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Article

Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Hf Isotopes of the Granitoids from Cahanwusu Cu Deposit in Awulale Mountain, Western Tianshan: Implication for Regional Mineralization

by
Wei Zhang
1,2,
Mao-Xue Chen
1,
Mei-Li Yang
1,
Wen-Hui Yang
3 and
Xing-Chun Zhang
4,*
1
School of Earth Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
2
Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Critical Mineral Resource, Kunming 650500, China
3
Henan Nuclear Technology Application Center, Zhengzhou 450044, China
4
State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Minerals 2025, 15(4), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15040380
Submission received: 6 March 2025 / Revised: 30 March 2025 / Accepted: 31 March 2025 / Published: 4 April 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Igneous Rocks and Related Mineral Deposits)
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Abstract

:
Awulale Mountain is one of the most important Fe-Cu concentration areas situated in the eastern part of Western Tianshan. The Cu deposits in the belt are genetically associated with the Permian intermediate and felsic intrusions. However, the precise age and magma source of the causative intrusions are currently not confirmed, constraining our understanding of regional mineralization. The Cahanwusu porphyry Cu deposit is located in the western part of Awulale Mountain. Field investigations have shown that the mineralization in the deposit is genetically associated with granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry. In this paper, we provide detailed zircon U-Pb ages and in-situ Hf isotopic compositions of the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry. The granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry have zircon U-Pb ages of 328.6 ± 2.6 Ma (MSWD = 0.52; n = 23) and 331 ± 2.8 Ma (MSWD = 0.95; n = 21), respectively. This indicates that the Cahanwusu deposit was formed in the Carboniferous in a subduction setting. This is distinguishable from other porphyry Cu deposits in the belt, which were generally formed in the Permian in the post-collision extensional setting. The granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry exhibit positive εHf(t) values varying from +2.8 to +5.4 (average of +4.1) and +2.0 to +5.1 (average of +4.1), respectively. The magmas of these causative intrusions were interpreted to be derived from the partial melting of the juvenile lower crust which originated from cooling of mantle-derived magmas related to the subduction process. Our new results highlight that the Cahanwusu deposit represents a new episode of Cu mineralization in the belt and the Carboniferous granitoids in Awulale Mountain are potential candidates for Cu exploration.

1. Introduction

Awulale Mountain is located in the eastern segment of the Western Tianshan orogeny. It hosts numerous Fe and Cu (Au) polymetallic deposits, defining the so-called Awulale Fe-Cu Metallogenetic Belt [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Typical Fe deposits in the belt include the Zhibo, Dunde, Chagangnuoer, and Beizhan deposits. They are hosted by volcanic and volcanic-clastic rocks, especially the Carboniferous Dahalajunshan formation [1,5,7]. On the other hand, the Cu deposits, including the Nulasai, 109, Qunji, and Qunjisayi deposits, are generally genetically associated with the Permian intermediate and felsic intrusions [4,8,9]. Over the past decade, most research in the Awulale Fe-Cu metallogenetic belt has focused on Fe mineralization, and the genesis of these volcanic-related Fe deposits has been well established [6,10,11,12,13,14,15]. However, the Cu mineralization in the belt is rarely investigated. The precise age and magma source of the causative intrusions are currently not confirmed, constraining our understanding of regional mineralization.
The newly discovered Cahanwusu Cu deposit is located in the western part of Awulale Mountain. Filed investigations have shown that the mineralization in the deposit is genetically associated with granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry. However, the age and background of the mineralization is still ambiguous. In this paper, we provide detailed zircon U-Pb ages and in-situ Hf isotopic compositions of the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry. Our new results not only well constrain the age and magma source of causative rocks in the Cahanwusu deposit, but also have important implications for the regional mineralization of the Awulale metallogenetic belt.

2. Geologic Background

The Tianshan orogenic belt is located in the southern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) (Figure 1a) and is divided into the Western and Eastern Tianshan belts. The Western Tianshan belt, which hosts Awulale Mountain, is sandwiched between the Junggar Block to the north and Tarim block to the south (Figure 1a). Tectonically, the Western Tianshan belt comprises four segments, including the North Tianshan arc accretionary complex in the north, the Yili block and the central Tianshan arc terrane in the middle and the northern margin of the Tarim block in the south [16,17,18,19]. The Western Tianshan belt has undergone a complex tectonic evolution [17,18,19]. The Paleozoic oceans, including the Terskey, North Tianshan, and South Tianshan Oceans, were closed in the Paleozoic, resulting in the amalgamations of a large amount of micro-continents in this period [17,18].
Awulale Mountain is located in the eastern part of the central Tianshan arc terrane in the Western Tianshan orogenic belt (Figure 1a). The Precambrian basement is located in the western part of Awulale Mountain and is composed of Meso- to Neo-Proterozoic gneisses, marble, migmatite and clastic rocks [20,21]. Volcanic sedimentary rocks and volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks with Silurian and Devonian ages are outcropped along the northern and southern margins of Awulale Mountain. Silurian and Devonian limestone are developed well, especially in the region around the Cahanwusu deposit. The carboniferous volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks, which are closely associated with Fe mineralization in the region, are widely distributed as a result of slab subduction. The Permian, Triassic and Jurassic strata consist mainly of conglomerate, sandstone, mudstone and shale and are locally present in the western part of Awulale Mountain.

