Structural geometry of orogenic gold deposits： Implications for exploration of world-class and giant deposits

With very few exceptions, orogenic gold deposits formed in subduction-related tectonic settings in accretionary to collisional orogenic belts from Archean to Tertiary times. Their genesis, including metal and fluid source, fluid pathways, depositional mechanisms, and timing relative to regional structural and metamorphic events, continues to be controversial. However, there is now general agreement that these deposits formed from metamorphic fluids, either from metamorphism of intra-basinal rock sequences or de-volatilization of a subducted sediment wedge, during a change from a compressional to transpressional, less commonly transtensional, stress regime, prior to orogenic collapse. In the case of Archean and Paleoproterozoic deposits, the formation of orogenic gold deposits was one of the last events prior to cratonization. The late timing of orogenic gold deposits within the structural evolution of the host orogen implies that any earlier structures may be mineralized and that the current structural geometry of the gold deposits is equivalent to that at the time of their formation provided that there has been no significant post-gold orogenic overprint. Within the host volcano-sedimentary sequences at the province scale, world-class orogenic gold deposits are most commonly located in second-order structures adjacent to crustal scale faults and shear zones, representing the first-order ore-forming fluid pathways, and whose deep lithospheric connection is marked by lamprophyre intrusions which, however, have no direct genetic association with gold deposition. More specifically, the gold deposits are located adjacent to ～10°-25° district-scale jogs in these crustal-scale faults. These jogs are commonly the site of arrays of ～70° cross faults that accommodate the bending of the more rigid components, for example volcanic rocks and intrusive sills, of the host belts. Rotation of blocks between these accommodation faults causes failure of more competent units and/or reactivation and dilation of pre-existing structures, leading to deposit-scale focussing of ore-fluid and gold deposition.Anticlinal or antiformal fold hinges, particularly those of ＇locked-up＇ folds with ～30° apical angles and overturned back limbs, represent sites of brittle-ductile rock failure and provide one of the more robust parameters for location of orogenic gold deposits.In orogenic belts with abundant pre-gold granitic intrusions, particularly Precambrian granitegreenstone terranes, the boundaries between the rigid granitic bodies and more ductile greenstone sequences are commonly sites of heterogeneous stress and inhomogeneous strain. Thus, contacts between granitic intrusions and volcano-sedimentary sequences are common sites of ore-fluid infiltration and gold deposition. For orogenic gold deposits at deeper crustal levels, ore-forming fluids are commonly focused along strain gradients between more compressional zones where volcano-sedimentary sequences are thinned and relatively more extensional zones where they are thickened. World-class orogenic gold deposits are commonly located in the deformed volcano-sedimentary sequences in such strain gradients adjacent to triple-point junctions defined by the granitic intrusions, or along the zones of assembly of micro-blocks on a regional scale. These repetitive province to district-scale geometrical patterns of structures within the orogenic belts are clearly critical parameters in geology-based exploration targeting for orogenic gold deposits.

Genesis of the Bangbu Orogenic Gold Deposit, Tibet： Evidence from Fluid Inclusion, Stable Isotopes, and Ar-Ar Geochronology

The Bangbu gold deposit is a large orogenic gold deposit in Tibet formed during the AlpineHimalayan collision. Ore bodies（auriferous quartz veins） are controlled by the E-W-trending Qusong-Cuogu-Zhemulang brittle-ductile shear zone. Quartz veins at the deposit can be divided into three types： pre-metallogenic hook-like quartz veins, metallogenic auriferous quartz veins, and postmetallogenic N-S quartz veins. Four stages of mineralization in the auriferous quartz veins have been identified：（1） Stage S1 quartz＋coarse-grained sulfides,（2） Stage S2 gold＋fine-grained sulfides,（3） Stage S3 quartz＋carbonates, and（4） Stage S4 quartz＋ greigite. Fluid inclusions indicate the oreforming fluid was CO_2-N_2-CH_4 rich with homogenization temperatures of 170–261°C, salinities 4.34–7.45 wt% Na Cl equivalent. δ^（18）Ofluid（3.98‰–7.18‰） and low δDV-SMOW（-90‰ to-44‰） for auriferous quartz veins suggest ore-forming fluids were mainly metamorphic in origin, with some addition of organic matter. Quartz vein pyrite has δ^（34）SV-CDT values of 1.2‰–3.6‰（an average of 2.2‰）, whereas pyrite from phyllite has δ^（34）SV-CDT 5.7‰–9.9‰（an average of 7.4‰）. Quartz vein pyrites yield 206Pb/204 Pb ratios of 18.662–18.764, 207Pb/204 Pb 15.650–15.683, and ^（208）Pb/204 Pb 38.901–39.079. These isotopic data indicate Bangbu ore-forming materials were probably derived from the Langjiexue accretionary wedge. 40Ar/39 Ar ages for sericite from auriferous sulfide-quartz veins yield a plateau age of 49.52 ± 0.52 Ma, an isochron age of 50.3 ± 0.31 Ma, suggesting that auriferous veins were formed during the main collisional period of the Tibet-Himalayan orogen（-65–41 Ma）.

