Central Jilin is tectonically subordinate to the Lesser Xing'an Range–Zhangguangcai Range polymetallic metallogenic belt, an important region for Cu–Mo prospecting in NE China. Dozens of large‐scale molybdenum deposits, including Fu'anbu, Chang'anbu, Jide, and Dashihe, have been recently discovered in Central Jilin, whereas porphyry Cu or Cu–Mo deposits have not been found to date. One such example of an intracontinental porphyry Cu–Mo deposit is the Chang'anbu Cu–Mo deposit in Shulan, Jilin Province, hosted in early Yanshanian rocks. Here in this contribution, we described detailed geology based on our field observation and conducted a comparative study on the metallogenic epoch and the ore‐forming sources of the Chang'anbu Cu–Mo deposit by using zircon U–Pb dating and H–O–S–Pb stable isotopes. We propose that the Chang'anbu deposit is rare in the Lesser Xing'an Range–Zhangguangcail Range metallogenic belt and differs from other porphyry deposits that consist solely of Mo, indicating a unique mechanism of metallogenesis. Zircon U–Pb ages indicate emplacement of a granite pluton which is the main metallogenetic rock body during the Early Jurassic (182.10 ± 1.20 Ma). The pluton is spatially and temporally associated with Cu–Mo mineralization and led to large‐scale porphyry Cu–Mo mineralization during the early Yanshanian. Sulphur, Pb, H, and O isotope data suggest that magma generated by subduction of the Paleo‐Pacific oceanic crust was the main ore‐forming source of this deposit ( 206 Pb/ 204 Pb = 18.046–18.734; Pb 207 /Pb 204 = 15.502–15.655; δ 34 S = 0.3–2‰; δDV–SMOW = −102.2–93.4‰; δ 18 OV–SMOW = 9.1–11.6‰). The Chang'anbu porphyry Cu–Mo deposit is representative of large‐scale polymetallic metallogenic events in Central Jilin that resulted from magmatism related to crust and mantle melting during the early Yanshanian.
The properties of ancient magmatic arcs are crucial for understanding the tectonic evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The Middle Devonian Kulumudi Formation in the Laofengkou area of West Junggar lacks accurate chronological data constraints, which hampers the knowledge of the nature of the Late Paleozoic magmatic arcs in the West Junggar and circum-Balkhash areas. In this contribution, samples of pyroclastic rocks and sedimentary rocks were collected from the volcano–sedimentary strata of the Kulumudi Formation. Petrography, zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic analysis and whole-rock geochemistry were carried out to constrain the age and the tectonic setting of the Kulumudi Formation. The zircon U-Pb age of the lithic crystal tuff from the Kulumudi Formation on the northeast side of the Alemale Mountains was 386 ± 2 Ma, accurately indicating that this rock unit formed during the Middle Devonian. However, the fine sandstone near the Huojierte Mongolian Township, originally assigned as the “Kulumudi Formation”, yielded a maximum depositional age of 341 ± 3 Ma. Combined with the stratigraphic contact, this rock unit was redefined to belong to the Lower Carboniferous Jiangbasitao Formation. According to the whole-rock geochemistry study, the lithic crystal tuff of the Kulumudi Formation was characterized as medium potassium–calc–alkaline series rock, which is relatively enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements (i.e., Rb, Ba, K) and depleted in high-field-strength elements (i.e., Nb, Ta, Ti), showing similar geochemical characteristics to the volcanic arc rocks. By contrast, the fine sandstone from the Jiangbasitao Formation had Al2O3/SiO2 (0.25–0.29) and K2O/Na2O (1.29–1.72) ratios close to those derived from the continental arc and active continental margin and was characterized as part of the continental arc field in the La-Th-Sc and Th-Sc-Zr/10 tectonic discrimination diagrams. Zircon Hf isotope analysis showed that the εHf(t) values of the Kulumudi Formation were +5.6–+12.8, and those of the Jiangbasitao Formation were +11.43–+15.48, both of which show highly positive juvenile characteristics. The above data indicate that the Kulumudi Formation and Jiangbasitao Formation both formed in a juvenile arc setting with ocean–continent subduction. Combined with the previous work, it was concluded that the southward subduction of the ocean basin represented by the Darbut–Karamay ophiolitic mélanges beneath the newly accreted arc crustal segments produced a juvenile arc with positive Hf isotope characteristics.
