Epithermal Au and polymetallic mineralization in the Tulasu Basin, western Tianshan, NW China: Potential for the discovery of porphyry CuAu deposits

Zhao, Xiaobo; Xue, Chunji; Chi, Guoxiang; Wang, Honggang; Qi, Tian-Jiao

doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2013.12.018

Cited by 44 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The Tulasu district is situated in the northern margin of the Yili Block (Figure 1b), and is hosted by an active continental margin formed due to southward subduction of the Junggar Ocean beneath the northern margin of the Yili Block (An et al, ; Wang et al, ; Zhao, Xue, Chi, et al, ; Zhu et al, ). The wedge‐shaped Yili Block is regarded as the easternmost part of the Kazakhstan microcontinent (Biske & Seltmann, ; Windley, Alexeiev, Xiao, Kröner, & Badarch, ; Zonenshaĭn, & Kuz'min, M. I., & Natapov, L. M., ).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Dahalajunshan volcanic formation (DVF) represents a series of calc‐alkaline basaltic andesite to rhyolite arc volcanic successions and has a prolonged eruption history spanning from Early Devonian to Early Carboniferous (386–347 Ma), with most of the reported radioisotope ages concentrating to 367–347 Ma (Figure ) (An et al, ; Peng et al, ; Tang et al, ; Zhai et al, ; Zhao, Xue, Chi, et al, ; Zhao, Xue, Symons, et al, ). It encompasses dominantly andesitic to rhyolitic extrusive rocks interbedded with terrestrial sediments and relatively minored subvolcanic porphyritic andesite (An et al, ; Tang et al, ; Wang et al, ; Wang, Shu, Cluzel, Faure, & Charvet, ; Xia, Chen, Liu, & Luo, ; Zhao, Xue, Chi, et al, ). The extrusive successions, with a total thickness up to 1,070–4,500 m, were subdivided into five lithological members including, from base to top, the Conglomeratic, Acid tuff, Lower andesite, Volcaniclastic, and Upper andesite members (XBGMR, ) (Figure ).…”

Section: Geology Of the Tulasu Au‐cu Districtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most significant deposit is the Axi low‐sulfidation epithermal gold deposit, which contains estimated gold resources of ~2.3 Moz, averaging at 5.8 g/t (Rui et al, ). Mineralization at the Axi deposit occurs as structurally controlled veins within silicic and phyllic alteration zones, and is characterized by multi‐phase brecciation with fragments of both veins and disseminated host rocks (andesite and dacite) that are cemented by quartz ± calcite – sulfide veins (Zhai et al, ; Zhao, Xue, Chi, et al, ). Previously sensitive high‐resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dating has yielded U–Pb zircon ages of 356.2 ± 2.0 Ma and 363.2 ± 5.7 Ma for andesite and dacite (An et al, ; Zhai et al, ), respectively.…”

Section: Geology Of the Tulasu Au‐cu Districtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(a) Geological map of the Axi‐Tawuerbieke gold deposit (modified after Zhao, Xue, Chi, et al, ). (b) Geological map of the Kexiaxi porphyry copper deposit (modified after Xue, Wang, Zhao, & Chen, ) [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]…”

Section: Geology Of the Tulasu Au‐cu Districtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(c) Geological map of the Tulasu ore district showing the distribution of Devono‐Carboniferous igneous rocks and associated epithermal Au‐Pb‐Zn and Cu porphyry deposits (Zhai et al, ). Age data sources: Zhai et al (); Tang et al (); An, Zhu, Wei, and Lai (); An et al (); Zhao, Xue, Chi, et al (); Zhao, Xue, Symons, Zhang, and Wang (); Peng et al () [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Volcanic–plutonic connection and associated Au‐Cu mineralization of the Tulasu ore district, Western Tianshan, NW China: Implications for mineralization potential in Palaeozoic arc terranes

