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Thermal History and Preservation Mechanisms of Porphyry-Cu Deposits: Evidence from...
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Thermal History and Preservation Mechanisms of Porphyry-Cu Deposits: Evidence from Thermochronology, Mineral and Isotopic Geochemistry

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Deposits".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 1687

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Huanhuan Yang

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Guest Editor
MNR Key Laboratory of Metallogeny and Mineral Assessment, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
Interests: preservation mechanism of deposit; thermochronology; mineral geochemistry; mineral exploration
Dr. Zhi Zhang

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Guest Editor
Chengdu Center, China Geological Survey, Chengdu 610081, China
Interests: geochronology; isotope geochemistry; mineral exploration
Dr. Yong Wang

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Guest Editor
College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China
Interests: fluid inclusion in hydrothermal ore deposit; mineralogy; mineral exploration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The porphyry Cu deposit is one of the world’s largest and most valuable mines supplying much of the world’s copper, molybdenum, gold, silver, rhenium, tellurium, selenium, and mercury. It is the most explored and researched ore deposit over the last century. However, the preservation mechanisms of the ore body remain unclear, which severely inhibits the mineral exploration of the porphyry Cu deposit.

The distribution of mineral deposits is largely the result of the combined effects of burial, uplift, and erosion. Porphyry deposits worldwide have typical Phanerozoic ages, with the majority being Mesozoic Cenozoic deposits. The early-formed mineral deposits are likely to have been eroded and damaged, making them unable to be preserved. Geochronology, thermochronology, mineral geochemistry, and isotopic geochemistry are important ways to study the modification, telescoping, and preservation processes of the porphyry Cu deposit. Understanding the thermal history and preservation mechanisms is crucial for mineral exploration.

This Special Issue invites contributions that apply geochronology, thermochronology, mineral and isotopic geochemistry to study the formation, telescoping, modification, and preservation of porphyry Cu deposits and provide mineral exploration instructions. We encourage original and review papers covering novel techniques, developments, and applications in thermochronology, mineral and isotopic geochemistry.

Dr. Huanhuan Yang
Dr. Zhi Zhang
Dr. Yong Wang
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • porphyry Cu deposits
  • geological characteristics of deposits
  • mineral system
  • thermochronology study
  • telescoping and modification process of deposits
  • preservation mechanisms
  • mineral exploration

