusion extracts records they underwent the similar fluid-rocks reactions between the Na-rich magmatic hydrothermal fluids and the Ca-and Mg-rich host rocks.This study highlights the solute data of fluid inclusion extracts obtained by crush-leach analyses have the potential to fingerprint the source and evolution of ore-forming fluids of the Carlin-type gold deposit.

An Early Cretaceous gold mineralization event in the Triassic West Qinling orogen revealed from U-Pb titanite dating of the Ma'anqiao gold deposit

The West Qinling orogen in central China,formed from continental collision between the North China and Yangtze cratons in the Late Triassic,hosts numerous gold deposits with a total Au endowment of about 2000 t.Most deposits were emplaced at ca.250-195 Ma and are genetically associated with the Triassic orogenesis.Here in situ U-Pb titanite dating with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry indicates the Ma’anqiao gold deposit in the northern portion of this orogen has a distinctive age and under a contrasting tectonic regime.This structurally controlled gold deposit is hosted in Late Ordovician to Early Silurian sub-greenschist facies metasedimentary rocks.The gold mineralization is hosted in quartz-pyritepyrrhotite veins and pyrite-pyrrhotite disseminations in hydrothermally altered rocks,which are crosscut by K-feldspar-calcitechlorite±pyrite veins.Titanite,present both in the disseminated sulfide ores and later veins,was used for in situ U-Pb dating.Titanite from three disseminated sulfide ore samples with Th and U averaging 27.46 and 39.31 ppm(1 ppm=1μg g^(-1)),respectively,yielded lower-intercept ages of 121.1±3.1 to 120.7±3.5 Ma(2σ)in the Tera-Wasserburg diagram.Titanite from three later vein samples with much lower Th and U concentrations averaging 2.74 and 16.21 ppm,respectively,yielded overlapping ages of 120.8±3.2 to 120.3±5.8 Ma(2σ).These new titanite U-Pb ages tightly constrain the formation of the Ma’anqiao gold deposit at ca.121-120 Ma and,when combined with independent geological data,indicate it is not related to the Triassic Qinling orogeny.Rather,its formation is attributed to lithospheric thinning and destruction of the North China craton during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous which has generated numerous gold deposits along the southern margin of this craton.This catastrophic event caused extensive magmatism in large areas of the North Qinling terrane and northern edge of the West Qinling orogen immediately to the south of the North China craton.The heat flux and elevated geothermal gradients associated with this magmatism could have induced prograde metamorphism of the Paleozoic sedimentary infrastructure in and beneath these areas with the derived fluids ascending along pre-existing crustal-scale regional structures to form the Ma’anqiao gold deposit.We suggest that areas in the North Qinling terrane that have been affected by the Late Mesozoic magmatism are potential targets for future exploration of the decratonization-related gold deposits.Additionally,this study highlights the use of titanite U-Pb dating as a robust geochronometer for metasedimentary rock-hosted gold deposits in Phanerozoic orogens,which has previously not been utilized.

An interpretation of the genetic polymorphism and population genetic background of Ankang Han population via a novel InDel panel

In this research,genotyping data of 43 InDel loci in 311 Han individuals in Ankang City,Shaanxi Province,China were detected using a self-developed five-dye multiplex amplification panel.The allelic frequencies and forensic parameters of all InDel loci were calculated.The combined power of discrimination and probability of exclusion values were 0.99999999999999999882739 and 0.999887424,respectively,which demonstrated that this 43-InDel panel was powerful for individual identifications in Ankang Han population.Moreover,genetic distances,pairwise F_(ST)values,principal component analyses,phylogenetic trees and STRUCTURE analyses were performed to investigate the genetic affinities between Ankang Han and reference groups.Population genetic investigations indicated that Ankang Han population had a close genetic relationship with Southern Han population compared with other reference groups.

Genetic polymorphisms of 44 Y chromosomal genetic markers in the Inner Mongolia Han population and its genetic relationship analysis with other reference populations

Y chromosomal genetic markers in the non-recombining region are commonly used for human evolution research,familial searching,and forensic male differentiation since they strictly follow paternal inheritance.Y chromosomal short tandem repeats(Y-STRs)possess extraordinarily advantages in forensic applications because of their high polymorphisms and special genetic pattern.Here,we assessed the genetic diversities of 41 Y-STRs and three Y chromosomal insertion/deletion(Y-InDels)loci in the Chinese Inner Mongolia Han population;besides,genetic differentiation analyses among the studied Han population and other previously reported populations were conducted based on 27 same Y-STRs.Totally,425 alleles were observed in 324 Inner Mongolia Han individuals for these Y-markers.Gene diversities of these Y-markers distributed from 0.0306 to 0.9634.The haplotype diversity and discriminatory capacity of these Y-markers in the Inner Mongolia Han population were 0.9999 and 0.98457,respectively.Haplotype resolution comparisons of different Y-marker groups in the studied Han population revealed that higher haplotype resolution could be achieved for these 44 Y-markers.Population genetic analyses of the Inner Mongolia Han population and other reference populations demonstrated that the studied Han population had relatively closer genetic affinities with Northern Han Chinese populations than Southern Han and other minority groups.To sum up,these 44 Y-markers can be utilized as a valuable tool for male differentiation in the Inner Mongolia Han population.