et al. 2020

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Constructing the plutonic–volcanic connections in volcanic arc setting is essential for understanding a variety of magmatic processes from continental crust differentiation to formation of magmatic‐hydrothermal ore deposits. Based on the combination of zircon U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotope and whole‐rock geochemistry and Sr‐Nd isotopes, we evaluated the potential connections between volcanic and plutonic rocks from the Tulasu Basin, the largest epithermal gold ore district in the Chinese Western Tianshan. The peak of volcanism coincides well with the major plutonism, representing an important magma event at ~347–367 Ma. These contemporaneous volcanic and plutonic rocks show broadly similar arc‐related geochemical signatures and zircon in‐situ Hf (εHf[t] = −1.0–14.3) and whole‐rock Nd (εNd[t] = −4.2–4.6) isotopic compositions, indicative of formation from parental magmas derived from a common depleted mantle source metasomatized by slab‐derived melts, despite diverse consequent processes (fractional crystallization, crustal contamination, and magma mixing/mingling) during their differentiation in a subduction‐related setting. Volcanic rocks from the Axi caldera in the centre of the Tulasu district are geochemically less evolved than the coeval porphyritic granite, which indicates that the intrusive rocks might originate from residual melts left behind by extraction of erupted magmas. In contrast, the porphyry Cu mineralized Kexiaxi pluton, which occurs in the margin of the Tulasu district, is compositionally indistinguishable from the coeval volcanic suites. This implies that the Kexiaxi pluton represents the intrusive equivalent of a common magma reservoir feeding the volcanic eruptions, and magma fluxes may have controlled their differentiation. We thus suggest that the depleted mantle derived calc‐alkaline magma, modified during slab‐related melt metasomatism, crustal contamination, and magma mixing may have played an important role in copper enrichment at Kexiaxi. Finally, the relatively water‐rich and fertile nature of arc magma of the Tulasu district indicates high exploration potential for significant porphyry Cu‐Au deposits. The existing alteration‐immobile fertility proxy (V/Sc) for intrusive rocks may also be useful to assess the fertility of cogenetic volcanic rocks, in turn with implications for unexposed porphyry Cu deposits at depths.

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Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geology Of the Tulasu Au‐cu Districtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geology Of the Tulasu Au‐cu Districtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geology Of the Tulasu Au‐cu Districtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Volcanic–plutonic connection and associated Au‐Cu mineralization of the Tulasu ore district, Western Tianshan, NW China: Implications for mineralization potential in Palaeozoic arc terranes

et al. 2020

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Metallogenesis of the Late Palaeozoic Axi–Tawuerbieke Au–Pb–Zn district in the Tulasu Basin, Western Tianshan, China: Constraints from geological characteristics and isotope geochemistry

Peng

Cheng

et al. 2018

Geological Journal

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The Tulasu Basin is an important epithermal gold ore cluster situated in the Boluokenu Polymetallic Belt, Western Tianshan, China. The Axi Au, Tabei Pb–Zn, and Tawuerbieke Au deposits in this basin represent different types of epithermal mineralization. These are products of the same tectonic‐magmatic‐hydrothermal event, related to the southward subduction of the North Tianshan Ocean beneath the Yili‐Central Tianshan Plate during the Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous. The spatial relationships, preservation levels, and evolution of the three deposits are still debated. Hence, systematic geological field investigations, ore microscopy, and isotopic analyses were carried out on these three deposits. The S–Pb–C–H–O isotopic compositions indicate that the ore‐forming components were derived from the volcanic‐subvolcanic rocks, as well as from circulating meteoric waters. The occurrence of adularia, silicified platy carbonates, and quartz characterized by crustiform/colloform/colloidal textures at Axi indicate that boiling was the main precipitation mechanism for the Au mineralization. The Pb–Zn ores from Tabei are characterized by abundant banded coarse‐grained quartz crystals with dog tooth and comb textures, suggesting that the sulphides precipitated slowly due to conductive cooling. The Tawuerbieke Au deposit is characterized by pervasive silicification and phyllic alteration accompanying veinlet and disseminated ore, which formed via metasomatic water–rock interaction. According to the ore textures, intrusion sizes, and mineral assemblages, it can be inferred that all three deposits experienced different extents of erosion (Axi < Tabei < Tawuerbieke) and that there is exploration potential for concealed porphyry Cu–Au mineralization. Exploration should focus on deep targets beneath the Tawuerbieke Au deposit.