3. Geology of the Cahanwusu Cu Deposit

The Cahanwusu Cu deposit is located in the eastern segment of Awulale Mountain (Figure 1b). The strata in the deposit are predominantly composed of Carboniferous volcano-sedimentary rocks and carbonate, which are locally overlain by the Quaternary alluvial and glacial–fluvial sediments (Figure 2). The volcano-sedimentary rocks are located in the northern part and are composed of andesites, tuffs and breccias. The intrusions include granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry, both of which are closely associated with mineralization (Figure 2). The granitic porphyry occurs as intrusions intruding both the volcano-sedimentary rocks and carbonate. It is composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, and biotite with accessory minerals of apatite, zircon, allanite, and magnetite (Figure 3a). On the other hand, the diorite porphyry intrudes the volcano-sedimentary rocks and is composed dominantly of quartz, hornblende, plagioclase, and biotite, with minor zircon, apatite, titanite, and magnetite (Figure 3b).
The orebodies in the Cahanwusu deposit are typically lenticular in shape and are hosted in the volcano-sedimentary rocks (Figure 2). They have lengths of 100 to 500 m thickness of 10 to 50 m. The mineralization in the deposit occurs mainly as veins/veinlets. The veins (veinlets) have thicknesses ranging from one to several centimeters and are filled by granular quartz with abundant sulfides including bornite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, pyrrhotite and pyrite (Figure 3c). Bornite is present as anhedral crystal and typically replaced by chalcopyrite. Chalcopyrite is widespread in the veins and occurs as subhedral to anhedral crystal or as disseminations (Figure 3c). The bornite and chalcopyrite at the surface are generally oxidized to malachite (Figure 3d). Molybdenite occurs in the form of flakes and small aggregates. In addition, disseminated molybdenite is also observed in the porphyries. Locally, the skarn-type mineralization, which consists of garnet, pyroxene, epidote, chlorite, quartz, calcite, chalcopyrite, bornite, molybdenite, and pyrite, is observed in the carbonate.
Propylitic alteration is intensive and pervasively developed in the volcano-sedimentary rocks and porphyries. It forms an alteration halo with a diameter of 2 km, enveloping the orebodies. The propylitic alteration is characterized by the development of widespread epidote and chlorite with minor sericite, actinolite, calcite, pyrite and chalcopyrite. In the volcano-sedimentary rocks and porphyries adjacent to the orebodies, the mafic minerals (e.g., biotite and hornblende) are almost completely replaced by the epidote and chlorite (Figure 3a). In addition to propylitic alteration, the quartz-sericite alteration, which is dominated by quartz, sericite, muscovite, pyrite, chlorite, bornite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and molybdenite, is locally presented.

4. Analytical Methods

Representative granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry samples from the Cahanwusu deposit were collected for zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating and in-situ Hf isotopic analyses. The fresh porphyry samples were powdered into 80 meshes and deslimed in the purified water. This was followed by density separation and magnetic separation. After handpicking, the zircon grains were mounted in epoxy and polished to nearly a half section to expose internal structures. Prior to U-Pb and Hf isotopic analyses, all the zircon grains were investigated in optical microscopy and cathodoluminescent (CL) images to make sure that all the analyses were performed on the least fractured, inclusion-free zones.

4.1. Zircon U-Pb Dating

Zircon U-Pb analyses were performed using ELAN DRC-e ICP-MS equipped with a 193 nm Excimer laser at the State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry (SKLODG), Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The measurement procedures and analytical conditions were similar to those described by Zhang et al. 2016 [22]. During the analyses, the spot sizes were 32 μm, whereas the laser repetition rates of the laser ablation system were 8 Hz. Helium and Argon were applied as carrier gas and make-up gas, respectively. The U-Pb fractionation and instrumental mass discrimination of zircon were normalized using the matrix-matched external zircon standard 91,500 (206Pb/208U age = 1062 Ma; Supplementary Materials Table S1) [23]. Two standard analyses were measured after every ten unknown spots. The data acquisition of each U-Pb analysis includes 20 s of gas blank, which is followed by 50 s of data acquisition. Off-line selection, integration of background and analytic signals, and mass bias calibrations were performed using ICPMSDataCal [24]. Age calculations and Concordia diagrams were conducted using the software Isoplot 3.0 [25].

4.2. Zircon Hf Isotope Analyses

In situ zircon Hf isotopic measurements were carried out using a Neptune MC-ICPMS equipped with a 193 nm ArF excimer laser ablation system at the SKLODG. The detailed operating conditions and analytical procedures are similar to those reported by Zhang et al. 2016 [22]. The analyses of zircon Lu-Hf isotopes were carried out on the same spots of U-Pb dating, using a laser beam diameter of 60 μm, a laser repetition rate of 10 Hz, and a laser beam energy density of 2.64–3.52 J/cm2. Helium was used as a carrier gas to transport the ablated material from the laser-ablation cell to the ICPMS torch. Each measurement consisted of 20 s of background signal acquisition followed by 50 s of ablation signal acquisition. Zircon standard 91500 was used for external standard calibration to further optimize the analysis and test results. Two analyses of the standard were measured after every ten unknown spots. The standard zircons of 91500 yielded average 176Hf/177Hf values of 0.282298 ± 0.000012 (Supplementary Materials Table S2), in agreement with their recommended values (0.282297 ± 0.000044) [26,27]. Off-line selection and integration were also performed by using ICPMSDataCal.

