Zhaochong Zhang

Geochronology and Geochemistry of the Ore-Forming Porphyries in the Lailisigao'er-Lamasu Region of the Western Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, NW China: Implications for Petrogenesis, Metallogenesis, and Tectonic Setting

Porphyry-type Cu (Mo, Zn) deposits have been discovered along the late Paleozoic Kokirqin arc in the western Tianshan Mountains of China, part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The deposits include the Lailisigao’er Mo-Cu deposit, the 3571 Cu deposit, and the Lamasu Cu-Zn deposit. The ore-forming porphyries from these three deposits are predominantly intermediate-felsic and belong to calc-alkaline and transitional series. Laser ablation–ICPMS zircon U-Pb dating on ore-forming porphyries from the Lailisigao’er and 3571 deposits yields ages of Ma and Ma, respectively. The trace element compositions of these porphyries from these three deposits are similar to those formed in a continental arc setting and are characterized by enrichment of large ion lithophile elements and depletion of high field strength elements and heavy rare earth elements ) coupled with slightly negative Eu anomalies. These rocks also show high (87Sr/86Sr)t (0.70722–0.71028) and low ϵNd(t) values (−3.71 to +0.17), coupled with depletion of Ba relative to Th and elevated Th/Ce, Nb/Y, and Th/Yb ratios, suggesting that the porphyry magma originated from a partial melting of subducted sediments, mixed with minor melts produced by partial melting of mantle wedge components and involvement also of lower continental crust during emplacement. These three deposits belong to the first metallogenic group in the Chinese Tianshan, which formed from the Middle Devonian to the early Carboniferous in a continental arc environment related to a subducted oceanic slab; this group is distinguishable from a second group that formed in the Permian during a late collisional stage, in which regional collisional compression changed to extension.

Early Paleozoic Tectonic Evolution of the South Tianshan Collisional Belt: Evidence from Geochemistry and Zircon U-Pb Geochronology of the Tie’reke Monzonite Pluton, Northwest China

We report an Early Paleozoic hornblende quartz monzonitic pluton from the Tie’reke region in the central South Tianshan Collisional Belt (STCB). Laser ablation ICP-MS U-Pb zircon dating reveals that the pluton was emplaced during the Late Silurian at ∼ Ma. Our data, together with those from coeval intrusive rocks in the eastern STCB and the eastern Northern Margin of the Tarim Block (NMTB), indicate a major late Early Paleozoic magmatic event in the region. This magmatic event is supported by a detrital zircon U-Pb age population of 462–395 Ma obtained from a Cenozoic sandstone sample from the Kangsu region and an Early Paleozoic metasandstone sample from the Jigen region. Geochemically, the Tie’reke pluton is intermediate in composition, with SiO2 contents ranging from 60.73 to 64.73 wt%, and belongs to the alkali-calcic and shoshonitic series. The pluton displays relative depletion of Nb, Ta, P, and Ti and enrichment of large-ion lithophile elements (Ba, K, and Rb), typical of continental arc–related igneous rocks. Whole-rock Sr-Nd and zircon Hf isotopic data reveal that the magma was derived dominantly from partial melting of the Paleoproterozoic continental crust, with input from juvenile materials from a depleted-mantle wedge. In general, geochronological, geochemical, and isotopic features of the Late Silurian igneous rocks in the present STCB and NMTB, coupled with detrital zircon U-Pb geochronological data from the two sedimentary rocks, suggest that the northern margin of the Paleozoic Tarim Block was an Andean-type active continental margin during Middle Ordovician to Middle Devonian time. Given the coeval magmatism in the Central Tianshan Block, which necessitates a northward subduction of the Paleozoic South Tianshan Ocean, we propose a double-subduction model for the evolution of the Paleozoic South Tianshan Ocean during the Late Ordovician to Middle Devonian period. During the Late Devonian to Middle Carboniferous, the northern margin of the Paleozoic Tarim Block was likely characterized by tectonomagmatic quiescence, whereas the Central Tianshan Block was still extensively affected by arc-type magmatism, furthering the northward subduction of the Paleozoic South Tianshan Ocean.

Native gold and native copper grains enclosed by olivine phenocrysts in a picrite lava of the Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

Abstract A native gold bleb found in an olivine phenocryst in a picrite lava from the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP) may be the first documented case of the transport of gold as a distinct precious metal phase in a mantle-derived magma. Four picrite layers have been recognized in the lower part of the volcanic succession in the Lijiang area, in the western part of the ELIP. The native gold bleb was found enclosed in an olivine phenocryst in the second picritic layer of a basalt-picrite succession in the ELIP. The gold bleb is spheroidal, about 30 μm in diameter, consists of pure gold, and does not contain any other elements. In addition, native copper grains were also discovered in the serpentinized olivine phenocrysts, and native zinc and moissanite (SiC) were separated from an ~20 kg sample of picrite. The paragenesis of these minerals suggests that the primary magmas were S-unsaturated. The native gold and native copper grains are considered to be xenocrysts from the mantle, transported to shallow depths by a rising plume, and then captured by the picritic melts. The discovery of native gold and native copper grains provides direct evidence that the gold in the hydrothermal gold deposits and the native copper deposits in the ELIP lavas ultimately may be derived from a mantle plume.