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Late Palaeozoic tectonic evolution of North Tianshan Orogenic Belt: Perspectives from geochronology and geochemistry of the Tulasu pluton in the Tulasu Basin

Zhang

Wei

et al. 2019

Geological Journal

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TheTulasu pluton is located in the northeast of theTulasu Basin, NorthTianshan, which is composed of three rock types including quartz diorite porphyry, pyroxene diorite porphyry, and granite. Zircon U-Pb dating indicates that the quartz diorite porphyry and pyroxene diorite porphyry were crystallized in the Late Devonian (with ages at 360.3 ± 7.8 and 375.4 ± 6.2 Ma, respectively), while the granitic rocks was formed in the Late Carboniferous (at 305.9 ± 5.9 Ma), suggesting that the Tulasu pluton was the product of two magmatic episodes. The Late Devonian quartz diorite and pyroxene diorite porphyry are metaluminous and belong to calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline series. Quartz diorite porphyry and pyroxene diorite porphyry are characterized by the prominent enrichment in LILEs, such as Rb, Th, U, and K, and depletion in HFSEs, such as Nb, Ta, P, and Ti, which is similar to typical subduction-related arc magma. The εHf(t) values of quartz diorite porphyry and pyroxene diorite porphyry are +4.5-+8.8 and +2.0-+6.4, respectively, indicating that they are derived from depleted mantle wedge. Their T DM2 ages are 814-1,087 Ma and 955-1,227 Ma, respectively, which shows that the Mesoproterozoic to the Neoproterozoic crustal materials were involved. Their high Ba/La (10.26-17.92), low Th/Yb (1.96-5.80), and relatively low Ce/Th (3.16-7.34) and Ba/Th (18.29-38.92) ratios indicate that they were probably produced by partial melting of depleted mantle wedge metasomatized by slab-derived aqueous fluids, with involvement of subducted sediment. Geochemical characteristics indicate that the Late Devonian dioritic magma was generated in an arc-related tectonic setting. The Late Carboniferous granitic rocks were composed of granodiorite porphyry and granite porphyry. The granodiorite porphyry samples are high-K calc-alkaline and peraluminous, while the granite porphyry samples are in the boundary zones of shoshonite and high-K calc-alkaline, as well as metaluminous and weakly peraluminous. Granodiorite porphyry shows features of I-type granite, while granite porphyry has the characteristics of A-type granite. High 176 Hf/ 177 Hf ratios (0.282600-0.282833) and εHf(t) values (+0.4-+8.7) indicate that granitic rocks have affinities with both depleted mantle and crust. Geochemical characteristics suggest that the Late Carboniferous granitic magma was formed in post-collisional setting.

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Epithermal Au and polymetallic mineralization in the Tulasu Basin, western Tianshan, NW China: Potential for the discovery of porphyry CuAu deposits

Cited by 44 publications

References 38 publications

Volcanic–plutonic connection and associated Au‐Cu mineralization of the Tulasu ore district, Western Tianshan, NW China: Implications for mineralization potential in Palaeozoic arc terranes

Volcanic–plutonic connection and associated Au‐Cu mineralization of the Tulasu ore district, Western Tianshan, NW China: Implications for mineralization potential in Palaeozoic arc terranes

Metallogenesis of the Late Palaeozoic Axi–Tawuerbieke Au–Pb–Zn district in the Tulasu Basin, Western Tianshan, China: Constraints from geological characteristics and isotope geochemistry

Late Palaeozoic tectonic evolution of North Tianshan Orogenic Belt: Perspectives from geochronology and geochemistry of the Tulasu pluton in the Tulasu Basin

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