The Yangjingou gold deposit in Jilin Province lies 11 km south of the large-scale Xiaoxinancha gold–copper deposit. Yangjingou orebodies are structurally controlled fault- or fracture-related auriferous quartz veins. This type of mineralization is significantly different from that of the Xiaoxinancha porphyry gold–copper deposit, and has mineral assemblages and fluid inclusion compositions typical of orogenic gold deposits. We suggest that the Yangjingou deposit is the first orogenic gold deposit discovered in the Yanbian area, even in all of NE China. Here, we present new isotopic dating and trace element analysis of the ore-hosting monzogranite and auriferous quartz veins within the deposit, in order to determine the age and tectonic setting of metallogenesis, and the geological conditions controlling gold mineralization. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating of zircons separated from the monzogranite yielded an age of 262.3 ± 1.3 Ma, indicating intrusion during the late Permian. Hydrothermal muscovite from auriferous quartz veins yielded a 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 241.57 ± 1.2 Ma, indicating that gold mineralization occurred at 241 Ma. Trace element and REE compositions of the monzogranite and auriferous quartz veins are both indicative of the formation from a region of the upper mantle that previously underwent crustal contamination. Geochronological analysis indicates that the diagenesis and mineralization resulting in the Yangjingou gold deposit occurred during the late Permian–Early Triassic. The tectonic evolution of the region and comparison of this deposit with other mineralizing events indicate that the orebody formed during orogenesis associated with collision between the North China and Siberian cratons.
The Saima alkaline rock-hosted niobium–tantalum deposit (hereafter referred to as the Saima Deposit) is situated in the Liaodong Peninsula, which constitutes the eastern segment of the northern margin of the North China Craton. The rock types of the Saima Deposit include phonolite, nepheline syenite, and aegirine nepheline syenite, which hosts niobium–tantalum ore bodies. In this study, the primary niobium-bearing minerals identified include loparite, betafite, and fersmite. The Saima pluton is characterized as a potassium-rich, low-sodium, and peraluminous alkaline pluton. Trace element characteristics reveal that the metallization-associated syenite is enriched in large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs) such as K and Rb but is relatively depleted in high-field strength elements (HFSEs). As indicated by the rare earth element (REE) profile, the Saima pluton exhibits a high total REE content (∑REE), dominance of light REEs (LREEs), and scarcity of heavy REEs (HREEs). The Sr-Nd-Pd isotopic data suggest that aegirine nepheline syenite and nepheline syenite share consistent isotopic signatures, indicating a common origin. The Saima alkaline pluton displays elevated ISr values ranging from 0.70712 to 0.70832 coupled with low εNd(t) values between −12.84 and −11.86 and two-stage model ages (tDM2) from 1967 to 2047 Ma. These findings indicate that the metallogenic materials for the Saima Deposit derive from both an enriched mantle source and some crustal components. The lithium (Li) isotopic fractionation observed during the genesis of the Saima pluton could be attributed to the differential diffusion rates of 6Li and 7Li under non-equilibrium fluid–rock interactions.
The Daheishan supergiant porphyry molybdenum deposit (also referred to as the Daheishan deposit) is the second largest molybdenum deposit in Asia and ranks fifth among the top seven molybdenum deposits globally with total molybdenum reserves of 1.65 billion tons, an average molybdenum ore grade of 0.081%, and molybdenum resources of 1.09 million tons. The main ore body is housed in the granodiorite porphyry plutons and their surrounding inequigranular granodiorite plutons, with high-grade ores largely located in the ore-bearing granodiorite porphyries in the middle-upper part of the porphyry plutons. Specifically, it appears as an ore pipe with a large upper part and a small lower part, measuring about 1700 m in length and width, extending for about 500 m vertically, and covering an area of 2.3 km2. Mineralogically, the main ore body consists of molybdenite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite horizontally from its center outward and exhibits molybdenite, azurite, and pyrite vertically from top to bottom. The primary ore minerals include pyrite and molybdenite, and the secondary ore minerals include sphalerite, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, and scheelite, with average grades of molybdenum, copper, sulfur, gallium, and rhenium being 0.081%, 0.033%, 1.67%, 0.001%, and 0.0012%, respectively. The ore-forming fluids of the Daheishan deposit originated as the CO2-H2O-NaCl multiphase magmatic fluid system, rich in CO2 and bearing minor amounts of CH4, N2, and H2S, and later mixed with meteoric precipitation. In various mineralization stages, the ore-forming fluids had homogenization temperatures of > 420‒400°C, 360°C‒350°C, 340°C‒230°C, 220°C‒210°C, and 180°C‒160°C and salinities of > 41.05%‒9.8% Na Cleq, 38.16%‒4.48% Na Cleq, 35.78%‒4.49% Na Cleq, 7.43% Na Cleq, and 7.8%‒9.5% Na Cleq, respectively. The mineralization of the Daheishan deposit occurred at 186‒167 Ma. The granites closely related to the mineralization include granodiorites (granodiorite porphyries) and monzogranites (monzogranite porphyries), which were mineralized after magmatic evolution (189‒167 Ma). Moreover, these mineralization-related granites exhibit low initial strontium content and high initial neodymium content, indicating that these granites underwent crust-mantle mixing. The Daheishan deposit formed during the Early-Middle Jurassic, during which basaltic magma underplating induced the lower-crust melting, leading to the formation of magma chambers. After the fractional crystallization of magmas, ore-bearing fluids formed. As the temperature and pressure decreased, the ore-bearing fluids boiled drops while ascending, leading to massive unloading of metal elements. Consequently, brecciated and veinlet-disseminated ore bodies formed.
