Mineralization processes at the giant Jinding Zn–Pb deposit, Lanping Basin, Sanjiang Tethys Orogen: Evidence from in situ trace element analysis of pyrite and marcasite

Abstract

The giant Jinding Zn–Pb deposit is in the Mesozoic–Cenozoic Lanping Basin of southern China and hosted by sandstone in the Early Cretaceous Jingxing Formation and limestone breccia and sandstone and gypsum in the Palaeocene Yunlong Formation. Mineral associations at the deposit are early (Stage 1) marcasite–sphalerite(–pyrite) and galena–quartz; through (Stage 2) pyrite–sphalerite–galena(–arsenopyrite) and marcasite–celestite–carbonate–gypsum; and the late (Stage 3) galena–sphalerite–pyrite–sulfate–carbonate(–celestite), gypsum, and barite. Pyrite and marcasite have higher Pb, Zn, Ag, Bi, As, Se, and Tl and lower V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, and Sn assays in orebodies hosted by sandstone and brecciated limestone. The concentration of these elements progresses from the early to late stages with increasing Cu, Zn, Ag, Bi, V, Cr, Co, Ni, and Se; decreasing Tl and As; and constant Pb, Sn, and Sb. This chemical characteristic of the pyrite and marcasite indicates that their source is basinal brine with minor contribution from the host rocks. During the early and middle stages, pyrite and marcasite contain higher concentration of Pb, Tl, and As, which is related to mineralized basinal brine and H2S‐rich fluids at a low pH during relatively higher temperature conditions. During the late stage mineralization, pyrite and marcasite contain the highest concentrations of Cu, Zn, Ag, Sb, Pb, Bi, and Se, which is associated with metal‐rich basinal brine and meteoric water at a near‐neutral pH and lower temperature conditions.

Secondary Sulfate Minerals from Thallium Mineralized Areas: Their Formation and Environmental Significance

“…The mineralized wall rock is carbonate rock (e.g., Xiangquan) or gypsum-bearing sandstone (e.g., Lanping). Zn-Pb-Tl-Ba-Sr characterizes the element assemblage, with pyrite being the prevailing Tl-bearing mineral, and less common, lorandite and raguinite [39,40]. Skrikerum Cu-Ag-Tl-(Au) selenide deposit from SE Sweden is the only thallium selenide deposit in which thallium is mainly hosted by bukovite (Cu 4 Tl 2 Se 4 ) and crookesite (Cu 7 (Tl,Ag)Se 4 ) in calcite-selenide veins [18].…”

Sequence and petrogenesis of the volcanic rocks from the middle Sanjiang Tethys Orogen, SW China: Implications for the Sanjiang Paleo‐Tethyan evolution

“…As the result of westward subduction of Paleo‐ocean, calc‐alkali tholeiite–shoshonite series sequence erupted along the Weixi volcanic belt (Table ; Figure ; Jian et al, , ; Mo et al, ). During Late Permian–Early Triassic, basaltic andesite‐andesite‐dacite‐rhyolite volcanic suite erupted (Table ; Figures and ; Wang, Wang, et al, ; Wang et al, ). And under the extension setting, the Early–Middle Triassic Shanglan, Pantiange and Cuiyibi formations formed at the Weixi volcanic belt.…”

Petrogenesis of the Cenozoic Lianhuashan pluton (SW China): Constrained by zircon U–Pb geochronology, Lu–Hf isotope, and geochemistry

“…During 825 and 750 Ma, this region is expressed as continental rift with the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent (Ernst et al, ; Li et al, ; Wang et al, ) and followed by stable continental block during the Late Neoproterozoic to Middle Devonian (Metcalfe, ; Pullen, Kapp, Gehrels, Vervoort, & Ding, ). At Middle–Late Devonian (390–370 Ma), Paleo‐Tethyan Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan Ocean opened and the Simao terrane was separated from the Cathaysian continent (Wang, Deng, Santosh et al, ; Wang, Chen, et al, ; Wang, Bagas, et al, ; Wang, Yang, et al, ). At Late Carboniferous–Early Permian (ca.…”