Mineral Exploration and Resource Evaluation
Li SU, Haijun ZHU, Shoujiang GU, Xingke YANG, Yichen ZHAO, Xueping SUN, Hujun HE, Ke HAN, Yuyu ZHANG, Jiang TAN, Yuanlong XIE, Long ZHANG, Libo GAO
The Xihuashan gold mining area is located in the Qilian tectonic metallogenic belt of the Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun orogenic belt,Machang and Liugou gold deposits have been found in the mining area.The ore-bearing strata in the area are the metamorphic strata of the Haiyuan group,and the veins are controlled by the fault zone.The ore types are mainly altered lamprophyre type,quartz vein type and altered rock type.In order to find out the genetic type and metallogenic process of the Xihuashan gold deposit,the field geological survey,microthermometry of fluid inclusionsand H-O-S isotope geochemistry of Machang and Liugou gold deposit were carried out.The results show that the homogenization temperature of quartz fluid inclusions in Machang gold deposit ranges from 140.1 ℃ to 382.6 ℃,and mainly concentrated in 250~260 ℃,the corresponding salinity is 2.57%~10.72% NaCleq.The homogenization temperature of quartz fluid inclusions in Liugou gold deposit ranges from 203.2 ℃ to 353.9 ℃,and mainly concentrated in 270~280 ℃,and the freezing point temperature is -8.2~-3.2 ℃,the corresponding salinity is 5.28%~12.08% NaCleq,mainly concentrated in 7%~8% NaCleq.The δD values of quartz in Machang gold deposit are -86.5‰~-87.2‰,and the δ18O values are 15.4‰~16.7‰.The δD values of quartz in Liugou gold deposit are -90.2‰~-91.6‰,the δ18O values are 15.7‰~17.0‰.Therefore,the ore-forming fluid belongs to the medium-low temperature medium-low salinity fluid,the main source of magmatic water.Additionally,the δ34S values in the pyrite of the Machang and Liugou mine areas range from -1.00‰ to 0.27‰.The combination of the S isotopic composition in the regional stratigraphy and electron probe analysis of pyrite suggests that the sulfur source of gold-bearing sulfides(with δ34S values close to zero) is primarily derived from deep magma,whilesulfides containing trace amount of gold or without gold are derived from the surrounding rock stratigraphy.During the Late Garidonian period,the magmatic dynamic and thermal influence of the Juewushan rock mass made the ore-forming materials in the white schist such as muscovite albite quartz schist in the Xihuashan area concentrated in fracture fissures to form early hydrothermal quartz veins. Simultaneously,in the late stage of magmatic differentiation and evolution,the ore-froming materials were separated from the magma,forming mineralized veins such as lamprophyre veins and quartz albite veins.When the solution temperature eventually dropped to the temperature of gold precipitation,the ore-forming hydrothermal fluid precipitated and enriched in the favorable position of the fault zone,forming gold deposits such as quartz vein types and fracture alteration rock types.