5. Results

5.1. Zircon U-Pb Ages

Zircon grains from the granitic porphyry are generally colorless or transparent, euhedral to subhedral, and elongate to stubby in shape (Figure 4a). They have length varies from 100 to 200 μm with length-to-width ratios of 2:1 to 3:1. Most zircon grains exhibit typical magmatic oscillatory zonation and few contain inherited cores (Figure 4a). The detailed U-Pb results are reported in Table 1 and the U-Pb concordia diagram and weighted mean 206Pb/238U ages are shown in Figure 5. Zircon grains from the granitic porphyry have Th/U ratios varying between 0.35 and 0.93 (average 0.52; Table 1), which is consistent with a magmatic origin [28,29]. On the U-Pb Wetherill concordia diagram, the analyses yield a concordia age of 328.8 ± 3.5 Ma (Figure 5a). This age is consistent with the weighted mean 206Pb/238U ages of 328.6 ± 2.6 Ma (MSWD = 0.52; n = 23) (Figure 5b).
Zircon grains from the diorite porphyry have a morphology similar to that in the granitic porphyry (Figure 4b). They have Th/U ratios varying from 0.45 and 0.92 (average 0.58; Table 1), indicating they are magmatic in origin [28,29]. On the U-Pb Wetherill concordia diagram, the analyses yield a concordia age of 331.2 ± 1.4 Ma (Figure 5c). The weighted mean 206Pb/238U ages is 331.0 ± 2.8 Ma (MSWD = 0.95; n = 21) (Figure 5d). These ages are consistent with that of zircon grains in the granitic porphyry (Figure 5).

5.2. Zircon Hf Isotopes

Detailed in-situ Lu-Hf isotopic data of zircon from the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry are presented in Table 2. Zircon grains from the granitic porphyry have 176Hf/177Hf ratios of 0.282659 to 0.282727 (average of 0.282692; Table 2). The calculated εHf(t) values (age-corrected using the U-Pb age of individual grains) are similar, ranging from +2.83 to +5.42 with an average value of +4.09 (Table 2). All the analyses fall between the chondrite uniform reservoir reference line and the depleted mantle evolution line (Figure 6). The corresponding two-stage Hf model ages (TDM2) vary from 992 to 1155 Ma (average of 1075 Ma) (Table 2). On the other hand, zircon grains from the diorite porphyry have 176Hf/177Hf ratios of 0.282637 to 0.282725 (average of 0.282690). The calculated εHf(t) values (age-corrected using the U-Pb age of individual grains) are similar to that of zircon in the granitic porphyry, varying from +2.0 to +5.1 (average of +4.1; Figure 6). The TDM2 ages vary from 1013 to 1208 Ma (average of 1079 Ma), also consistent with that of zircon grains in the granitic porphyry (Table 2).

6. Discussion

6.1. New Episode of Cu Mineralization in Awulale Mountain

The granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry are the exclusive intrusions in the Cahanwusu Cu deposit (Figure 2). The two pluses of porphyryies occur as plugs and host abundant quartz-chalcopyrite veins. In addition, they are strongly overprinted by propylitic alteration, where mafic minerals such as biotite and hornblende are mostly replaced by epidote and chlorite (Figure 3a). These features fit well with the causative intrusions in the porphyry Cu deposits [34,35]. This indicates that the mineralization is genetically associated with the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit.
Previous studies have shown that the Cu mineralization in the Awulale Fe-Cu Metallogenetic Belt mostly occurred in the Permian. For example, the mineralization associated albite porphyry in the 109 deposit yields zircon U-Pb ages of 300 ± 4 Ma [8], the diabase, which hosts Cu mineralization in the Qunjsai deposit, has zircon U-Pb ages of 289.9 ± 1.4 Ma [9], and the granite porphyry in the Nulasai Cu deposit has zircon U-Pb ages of 288.3 ± 3.0 Ma. On the other hand, the sulfides in the deposit yield Re-Os ages of 283.5 ± 5.8 Ma [36]. However, our new results show that the mineralization-associated granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit have zircon U-Pb ages of 328.6 ± 2.6 Ma and 331 ± 2.8 Ma, respectively (Figure 5). This indicates that mineralization in the Cahanwusu deposit occurred at ca. 330 Ma, significantly older than that of other Cu deposits in Awulale Mountain. On this basis, we suggest that the Cahanwusu deposit represents an old episode of Cu mineralization in Awulale Mountain.

