Integrated Chronology Studies of Ore Deposits

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 October 2019) | Viewed by 23179

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Geology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA 16652, USA
Interests: isotope geochemistry; ore deposits; geochronology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We enthusiastically invite papers that integrate at least two or more different radiogenic isotope chronometers used to define ore genesis of any deposit type.  Ideally, the papers will have chronologic data measured in ores and silicate/host minerals and/or rocks. Geochronologic studies of this nature will illustrate the importance of the following hypotheses regarding the genesis of ore deposits: The duration of mineralization, the importance of singular events, the importance of multiple superimposed events, and timing of mineralization within geologically complicated areas. Several chronometers also provide sources of magmas and metals, and these ideas are encouraged to be integrated within the argument.

Prof. Ryan Mathur
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • radiogenic geochronlogy
  • U-Pb
  • Re-Os
  • Ar-Ar
  • Sm-Nd
  • Lu-Hf
  • Ore deposits
  • mineralization events

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 5390 KiB  
Article
Sulfide Rb-Sr, Re-Os and In Situ S Isotopic Constraints on Two Mineralization Events at the Large Hongnipo Cu Deposit, SW China
by Lujun Lin, Renyi Chen, Zhenshan Pang, Hui Chen, Jianling Xue and Hongxiang Jia
Minerals 2020, 10(5), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10050414 - 7 May 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3044
Abstract
The Hongnipo deposit, a newly discovered large copper deposit in the Kangdian copper belt, SW China, is hosted in the Paleoproterozoic Hekou Group. This deposit contains ~4200 Mt of Cu ores, with an average grade of 1.42 wt.% Cu. Orebodies occur mainly as [...] Read more.
The Hongnipo deposit, a newly discovered large copper deposit in the Kangdian copper belt, SW China, is hosted in the Paleoproterozoic Hekou Group. This deposit contains ~4200 Mt of Cu ores, with an average grade of 1.42 wt.% Cu. Orebodies occur mainly as stratiform, stratoid and lenticular forms. Mineralization consists predominantly of high grade vein-type ores and low grade laminated ores. Field relationships indicate vein-type mineralization crosscuts laminated mineralization and host rocks, indicating that there were at least two mineralization events during the formation of the deposit. Pyrite separates from the laminated ores yield a Rb-Sr isochron age of 1552 ± 80 Ma, with a highly radiogenic initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.71214 ± 0.00081, indicating a major contribution from the ore-hosting rocks. Sulfides from the laminated ores have δ34S values ranging from −1.8‰ to 11.4‰, with the vast majority in the range of 5.3‰ to 11.4‰, suggesting the mixed derivation of sulfur from seawater sulfates and magmatic fluids. Chalcopyrite separates from the vein-type ores have a Re-Os isochron age of 794.8 ± 7.9 Ma. The initial 187Os/188Os (2.8 ± 1.2) and γOs (+2202) values are slightly lower than the average values of continental crust, indicating a major metal source of the Hekou Group with minor mantle input. Sulfides from the vein-type ores have δ34S values that range from −10.3‰ to 4.0‰ and cluster between 0‰ to 2.2‰, which implies a significant contribution of magmatic-sourced sulfur with minor biogenic sulfur. Two major mineralization events have been identified. The Rb-Sr age of the laminated ores likely records a VMS mineralization event at ~1.6 Ga. The much younger Re-Os age is considered to represent the timing of an important mineralization event, which is likely related to the Neoproterozoic magmatism and/or metamorphism and represents a newly documented mineralization event to be targeted by exploration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Chronology Studies of Ore Deposits)
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16 pages, 4535 KiB  
Article
Geology and Geochronology of the Maozaishan Sn Deposit, Hunan Province: Constraints from Zircon U–Pb and Muscovite Ar–Ar Dating
by Jian Guo, Youyue Lu, Jianming Fu, Zhengwei Qin, Yongyun Ning and Zunzun Zhang
Minerals 2019, 9(12), 773; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9120773 - 11 Dec 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3099
Abstract
The Maozaishan Sn deposit, located south of the Dayishan ore field in the Nanling Range, is a newly explored greisen-type Sn deposit. Two muscovite samples from tin-bearing ores yielded 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 154.7 ± 1.1 Ma (Mean standard weighted [...] Read more.