Fluid Inclusions of Orogenic Gold Deposits in the Zhongchuan Area,Western Qinling and Their Geological Significance

Orogenically-derived gold deposits of the Zhongchuan area in the western Qinling are distributed in the exo-contact thermal metamorphic zone. The country rocks hosting the deposits are predominantly of Devonian age with low-grade metamorphism and strong deformation with the ore deposits directly controlled by multi-level tectonic systems. Three types of inclusions from these deposits have been recognized: CO2-H2O, CO2-rich, and aqueous. The ore-forming fluids were mainly CO2-NaCl-H2O type characterized by rich CO2, low salinity, high temperature and immiscibility. Incorporated with earlier isotopic data, the regional geological setting and features of diagenesis and metallogeny, it can be concluded that the ore-forming fluids were derived from deep magma and mixed with meteoric and metamorphic water. The deposits formed during an intra-continent collisional orogeny, and some of the materials derived from the deep might have been involved in the ore-forming process.

Metallogenesis and Geodynamic Setting of the Early Paleozoic Orogenic Gold Deposits in the North Altyn

The North Altyn has underwent a complex tectonic history in the Early Paleozoic and formed a number of orogenic gold deposits controlled by ductile to brittle shear zones adjacent to the southern side of the Northern Altyn Tagh fault e.g. the Dapinggou, Beiketan and Xiangyun. The Dapinggou gold deposit, a typical orogenic gold deposit in North Altyn, is predominantly hosted in the Precambrian carbonate and Cambrian volcano- sedimentary rocks which were strongly deformed and were subjected to low-grade metamorphism. The ore bodies occurred in K-feldspar quartz veins and hydrothermally altered mylonite within the ductile shear belt. Hydrothermal alteration including silicification, pyritization.

Origin of the Yueguang gold deposit in Xinhua, Hunan Province, South China: insights from fl uid inclusion and hydrogen–oxygen stable isotope analysis

The Yueguang gold deposit is located in Fengjia,Xinhua County,Hunan Province,South China.It represents a recently discovered small-scale gold deposit situated in the southwestern region of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt,west of the Baimashan granitic batholith.In order to discern the characteristics of the ore-formingfluids,the underlying mineralization processes,and establish a foundation for the origin of the Yueguang gold depositfluid inclusion micro-thermometry,as well as quartz hydrogen and oxygen isotope analysis,have been carried out on samples obtained from various stages of mineralization.The hydrothermal miner-alization stages within the Yueguang gold deposit can be categorized into three stages:(i)the barren,pre-ore quartz-pyrite stage(Stage Ⅰ),the quartz-pyrite-gold stage(Stage Ⅱ),and the post-ore quartz-carbonate stage(Stage Ⅲ),with the second stage being the main mineralization stage.Thefluid inclusions identified in samples from the main min-eralization stage can predominantly be described with the NaCl–H_(2)O and CO_(2)–NaCl–H_(2)O systems.These inclusions display homogenization temperatures ranging from 158.8 to 334.9℃,and thefluid salinity ranges from 0.3%to 4.0%(wt.%NaCl equiv.).Laser Raman spectroscopy analysis of individual inclusions further reveals the presence of gas-phases such as CO_(2),CH_(4),and N_(2).Isotopic analysis indicatesδ^(18)Ofluid values ranging from 3.95 to 6.7‰ and δDH_(2)O values ranging from-71.9 to-55.7‰.These results indi-cate that the ore-formingfluid of the Yueguang gold deposit belongs to metamorphic hydrothermalfluids of middle-low temperature and low salinity.In the process of ore formation,gold is transported in the form of Au(HS)2-complexes,with gold deposition being driven byfluid immiscibility.Therefore,the Yueguang gold deposit is categorized as an orogenic gold deposit dominated by metamorphic hydrother-malfluid.It may become a new target for gold exploration in the Baimashan region,central Hunan Province.

