Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2011, Vol. 18 ›› Issue (2): 321-338.

• Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

 Characteristics of sulfide minerals, genetic type  and metallogenic epoch of the Caijiaping leadzinc deposit,

  

  1. 1. School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences(Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
    2. Northeastern Jiangxi Geological Party of Jiangxi Province, Shangrao 334000, China
  • Received:2010-10-11 Revised:2011-01-17 Online:2011-03-15 Published:2011-04-15

Abstract:

The Caijiaping leadzinc deposit, located in north Wuyi area, Jiangxi Province, is a newfound mediumsized deposit. Sandstones of the Jurassic Shuibei Formation(J1s) and Zhangping Formation(J2z) are wall rocks of orebodies. The leadzinc orebodies usually occur in the crush belts beside the fractures, and often exist in boundary surfaces of rhyolite porphyries and sandstones. On the basis of field work, by means of observation of microscope and analysis of electron probe, this paper researches main sulfide minerals of the deposit at great length. Oreforming process is preliminarily divided into sedimentary mineralization period, magmatic hydrothermal period and hypergene period. Magmatic hydrothermal period consists of mediumhigh temperature pyritesphalerite stage, mediumlow temperature quartzpolymetallic sulfide stage and carbonate stage. Mediumhigh temperature pyritesphalerite stage is characterized by medium and largegrained hypautomorphicautomorphic pyrite+christophite, which can reflect higher formation temperature. The alteration of this stage is epidotization. Mediumlow temperature quartzpolymetallic sulfide stage, which is a major metallogenetic stage, has a major ore mineral association consisting of pyrite+sphalerite+chalcopyrite+galena. The major alteration of this stage is silification, chloritization and sericitization. The data of electron probe indicate that following the mineralization, sulfur was more and more deficient. According to the trace element geochemistry of galena and sphalerite, mineralization mainly resulted from magmatic hydrothermal process superimposed on layercontrolling action and sedimentationmetamorphism, which indicates that the mineralization of this deposit is polygenous. The bedding and incision orebodies we found in the field imply that the origin and the type of the leadzinc orebodies are not single. Sulfur isotopic analysis indicates that sulfur of the Caijiaping deposit is mainly magmatic sulfur in origin, possibly mixed with mantlederived magma, and the sulfur isotope was approximately on balance when metallogenic materials were precipitated. The geologic thermometers of chlorite, cadmium and sulfur isotope show that the temperature of mineralization is 2923—4906 ℃, which is mediumhigh temperature and is consistent with the result of the trace element analysis. Additionally, it is found that the fault F4 cuts orebodies in the field, and the potash feldspar selected from felsic vein within F4 yields a 40Ar/39Ar age of 120±4 Ma, implying the mineralization of the Caijiaping deposit should occur before (120±4) Ma. Combining with previous studies, the authors speculate the age of mineralization was 120138 Ma, corresponding with extensional mineralization stage of the South China area. According to the researches above, the Caijiaping leadzinc deposit, a medium temperature hydrothermal deposit, mainly resulted from magmatic hydrothermal process. In addition, layercontrolling action and sedimentationmetamorphism also controlled the formation of the deposit.

Key words: characteristics of sulfide minerals, genetic type, geologic thermometer, 40Ar/39Ar age of fracture, the Caijiaping leadzinc deposit, North Wuyi Area

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