The Maozaishan Sn deposit, located south of the Dayishan ore field in the Nanling Range, is a newly explored greisen-type Sn deposit. Two muscovite samples from tin-bearing ores yielded 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 154.7 ± 1.1 Ma (Mean standard weighted deviation (MSWD) = 0.48) and 152.6 ± 0.7 Ma (MSWD = 0.25), respectively. Zircon U–Pb dating result of fine-grained biotite monzogranite in the Maozaishan mining area shows that these zircon grains can be subdivided into two populations, with ages of 154.2 ± 2.0 Ma (MSWD = 0.51) and 159.6 ± 1.9 Ma (MSWD = 0.09), respectively, indicating that the monzogranite is formed by a multi-stage magmatic event. It is indicated that formation of the Maozaishan Sn deposit is closely related to the Middle Jurassic granitic magmatism. Based on the trace element compositions of zircon grains, the calculated magma temperatures and oxygen fugacity (log(fO2)) values range from 638 °C to 754 °C (mean = 704 °C) and from −18.9 to −15.8 (mean = −17.1), respectively. In addition, these intrusive rocks in the Dayishan ore field belong to highly fractionated granites and are characterized by low oxygen fugacity and crust–mantle origin, which are consistent to these tin-bearing granites in the Nanling Range and in favor of the Sn mineralization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Chronology Studies of Ore Deposits)
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22 pages, 5784 KiB  
Communication
Recognition of Late Triassic Cu-Mo Mineralization in the Northern Yidun Arc (S.E. Tibetan Plateau): Implications for Regional Exploration
by Zhen-Dong Tian, Cheng-Biao Leng, Xing-Chun Zhang, Li-Min Zhou and Yan-Wen Tang
Minerals 2019, 9(12), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9120765 - 10 Dec 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2764
Abstract
The Yidun arc, located in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, was formed by the westward subduction of the Ganze-Litang Paleo-Tethys ocean in Late Triassic. It is well-known for the formation of numerous Mesozoic porphyry-skarn Cu-Mo-(Au) deposits in the arc. To date, more than 20 [...] Read more.
The Yidun arc, located in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, was formed by the westward subduction of the Ganze-Litang Paleo-Tethys ocean in Late Triassic. It is well-known for the formation of numerous Mesozoic porphyry-skarn Cu-Mo-(Au) deposits in the arc. To date, more than 20 Cu-Mo-(Au) deposits (>10 million tonnes Cu resources) have been discovered in the southern Eastern Yidun arc. However, few Cu-Mo deposits have been discovered in the northern Eastern Yidun arc. In recent years, some Cu-Mo deposits or occurrence are successively discovered in the northern Eastern Yidun arc, but their ore-forming ages are not well constrained. It remains unclear whether such Cu-Mo mineralization formed by similar metallogenic event and geodynamic setting as the Cu-Mo-(Au) mineralization in the south. In order to determine the metallogenic age and shed light on potential links between Cu-Mo mineralization and regional magmatic events, we present molybdenite Re-Os and zircon U-Pb ages to constrain the timing of two types of Cu-Mo mineralization in the northern Eastern Yidun arc (type I and type II). Molybdenite ICP-MS Re-Os dating results show that type I mineralization was formed at 217.7 ± 3.6 Ma, which is highly consistent with the formation ages of the host granite (218.1 ± 1.5 Ma, 2σ, n = 15, MSWD = 0.92) and aplite dyke (217.3 ± 1.3 Ma, 2σ, n = 16, MSWD = 0.50) within error. While the type II mineralization has a relatively younger formation age of 211.8 ± 4.7 Ma than the host granite (217.1 ± 1.5 Ma, 2σ, n = 14, MSWD = 0.96) and type I Cu-Mo mineralization. These data indicate that the Cu-Mo mineralization in the northern Eastern Yidun arc was temporally and spatially related to the Late Triassic magmatism in the region. Rhenium (Re) concentrations in the molybdenite from type I mineralization, ranging from 12.77 to 111.1 ppm (typically > 100 ppm), indicate that the ore-forming metals were derived mainly from a mantle source. However, Re contents in molybdenite from the type II mineralization, ranging from 7.983 to 10.40 ppm, indicate that the ore-forming metals were derived from a mixed mantle and crustal source with a predominantly crustal component. This study confirms that the northern Eastern Yidun arc exists Late Triassic Cu-Mo metallogenesis, and thus much attention should be paid on this region to find more Late Triassic Cu-Mo resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Chronology Studies of Ore Deposits)