Comprehensive analyses for genetic diversities of 19 autosomal STRs in Chinese Kazak group and its phylogenetic relationships with other continental populations

Short tandem repeats(STRs)play an essential role in forensic genetics due to their high degree of polymorphisms,wide distributions and easy detection method.In this study,allelic frequencies and forensic statistical parameters of the 19 autosomal STR loci in a Kazak ethnic group were calculated,and its genetic relationships with reference populations were assessed in order to understand population structure better and enrich population genetic data for forensic practice in Chinese Kazak ethnic group.There were 226 identified alleles with the corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.0008 to 0.5295 in the 628 unrelated healthy Kazak individuals in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.All autosomal STRs were conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni’s correction.The cumulative power of discrimination and the combined probability of exclusion of all the 19 autosomal STRs were 0.999999999999999999999997162 and 0.999999994484,respectively.Furthermore,the DA distances and Fixation index values of pairwise populations,principal component analysis,multidimensional scaling analysis,phylogenetic tree analysis and structure analysis were conducted to probe the genetic relationships between the Kazak group and other reference populations.The population genetic results showed that these 19 autosomal STR loci were characterised by high genetic diversities in the Kazak group.Furthermore,the studied Kazak group had close genetic relationships with the Uyghur group and the Uzbek group.The present results may facilitate understanding the genetic background of the Chinese Xinjiang Kazak group.

Vertical Distribution and Transport of Aerosols during a Dust Event in Xinjiang,Northwest China

Dust aerosols profoundly influence the radiative balance of the earth–atmosphere system and hence the global and regional climates.In this study,using multi-source satellite and ground-level observations combined with meteorological data,we investigated the three-dimensional evolution and transport characteristics of aerosols during a dust event that occurred in Xinjiang,China from 19 to 21 March 2019.Analysis of the meteorological data reveals that the dust air mass initially appeared in the northwest of Xinjiang and was subsequently transported to the Hami and Turpan areas due to the prevailing northwesterly winds,after which the direction of the airflow shifted due to topography,and the dust air masses were transported into southern Xinjiang.The air quality in the affected areas decreased rapidly,accompanied by a significant increase in aerosol optical depth (AOD),with the maximum value exceeding 3.5 in some areas.In addition,the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations(CALIPSO) data reveal that the aerosol particles in the dust-affected areas were mainly dust aerosols,with small amounts of pollutant dust aerosols.A reduction in the attenuated backscatter coefficient (β532||) was found with increasing altitude,with the dust aerosol pollution mainly distributed in the lower troposphere.The size of dust particles in the lower troposphere was relatively small and irregular.The depolarization ratio (PDR) values at altitudes of 8–10 km were relatively lower than those recorded in the lower troposphere,whereas the color ratio (CR)values were higher,which may have been influenced by the sparse vegetation coverage and poor subsurface conditions in Xinjiang,and attributable to the fact that regular large particles of dust are more likely to be dispersed to altitudes between 8 and 10 km within a short period of time.As a consequence of the meteorological conditions and topography,the dusting process in Xinjiang persisted for a relatively long period.These findings will contribute to enhanced understanding of the vertical distribution of aerosols in Northwest China.

Genetic and structural characterization of 20 autosomal short tandem repeats in the Chinese Qinghai Han population and its genetic relationships and interpopulation differentiations with other reference populations

China is a multinational country composed of 56 ethnic groups of which the Han Chinese accounts for 91.60%.Qinghai Province is located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,has an area of 72.12 km2,and is the fourth largest province in China.In the present study,we investigated the genetic polymorphisms of 20 short tandem repeat (STR) loci in a Qinghai Han population,as well as its genetic relationships with other populations.A total of 273 alleles were identified in 2 000 individuals at 20 loci,and the allelic frequency ranged from 0.0002 to 0.5327.The 20 STR loci showed a relatively high polymorphic rate in the studied group.Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged 0.613 0-0.907 5 and 0.614 8-0.920 0,respectively.The combined power of discrimination,and the probability of exclusion in duo and trio cases were 0.999 999 999 999 999 999 999 999 34,0.9999960 and 0.9999999965,respectively.Analyses of interpopulation differentiation revealed that the most significant differences were found between the Qinghai Han and Malaysian,while no significant differences were found between the Qinghai Han and Han people from Shaanxi and Jiangsu.The results of principal component analysis,multidimensional scaling analysis and phylogenetic reconstructions also suggested the close relationships between the Qinghai Han and other two Han populations.The present results,therefore,indicated that these 20 STR loci could be used for paternity testing and individual identification in forensic applications,and may also provide information for the studies of genetic relationships between Qinghai Han and other groups.