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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24 pages, 7393 KiB  
Article
Thermodynamic Modeling Constrains the Alteration and Mineralization Patterns of the Pulang Porphyry Cu-Au Deposits in Eastern Tibet
by Shaoying Zhang, Wenyan He, Huaqing Wang and Yiwu Xiao
Minerals 2025, 15(8), 780; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15080780 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 184
Abstract
Thermodynamic simulations of fluid–rock interactions provide valuable insights into mineral deposit formation mechanisms. This study investigates the Pulang porphyry Cu-Au deposit in the Sanjiang Tethys Orogen, employing both Gibbs energy minimization (GEM) and the Law of mass action (LMA) method to understand alteration [...] Read more.
Thermodynamic simulations of fluid–rock interactions provide valuable insights into mineral deposit formation mechanisms. This study investigates the Pulang porphyry Cu-Au deposit in the Sanjiang Tethys Orogen, employing both Gibbs energy minimization (GEM) and the Law of mass action (LMA) method to understand alteration overprinting and metal precipitation. The modeling results suggest that the ore-forming fluid related to potassic alteration was initially oxidized (ΔFMQ = +3.54~+3.26) with a near-neutral pH (pH = 5.0~7.0). Continued fluid–rock interactions, combined with the input of reduced groundwater, resulted in a decrease in both pH (4.8~6.1) and redox potential (ΔFMQ~+1), leading to the precipitation of propylitic alteration minerals and pyrrhotite. As temperature further decreased, fluids associated with phyllic alteration showed a slight increase in pH (5.8~6.0) and redox potential (ΔFMQ = +2). The intense superposition of propylitic and phyllic alteration on the potassic alteration zone is attributed to the rapid temperature decline in the magmatic–hydrothermal system, triggering fluid collapse and reflux. Mo, mainly transported as HMoO4− and MoO4−2, precipitated in the high-temperature range; Cu, carried primarily by CuCl complexes (CuCl4−3, CuCl2−, CuCl), precipitated over intermediate to high temperatures; and Au, transported as Au-S complexes (Au(HS)2−, AuHS), precipitated from intermediate to low temperatures. This study demonstrates that fluid–rock interactions alone can account for the observed sequence of alteration and mineralization in porphyry systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal History and Preservation Mechanisms of Porphyry-Cu Deposits: Evidence from Thermochronology, Mineral and Isotopic Geochemistry)
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21 pages, 8878 KiB  
Article
Significance of Adakitic Plutons for Mineralization in Wubaduolai Copper Deposit, Xizang: Evidence from Zircon U-Pb Age, Hf Isotope, and Geochemistry
by Ke Gao, Zhi Zhang, Linkui Zhang, Peiyan Xu, Yi Yang, Jianyang Wu, Yingxu Li, Miao Sun and Wenpeng Su
Minerals 2025, 15(5), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15050500 - 8 May 2025
Viewed by 445
Abstract
The Wubaduolai copper deposit, a newly discovered porphyry-type deposit located in the western section of the Gangdese metallogenic belt, shows great potential for mineralization. Investigating the ore-bearing potentiality of the adakitic granite in this area is crucial for identifying concealed ore bodies and [...] Read more.
The Wubaduolai copper deposit, a newly discovered porphyry-type deposit located in the western section of the Gangdese metallogenic belt, shows great potential for mineralization. Investigating the ore-bearing potentiality of the adakitic granite in this area is crucial for identifying concealed ore bodies and assessing the metallogenic potential. This paper presents the zircon U-Pb dating, Hf isotope analysis, and whole-rock major and trace geochemical analysis of the plutons in the Wubaduolai mining area. The results indicate that the zircon U-Pb concordia age of the monzogranite is 15.7 ± 0.1 Ma, while the granodiorite porphyry has a concordia age of 15.9 ± 0.2 Ma, both corresponding to a Miocene diagenesis. The geochemical data show that both plutons belong to the high-K calc-alkaline series, characterized by a relative enrichment of large-ion lithophile elements (K, Rb, Ba, and Sr) and a depletion of high-field-strength elements (Nb, Ta, and Ti). Both plutons are characterized by low Y, low Yb, and high Sr/Y values, displaying the typical geochemical characteristics of adakites. Their mineral composition is similar to that of adakite. The εHf(t) values of the monzogranite and granodiorite porphyry range from −5.34 to −2.3 and −5.2 to −3.43, respectively, with two-stage model ages (TDM2) of 1246–1441 Ma and 1318–1432 Ma. Based on the regional data and this study, the plutons in the Wubaduolai mining area formed in a post-collision setting following the India–Asia continental collision. The magma source is identified as the partial melting of a thickened, newly formed lower crust. The above characteristics are consistent with the diagenetic and metallogenic ages, magma source, and dynamic backgrounds of the typical regional deposits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal History and Preservation Mechanisms of Porphyry-Cu Deposits: Evidence from Thermochronology, Mineral and Isotopic Geochemistry)
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21 pages, 8306 KiB  
Article
Magmatic–Hydrothermal Processes of the Pulang Giant Porphyry Cu (–Mo–Au) Deposit, Western Yunnan: A Perspective from Different Generations of Titanite
by Mengmeng Li, Xue Gao, Guohui Gu and Sheng Guan
Minerals 2025, 15(3), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15030263 - 3 Mar 2025
Viewed by 746
Abstract
The Yidun island arc was formed in response to the Late Triassic westward subduction of the Ganzi–Litang oceanic plate, a branch of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. The Zhongdian arc, located in the south of the Yidun island arc, has relatively large number of porphyry [...] Read more.
The Yidun island arc was formed in response to the Late Triassic westward subduction of the Ganzi–Litang oceanic plate, a branch of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. The Zhongdian arc, located in the south of the Yidun island arc, has relatively large number of porphyry (skarn) type Cu–Mo ± Au polymetallic deposits, the largest of which is the Pulang Cu (–Mo–Au) deposit with proven Cu reserves of 5.11 Mt, Au reserves of 113 t, and 0.17 Mt of molybdenum. However, the relationship between mineralization and the potassic alteration zone, phyllic zone, and propylitic zone of the Pulang porphyry deposit is still controversial and needs further study. Titanite (CaTiSiO5) is a common accessory mineral in acidic, intermediate, and alkaline igneous rocks. It is widely developed in various types of metamorphic rocks, hydrothermally altered rocks, and a few sedimentary rocks. It is a dominant Mo-bearing phase in igneous rocks and contains abundant rare earth elements and high-field-strength elements. As an effective geochronometer, thermobarometer, oxybarometer, and metallogenic potential indicator mineral, titanite is ideal to reveal the magmatic–hydrothermal evolution and the mechanism of metal enrichment and precipitation. In this paper, major and trace element contents of the titanite grains from different alteration zones were obtained using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to define the changes in physicochemical conditions and the behavior of these elements during the process of hydrothermal alteration at Pulang. Titanite in the potassic alteration zone is usually shaped like an envelope. It occurs discretely or is enclosed by feldspar, with lower contents of CaO, Al, Sr, Zr and Hf; a low Nb/Ta ratio; high ∑REE + Y, U, Th, Ta, Nb, and Ga content; and high FeO/Al2O3 and LREE/HREE ratios. This is consistent with the characteristics of magmatic titanite from fresh quartz monzonite porphyry in Pulang and other porphyry Cu deposits. Titanite in the potassium silicate alteration zone has more negative Eu anomaly and a higher U content and Th/U ratio, indicating that the oxygen fugacity decreased during the transformation to phyllic alteration and propylitic alteration in Pulang. High oxygen fugacity is favorable for the enrichment of copper, gold, and other metallogenic elements. Therefore, the enrichment of copper is more closely related to the potassium silicate alteration. The molybdenum content of titanite in the potassium silicate alteration zone is 102–104 times that of the phyllic alteration zone and propylitic alteration zone, while the copper content is indistinctive, indicating that molybdenum was dissolved into the fluid or deposited in the form of sulfide before the medium- to low-temperature hydrothermal alteration, which may lead to the further separation and deposition of copper and molybdenum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal History and Preservation Mechanisms of Porphyry-Cu Deposits: Evidence from Thermochronology, Mineral and Isotopic Geochemistry)
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