6.2. Tectonic Setting and Magma Sources

Detailed zircon U-Pb ages demonstrate that the Cahanwusu deposit was generated in the Carboniferous (Figure 5). The tectonic evolution of Awulale Mountain in the Late Paleozoic is still controversial. Two main models have been proposed, including (1) intra-continental rifting and post-collisional mantle plume activity in the extension setting [37,38,39], and (2) active continental arc setting related to the northward subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean [17,40,41,42,43,44]. The Carboniferous granitoids in Awulale Mountain are all calc-alkaline I-type granites with subduction-related features, e.g., enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) relative to high field strength elements (HFSEs), and depletion of Nb and Ta [15,43,44,45]. In addition, the widely distributed Dahalajunshan Formation, which consisted of volcanic rocks with Early Devonian to Late Carboniferous ages (417 Ma to 304 Ma), also displays arc type signatures [1,40,46,47]. These observations indicate that the South Tianshan Ocean had been subducting northward under the Yili block during the Carboniferous (Figure 7a). Therefore, we suggest that the Cahanwusu deposit was formed in the continental arc setting related to the northward subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean. However, Permian shoshonitic rocks and underplating adakite with post-subduction signatures have widely been reported in Awulale Mountain [32,44,48,49,50]. This implies that the subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean had ceased and Awulale Mountains entered a post-collisional extensional setting since the Permian (Figure 7b).
The granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit have similar zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopic compositions (Figure 5 and Figure 6). This indicates that the two pluses of porphyries share similar magma sources. The granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry have positive εHf(t) values varying from +2.83 to +5.42 (average of +4.09) and +2.0 to +5.1 (average of +4.1), respectively (Figure 6), which is inconsistent with granitoids derived from renewed melting or deep melting of ancient crust. However, this positive εHf(t) value is similar to other Carboniferous intrusions in Awulale Mountain (Figure 6), such as the Wuling hornblende gabbro [31] and Zhongyangchang granitoids [30]. Actually, Paleozoic granitoids with positive εNd(t) and/or εHf(t) values have been widely reported in the CAOB [22,30,32,50,51,52,53,54,55]. This isotopic anomaly was interpreted to have resulted from the involvement of juvenile materials in their mantle source.
The juvenile crust has played an important role in the generation of the Phanerozoic granitoids in the CAOB [16,55,56,57,58]. During the Neoproterozoic to Mesozoic orogeny, large amounts of juvenile materials were incorporated into the crust, representing the most important crustal growth event in the Phanerozoic [16,57,58,59]. Most juvenile crusts in the CAOB were related to the accretion of arc complexes that were derived from the cooling of mantle-derived magmas in the course of the subduction process [58]. However, mantle underplating in post-collisional settings also played an important role in the crustal growth of juvenile crusts in the CAOB [55,57]. It is proposed that the voluminous A-type granites with positive εNd(t) and εHf(t) values in the post-collision setting were derived from the partial melting of the underplated basaltic magmas and subsequent extensive fractional crystallization [55]. However, A-type granites contemporary with the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit have not been documented in Awulale Mountain. Therefore, the crustal growth model that involves mantle underplating in post-collisional settings can be excluded. As mentioned earlier, the Carboniferous granitoids in Awulale Mountain generally exhibit subduction-related features, i.e., enrichment in LILEs relative to HFSEs, and depletion of Nb and Ta [15,43,44,45]. On this basis, we suggest that the magmas of granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry could be derived from the partial melting of the juvenile lower crust which originated from cooling of mantle-derived magmas related to the subduction process.

6.3. Implication for Regional Mineralization

Our new results show that the Cahanwusu deposit represents a new episode of Cu mineralization in the Awulale metallogenetic belt formed in the subduction setting (Figure 7a). This has important implications for regional exploration of porphyry Cu deposits in the belt. Porphyry Cu deposits can be formed in both subduction and post-collision settings [60,61,62]. Most porphyry Cu deposits in the Awulale metallogenetic belt are clustered in the Permian [2,4,8,9,63,64]. Some causative intrusions in these deposits show an affinity of A-type granitic rocks which were generally related to extensional settings, such as the 109 and Qunjisayi deposits [8,65]. Therefore, these porphyry Cu deposits were interpreted to be formed in a post-collision extensional setting (Figure 7b). In contrast, the Cahanwusu deposit was formed in the Carboniferous during the subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean. Actually, the subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean in the Carboniferous has resulted in a variety of calc-alkaline I-type granitoids in Awulale Mountain [15,43,44,45]. The calc-alkaline I-type granitoids formed in the subduction setting are generally potential targets for porphyry-type Cu mining [35,66,67]. Therefore, although Cu mineralization associated with these Carboniferous granitoids has rarely been documented currently, our new results of the Cahanwusu deposit indicate that these Carboniferous granitoids are also potential candidates for Cu exploration in Awulale Mountain.

7. Conclusions

The granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit have zircon U-Pb ages of 328.6 ± 2.6 Ma and 331 ± 2.8 Ma, respectively. These ages are significantly older than that of other Cu deposits in the Awulale metallogenetic belt, indicating that the Cahanwusu deposit represents a new episode of Cu mineralization in the belt. The Cahanwusu deposit was formed in a subduction setting, distinguishable from other Cu deposits in the belt which were generally formed in the post-collision extensional setting. The granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry exhibit positive εHf(t) values, and the magmas of these causative intrusions were derived from partial melting of the juvenile lower crust which originated from the cooling of mantle-derived magmas related to the subduction process. Our new results highlight that the Carboniferous granitoids in Awulale Mountain are potential candidates for Cu exploration.