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19 pages, 5654 KiB  
Article
The Metallogenic Setting of the Jiangjiatun Mo Deposit, North China: Constraints from a Combined Zircon U–Pb and Molybdenite Re–Os Isotopic Study
by Ming Li, Xin Zhang, Liang Han, En-Pu Gong and Guo-Guang Wang
Minerals 2019, 9(12), 723; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9120723 - 21 Nov 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2820
Abstract
The Jiangjiatun Mo deposit is a recently discovered molybdenum deposit in the easternmost area of the Yan-Liao metallogenic belt, North China Craton. Quartz vein-type Mo mineralization at Jiangjiatun is associated with the granitic porphyry stock. In this study, we performed a combined zircon [...] Read more.
The Jiangjiatun Mo deposit is a recently discovered molybdenum deposit in the easternmost area of the Yan-Liao metallogenic belt, North China Craton. Quartz vein-type Mo mineralization at Jiangjiatun is associated with the granitic porphyry stock. In this study, we performed a combined zircon U–Pb and molybdenite Re-Os dating study on the Jiangjiatun Mo deposit to constrain its mineralization age and metallogenic setting. Laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) zircon U–Pb analyses suggest that the granitic porphyry was formed during the Late Jurassic, with a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 154 ± 1 Ma (2σ). Seven molybdenite samples from the Jiangjiatun deposit yield a 187Re–187Os isochron age of 157.5 ± 0.5 Ma (2σ). The discrepancy between the U–Pb and Re–Os ages may be explained (1) by the “2 sigma” measurement uncertainty, or (2) by the different closure temperature of the Re–Os isotopic system of molybdenite and the U–Pb isotopic system of zircon. Even though there is a small difference between the zircon U–Pb and molybdenite Re–Os ages, we can clearly identify a Late Jurassic Mo mineralization event at Jiangjiatun in the easternmost area of the Yan-Liao metallogenic belt. The moderate Re concentrations (13 to 73 ppm) in molybdenite from the Jiangjiatun Mo deposit are indicative of the involvement of the mantle materials into the Mo mineralization. The Jiangjiatun Mo deposit is likely the result of the subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate beneath the North China Craton during the Late Jurassic. Combined with the available published regional robust geochronological data, we proposed that the Mo mineralization in the Yan-Liao belt is in good agreement with the tectonic transition from Late Triassic post-collision extensional setting due to the closure of the paleo-Asian ocean to the Yanshanian (J–K1) continental arc setting in response to the subduction of the paleo-Pacific Plate. The study highlights that regional mineralization may provide an excellent constraint on tectonic change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Chronology Studies of Ore Deposits)
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24 pages, 8562 KiB  
Article
The Genetic Association between Quartz Vein- and Greisen-Type Mineralization at the Maoping W–Sn Deposit, Southern Jiangxi, China: Insights from Zircon and Cassiterite U–Pb Ages and Cassiterite Trace Element Composition
by Li-Li Chen, Pei Ni, Bao-Zhang Dai, Wen-Sheng Li, Zhe Chi and Jun-Yi Pan
Minerals 2019, 9(7), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/min9070411 - 4 Jul 2019
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 7007
Abstract
The large-scale Maoping W–Sn deposit in the Gannan metallogenic belt of the eastern Nanling Range, South China, spatially associated with the Maoping granite pluton, hosts total ore reserves of 103,000 t WO3 and 50,000 t Sn. Two different types of mineralization developed [...] Read more.