Underplating and assimilation–fractional crystallization of Mesozoic intrusions in the Tongling area, Anhui Province, East China: evidence from xenoliths and host plutons

This paper presents new petrographic observations and geochemical and microprobe analyses for the Laomiaojishan, Xiaotongguanshan, and Tianebaodanshan intrusions in the Tongguanshan mineral district, East China. The plutons vary in composition from quartz monzonitic diorite to pyroxene monzonitic diorite, and contain gabbroic to dioritic xenoliths. The Xiaotongguanshan intrusion yields a SHRIMP zircon U–Pb age of 139.5±2.9 Ma, indicating Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Lower Yangtze River Valley. Relative to host rocks, the gabbro and diorite xenoliths are low in SiO2 (52.03–54.61 wt‐%), Al2O3 (12.87–14.43 wt‐%), and total alkalis (Na2O+K2O; 5.26–6.30 wt‐%), but high in MgO (5.41–11.66 wt‐%); the host rocks have high SiO2 (59.97–64.44 wt‐%), Al2O3 (16.43–17.59 wt‐%), and total alkalis (6.67–8.25 wt‐%), but are low in MgO (1.52–2.50 wt‐%). Concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) in the xenoliths (165.70–190.40 ppm) are similar to those in the host rocks (166.12–185.95 ppm), although the ratio of light REEs to heavy REEs in the xenoliths (3.39–4.27) is lower than that in the host plutons (4.86–5.94). All of the analysed rocks show similar REE patterns, although the xenoliths display marked positive Eu anomalies and the host rocks show slightly negative Eu anomalies. Values of epsilon Nd (t) ranges from −4.9 to −9.9 in the gabbro xenoliths and from −11.4 to −11.9 in the host intrusives. Initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios are 0.7064–0.7073 in the xenoliths and 0.7072–0.7084 in the quartz monzonitic diorite host rocks. Crystallization temperatures of hornblende and plagioclase in the gabbro xenoliths, diorite xenoliths, and host rocks are 816, 773–790, and 664–725°C, respectively, based on an amphibole–plagioclase geothermometer. The pressures recorded by these phases indicate that they formed at depths of 26, 12–15, and 3–4 km, respectively, based on an aluminum‐in‐hornblende geobarometer. The petrological and geochemical features of the analysed intrusions and xenoliths are consistent with their derivation from basic to intermediate‐acidic magmas that possibly formed via a series of complex interactions between underplated, mantle‐derived basaltic magma and varying amounts of middle‐ to lower‐crustal material, followed by assimilation–fractional crystallization.

A new metallogenic model of the Panzhihua giant V–Ti–iron oxide deposit (Emeishan Large Igneous Province) based on high-Mg olivine-bearing wehrlite and new field evidence

The Panzhihua layered intrusion hosts a giant V–Ti–iron oxide deposit with ore reserves estimated at 1333 Mt. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) U–Pb zircon dating of comagmatic anorthosite yields a crystallization age of 259.77 ± 0.79 million years, coeval with the Emeishan flood basalts. Recently, we identified a small wehrlite dike in microgabbroic rocks and marbles. The wehrlite consists of high-Mg olivine phenocrysts with up to 90.44 wt.% Fo. Incompatible element-normalized patterns between bulk wehrlite and clinopyroxenes in gabbro suggest that they are cogenetic. The Panzhihua parental magma is estimated to have been picritic (∼10 wt.% FeO and ∼16 wt.% MgO), produced by partial fusion of garnet peridotite. Much of the melting occurred in garnet-facies mantle at an initial melting temperature of about 1530°C and pressure of ∼3.4 GPa, suggesting involvement of a mantle plume. The degree of partial melting was rather modest and could have been generated by plume–lithosphere interaction or ascending plume-derived melting contaminated by lithospheric mantle. Field relationships show sharp contacts between the massive ores and gabbro, between wehrlite and fine-grained gabbro, and between disseminated ores and gabbro. Considering the entire intrusion, which is locally cut by dikes or veins of anorthosite, together with the occurrence of a breccia made up of gabbro clasts cemented by disseminated ores, we suggest that different types of magmas were generated by liquid differentiation in a deeper-level chamber. This differentiation could have resulted from double-diffusive convection cells, with melt later intruding into a higher-level chamber, rather than by crystal settling or in situ growth on the floor of the intrusion. However, rhythmic layering produced by in situ crystallization only occurs in the middle of the Panzhihua intrusion and was caused by periodic fluctuation in water pressure.

