Cathodoluminescence and Trace Element Composition of Scheelite from the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt(MLYB): Implications for Mineralization and Exploration

The Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt(MLYB)is known to contain abundant copper and iron porphyry-skarn deposits,with an increasing number of tungsten deposits and scheelite in Fe-Cu deposits being discovered in the MLYB during recent decades.The ore genesis of the newly-discovered tungsten mineralization in the MLYB is poorly understood.We investigate four sets of scheelite samples from tungsten,iron and copper deposits,using CL imaging and LA-ICP-MS techniques to reveal internal zonation patterns and trace element compositions.The REE distribution patterns of four studied deposits show varying degrees of LREE enrichment with negative Eu anomalies.The oxygen fugacity of ore-forming fluid increased in Donggushan,while the oxygen fugacity of ore-forming fluid decreased in Ruanjiawan,Guilinzheng and Gaojiabang.The scheelites from the Donggushan,Ruanjiawan,Guilinzheng and Gaojiabang deposits show enrichment in LREEs and HFSE,with Nb/La ratios ranging from 1.217 to 52.455,indicating that the four tungsten deposits are enriched in the volatile fluorine.A plot of(La/Lu)N versus Mo/δEu can be used to distinguish quartz vein type,porphyry and skarn tungsten deposits.This study demonstrates that scheelite grains can be used to infer tungsten mineralization and are effective in identifying magmatic types of tungsten deposits in prospective mining sites.

Genesis of Mafic Microgranular Enclaves in the Shaocunwu Granodiorite,Southern China,and their Implications:Evidence from Zircon and Whole-rock Geochemistry

Magmatic microgranular enclaves(MMEs)are widely developed in the Shaocunwu granodiorite at the northeast margin of the eastern Jiangnan orogenic belt.Field geology showed that the MMEs occur as irregular ellipsoids near the edge of the intrusion,and consist of diorite,dominantly composed of amphibole,biotite,and plagioclase grains,with minor acicular apatite.Zircon U-Pb dating showed the ages of the host granodiorites and MMEs are 145.9±1.1 Ma and 145.6±2.5 Ma,respectively,indicating both originated during coeval late Jurassic magmatism.Whole-rock geochemical results show that the host granodiorite and MMEs have similar rare earth and trace element partition curves in spider grams,and similar 87Sr/86Sr,and 147Nd/144Nd isotope ratios,and their zircon 177Hf/176Hf isotopic ratios are similar.Geochemical studies indicate that both the host granodiorite and MMEs formed by mixing of coeval magma.Zircon Ti thermometers and oxygen fugacity of the host granodiorite and the MMEs show high oxygen fugacity,similar to that of W-Cu(Mo)mineralized granitoids in the eastern Jiangnan orogenic belt.A similar magma mixing process was probably one of the mechanisms that generated the W-Cu(Mo)fertile melts.

Combined garnet,scheelite and apatite U-Pb dating of mineralizing events in the Qiaomaishan Cu-W skarn deposit,eastern China

Determining the precise timing of mineralization and mineralizing events is crucial to understanding regional mineralizing and other geological events and processes.However,there are a number of mineralogical and analytical limitations to the approaches developed for the absolute dating of mineralizing systems,such as molybdenite Re-Os and zircon and garnet U-Pb,among others.This means that the precise and accurate dating of mineralizing systems that may not contain minerals suitable for dating using existing approaches requires the development of new(and ideally in situ)approaches to absolute dating.This study outlines a new in situ analytical approach that has the potential to rapidly and accurately evaluate the timing of ore formation.Our study employs a novel application of in situ scheelite U-Pb dating analysis using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry(LA-ICP-MS)and samples from the Qiaomaishan deposit,a representative example of skarn mineralization within the Xuancheng ore district of eastern China.Our approach to scheelite dating of the deposit is verified by cross-comparison to dating of cogenetic garnet and apatite,proving the effectiveness of this approach.Our new approach to dating of scheelite-bearing geological systems is rapid,cheap,requires little sample preparation,and is undertaken in situ,allowing crucial geological and mineralogical context to be retained during analysis.The approaches outlined here not only allow the determination of the absolute timing of formation of the Qiaomaishan deposit through the U-Pb dating of scheelite[138.6±3.2 Ma,N=39,mean square weighted deviation(MSWD)=1.17],garnet(138.4±1.0 Ma,N=40,MSWD=1.3),and apatite(139.6+3.3 Ma,N=35,MSWD=0.72),but also further supports the theoretical genetic links between this mineralization and the emplacement of a proximal porphyritic granodiorite intrusion(zircon U-Pb age:139.5±1.2 Ma,N=23,MSWD=0.3).Moreover,our research indicates that the higher the concentrations of U within scheelite,the more suitable that scheelite is for U-Pb dating,with the main factor controlling the U content of scheelite seemingly being variations in oxygen fugacity conditions.This novel approach provides a potentially powerful tool,not just for the dating of skarn systems but also with potential applications in orogenic and intrusion-related gold,porphyry W-Mo,and greisen mineralizing systems as well as other scheelite-bearing geological bodies or geological systems.