Decrepitation Thermometry and Compositions of Fluid Inclusions of the Damoqujia Gold Deposit,Jiaodong Gold Province,China:Implications for Metallogeny and Exploration

The recently discovered Damoqujia （大磨曲家） gold deposit is a large shear zone-hosted gold deposit of disseminated sulphides located in the north of the Zhaoping （招平） fault zone, Jiaodong （胶东） gold province, China. In order to distinguish the temperature range of cluster inclusions from different mineralization stages and measure their compositions, 16 fluid inclusions and 5 isotopic geochemistry samples were collected for this study. Corresponding to different mineralization stages, the multirange peaks of quartz decrepitation temperature （250-270, 310-360 and 380-430℃） indicate that the activity of ore-forming fluids is characterized by multistage. The ore-forming fluids were predominantly of high-temperature fluid system （HTFS） by CO2-rich, and SO4^2--K^＋ type magmatic fluid during the early stage of mineralization and were subsequently affected by low-temperature fluid system （LTFS） of CH4-rich, and Cl^--Na^＋/Ca^2＋ type meteoric fluid during the late stage of mineralization. Gold is transferred by Au-HS^- complex in the HTFS, and Au-Cl^- complex can be more important in the LTFS. The transition of fluids from deeper to shallow environments results in mixing between the HTFS and LTFS, which might be one of the most key reasons for gold precipitation and large-scale mineralization. The ore-forming fluids are characterized by high-temperature, strong-activity, and superimposed mineralization, so that there is a great probability of forming large and rich ore deposit in the Damoqujia gold deposit. The main bodies are preserved and extend toward deeper parts, thereby suggesting a great potential in future.

Tourmaline from the Archean G.R.Halli gold deposit,Chitradurga greenstone belt,Dharwar craton(India):Implications for the gold metallogeny

Tourmaline occurs as a minor but important mineral in the alteration zc,ne of the Archean orogenic gold deposit of Guddadarangavanahalli （G.R.Halli） in the Chitradurga greenst^ne belt of the western Dharwar craton, southern India. It occurs in the distal alteration halo of the G.R.Halli golcl deposit as （a） clusters of very fine grained aggregates which form a minor constituent in the natrix of the altered metabasalt （AMB tourmaline） and （b） in quartz-carbonate veins （vein tourmaline）. ~[＇he vein tourmaline, based upon the association of specific carbonate minerals, is further grouped as （i） albite-tourmaline-ankerite-quartz veins （vein-1 tourmaline） and （ii） albite-tourmaline-calcite-quartz veins （vein-2 tourmaline）. Both the AMB tourmaline and the vein tourmalines （vein-I and vein-2） belong to the alkali group and are clas- sified under schorl-dravite series. Tourmalines occurring in the veins are zoned while the AMB tour- malines are unzoned. Mineral chemistry and discrimination diagrams 1eveal that cores and rims of the vein tourmalines are distinctly different. Core composition of the ve：n tourmalines is similar to the composition of the AMB tourmaline. The formation of the AMB tourmaline and cores of the vein tour- malines are proposed to be related to the regional D1 deformational event associated with the emplacement of the adjoining ca. 2.61 Ga Chitradurga granite whilst rims of the vein tourmalines vis-a- vis gold mineralization is spatially linked to the juvenile magmatic accretion （2.56-2.50 Ga） east of the studied area in the western part of the eastern Dharwar craton.

Geology, Pb Isotope Geochemistry and Ore Genesis of the Liziyuan Gold Deposit, West Qinling Orogen, Central China

The Liziyuan gold deposit, situated on the south side of the Shangdan suture zone, West Qinling Orogen, occurs in metamorphic volcanic rocks(greenschist facies) of the early Paleozoic Liziyuan Group and in Indosinian Tianzishan monzogranite. Orebodies in the Liziyuan gold field are controlled by the ductile-brittle shear zone, and by thrusting nappe faults related to the Indosinian orogeny. In detail, this paper analyzed the geological characteristics of the Liziyuan gold field, and the Pb isotopes of the Lziyuan host rocks, granitoids(Tianzishan monzogranite and Jiancaowan syenite porphyry), sulfides, and auriferous quartz veins by multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(MC-ICPMS). In addition, previous data on the sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen isotopes were employed to discuss the possible sources of the ore-forming fluids and materials, and to further understand the tectonic setting of the Liziyuan gold deposit. The sulfides and their host rocks(Lziyuan Group), Tianzishan monzogranite and Jiancaowan syenite porphyry, and auriferous quartz veins have similar Pb isotopic compositions.Zartman’s plumbotectonic model diagram shows that most of the data for the deposit fall near the orogenic Pb evolutionary curve or within the area between the orogenic and mantle Pb evolutionary curves. In the△β-△γ diagram, which genetically classifies the lead isotopes, most of the data fall within the range of the subduction-zone lead mixed with upper crust and mantle. This indicates that a complex source of the ore lead formed in the orogenic environment. The δ34S values of the sulfides range from 3.90 to 8.50‰(average6.80‰), with a pronounced mode at 5.00‰-8.00‰. These values are consistent with that of orogenic gold deposits worldwide, indicating that the sulfur sourced mainly from reduced metamorphic fluids. The isotopic hydrogen and oxygen compositions support a predominantly metamorphic origin of the oreforming fluids, with possible mixing of minor magmatic fluids, but the late stage was dominated by meteoric water. The characteristics of the Liziyuan gold deposit formed in the Indosinian orogenic environment of the Qinling Orogen are consistent with those of orogenic gold deposits found worldwide.

