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The geologic history of the Western Tianshan region is important for understanding the evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and accretionary orogenesis. Paleozoic and Mesozoic igneous rocks are present along the northern margin of the Yili Block; however, studies of Paleozoic subduction and collisional events have been relatively limited. Published geochronologies of Middle Devonian magmatic rocks in this region are also lacking. Therefore, this study analyzed the zircon U–Pb ages and major and trace elemental compositions of three granite types collected from Biezhentao Mountain (Wenquan County, Western Tianshan). The medium-grained diorite (384.1 ± 3.6 Ma) and diorite–porphyrite (382 ± 3.2 Ma) are silica-rich, weakly peraluminous, alkali-rich, enriched in large-ion lithophile elements, depleted in high field strength elements, and belong to the calc–alkaline series, with A-type granite characteristics. The monzogranite (423.3 ± 9.4 Ma) exhibits A-type granite characteristics and belongs to the peraluminous calc–alkaline series. The findings suggest that the granitoids recorded two stages of tectonomagmatism during the Middle Devonian–Late Silurian. The Middle Devonian medium-grained diorite and diorite–porphyrite formed in a back-arc extensional setting, whereas the Late Silurian monzogranite formed in an active continental margin setting during the subduction of the North Tianshan Ocean. These results provide insights into the tectonic and magmatic processes that occurred during the evolution of the Western Tianshan region and the formation and evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most skarns are found near the pluton or in lithologies containing at least some limestone. However, recent research has shown that neither a pluton nor limestone is necessarily required to form a skarn deposit. The newly discovered Bagenheigeqier Pb–Zn skarn deposit is located in NE China. The skarn and Pb–Zn orebodies occur in volcanic lithologies of the Baiyin'gaolao Formation and are controlled by NE–SW-trending faults. The nearest pluton is a granite porphyry, at a distance of 20–250 m from the orebodies. Five paragenetic stages at Bagenheigeqier are recognized: (I) skarn; (II) oxide; (III) early sulphide; (IV) late sulphide; and (V) late quartz–calcite. The fluid inclusions from stages II to V homogenized at temperatures of 402–452, 360–408, 274–319 and 167–212°C, respectively. The hydrogen and oxygen isotope compositions (δ18OH2O, –12.4‰ to +9.3‰; δDH2O, –156.5‰ to –99.1‰) indicate that the ore-fluids were primarily of magmatic origin, with the proportion of meteoric water increasing during the progression of ore formation. Sulphur isotope values (δ34SVCDT, 1.4–5.5‰), lead isotope values (206Pb/204Pb, 18.184–18.717; 207Pb/204Pb, 15.520–15.875; 208Pb/204Pb, 37.991–38.379) and the initial 187Os/188Os ratios of the pyrite (0.307 ± 0.06) suggest that the ore metals were derived from the granite porphyry and Baiyin'gaolao Formation. Re–Os dating of pyrite intergrown with galena and sphalerite yielded a well-constrained isochron age of 151.2 ± 4.7 Ma, which is coeval with the laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry zircon U–Pb age of 154 ± 1 Ma for the granite porphyry. The deposit was therefore formed during Late Jurassic time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastern Tianshan hosts a number of porphyry Cu deposits. However, these mainly formed in the Jueluotage Belt, in the middle part of Eastern Tianshan. The Tonggou porphyry Cu mineralization is an exception to this, since it is located in the Bogda Orogenic Belt, north of Eastern Tianshan. We obtained new zircon U-Pb ages, whole-rock geochemical data, zircon Hf isotope data, and zircon trace element compositions. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating indicates a crystallization age of 302.2–303.0 Ma for the Tonggou mineralized granodiorite (TMG), which suggests that the Tonggou porphyry Cu mineralization formed in the Late Carboniferous period. εHf (t) data (1.8–14.1) for TMG suggests it was sourced from juvenile crustal melts, mixed with some mantle materials. TMG displays low ΣREE, compatible elements (Ba, Sr, Zr, and Hf), Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta ratios, as well as clearly negative Eu anomalies in whole rocks analyses. In addition, TMG is enriched in P, Hf and Th/U ratios in zircon, and has lower crystallization temperatures (734 to 735 °C) than the Daheyan barren granodiorite (DBG) (753 to 802 °C). Whole rock and zircon geochemical analyses show that the TMG was formed by fractional crystallization to a greater extent than the DBG in the Bogda Orogenic Belt. Moreover, zircon grains of the TMG show high Ce4+/Ce3+ ratios (159–286), which are consistent with related values from large porphyry deposits of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). High Ce4+/Ce3+ ratios reflect oxidizing magmas as a result of fractional crystallization, which