Supplementary Materials

The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/min15040380/s1, Table S1: LA-ICP-MS U-Pb results of zircon standard 91500; Table S2: LA-MC-ICP-MS Hf isotopes of zircon standard 91500.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, W.Z. and X.-C.Z.; methodology, M.-X.C. and M.-L.Y.; software, W.-H.Y.; validation, W.Z. and X.-C.Z.; investigation, W.Z., W.-H.Y. and X.-C.Z.; data curation, M.-X.C. and M.-L.Y.; writing—original draft preparation, W.Z.; writing—review and editing, W.Z. and X.-C.Z.; supervision, X.-C.Z.; project administration, W.Z. and X.-C.Z.; funding acquisition, W.Z. and X.-C.Z. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41872097) and Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects (202301AU070004). Additional support was provided by the Yunnan Key Research and Development Plan Program (Grant NO. 202303AP140020).

Data Availability Statement

Data is contained within the article and Supplementary Materials.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Zhi-Hui Dai and Hong-Feng Tang for their help with the analyses. Ding-Jin Wu and Jing-Liang Cao are thanked for their assistance in the field.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Figure 1. (a) Regional geological map of the Western Tianshan and the location of Awulale Mountain. Modified from Zhang et al. 2014 [5]. Inset map showing the location of the Western Tianshan within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. (b) Simplified geological map of the Awulale Fe-Cu Metallogenetic Belt and the location of some Cu and Fe deposits. Modified from Hong et al. 2020 [11]. NTS = North Tianshan Suture, NL = Nikolaev Line, STS = South Tianshan Suture.
Figure 1. (a) Regional geological map of the Western Tianshan and the location of Awulale Mountain. Modified from Zhang et al. 2014 [5]. Inset map showing the location of the Western Tianshan within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. (b) Simplified geological map of the Awulale Fe-Cu Metallogenetic Belt and the location of some Cu and Fe deposits. Modified from Hong et al. 2020 [11]. NTS = North Tianshan Suture, NL = Nikolaev Line, STS = South Tianshan Suture.
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Figure 2. Simplified geological map of the Cahanwusu Cu deposit (after Central South Geo-Exploration Institute, unpublished internal report).
Figure 2. Simplified geological map of the Cahanwusu Cu deposit (after Central South Geo-Exploration Institute, unpublished internal report).
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Figure 3. (a) Photograph of the granitic porphyry. Note that the biotite and hornblende are intensively replaced by epidote. (b) Photograph of the diorite porphyry. (c) Quartz-chalcopyrite vein crosscut the volcanic rock. (d) Chalcopyrite is oxidized to malachite at the surface.
Figure 3. (a) Photograph of the granitic porphyry. Note that the biotite and hornblende are intensively replaced by epidote. (b) Photograph of the diorite porphyry. (c) Quartz-chalcopyrite vein crosscut the volcanic rock. (d) Chalcopyrite is oxidized to malachite at the surface.
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Figure 4. Representative cathodoluminescence images of zircon grains in the granitic porphyry (a) and diorite porphyry (b). The U-Pb dating spots are denoted by white circles and the Lu-Hf isotopic spots are denoted by yellow circles.
Figure 4. Representative cathodoluminescence images of zircon grains in the granitic porphyry (a) and diorite porphyry (b). The U-Pb dating spots are denoted by white circles and the Lu-Hf isotopic spots are denoted by yellow circles.
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Figure 5. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages of zircon from the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit. (a) Wetherill concordia diagram and (b) weighted average 206Pb/238U ages of zircon from the granitic porphyry. (c) Wetherill concordia diagram and (d) weighted average 206Pb/238U ages of zircon from the diorite porphyry.