Geology of the Gushan iron oxide deposit associated with dioritic porphyries, eastern Yangtze craton, SE China

The major Gushan iron oxide deposit, typical of the Middle‐Lower Yangtze River Valley, is located in the eastern Yangtze craton. Such deposits are generally considered to be genetically related to Yanshanian subvolcanic‐volcanic rocks and are temporally‐spatially associated with ca. 129.3–137.5 Ma dioritic porphyries. The latter have a very narrow 87Sr/86Sr range of 0.7064 to 0.7066 and low εNd(t) values of −5.8 to −5.7, suggesting that the porphyries were produced by mantle‐derived magmas that were crustally contaminated during magma ascent. The ore bodies occur mainly along the contact zone between dioritic porphyries and the sedimentary country rocks. The most important ore types are massive and brecciated ores which together make up 90 vol.‐% of the deposit. The massive type generally occurs as large veins consisting predominantly of magnetite (hematite) with minor apatite. The brecciated type is characterized by angular fragments of wall‐rocks that are cemented by fine‐grained magnetite. Stockwork iron ores occur as irregular veins and networks, especially with pectinate structure; they are composed of low‐temperature minerals (e.g. calcite), which indicate a hydrothermal process. The similar rare earth element patterns of apatite from the massive ores, brecciated ores and the porphyries, coupled with high‐temperature fluids (1000°C) suggest that they are magmatic in origin. Furthermore, melt flow structure commonly developed in massive ores and the absence of silicate minerals and cumulate textures suggest that the iron ores formed by the separation of an immiscible oxide melt from the silicate melt rather than by crystal fractionation. Combined with theoretical and experimental studies, we propose that the introduction of phosphorus due to crustal contamination during mantle‐derived magma ascent could have been a crucial factor that led to the formation of an immiscible oxide melt from the silicate magma.

Geochronology/geochemistry of the Washan dioritic porphyry associated with Kiruna-type iron ores, Middle-Lower Yangtze River Valley, eastern China: implications for petrogenesis/mineralization

The Early Cretaceous Washan dioritic porphyry is spatially and temporally associated with Kiruna-type iron oxide deposits in the Ningwu basin, Middle-Lower Yangtze River Valley (MLYRV). We present new LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating + zircon Lu–Hf isotopic studies, as well as bulk-rock major + trace element and Sr + Nd isotopic compositions of the porphyry. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb zircon analyses suggest that the pluton formed at 130.8 ± 0.9 Ma. Analysed zircon ϵHf(t) values range from –7.0 to –4.1. The dioritic rocks are significantly enriched in Pb and light rare earth elements, relative to high-field strength elements (Nb + Ti), coupled in the absence of significant Eu anomalies. They exhibit age-corrected ϵNd(t) (t = 130 million years) values of −3.5 to −3.9 and initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.70553–0.70653. The ore-bearing dioritic porphyry was derived from a parental basaltic liquid that was produced by partial melting of an enriched spinel-facies lherzolite in the Yangtze lithospheric mantle. This basaltic melt underwent a fractionation of plagioclase and clinopyroxene during ascent towards the surface, which led to the relative enrichment of iron in the residual melt. This type of magma was widespread in the MLYRV area but did not generate widespread Fe mineralization. In the Ningwu area, the dioritic magma was modified by minor assimilation of phosphorus-bearing rocks in the Yangtze upper crust. The special crustal characteristics of the Ningwu basin, i.e. phosphorus-rich strata, were likely a crucial factor controlling the formation of Kiruna-type iron oxide deposits.

Single-zircon dating of Precambrian strata in the west sector of the northern Qilian Mountains and its geological significance

Single-zircon evaporation method was employed in the present study to determine the age of the iron-bearing rock series in Precambrian strata in the western sector of the northern Qilian Mountains. Three zircon ages from the diabase of the Aoyougou ophiolite previously put into Upper Lithologic Formation of the Zhulongguan Group are (1 840 ± 2), (1 783 ± 2) and (1 784 ± 2) Ma respectively, whereas the zircon ages from the welded breccias in the Zhulongguan Group are (733 ± 71, (738 ± 4) and (604 ± 6) Ma respectively. These results show that they should belong to the bottom of the middle Proterozoic and the upper part of upper Proterozoic respectively.

