Abstract We report the crystal structure of allanite-(Ce), with composition (Ca 1.0 REE 0.9 □ 0.1 ) Σ2.0 (Al 1.46 Fe 3+ 0.52 Fe 2+ 0.76 Mg 0.12 Ti 0.15 ) Σ3.01 Si 3 O 12 (OH) from the Xinfeng rare earth element (REE)-bearing granite in Guangdong Province, China. It has the unit cell a = 8.9550(4) Å, b = 5.77875(16) Å, c = 10.2053(4) Å, β = 114.929(5)° and Z = 2 in space group P 2 1 / m and is characterised by site splitting at M 3 into M 3a and M 3b, at a distance of 0.38(3) Å, which are occupied partially by Fe 0.764 Mg 0.12 and Ti 0.15 , respectively. The structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and refined with anisotropic full-matrix least-squares refinement on F 2 to R 1 = 2.82%, wR 2 = 7.77% for 1856 independent reflections (8772 collected reflections). However, M 3 splitting is not present in either ferriallanite-(Ce) or epidote, in which M 3 is almost fully occupied either by Fe 2+ or by Fe 3+ . Comparisons of bond lengths and volumes in cation polyhedra among allanite-(Ce), ferriallanite-(Ce) and epidote tend to indicate that the essential factor that facilitates site splitting of M 3 in allanite-(Ce) is heterovalent substitution and occupation of a crystallographic site between Fe 2+ (Mg 2+ /Mn 2+ )–Al 3+ (Ti 4+ ), a common phenomenon in minerals, such as the plagioclase series. Fine structure analysis of the M 3 split model revealed that deformation of A 2 is related closely to distorted M 3, which is consistent with Fe 2+ incorporation following REE substitution.
The Xiaokelehe porphyry Cu-Mo deposit in the Great Xing'an Range contains six stages of quartz-sulfide veins (V1 to V6) including potassic (V1 to V4), chlorite-illite (V5) and phyllic (V6). Two to three types of quartz were identified within each stage, of which the V2Q1, V3Q1, V4Q2, V5Q1 and V6Q2 are spatially associated with sulfides. Three types of fluid inclusions were identified in these veins, i.e., type I aqueous inclusions homogenized to liquid, type II aqueous inclusions homogenized to vapor, and type III aqueous inclusions containing halite and homogenized to liquid. Type I and type II primary inclusions occur in all stages, and type III inclusions are developed in V2 to V4 veins. Microthermometric data show that the maximum formation temperatures and pressures of V2-V6 veins of type I inclusions are 353 to 437 °C and 19.0 to 27.6 MPa, 309 to 415 °C and 15.0 to 30.1 MPa, 330 to 365 °C and 16.7 to 27.6 MPa, 243 to 351 °C and 13.9 to 18.9 MPa and 255 to 347 °C and 13.9 to 17.8 MPa, respectively, which show a decreasing trend. Oxygen isotope data show that the δ18OH2O values of V2-V4 veins (5.3 to 10.4 ‰) are consistent with typical magmatic values, whilst the δ18OH2O values of V5-V6 veins (0.2 to 4.6 ‰) are much lower than those of the magmatic water, which is due to involvement of meteoric water. The fluid inclusion microthermometry and O isotope data suggest an evolving magmatic-hydrothermal system with decreasing temperatures, pressures from V2 to V4 veins (potassic stage) to V5 (chlorite-illite stage) and V6 veins (phyllic stage), and an increasing incorporation of meteoric water in V5 and V6. The Xiaokelehe deposit has lower CO2 contents than the adjacent porphyry Mo deposits formed in the same post-collisional setting, which is mainly due to differences of mineralization depths and magma source. The formation of porphyry deposits with different Mo/Cu ratios highlights the diversity and complexity of the mineralizing systems in post-collisional settings, which has important implications for mineral exploration in such environments.
Abstract The Saishitang–Rilonggou Ore Field (SROF), which includes the Saishitang, Tongyugou, and Rilonggou ore deposits as well as other scattered occurrences, is located in the Elashan region in Qinghai Province, and is a significant Cu–Sn ore field in NW China. These ores are hosted in stratiform skarn deposits with the main metals being Cu and Sn, as well as Zn, Pb, Au, Ag, and trace elements (e.g. Ga, Ge, Se, and In). Bulk‐rock geochemical analyses of 50 ore samples from the three deposits show that In contents in the Saishitang deposit range from 0.03 to 39 ppm (average 12.7 ppm, n = 19), with 1000 In/Zn values that vary from >0.01 to 29.83 (average 4.29). Indium contents in the Tongyugou deposit vary from 7.51 to 131 ppm (average 28.37 ppm, n = 13), with 1000 In/Zn values from 0.74 to 48 (average 17.55). Finally, indium contents in the Rilonggou deposit vary from 0.73 to 120 ppm (average 36.15 ppm, n = 18), with 1000 In/Zn values from 0.33 to 47 (average 8.52). Indium is hosted mainly in sphalerite, while some other In‐bearing minerals (e.g., roquesite, stannoidite, and stannite) are present locally within the ore field. Roquesite, which replace or fill bornite, occurs in bornite‐rich ores in the Saishitang deposit. This is the first reported Chinese locality of roquesite. Based on previously reported Zn resources, a total of 136 tons of In is calculated to be hosted in the SROF, with 30, 66, and 40 tons of In attributed to the Saishitang, Tongyugou, and Rilonggou deposits, respectively. The differences in indium contents among the deposits and their respective geological histories and characteristics suggest that the origin of indium relates to volcanogenic metallogenesis in an early Permian volcano‐sedimentary basin. Based on the evaluation of In resources, future mining operations should include the recovery of indium in the Tongyugou and Rilonggou deposits.
The Mongol–Okhotsk and Paleo-Pacific tectonic regimes both have an influence in NE China during the late Mesozoic. The Sishanlinchang and several newly reported late Mesozoic porphyry Cu–Mo deposits in NE China are typical products of this interaction. A systematic study of these deposits provides new insights into the genesis of porphyry Cu–Mo systems in the region. Here we present petrological, geochronological, whole–rock geochemical and isotopic data from the ore-forming rocks in the Sishanlinchang deposit, together with a compilation of data from late Mesozoic porphyry Cu–Mo deposits in NE China, to reveal their magma source, and corresponding geodynamic settings. Zircon U–Pb dating shows that the studied granites were emplaced at 111 Ma, which contrasts with previously reported occurrences of late Jurassic porphyry Cu–Mo deposits in the northern NE China, indicating at least two episodes of porphyry Cu–Mo mineralization during the late Mesozoic. Whole-rock geochemical data show that all of the late Mesozoic ore-forming granites have low Y and Yb, high Sr contents, and high Sr/Y ratios (35.70–71.59), which exhibit an adakitic affinity. High Na2O, Cr, and Ni contents, and Mg# (47–58) values, a low proportion of garnet in the source, positive whole-rock εNd(t) values (1.21–2.27) and pronounced positive zircon εHf(t) values (6.85–9.37) indicate that the adakitic rocks were derived from partial melting of oceanic crust with assimilation of enriched mantle materials. Combined with our studies and previous studies, we conclude that the Early Cretaceous porphyry–epithermal Cu–Mo–Au deposits in the eastern NE China were controlled by the Paleo-Pacific tectonic regime, which is different from the Late Jurassic Cu–Mo deposits in the northern NE China controlled by the Mongol–Okhotsk tectonic regime.