Figure 5. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages of zircon from the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit. (a) Wetherill concordia diagram and (b) weighted average 206Pb/238U ages of zircon from the granitic porphyry. (c) Wetherill concordia diagram and (d) weighted average 206Pb/238U ages of zircon from the diorite porphyry.
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Figure 6. The εHf(t) vs. U-Pb age (Ma) diagram of the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit. The area of other Carboniferous intrusions in Awulale Mountain is plotted by Tang et al. (2014) [30], Yan et al. (2015) [31], and Sun et al. (2021, 2022) [32,33].
Figure 6. The εHf(t) vs. U-Pb age (Ma) diagram of the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit. The area of other Carboniferous intrusions in Awulale Mountain is plotted by Tang et al. (2014) [30], Yan et al. (2015) [31], and Sun et al. (2021, 2022) [32,33].
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Figure 7. Sketch model showing the tectonic evolution of Awulale Mountain and the corresponding Cu mineralization in the Late Paleozoic. (a) In the Carboniferous, the South Tianshan Oceanic Crust subducted beneath the Yili-central Tianshan, resulting in the formation of Cahanwusu Cu deposit. (b) In the Permian, break-off of the subducted slab in the post-collisional setting triggered the upwelling of the depleted asthenospheric mantle and produced the Nalusai and 109 deposits. SCLM = subcontinental lithospheric mantle.
Figure 7. Sketch model showing the tectonic evolution of Awulale Mountain and the corresponding Cu mineralization in the Late Paleozoic. (a) In the Carboniferous, the South Tianshan Oceanic Crust subducted beneath the Yili-central Tianshan, resulting in the formation of Cahanwusu Cu deposit. (b) In the Permian, break-off of the subducted slab in the post-collisional setting triggered the upwelling of the depleted asthenospheric mantle and produced the Nalusai and 109 deposits. SCLM = subcontinental lithospheric mantle.
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Table 1. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages of granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit.
Table 1. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages of granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit.
SpotsTh
(ppm)		U
(ppm)		Th/U207Pb/206Pb207Pb/235U206Pb/238U207Pb/206Pb207Pb/235U206Pb/238UConcordance
Ratio1sigmaRatio1sigmaRatio1sigmaAge 1sigmaAge1sigmaAge1sigma
Granitic Porphyry
CH12-01325 693 0.47 0.0597 0.0036 0.4496 0.0251 0.0532 0.0011 594 131 377 17.5 334 6.83 97%
CH12-02355 611 0.58 0.0570 0.0034 0.4218 0.0228 0.0531 0.0011 500 131 357 16.3 334 6.47 95%
CH12-03350 751 0.47 0.0528 0.0028 0.3832 0.0178 0.0522 0.0009 320 122 329 13.1 328 5.77 99%
CH12-04244 518 0.47 0.0555 0.0032 0.4116 0.0247 0.0524 0.0010 435 134 350 17.8 330 6.16 98%
CH12-05234 673 0.35 0.0540 0.0026 0.3957 0.0187 0.0521 0.0009 369 109 339 13.6 327 5.66 96%
CH12-06179 321 0.56 0.0531 0.0036 0.3920 0.0252 0.0537 0.0013 332 154 336 18.4 337 7.73 99%
CH12-07560 916 0.61 0.0569 0.0027 0.4080 0.0179 0.0514 0.0008 487 99.1 347 12.9 323 5.15 96%
CH12-09283 634 0.45 0.0551 0.0032 0.4059 0.0239 0.0520 0.0009 417 128 346 17.3 327 5.71 94%
CH12-10562 914 0.61 0.0546 0.0025 0.4003 0.0180 0.0521 0.0008 394 97.2 342 13.1 328 5.15 95%
CH12-11125 257 0.48 0.0589 0.0056 0.4146 0.0328 0.0535 0.0014 565 208 352 23.5 336 8.37 95%
CH12-12381 722 0.53 0.0577 0.0027 0.4175 0.0185 0.0519 0.0010 517 102 354 13.3 326 6.09 97%
CH12-14264 504 0.52 0.0647 0.0043 0.4583 0.0293 0.0512 0.0012 765 142 383 20.4 322 7.10 96%
CH12-15168 382 0.44 0.0601 0.0037 0.4503 0.0282 0.0530 0.0013 606 140 377 19.7 333 7.77 97%
CH12-16208 470 0.44 0.0538 0.0033 0.3864 0.0217 0.0515 0.0010 365 141 332 15.9 323 6.40 97%