The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), one of the world’s largest orogens, extending from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Russian and the Chinese Far East, is the result of long-lived multi-stage tectonic evolution, including Proterozoic to Paleozoic accretion and collision, Mesozoic intracontinental modification, and Cenozoic rapid deformation and uplift [...]
To ascertain the Early-to-Middle Jurassic tectonic setting in the central Great Xing’an Range, this study investigated the Early and Middle Jurassic granitoids exposed in the Chaihe area in the central Great Xing’an Range based on isotopic chronology and petrogeochemistry. The results of this study show that the Early and Middle Jurassic granitoids have emplacement ages of 179–172 Ma. Moreover, the Early and Middle Jurassic granitoids are high-K calc-alkaline unfractionated I-type granitoids and high-K calc-alkaline fractionated I-type granitoids, respectively. The magma sources of the Early and Middle Jurassic granitoids both originated from the partial melting of newly accreted lower crustal basaltic rocks. Meanwhile, the Middle Jurassic magma sources were mixed with mantle-derived materials or ocean-floor sediments formed by the dehydration and metasomatism of subducted slabs. The Early and Middle Jurassic granitoids in the study area were formed in the subduction environment of the oceanic crust, in which the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate was subducted southward beneath the Eerguna and Xing’an blocks. Moreover, the Siberian plate began to collide and converge with northeast China during the Middle Jurassic.
The Liaodong Peninsula is an important component of the eastern North China Craton which underwent a transition from an orogenic stage to extension and lithospheric thinning in the Mesozoic era. This transition resulted in large‐scale magmatism and gold mineralization. In this paper, we report findings on Paleoproterozoic intrusive rock residues in the Mesozoic Wulong pluton. To analyse the chronology, magma source, and petrogenetic relationships between the Mesozoic and Paleoproterozoic intrusives, we performed SHRIMP U–Pb isotopic dating and in situ micro‐area Lu–Hf isotopic analysis of zircons. The results show that the crystallization age of the large‐scale Mesozoic intrusive rock is 158 ± 2 Ma, which is in the Late Jurassic. The ε Hf (t) values of the zircons are between −29.3 and −22.1, and their t DM2 values are between 2,606 and 3,064 Ma, which indicates that the magma source of materials is the Archean supracrust. The zircons of the Paleoproterozoic intrusive rock residues have a typical core–mantle–rim texture. The cores of the zircons have an age range from 1,851 to 2,528 Ma, ε Hf (t) from −12.2 to +4.0, and t DM2 between 2,519 and 3,437 Ma, reflecting characteristics of multiple sources for the inherited zircons. The mantles of the zircons have an upper intercept age of 1,862 ± 13 Ma, ε Hf (t) values between −11.9 and −2.2, and t DM2 between 2,644 and 3,241 Ma representing the age of the source rocks. The new growth rims of the zircons have a concordia age of 157.1 ± 2.2 Ma, ε Hf (t) values from −30.8 to −26.1, and t DM2 between 2,852 and 3,150 Ma representing the metamorphic recrystallization age and characteristics of the upper crustal magma source. The findings of this work suggest that the Wulong pluton, which occupies a large area in the Liaodong Peninsula, recrystallized from Paleoproterozoic granites that were affected by Late Jurassic (ca. 160 Ma) crustal remelting. The incompletely remolten residues are the direct result of the delamination and remelting during the Mesozoic era of Palaeoproterozoic intrusive rocks in the northern margin of the eastern North China Craton.