Integrated U-Pb,Lu-Hf and(U-Th)/He analysis of zircon from the Banxi Sb deposit and its implications for the low-temperature mineralization in South China

Low-temperature Sb(Au-Hg) deposits in South China account for more than 50% of the world’s Sb reserves,however,their genesis remains controversial.Here we report the first study that integrates U-Pb and Lu-Hf analysis by LA-(MC)-ICPMS and conventional(U-Th)/He analysis,all applied to single zircon crystals,in an attempt to constrain the origin and timing of world-class Sb(Au-Hg) deposits in Banxi(South China).Zircon separated from a quartz-stibnite ore and an altered country rock samples revealed similar U-Pb age spectra defining two major populations-Paleoproterozoic(~1900-2500 Ma) and Neoproterozoic(~770 Ma),which are characterized by variable εHf(t) values(-10.7 to 9.1 and-16.5 to 11.2,respectively) and Hf crustal model ages(TDMC)(2.48 to 3.24 Ga and 0.97 to 2.71 Ga,respectively).The U-Pb age and Hf isotopic features of the zircons are consistent with the Banxi Group in the region,indicating that the zircons involved in the low-temperature hydrothermal system were originally from the Banxi Group country rocks.Thirty-three mineralization-related zircon crystals yielded a mean(U-Th)/He age of 123.8±3.8 Ma,which is interpreted to represent the timing of the latest low-temperature mineralization stage of the Banxi Sb deposit.The combined U-Pb,Lu-Hf and(U-Th)/He data suggest that Precambrian basement rocks were the major contributors to the low-temperature mineralization,and that Early Cretaceous(130-120 Ma) could be the most important ore-forming epoch for the Sb deposits in South China.This study also demonstrates the analytical feasibility of integrated U-Pb-Lu-Hf-(U-Th)/He "triple-dating",all applied to single zircon crystals.This approach reveals the full evolution of zircon,from its origin of the magmatic source,through its crystallization and low-temperature cooling.Although this study demonstrates the usefulness of this integrated approach in dating low-temperature mineralization,it has great potential for zircon provenance and other studies that may benefit from the large amount of information that can be extracted from single zircon crystals.

Thermal History of the Naruo Porphyry Deposit in the Duolong Ore District,Western Tibet:Evidence from U-Pb,^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar and(U-Th)/He Thermochronology

The Naruo porphyry copper deposit containing more than 2 Mt of copper is located in the Duolong ore district in the west of the Bangongco–Nujiang belt in central Tibet.New zircon U-Pb,biotite^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar,zircon(U-Th)/He ages,published age data together with thermal modeling were presented in this paper to investigate the thermal history of Naruo deposit.Thermal modeling reveals a prolonged magmatic-hydrothermal evolution firstly cooling from~700℃to~350℃at 120 Ma,then cooling to 230℃at 106 Ma and maintaining at 200℃from 106 to 90 Ma which is attributed to multiple magmatic events and thermal effect of strike-slip fault.Affected by thrust nappe structure,the sample was consistent with 120℃from 70 to 63 Ma.The Naruo deposit started to experience exhumation at a rate of~0.07 km/Myr since 60 Ma which is related to India-Asia collision.The prolonged magmatic-hydrothermal evolution process might have important influence on the Naruo deposit.The ore-related intrusions preserved in the foot walls of strike-slip fault and thrust nappe structure are the objects of future exploration in the Duolong ore district.

甘肃龙首山成矿带新水井铀(钍)矿床元素迁移规律及成矿作用过程研究

新水井铀(钍)矿床位于甘肃省龙首山成矿带,是碱交代型铀矿床的典型代表,其矿体完全产于钠交代蚀变花岗岩中,成矿过程可划分为钠交代蚀变、铀钍矿化和成矿后3个主要阶段。文章对该矿床花岗岩原岩、蚀变岩及矿石开展了系统主微量元素分析,采用Grant等浓度线法探讨了钠交代蚀变和铀钍矿化阶段的元素迁移规律,结果表明:钠交代蚀变阶段为富含Na、Ca、过渡族元素(Sc、V、Cr、Co、Ni)、U、Th及CO2、H2O等挥发分的复杂流体,钠交代过程中原岩中的大离子亲石元素(Rb、Ba)和部分轻稀土元素(LREE)不同程度带出;而铀钍成矿阶段成矿流体则富集重稀土元素(HREE)、U、Th、PO43-等成分,CO2等挥发分大量逸出。结合前人研究,认为新水井矿床成矿流体可能来自地幔流体和大气降水热液的混合;等挥发分CO2的逸出是新水井矿床最重要的矿质沉淀机制,导致了铀钍矿物和磷酸盐矿物(磷灰石)的共沉淀,而磷灰石的沉淀又促进了以磷酸盐形式搬运的Th元素的沉淀。