Geochronology,Geochemistry and Petrogenesis of the Bangbule Quartz Porphyry:Implications for Metallogenesis

The Bangbule skarn lead-zinc(Pb-Zn)deposit(>1 Mt Zn+Pb)is located in the western Nyainqentanglha polymetallic metallogenetic belt,central Tibet.Lenticular orebodies are all hosted in skarn and developed in the contact zone between the quartz porphyry and carbonate strata of the mid Paleozoic Middle to Upper Chaguoluoma Formation as well as in carbonate and sandstone beds of the Upper Paleozoic Laga Formation.As a newly discovered skarn deposit,the geological background and metallogenesis of this deposit remain poorly understood.Detailed petrological,geochemical and geochronological data of the ore-related quartz porphyry,helps constrain the mineralization age and contributes to discussion on the ore genesis of the Bangbule deposit.Both endoskarn and exoskarn are identified in the Bangbule deposit.From quartz porphyry to carbonate formation,the exoskarn is zoned from proximal garnet skarn to distal pyroxene skarn.Zircon U-Pb dating results show that the quartz porphyry formed at 73.9±0.8 Ma.Geochemical analysis results show that the quartz porphyry has high contents of SiO_(2)(71.40–74.94 wt%)and K_(2)O+Na_(2)O(3.76–8.46 wt%)with A/CNK values of 0.69 to 1.06.Besides,the quartz porphyry is enriched in large ion lithophile elements(LILEs)and light rare earth elements(LREEs)and have lowεNd(t)(from-8.25 to-8.19)and high initial(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)i values(0.713611–0.714478).Major,trace elements and whole-rock F concentration analysis results from the endoskarn samples show higher TFe_(2)O_(3),MgO,CaO,Pb+Zn,W,Sn,Mo and F etc.,and lower alkalis(K_(2)O,Na_(2)O,Sr and Ba)than those of fresh quartz porphyry,indicating that the early ore-forming fluids were an Ca-Fe-F-enriched fluid.Massive ore in the proximal skarn might be related to the high F content in the magma,which lowered the solidus temperature of the quartz porphyry magma and caused a lower temperature of the ore-forming fluids,as well as facilitating the precipitation of sphalerite and galena.Based on the geochemical characteristics presented in this study,we propose that the ore-related quartz porphyry was formed by partial melting of crust materials with some juvenile crustal component input.The partial melting of the middle-upper crust after the initial enrichment of lead and zinc elements are important for the formation of Pb-Zn deposits.The case study of the Bangbule deposit has proven that there is still a crust-derived magmatic source region in the western segment of the central Lhasa terrane.Therefore,there is still great potential for Pb-Zn mineralization and Pb-Zn exploration.

LA-ICP-MS Zircon U-Pb Geochronology of Quartz Porphyry from the Niutougou Gold Deposit in Songxian County,Henan Province

The Niutougou gold deposit, located in the center of the Xiong＇ershan gold district, western Henan Province, is a large gold deposit with many quartz porphyries found in the area. Based on the field geological investigation of quartz porphyry of Niutougou gold deposit and by using the cathodoluminescence （CL） images analysis and in situ LA-ICP-MS U-Pb isotope dating method of zircons, the inner structure, trace element compositions and U-Pb age of the zircons separated from quartz porphyry were analyzed and determined. Cathodoluminescence （CL） images of zircons show clear magmatic zonations. Trace element analyses of zircons reveal that all zircons show high concentrations of Th, U, and HREE, and the REE patterns of depletion in LREE, with a positive Ce anomaly. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating results show that the quartz porphyry in the Niutougou gold deposit was formed at 159.714-0.99 Ma （about 160 Ma）, belonging to the product of magmatic activity in late Middle Jurassic. Combined with the geological characteristics of the Niutougou gold deposit, the formation age of the quartz porphyry and the analysis of the formation age of the granite body exposed in the Niutougou gold deposit, the study suggests that the metallogenic epoch of the Niutougou gold deposit may be Yanshanian in age.

Zinccopperite-A New Variety of Zinc-CopperIntermetallic Compounds Discovered in aPorphyry-Copper Deposit

Zinccopperite (tentatively named) is a rare native alloy mineral discovered in quartz monzonite—porphyry in the Xifanping area, Yanyuan County, Sichuan Province. It is a new variety of zinc—copper alloy mineral found for the first time in the porphyry-copper deposit in China. Its intergrown minerals are K—feldspar (mainly perthite), albite—oligoclase, quartz and biotite; and the associated minerals include pyrite and chalcopyrite. It is characterized by a golden reflection colour, being isotropic (isometric), with the grain size ranging from 10 to 50 μm, microhardness VHN10 = 190 kg/mm2, and reflectance RVM = 67.97%. Electron microprobe (Model JXA—733) analysis shows Cu = 59.15%–62.55% and Zn = 36.32%–39.85%. The crystallochemical formula is Cu6.27-7.0Zn4.0, simplified as Cu7Zn4.