The large-scale Maoping W–Sn deposit in the Gannan metallogenic belt of the eastern Nanling Range, South China, spatially associated with the Maoping granite pluton, hosts total ore reserves of 103,000 t WO3 and 50,000 t Sn. Two different types of mineralization developed in this deposit: Upper quartz vein-type mineralization, mostly within the Cambrian metamorphosed sandstone and slate, and underneath greisen-type mineralization within the Maoping granite. Cassiterites from both types of mineralization coexist with wolframite. Here we report for the first time in situ U–Pb data on cassiterite and zircon of the Maoping deposit obtained by LA-ICP-MS. Cassiterite from quartz vein and greisen yielded weighted average 206Pb/238U ages of 156.8 ± 1.5 Ma and 156.9 ± 1.4 Ma, respectively, which indicates that the two types of mineralization formed roughly at the same time. In addition, the two mineralization ages are consistent with the emplacement age of the Maoping granite (159.0 ± 1.5 Ma) within error, suggesting a close temporal and genetic link between W–Sn mineralization and granitic magmatism. The two types of mineralization formed at the same magmatic-hydrothermal event. Cassiterite from both types of mineralization shows high Fe, Ta, and Zr contents with a low Zr/Hf ratio, suggesting that the ore-forming fluid should be derived from the highly differentiated Maoping granite pluton. Cassiterite in greisen has higher contents of Nb and Ta but a lower concentration of Ti compared with that in quartz vein, indicating that the formation temperature of greisen-type mineralization is little higher than that of quartz-vein-type mineralization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Chronology Studies of Ore Deposits)
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17 pages, 4961 KiB  
Article
Re–Os Pyrite Geochronological Evidence of Three Mineralization Styles within the Jinchang Gold Deposit, Yanji–Dongning Metallogenic Belt, Northeast China
by Shun-Da Li, Zhi-Gao Wang, Ke-Yong Wang, Wen-Yan Cai, Da-Wei Peng, Li Xiao and Jie Li
Minerals 2018, 8(10), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/min8100448 - 12 Oct 2018
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3402
Abstract
The Jinchang gold deposit is located in the eastern Yanji–Dongning Metallogenic Belt in Northeast China. The orebodies of the deposit are hosted within granite, diorite, and granodiorite, and are associated with gold-mineralized breccia pipes, disseminated gold in ores, and fault-controlled gold-bearing veins. Three [...] Read more.
The Jinchang gold deposit is located in the eastern Yanji–Dongning Metallogenic Belt in Northeast China. The orebodies of the deposit are hosted within granite, diorite, and granodiorite, and are associated with gold-mineralized breccia pipes, disseminated gold in ores, and fault-controlled gold-bearing veins. Three paragenetic stages were identified: (1) early quartz–pyrite–arsenopyrite (stage 1); (2) quartz–pyrite–chalcopyrite (stage 2); and (3) late quartz–pyrite–galena–sphalerite (stage 3). Gold is hosted predominantly within pyrite. Pyrite separated from quartz–pyrite–arsenopyrite cement within the breccia-hosted ores (Py1) yield a Re–Os isochron age of 102.9 ± 2.7 Ma (MSWD = 0.17). Pyrite crystals from the quartz–pyrite–chalcopyrite veinlets (Py2) yield a Re–Os isochron age of 102.0 ± 3.4 Ma (MSWD = 0.2). Pyrite separated from quartz–pyrite–galena–sphalerite veins (Py3) yield a Re–Os isochron age of 100.9 ± 3.1 Ma (MSWD = 0.019). Re–Os isotopic analyses of the three types of auriferous pyrite suggest that gold mineralization in the Jinchang Deposit occurred at 105.6–97.8 Ma (includes uncertainty). The initial 187Os/188Os values of the pyrites range between 0.04 and 0.60, suggesting that Os in the pyrite crystals was derived from both crust and mantle sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Chronology Studies of Ore Deposits)
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