REE geochemistry of auriferous quartz carbonate veins of Neoarchean Ajjanahalli gold deposit,Chitradurga schist belt,Dharwar Craton,India

REE composition of the carbonates of the auriferous quartz carbonate veins（QCVs） of the Neoarchean Ajjanahalli gold deposit.Chitradurga schist belt.Dharwar Craton,is characterized by U-shaped chondrite normalized REE patterns with both LREE and HREE enrichment and a distinct positive Eu anomaly.As positive Eu anomaly is associated with low oxygen fugacity,we propose that the auriferous fluids responsible for gold mineralization at Ajjanahalli could be from an oxygen depleted fluid.The observed positive Eu anomaly is interpreted to suggest the derivation of the auriferous fluids from a mantle reservoir.The location of Ajjanahalli gold deposit in a crustal scale shear zone is consistent with this interpretation.

Direct Re–Os dating of pyrite from the Jianchaling Au deposit,West Qinling,China

The West Qingling Orogen is endowed with more than 1100 t gold resources and with 50 gold deposits,ranking it the third-largest gold province in China.The Jianchaling giant gold deposit with 52 t gold reserve is a typical orogenic gold deposit in West Qinling Orogen.The deposit lacks accurate and direct metallogenic age.Five pyrite samples collected from the quartz-polymetallic veins yielded Re–Os isochron age of 206.3±2.7 Ma and an initial187 Os/188 Os ratio of 0.1154±0.0016(MSWD=0.54).The pyrites were analyzed by the electron microprobe(EMPA),and the results show that the iron content ranges from 45.1 to 47.8 wt.%,the sulfur content ranges from 52.0 to 53.5 wt.%,and the gold content varies from0.022 to 0.035%.The higher gold content means that gold is closely related to pyrite,which is a gold-bearing mineral.Moreover,the age is very close to the previous fuchsite40 Ar/39 Ar isotopic ages of 199–194 Ma,which indicates that the gold mineralization at Jianchaling has begun in the Late Triassic(206 Ma),and continued into the Early Jurassic.Through summary and comparison,it is found that the gold metallogenic age of the southern ore belt of the Mian-Lue Suture belt in the West Qinling is younger than that of the northern ore belt,suggesting that the gold deposits in the southern ore belt such as Jianchaling were formed in the transitional period from oceanic subduction to continental collision.

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.

Geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements and their implications for the Huachanggou gold deposit in Shaanxi Province, China

The Huachanggou gold deposit is located in the south part of the Mian-Lue suture zone in the Qinling orogenic belt. Rare earth element （REE） concentrations determined by ICP-MS are shown to characterize the ore samples and their wall rocks in three ore zones in order to reveal the origin of ore-forming materials and fluid. In AuI, REE chondrite normalized patterns of ore are similar to those of ore-controlling spilite; the ore-forming materials originated from deep magma, and magmatic activity offered main hydrothermal source for gold mineralization. The REE characteristics of AuII and AuIII are similar, and most of the ore samples are similar with the wall rocks. The ore-forming fluids of AuII and AuIII were metamorphic hydrothermal fluids which had extracted ore-forming materials part from the wall rocks, and part from the spilite in AuI.

Abundance of Carbonic Fluid Inclusions in Hira-Buddini Gold Deposit, Hutti-Maski Greenstone Belt, India: Inferences from Petrography and Volume Ratio Estimation of Fluid Components

Low saline aqueous carbonic fluids are considered to be the ore forming solutions for orogenic lode gold deposits.Phase separation/fluid immiscibility of the ore fluid is quite common and is one of the major reasons for deposition of gold in these deposits.Abundant carbonic fluid inclusions have been observed in quartz grains of Hira-Buddnini Gold Deposit.Theoretical estimation indicates that more volume of H2O compared to CO2 is likely to be trapped in inclusions at different P-T conditions.Preferential loss of H2O from fluid inclusions during ductile deformation of quartz grains have been attributed as the suitable reason for abundance of carbonic fluid inclusions.