Zinc, copper, and strontium isotopic variability in the Baiyangping Cu–Pb–Zn–Ag polymetallic ore field, Lanping Basin, Southwest China

The Baiyangping Cu-Ag polymetallic ore district is located in the northern part of the Lanping-Simao foreland fold belt,between the Jinshajiang-Ailaoshan and Lancangjiang faults,and the deposit can be divided into eastern and western ore zones.Based upon microscope observation of ore minerals and analysis of zinc,copper,and strontium isotope composition,we conclude that:(1)the zinc isotopic compositions of sphalerite from the eastern and western ore belt of the Baiyangping polymetallic ore deposits are enriched in both the heavy(-0.09‰ to+0.15‰) and light(-0.19‰ to-0.01‰)zinc isotopes.Rayleigh fractionation is likely the additional factor controlling the observed temporal and spatial variations in zinc isotopes in the two studied ore zones.The zinc isotopic composition in the Baiyangping polymetallic Pb-Zn deposits may have the same fractionation as that of magmatic-hydrothermal,VHMS,SEDEX,and MVT deposits,as demonstrated by geological and other geochemical evidence;(2) the range of δ^(65)Cu in massive tetrahedrite is from-0.06‰ to+0.12 ‰ that relates to the early stages of ore-formation,which are higher than that of venial chalcopyrite(from-0.72‰ to-0.07‰)formed at a late ore-forming stage in the western ore belt.Different ore-forming stages and alteration or leaching processes are likely the main factors controlling the observed variations in copper isotopes in the western ore zone;(3) the ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr value of hydrothermal calcite in eastern(0.7080-0.7093) and western(0.7085-0.7113) ore belt suggested that mineralization of early calcite,with^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr values much higher than in ancient Late Triassic seawater,may be related to recrystallization from a radiogenic Sr-rich or silicifying fluid,either from the strata that the ore-forming fluid flows through or from other fluids.

A Predictive GIS Model for Potential Mapping of Copper, Lead, and Zinc in Langping Area, China

Mineral resource potential mapping is a complex analytical process,which requires the consideration and the inte-gration of a number of spatial evidences like geological,geomorphological,and wall rock alteration.The aim of this paper is to establish mineral exploration model for copper,lead,and zinc in Lanping basin area using the capability of analytical tools of Geographic Information System(GIS) and remote sensing data to generate maps showing favorable mineralized area.The geo-exploration dataset used for the research includes copper,lead,and zinc deposits,geological maps,topographic maps,structural maps,and ETM+ imagery.Geological features indicative of potential copper,lead,and zinc were extracted from the datasets input in the predictive model.The method of weights of evidence modeling is a probability-based technique for generating mineral potential maps using the spatial distribution of indicative features with respect to the known mineral occur-rences.The method of weights of evidence probabilistic modeling provides a quantitative method for delineating areas with potential of copper,lead,and zinc mineral deposits in the Lanping Basin area.weights(W+,W-) and contrast(C=(W+) -(W-) ) calculations guide the data-driven modeling.The four most important spatial features for exploration guide for copper,lead,and zinc mineralization hosted in the Lanping Basin area are alteration zones,faults,host rocks,and lineaments.The host rocks and deep faults have the strongest spatial association with the known copper,lead,and zinc deposits.The hydrothermal alteration zones have the moderate spatial association with the copper,lead,and zinc deposits.The predicted high-favorability zones do not show the strong affinity with lineaments.The distribution of 22(copper,lead,and zinc) occur-rences in the Lanping Basin was examined in terms of spatial association with various geological phenomena.The analysis of these relationships using GIS and weights of evidence modeling has predicted areas of high and moderate mineral potential,where a little or no mining activities exist.