CH12-17279 593 0.47 0.0564 0.0029 0.4108 0.0197 0.0519 0.0010 465 113 349 14.2 326 5.90 93%
CH12-18292 648 0.45 0.0537 0.0026 0.4058 0.0191 0.0532 0.0009 367 105 346 13.8 334 5.62 96%
CH12-19349 641 0.55 0.0531 0.0029 0.4017 0.0205 0.0537 0.0011 332 121 343 14.9 337 6.81 98%
CH12-20104 272 0.38 0.0518 0.0038 0.3886 0.0281 0.0530 0.0014 280 167 333 20.6 333 8.56 99%
CH12-22427 555 0.77 0.0565 0.0032 0.4103 0.0227 0.0512 0.0011 472 124 349 16.3 322 6.46 93%
CH12-23367 554 0.66 0.0583 0.0031 0.4340 0.0222 0.0525 0.0010 543 110 366 15.7 330 5.91 98%
CH12-24685 734 0.93 0.0546 0.0027 0.4066 0.0185 0.0527 0.0010 394 109 346 13.4 331 5.94 95%
CH12-25374 763 0.49 0.0536 0.0026 0.3915 0.0177 0.0517 0.0009 354 107 335 12.9 325 5.82 96%
CH12-26135 362 0.37 0.0624 0.0038 0.4533 0.0267 0.0517 0.0013 687 130 380 18.7 325 7.70 95%
Diorite porphyry
CH15-01180 278 0.6467 0.0541 0.0031 0.3928 0.0209 0.0514 0.0010 376 128 336 15.2 323 6.3 97%
CH15-02313 422 0.7413 0.0543 0.0026 0.3916 0.0182 0.0524 0.0009 383 107 336 13.3 329 5.5 98%
CH15-03157 318 0.4950 0.0568 0.0032 0.4050 0.0217 0.0523 0.0010 483 129 345 15.7 329 6.2 96%
CH15-04364 490 0.7425 0.0513 0.0022 0.3702 0.0155 0.0522 0.0009 254 100 320 11.5 328 5.3 97%
CH15-05116 181 0.6377 0.0556 0.0036 0.3949 0.0247 0.0517 0.0011 435 146 338 18.0 325 6.6 96%
CH15-0697.3 195 0.4984 0.0541 0.0032 0.3825 0.0218 0.0511 0.0012 376 135 329 16.0 321 7.2 97%
CH15-08600 644 0.9308 0.0513 0.0022 0.3795 0.0158 0.0520 0.0009 254 98.1 327 11.6 327 5.3 99%
CH15-09151 240 0.6264 0.0533 0.0036 0.3836 0.0236 0.0519 0.0010 339 147 330 17.3 326 6.2 98%
CH15-10190 318 0.5965 0.0553 0.0028 0.4041 0.0198 0.0525 0.0011 433 147 345 14.3 330 6.7 95%
CH15-1157.2 125 0.4573 0.0573 0.0049 0.4066 0.0287 0.0537 0.0014 502 189 346 20.7 337 8.8 97%
CH15-13406 510 0.7964 0.0533 0.0023 0.3941 0.0159 0.0529 0.0008 339 98.1 337 11.6 332 4.9 98%
CH15-1487.8 174 0.5054 0.0550 0.0036 0.4185 0.0267 0.0545 0.0012 413 146 355 19.1 342 7.4 96%
CH15-15142 255 0.5559 0.0577 0.0036 0.4273 0.0239 0.0545 0.0011 520 137 361 17.0 342 6.8 94%
CH15-16130 235 0.5544 0.0557 0.0037 0.4079 0.0248 0.0533 0.0012 443 148 347 17.9 335 7.1 96%
CH15-1794.4 183 0.5165 0.0593 0.0041 0.4371 0.0272 0.0541 0.0014 589 145 368 19.2 340 8.4 98%
CH15-19177 285 0.6213 0.0590 0.0034 0.4206 0.0216 0.0527 0.0010 565 126 356 15.4 331 6.1 97%
CH15-2076.1 146 0.5193 0.0578 0.0045 0.4238 0.0301 0.0550 0.0014 524 174 359 21.5 345 8.6 96%
CH15-2167.3 127 0.5303 0.0657 0.0054 0.4391 0.0296 0.0523 0.0013 798 174 370 20.9 329 7.8 98%
CH15-22119 182 0.6542 0.0531 0.0037 0.3948 0.0261 0.0540 0.0012 345 157 338 19.0 339 7.1 99%
CH15-23237 488 0.4860 0.0555 0.0025 0.3978 0.0167 0.0518 0.0009 432 98.1 340 12.1 326 5.6 95%
CH15-24193 360 0.5366 0.0540 0.0028 0.4038 0.0201 0.0540 0.0011 372 119 344 14.6 339 6.7 98%
Table 2. Hf isotopes of zircons from the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit.
Table 2. Hf isotopes of zircons from the granitic porphyry and diorite porphyry in the Cahanwusu deposit.
Spots176Lu/177Hf1σ176Hf/177Hf1σεHf(t)1σTDM11σTDM21σ
Granitic Porphyry
CH12-010.001403 0.000010 0.282669 0.000018 3.26 0.64 835 25.7 1128 40.4
CH12-020.001606 0.000087 0.282680 0.000017 3.60 0.60 824 24.5 1106 38.2
CH12-030.001168 0.000016 0.282682 0.000018 3.77 0.64 812 25.5 1096 40.4
CH12-040.001018 0.000010 0.282694 0.000016 4.23 0.57 792 22.6 1067 35.9
CH12-050.001135 0.000003 0.282699 0.000016 4.38 0.57 787 22.7 1057 35.9
CH12-060.001293 0.000034 0.282660 0.000011 2.96 0.39 846 15.7 1147 24.7
CH12-070.001359 0.000013 0.282678 0.000018 3.59 0.64 822 25.7 1107 40.4
CH12-090.001334 0.000022 0.282689 0.000017 3.98 0.60 805 24.2 1082 38.2
CH12-100.001491 0.000018 0.282679 0.000019 3.59 0.67 823 27.2 1107 42.6
CH12-110.001388 0.000011 0.282688 0.000018 3.94 0.64 808 25.7 1085 40.4
CH12-120.001535 0.000025 0.282720 0.000021 5.04 0.74 765 30.1 1015 47.2
CH12-140.001058 0.000017 0.282686 0.000019 3.94 0.67 804 26.9 1085 42.7
CH12-150.001384 0.000056 0.282696 0.000018 4.22 0.64 797 25.7 1067 40.4