Geochronology and Ore Genesis of the Niujuan-Yingfang Pb-Zn-Ag Deposit in Fengning,Northern North China Craton:Constraints from Fluid Inclusions,H-O-S Isotopes and Fluorite Sr-Nd Isotopes

The Niujuan-Yingfang Pb-Zn-Ag deposit in northern North China Craton(NCC)is hosted at the contact zone between Permian biotite monzogranite and Hongqiyingzi Group migmatitic gneiss.The orebodies are structurally controlled by NE-trending F1 fault.Mineralization can be divided into three stages:(1)siliceous-chlorite-pyrite stage,(2)quartz-Ag-base metal stage,and(3)fluorite-calcite stage.Four types of fluid inclusions were identified,including:(1)liquid-rich aqueous inclusions,(2)vapor-rich inclusions,(3)liquid-rich,solid-bearing inclusions,and(4)CO2-bearing inclusions.Mi-crothermometric measurements reveal that from stage I to III,the homogenization temperatures range from 317 to 262℃,from 297 to 192℃,and from 248 to 151℃,respectively,and the fluid salinities are in the ranges from 1.1 wt.%to 6.5 wt.%,1.2 wt.%to 6.0 wt.%and 0.7 wt.%to 4.0 wt.%NaCl equiva-lents,respectively.Fluid boiling and cooling are the two important mechanisms for ore precipitation according to microthermometric data,and fluid-rock interaction is also indispensable.Laser Raman spectroscopic analyses indicate the fluid system of the deposit is composed of CO2-NaCl-H2O±N2.Me-tallogenic fluorites yielded a Sm-Nd isochron age of 158±35 Ma.Theδ34SV-CDt values of sulfides range from-1.3‰ to 6.3‰,suggesting that the sulfur may be inherited from the basement metamorphic ig-neous rocks.Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of quartz indicate a metamorphic origin for the ore-forming fluid,and the proportion of meteoric water increased during the ore-forming processes.Sr-Nd isotopes of fluorites show a crustal source for the ore-forming fluid,with primary metamorphic fluid mixed with meteoric water during ascent to lower crustal levels.Combined with the geological,metallogenic epoch,fluid inclusions,H-O-S and Sr-Nd isotopes characteristics of the deposit,we suggest that the Niujuan-Yingfang deposit belongs to the medium-low temperature hydrothermal vein-type Pb-Zn-Ag polymetallic deposit,with ore-forming fluids dominantly originated from metamorphic fluids.

New Identification of Quaternary Uranium Mineralization at the Mianhuakeng Granite-Related Uranium Deposit,South China

0 INTRODUCTION Granite-related uranium deposits are one of the most important types of uranium deposits in South China,and their genetic model generally involves uranium leaching from the preexisting rocks(mainly granites),U transport as uranyl carbonate and fluoride complexes and probably chloride complexes in hydrothermal solutions,and U precipitation caused by physicochemical changes(Chi et al.,2020;Hu et al.,2008).Mineralization ages of granite-related uranium deposits in South China have been a subject of significant controversy among researchers and were investigated using several methods,such as bulk uraninite U-Pb isotopic dating,in situ analytical techniques,pyrite Rb-Sr dating as well as bulk uraninite Sm-Nd dating(e.g.,Zhang et al.,2022;Zhong et al.,2019;Bonnetti et al.,2018;Luo et al.,2015;Huang et al.,2010;Ye,2005).

Hisingerite in Trachydacite from Tarim:Implications for Voluminous Felsic Rocks in Transitional Large Igneous Province

Unlike the typical large igneous provinces(LIPs) that are dominated by mafic-ultramafic rocks, the Tarim large igneous province(TLIP) is characterized by a high proportion of felsic rocks, based on which the TLIP is classified as a transitional LIP. In this study, we focus on the trachydacite from the TLIP in which we report the characteristics of hisingerite employing a variety of techniques such as EMPA, LA-ICPMS, CCD single crystal diffraction, and bulk-rock oxygen isotopes. The hisingerite in this rock is associated with plagioclase, amphibole, apatite and ilmenite. These minerals occur as aggregates of fine curled fibers in micron-scale and display heavy rare earth elements(HREE) enriched signature with significant negative Eu anomalies. In the primitive mantle-normalized trace element spider diagrams, they show pronounced Th and U spikes and Nb, Zr, Hf troughs. Petrological observation and mineralogical study reveal a closely genetic relationship between hisingerite and amphibole, indicating that the hisingerite might have been derived from the breakdown of amphibole during the magma ascent. The formation of hisingerite requires excess water from the surrounding melts, suggesting a hydrous parental magma. The hisingerite and amphibole assign a hydrous crustal source for the rock, and extensive crustal melting accounts for the voluminous felsic rocks in the TLIP.