Shaoxiong Chu

Types, characteristics, and time–space distribution of molybdenum deposits in China

Molybdenum exploration activity in China has accelerated tremendously during the past decade owing to the continuous, increasing demand for Earth resources. China possesses the largest Mo reserves in the world (exceeding 19.6 Mt). The major ore deposits are of porphyry, porphyry–skarn, skarn, vein, and sedimentary types. Porphyry molybdenum deposits contain 77.5% of the Chinese Mo reserves, with lesser amounts in porphyry–skarns (13%), skarns (5.1%), and veins (4.4%). Exploitation of sedimentary-type molybdenum deposits thus far has been uneconomical. The six Mo provinces are in the Northeast China, Yanliao, Qinling–Dabie, middle–lower Yangtze River Valley, South China, and Sanjiang areas. We recognize six ore-forming periods: (1) Precambrian (>541 Ma), (2) Palaeozoic (541–250 Ma), (3) Triassic (250–200 Ma), (4) Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (190–135 Ma), (5) Cretaceous (135–90 Ma), and (6) Cenozoic (55–12 Ma). The abundance of Mo ore deposits in China reflects the occurrence of multiple periods of tectonism, involving interactions between the Siberian, North China, Yangtze, India, and Palaeo-Pacific plates. Precambrian molybdenum deposits are related to Mesoproterozoic volcanism in an extensional setting. Palaeozoic Cu–Mo deposits are related to calc-alkaline granitic plutons in an island arc or a continental margin setting. Triassic Mo deposits formed in the syn-collision–postcollision tectonic setting between the Siberian and North China plates and between the North China and Yangzi plates. Jurassic–Early Cretaceous molybdenum deposits formed along the eastern margin of Asia and are associated with the palaeo-Pacific plate-subduction tectonic setting. Cretaceous Mo deposits are related to high-K calc-alkaline granitic rocks and formed in a lithospheric thinning setting. Cenozoic molybdenum deposits formed in a collision setting between the Indian and Eurasian continents and the subsequent extensional setting.

Mesozoic molybdenum deposits in the East Xingmeng orogenic belt, northeast China: characteristics and tectonic setting

Numerous molybdenum (Mo) ore deposits have been discovered in the East Xingmeng orogenic belt (East Central Asian orogenic belt), over the past 10 years, and this region is becoming one of the worlds most important Mo production areas. It contains 6.18 Mt of proven Mo metal reserves, which accounts for 30% of the total proven Chinese Mo reserves. The ore district includes 37 deposits and 15 occurrences, with three major Mo ore types, that is porphyries, skarns, and hydrothermal veins. The latter can be subdivided into quartz- and volcanic hydrothermal-vein types. With the exception of the Ordovician Duobaoshan porphyry Cu–Mo deposit (477 Ma), all the East Xingmeng Mo deposits formed during the Mesozoic. Re–Os dating of molybdenite has documented three episodes of Mo mineralization: Early Triassic (248–242 Ma), Jurassic (178–146 Ma), and Early Cretaceous (142–131 Ma). Early Triassic Mo deposits are distributed along the northern margin fault of the North China Craton (NCC) and include porphyry and quartz vein types. They are characterized by the association of Mo + Cu. Jurassic Mo deposits are mainly distributed in the eastern area and include porphyry, quartz vein, and skarn types. They are typified by Mo alone and/or the association of Mo, Pb, and Zn. Cretaceous Mo deposits are distributed in all areas and include porphyry and volcanic hydrothermal vein types. Similar to the Jurassic ores, they are simple Mo or Mo + Pb + Zn deposits. Volcanic hydrothermal vein deposits are characterized by an association of molybdenum and uranium. The Triassic Mo deposits formed in a syn-collision setting between the Siberian and North China plates. The Jurassic Mo deposits formed in a compressional setting, which was probably triggered by the westward subduction of the palaeo-Pacific plate. The Early Cretaceous Mo deposits are linked to a tectonic regime of lithosphere thinning, which was caused by delamination of thickened lithosphere. However, the Mo deposits in the Erguna terrane of the northwest Xingmeng orogenic belt may be related to the evolution of the Okhotsk Ocean.

Genesis of the Chehugou Mo-bearing granitic complex on the northern margin of the North China Craton: geochemistry, zircon U–Pb age and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes

The Chehugou granite-hosted molybdenum deposit is typical of the Xilamulun metallogenic belt, which is an important Mo–Ag–Pb–Zn producer in China. A combination of major and trace element, Sr and Nd isotope, and zircon U–Pb isotopic data are reported for the Chehugou batholith to constrain its petrogenesis and Mo mineralization. The zircon SIMS U–Pb dating yields mean ages of 384.7 ± 4.0 Ma and 373.1 ± 5.9 Ma for monzogranite and syenogranite and 265.6 ± 3.5 Ma and 245.1 ± 4.4 Ma for syenogranite porphyry and granite porphyry, respectively. The Devonian granites are calc-alkaline with K 2 O/Na 2 O ratios of 0.44–0.52, the Permian granites are alkali-calcic with K 2 O/Na 2 O ratios of 1.13–1.25, and the Triassic granites are calc-alkaline and alkali-calcic rocks with K 2 O/Na 2 O ratios of 0.78–1.63. They are all enriched in large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and depleted in high-field-strength elements (HFSEs) with negative Nb and Ta anomalies in primitive mantle-normalized trace element diagrams. They have relatively high Sr (189–1256 ppm) and low Y (3.87–5.43 ppm) concentrations. The Devonian granites have relatively high initial Sr isotope ratios of 0.7100–0.7126, negative ɛ Nd ( t ) values of −12.3 to −12.4 and 206 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios of 16.46–17.50. In contrast, the Permian and Triassic granitoids have relatively low initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (0.7048–0.7074), negative ɛ Nd ( t ) values of −10.1 to −13.1 and 206 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios of 17.23–17.51. These geochemical features suggest that the Devonian, Permian and Triassic Chehugou granitoids were derived from ancient, garnet-bearing crustal rocks related to subduction of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean and subsequent continent–continent collision between the North China and Siberian plates.