CH12-160.000990 0.000026 0.282695 0.000012 4.27 0.42 790 17.0 1064 27.0
CH12-170.001237 0.000009 0.282687 0.000022 3.95 0.78 806 31.3 1085 49.4
CH12-180.001832 0.000035 0.282659 0.000018 2.83 0.64 860 26.0 1156 40.4
CH12-190.001041 0.000002 0.282713 0.000019 4.92 0.67 765 26.9 1024 42.7
CH12-200.001347 0.000075 0.282700 0.000015 4.39 0.53 790 21.4 1057 33.7
CH12-220.001003 0.000038 0.282727 0.000014 5.42 0.50 745 19.8 992 31.5
CH12-230.001152 0.000012 0.282705 0.000018 4.61 0.64 779 25.5 1043 40.5
CH12-240.001255 0.000012 0.282697 0.000016 4.30 0.57 792 22.8 1063 35.9
CH12-250.001733 0.000030 0.282712 0.000017 4.73 0.60 781 24.5 1036 38.2
CH12-260.001641 0.000063 0.282696 0.000019 4.18 0.67 802 27.3 1070 42.7
Diorite Porphyry
CH15-010.001253 0.000005 0.282707 0.000019 4.70 0.67 778 27.0 1039 42.7
CH15-020.002497 0.000180 0.282725 0.000016 5.07 0.57 778 23.9 1016 36.1
CH15-030.001476 0.000026 0.282692 0.000018 4.12 0.64 804 25.8 1076 40.4
CH15-040.001392 0.000006 0.282695 0.000020 4.25 0.71 798 28.5 1068 44.9
CH15-050.001217 0.000004 0.282718 0.000014 5.10 0.50 762 19.9 1014 31.5
CH15-060.001352 0.000043 0.282656 0.000016 2.87 0.57 853 22.8 1155 35.9
CH15-080.002171 0.000140 0.282699 0.000016 4.22 0.57 809 23.5 1070 36.0
CH15-090.001465 0.000020 0.282706 0.000012 4.62 0.42 784 17.2 1044 27.0
CH15-100.001126 0.000003 0.282697 0.000020 4.37 0.71 790 28.3 1060 44.9
CH15-110.001149 0.000004 0.282683 0.000014 3.87 0.50 810 19.8 1092 31.4
CH15-130.001150 0.000004 0.282699 0.000013 4.44 0.46 787 18.4 1056 29.2
CH15-140.001118 0.000006 0.282661 0.000019 3.10 0.67 840 26.9 1140 42.6
CH15-150.001203 0.000018 0.282688 0.000015 4.04 0.53 804 21.3 1081 33.7
CH15-160.002177 0.000065 0.282637 0.000018 2.02 0.64 900 26.3 1209 40.3
CH15-170.001253 0.000012 0.282696 0.000018 4.31 0.64 794 25.6 1064 40.4
CH15-190.000946 0.000006 0.282701 0.000019 4.56 0.67 780 26.8 1048 42.7
CH15-200.000825 0.000010 0.282662 0.000017 3.20 0.60 833 23.9 1134 38.1
CH15-210.001016 0.000013 0.282705 0.000024 4.68 0.85 776 33.9 1040 53.9
CH15-220.001241 0.000006 0.282677 0.000014 3.64 0.50 821 19.9 1106 31.4
CH15-230.001360 0.000021 0.282695 0.000013 4.25 0.46 797 18.5 1068 29.2
CH15-240.001603 0.000030 0.282685 0.000016 3.85 0.57 817 23.0 1093 35.9
εHf (t) = ((176Hf/177Hf)S − (176Lu/177Hf)S × (eλt −1))/((176Hf/177Hf)CHUR,0 − (176Lu/177Hf)CHUR × (eλt − 1) − 1) × 10,000; TDM1 = 1/λ × In (1 + ((176Hf/177Hf)S − (176Hf/177Hf)DM)/((176Lu/177Hf)S − (176Lu/177Hf)DM)); TDM2 = THf1 − (THf1 − t)((fcc − fs)/(fcc − fDM)). Note: the εHf(t) ratios were calculated with the age in Table 1.
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Zhang, W.; Chen, M.-X.; Yang, M.-L.; Yang, W.-H.; Zhang, X.-C. Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Hf Isotopes of the Granitoids from Cahanwusu Cu Deposit in Awulale Mountain, Western Tianshan: Implication for Regional Mineralization. Minerals 2025, 15, 380. https://doi.org/10.3390/min15040380

AMA Style

Zhang W, Chen M-X, Yang M-L, Yang W-H, Zhang X-C. Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Hf Isotopes of the Granitoids from Cahanwusu Cu Deposit in Awulale Mountain, Western Tianshan: Implication for Regional Mineralization. Minerals. 2025; 15(4):380. https://doi.org/10.3390/min15040380

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Wei, Mao-Xue Chen, Mei-Li Yang, Wen-Hui Yang, and Xing-Chun Zhang. 2025. "Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Hf Isotopes of the Granitoids from Cahanwusu Cu Deposit in Awulale Mountain, Western Tianshan: Implication for Regional Mineralization" Minerals 15, no. 4: 380. https://doi.org/10.3390/min15040380

APA Style

Zhang, W., Chen, M.-X., Yang, M.-L., Yang, W.-H., & Zhang, X.-C. (2025). Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Hf Isotopes of the Granitoids from Cahanwusu Cu Deposit in Awulale Mountain, Western Tianshan: Implication for Regional Mineralization. Minerals, 15(4), 380. https://doi.org/10.3390/min15040380

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