Carboniferous porphyry Cu–Au deposits in the Almalyk orefield, Uzbekistan: the Sarycheku and Kalmakyr examples

ABSTRACT The Almalyk porphyry cluster in the western part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt is the second largest porphyry region in Asia and hence has attracted considerable attention of the geologists. In this contribution, we report the zircon U–Pb ages, major and trace element geochemistry as well as Sr–Nd isotopic data for the ore-related porphyries of the Sarycheku and Kalmakyr deposits. The zircon U–Pb ages (Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)) of ore-bearing quartz monzonite and granodiorite porphyries from the Kalmakyr deposit are 326.1 ± 3.4 and 315.2 ± 2.8 Ma, and those for the ore-bearing granodiorite porphyries and monzonite dike from the Sarycheku deposit are 337.8 ± 3.1 and 313.2 ± 2.5 Ma, respectively. Together with the previous ages, they confine multi-phase intrusions from 337 to 306 Ma for the Almalyk ore cluster. Geochemically, all samples belong to shoshonitic series and are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements relative to high field strength elements with very low Nb/U weight ratios (0.83–2.56). They show initial (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7059–0.7068 for Kalmakyr and 0.7067–0.7072 for Sarycheku and low εNd(t) values of −1.0 to −0.1 for Kalmakyr and −2.3 to 0.2 for Sarycheku, suggesting that the magmas were dominantly derived from a metasomatized mantle wedge modified by slab-derived fluids with the contribution of the continental crust by assimilation-fractional-crystallization process. Compared to the typical porphyry Cu deposits, the ore-bearing porphyries in the Almalyk cluster are shoshonitic instead of the calc-alkaline. Moreover, although the magmatic events were genetically related to a continental arc environment, the ore-bearing porphyries at Sarycheku and Kalmakyr do not show geochemical signatures of typical adakites as reflected in some giant porphyry deposits in the Circum-Pacific Ocean, indicating that slab-melting may not have been involved in their petrogenesis.

Tracking deep ancient crustal components by xenocrystic/inherited zircons of Palaeozoic felsic igneous rocks from the Altai–East Junggar terrane and adjacent regions, western Central Asian Orogenic Belt and its tectonic significance

ABSTRACT The deep crustal continental components and architecture of the western Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) have long been a matter of debate. This article presents an integrated study of published geochronological and Hf-in-zircon isotopic data for inherited zircons from the Palaeozoic granitoid rocks and associated felsic volcanic rocks of the Chinese Altai, East Junggar, and nearby regions. The aim is to trace the age spatial distribution of deep old crustal components. Our data set comprises 463 published age data obtained by SHRIMP and LA-ICP-MS from felsic igneous rocks in these areas. Among these samples, zircon xenocrysts were observed in 69 granitic rocks and 15 felsic volcanic rocks from the Chinese Altai and 30 granitoid rocks and five felsic volcanic rocks in the East Junggar, respectively. Three major zircon xenocrysts provinces are defined based on the distribution of these inherited zircon ages, combined with Hf-in-zircon isotopes. Province I, mainly situated in the eastern part of the central Chinese Altai, is characterized by the abundant inherited zircons with Meso-Proterozoic and Palaeo-Proterozoic ages (1000–1600 and 1600–2500 Ma, respectively), and variable εHf(t) values ranging from −15 to +7 with ancient Hf crustal model ages (TDMC) ranging from 1.5 to 2.9 Ga. A few scattered parts of province I are scattered situated in the East Junggar (individual areas, e.g. Taheir and Shuangchagou). Province II, situated mostly in the central Chinese Altai, is characterized by abundant xenocrystic zircons with Neo-Proterozoic ages (542–1000 Ma), εHf(t) values ranging from −6.8 to +8.1, and corresponding Hf crustal model ages of ~1.0–1.3 Ga. Province III contains abundant Phanerozoic (<541 Ma) xenocrystic zircons that show highly positive εHf(t) values ranging from +5 to +16 and the youngest Hf crustal model ages (0.4–0.95 Ga). The main part of Province III occupies most areas of the East Junggar and the southernmost and northern parts of the Chinese Altai. Identification of the ancient (pre-Neoproterozoic) Hf crustal model ages in the eastern part of the central Chinese Altai (Province I) supports the suggestions that ancient concealed crustal components exist in the Chinese Altai. In contrast, Province III in the East Junggar predominantly displays young model ages, which indicates that it is mainly composed of juvenile components and likely a typical accretionary belt. Besides, a few small areas with ancient model ages are recognized in the East Junggar, providing evidence for the local existence of Precambrian crust or micro-blocks within the accretionary belt. The zircon xenocrysts provinces are consisted with the Nd isotopic province and provide further evidence for the ancient and juvenile compositions in deep. In addition, the tectonic division of the region is discussed based on the distribution of deep crustal components. The Erqis fault zone can be regarded as the boundary between the Chinese Altai and East Junggar regions and its western extension is constrained to be closer to the Altai–Qinghe Fault than previously considered. The central Chinese Altai can be subdivided into two distinct tectonic units.