Geology and mineralization of the Pulang supergiant porphyry copper deposit(5.11 Mt)in Shangri-la,Yunnan Province,China:A review

The porphyry copper belt in the Geza island arc in southwestern China is the only Indosinian porphyry copper metallogenic belt that has been discovered and evaluated so far.The Pulang porphyry copper deposit(also referred to as the Pulang deposit)in this area has proven copper reserves of 5.11×106 t.This deposit has been exploited on a large scale using advanced mining methods,exhibiting substantial economic benefit.Based on many research results of previous researchers and the authors’team,this study proposed the following key insights.(1)The Geza island arc was once regarded as an immature island arc with only andesites and quartz diorite porphyrites occurring.This understanding was overturned in this study.Acidic endmember components such as quartz monzonite porphyries and quartz monzonite porphyries have been identified in the Geza island arc,and the mineralization is mainly related to the magmatism of quartz monzonite porphyries.(2)Complete porphyry orebodies and large vein orebodies have developed in the Pulang deposit.Main orebody KT1 occurs in the transition area between the potassium silicate alteration zone of quartz monzonite porphyries and the sericite-quartz alteration zone.Most of them have developed in the potassium silicate alteration zone.The main orebody occurs as large lenses at the top of the hanging wall of rock bodies,with an engineering-controlled length of 1920 m and thickness of 32.5‒630.29 m(average:187.07 m).It has a copper grade of 0.21%-1.56%(average:0.42%)and proven copper resources of 5.11×10^(6) t,which are associated with 113 t of gold,1459 t of silver,and 170×10^(3) t of molybdenum.(3)Many studies on diagenetic and metallogenic chronology,isotopes,and fluid inclusions have been carried out for the Pulang deposit,including K-Ar/Ar-Ar dating of monominerals(e.g.,potassium feldspars,biotites,and amphiboles),zircon U-Pb dating,and molybdenite Re-Os dating.The results show that the porphyries in the Pulang deposit are composite plutons and can be classified into pre-mineralization quartz diorite porphyrites,quartz monzonite porphyries formed during the mineralization,and post-mineralization granite porphyries,which were formed at 223±3.7 Ma,218±4 Ma,and 207±3.9 Ma,respectively.The metallogenic age of the Pulang deposit is 213‒216 Ma.(4)The petrogeochemical characteristics show that the Pulang deposit has the characteristics of volcanic arc granites.The calculation results of trace element contents in zircons show that quartz monzonite porphyries and granite porphyries have higher oxygen fugacity.The isotopic tracing results show that the diagenetic and metallogenic materials were derived from mixed crust-and mantle-derived magmas.

Geochronology and Geochemistry of Wangjiadashan Quartz Syenite Porphyry in Suizao Area of Hubei Province in the Tongbai-Dabie Orogenic Belt

The Wangjiadashan area in Suizhou-Zaoyang region of Hubei Province in the Tongbai-Dabie orogenic belt hosts important copper-gold deposits and contains a large number of quartz syenite porphyry dykes,occurring mostly along the NEE-trend faults.In this study,we used LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating method and obtained an age of 143.6±1.4 Ma,which represents the emplacement of these quartz syenite porphyry dykes was at the Yanshanian,but it was slightly earlier than the previously reported ages(139-135 Ma)for granites widespreading in Suizao area.The geochemical data of the Wangjiadashan quartz syenite porphyry show high K_(2)O,CaO,Na_(2)O and Al_(2)O_(3)contents but extremely low MgO contents(0.01 wt.%-0.46 wt.%).The geochemical characteristics indicate that these quartz syenite porphyry dykes belong to the typical C-type adakite and were possibly formed in the post-collisional environment.Multi-isotopic(Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf)analyses indicate that these quartz syenite porphyry dykes were originated from crust without distinct mantle materials involved.It is suggested that the Wangjiadashan quartz syenite porphyry was generated from partial melting of the thickened lower continental crust,and garnet but no plagioclase was left as residual phase.Compared with the widespread granites of the Tongbai area,the Wangjiadashan quartz syenite porphyry formed earlier and derived from more juvenile and K-rich lower crust,while they all belong to intensive magmatism concentrated during the Early Cretaceous epoch in the Tongbai area.