indicates that the Tonggou deposit has potential to host a large porphyry Cu deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qibaoshan polymetallic ore field is located in the Wulian area, Shandong Province, China. Four ore deposits occur in this ore field: the Jinxiantou Au–Cu, Changgou Cu–Pb–Zn, Xingshanyu Pb–Zn, and Hongshigang Pb–Zn deposits. In the Jinxiantou deposit, three paragenetic stages were identified: quartz–pyrite–specularite–gold (Stage 1), quartz–pyrite–chalcopyrite (Stage 2), and quartz–calcite–pyrite (Stage 3). Liquid-rich aqueous (LV type), vapor-rich aqueous (V type), and halite-bearing (S type) fluid inclusions (FIs) are present in the quartz from stages 1–3. Microthermometry indicates that the initial ore-forming fluids had temperatures of 351–397 °C and salinities of 42.9–45.8 mas. % NaCl equivalent. The measured hydrogen and calculated oxygen isotopic data for fluid inclusion water (δ18OFI = 11.1 to 12.3‰; δDFI = −106.3 to −88.6‰) indicates that the ore-forming fluids were derived from magmatic water; then, they were mixed with meteoric water. In the Changgou deposit, three paragenetic stages were identified: quartz–pyrite–specularite (Stage 1), quartz–pyrite–chalcopyrite (Stage 2), and quartz–galena–sphalerite (Stage 3). LV, V, and S-type FIs are present in the quartz from stages 1–3. Microthermometry indicates that the initial ore-forming fluids had temperatures of 286–328 °C and salinities of 36.7–40.2 mas. % NaCl equivalent. The measured hydrogen and calculated oxygen isotopic data for fluid inclusion water (δDFI = −115.6 to −101.2‰; δ18OFI = 12.2 to 13.4‰) indicates that the ore-forming fluids were derived from magmatic water mixed with meteoric water. The characteristics of the Xingshanyu and Hongshigang deposits are similar. Two paragenetic stages were identified in these two deposits: quartz–galena–sphalerite (Stage 1) and quartz–calcite–poor sulfide (Stage 2). Only LV-type FIs are present in the quartz in stages 1–2. The ore-forming fluids had temperatures of 155–289 °C and salinities of 5.6–10.5 mas. % NaCl equivalent. The measured hydrogen and calculated oxygen isotopic data for fluid inclusion water (δDFI = −109.8 to −100.2‰; δ18OFI = 10.2 to 12.1‰) indicates that the ore-forming fluids were derived from circulating meteoric waters. The sulfur isotopes (δ34Ssulfide = 0.6 to 4.3‰) of the four deposits are similar, indicating a magmatic source for the sulfur with minor contributions from the wall rocks. The ore field underwent at least two phases of mineralization according to the chronology results of previous studies. Based on the mineral assemblage and fluid characteristics, we suggest that the late Pb–Zn mineralization was superimposed on the early Cu (–Au) mineralizaton in the Changgou deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The Bianbianshan deposit is a typical Cu-polymetallic deposit of the CMB. • Ore-forming fluids are attributed to a moderate T, ρ and moderate-low S NaCl system. • Cu mineralization occured in the deposit during the Early Cretaceous. • Fluid boiling and local mixing with meteoric water drove Cu precipitation. Abstract The Bianbianshan Cu-polymetallic deposit is located in the Xilamulun Cu-Mo belt of Inner Mongolia, NE China, and occurs within Late Jurassic andesite, rhyolite and tuff. Cu mineralization is observed in various types of hydrothermal disseminated veins exhibiting siliciification, sericitization and chloritization. The ore-forming process occurred in four stages: (1) chalcopyrite-pyrite-quartz, (2) pyrite-chalcopyrite-quartz-vein, (3) sphalerite-galena-quartz-vein, (4) and quartz-calcite-vein. Three types of fluid inclusions were identified in the deposit, including C-type (CO 2 -NaCl-H 2 O) as well as V- and L-type (NaCl-H 2 O) inclusions, where only L-type inclusions are observed in the fourth stage. Homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions in the four stages are 325–365 °C, 282–335 °C, 268–312 °C, and 195–259 °C, respectively, all of which exhibit salinities lower than ∼ 13 wt% NaCl equiv. Trapping pressure estimated from C, V- and L-fluid inclusions are between 550 and 900 bars, corresponding to minimum depths of 2.5–3.7 km. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of quartz from different stages (δD = −109.7 ~ –107.6‰, δ18O = 7.6–9.6‰, V-SMOW) suggest that the mineralizing fluid gradually evolved from a magmatic to a meteoric origin. Sulfur (δ34S V-CDT = −0.7 to 0.4‰) and lead isotopes (208Pb/204Pb = 37.746–38.137‰; 208Pb/204Pb = 15.52–15.56%; 206Pb/204Pb = 17.75–18.36%) indicate that ore-forming materials were derived from mantle with minor additional participation of crustal reservoirs. Our data suggests the ore-forming fluids of the Bianbianshan Cu-polymetallic deposit are attributed to a moderate temperature, moderate-low salinity, and moderate density system, where decreases in pressure, phase separation and local mixing with meteoric water drove precipitation of metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]