Mineralization, alteration, structure, and Re–Os age of the Lanjiagou porphyry Mo deposit, North China Craton

Lanjiagou is a porphyry Mo deposit in terms of its alteration zonation and mineralization associated with granitic intrusions and predominance of quartz vein-hosted molybdenum mineralization. It is the largest Mo deposit in North China Craton (404,000 t). There is an intimate spatial/temporal association between all stages of mineralization and Early Jurassic granitic intrusions at Lanjiagou. Most of the molybdenum was emplaced during the principal hydrothermal (PH) stage (184.6 ± 1.3 – 185.6 ± 1.4 Ma), contemporaneously with intrusion of fine-grained porphyritic granite (188.9 ± 1.2 Ma) into a granite batholith (193 ± 3 Ma). The PH mineralization stage is mainly hosted by a quartz-dominated stockwork associated with phyllic alteration in the fine-grained porphyritic granite. This stage was followed by the late hydrothermal (LH) activity. Thick Mo-rich quartz veins were emplaced during the LH stage and cut the porphyry ore bodies. A ring breccia zone formed during the last hydrothermal stage and apparently cuts both the porphyry and the quartz vein ore bodies. The main hydrothermal vein stages have predominantly concentric and radial vein orientations centred on the ring breccia zone. Most of the concentric veins have shallow dips, whereas the radial veins are subvertical. The LH veins have predominantly NEE and NW orientations in the deposit and are moderately inclined. We surmise that the veining was controlled by the local stress regime generated by the intrusion of a large, deep pluton that we interpreted to be the source of the granites, the breccia zone, and the molybdenum mineralization. Resurgence within the magma chamber reactivated the steep concentric structures in a reverse sense, and accumulation of magmatic and/or fluid pressure resulted in explosive brecciation, producing the ring breccia zone. A predominantly late set of NW-trending, post-ore felsic dikes, associated with the regional structures, are a consequence of far-field stresses exceeding local stresses in the deposit.

Triassic magmatism and Mo mineralization in Northeast China: geochronological and isotopic constraints from the Laojiagou porphyry Mo deposit

The Laojiagou Mo deposit is a newly discovered porphyry Mo deposit located in the Xilamulun Mo metallogenic belt, Northeast China. Mo mineralization mainly occurred within the monzogranite and monzogranite porphyry. Re–Os isochron dating of molybdenites indicate a mineralization age of 234.9 ± 3.1 Ma. Zircon LA–ICP–MS U–Pb analysis for monzogranite porphyry and monzogranite yield 206Pb/238U ages of 238.6 ± 1.8 and 241.3 ± 1.5 Ma, respectively, indicating that Laojiagou Mo mineralization is related to Middle Triassic magmatism. Hf isotopic compositions of zircons from both monzogranite porphyry and monzogranite are characterized by positive εHf(t) values [εHf(t) = 2.9–7.3 and 1.5–7.9, respectively] and young TDM2 model ages, which implies that the magma was derived from juvenile crust created during accretion of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Identification of the Laojiagou Mo deposit adds another important example of Triassic Mo mineralization in the Xilamulun Mo metallogenic belt where most Triassic Mo deposits in northeast China cluster around the northern margin of North China Craton. Based on the regional geological setting and geochronological and Hf isotope characteristics, we propose that Triassic Mo deposits and related magmatic rocks in northeast China formed during the last stages of evolution of the CAOB. These deposits formed during post-collisional extension after the closure of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean and amalgamation of the North China–Mongolian Block with the Siberian Craton.

Late Jurassic granitoids in the Xilamulun Mo belt, Northeastern China: geochronology, geochemistry, and tectonic implications

ABSTRACT The Xilamulun Mo belt of Northeastern China, located in the southeastern segment of the Central Asia Orogenic Belt (CAOB), is composed of large deposits of porphyry Mo and quartz-vein-type Mo, which are related to Mesozoic granitoids. Previous studies led to the conclusion that all granitoids in the region formed during the Cretaceous and Triassic, but our new laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry U–Pb zircon dating of magmatic zircons from five samples of four mineralized plutons (Nailingou, Longtoushan, and Hashitu granites and Erbadi and Hashitu granite porphyries) reveals that these range in age from 143.8 ± 1.2 to 149.5 ± 1.0 Ma. These granites show post-collisional (A-type) geochemical characteristics (e.g. enrichment in total alkali, LILE, and LREE and depletion in Eu, Ba, P, and Nb). The Erbadi, Longtoushan, Hashitu, and Longtoushan granitoids exhibit moderately positive Hf isotopic compositions (εHf(t) = −0.3 to 10.2), indicating that granitic magmas may reflect mixtures of mantle melts and continental crust. These mineralized granites were all emplaced along a major fault over a time span of ~6 million years during the Late Jurassic. We conclude that igneous activity and mineralization resulted from the rollback of the subducted Palaeo-Pacific plate beneath Eurasia. Confirming that the Late Jurassic granitic intrusives are related to the Mo mineralization is useful for understanding the Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the Xilamulun Mo belt and also has significant implications for the regional exploration of ores.