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A large amount of distal skarn Pb–Zn deposits without any causative intrusions exposed have been discovered along the eastern Nyainqêntanglha metallogenic belt (NMB) in the Gangdese region, Tibet, China. As a typical distal skarn Pb–Zn deposit in the east of NMB, the Mengya'a deposit is adjacent to the Longmala Pb–Zn ± Cu ± Fe deposit. However, the linkage between these two deposits is not unclear due to the chaotic dating results. In situ Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) U–Pb dating of reddish‐brown and yellow‐green garnet from Mengya'a yielded lower intersect ages of 53.6 ± 3.1 and 52.4 ± 4.4 Ma, respectively, indicating that Pb–Zn mineralization took place during the main collision stage of the India–Asia plates. The δDSMOW values of garnet, quartz and calcite vary from −148.4‰ to −140.4‰, −123.5‰ to −115.3‰ and −127.9‰ to −121.3‰, with the δ18OH2O values ranging from 5.8‰ to 6.6‰, 0.4‰ to 3.7‰ and 1.0‰ to 1.7‰, respectively. The δ13CV‐PDB and δ18OSMOW values of calcite range from −8.2‰ to −4.7‰ and 9.8‰ to 18.6‰, respectively. These C–H–O isotopic compositions of hydrothermal minerals indicate that the ore‐forming fluids were initially derived from the magmatic water with progressive input of meteoric water from the prograde stage to the retrograde stage. The 87Sr/86Sr(53 Ma) ratios of sphalerite (0.72321–0.73474) are consistent with those of Ando gneiss in the Lhasa‐Golmud area, indicating that the basement gneiss makes a great contribution for the source of ore‐forming materials. The newly obtained garnet U–Pb ages at Mengya'a are consistent with those of mineralization and causative intrusion in the Longmala Pb–Zn ± Fe ± Cu deposit, suggesting that the Mengya'a and Longmala deposits constitute an integrated distal skarn‐type system. This proposed hypothesis suggests that the Fe–Cu ± Pb ± Zn mineralization within the contact zone should focus on the locations beneath the identified Pb–Zn orebodies at Longmala and Pb‐21 orebody at Mengya'a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern Tibet exhibits abundant placer gold deposits, with a longstanding history of mining activities. Despite the widespread placer gold occurrences, the reports on the primary rock gold deposits or occurrences remain scarce. The central Lhasa terrane in northern Tibet hosts well-developed Zenong Group volcanic rocks, indicating great potential for the exploration of porphyry-epithermal copper (gold) deposits. Here, we select the Dangreyongcuo area in this region to investigate its metallogenetic potentiality, through a comprehensive 1:50,000 stream sediment geochemical survey, analyzing 12 elements (Au, As, Sb, Ag, Te, Cu, Pb, Zn, W, Sn, Bi, and Mo), and a detailed geological mapping. We aim to identify gold-related mineralization anomalies and provide clues for further bedrock gold exploration in this region. Based on the stream sediment geochemical data, zones 1–4, have been delineated using single-element indicator Au and element association indicator Au + As + Sb, which was determined through robust principal component analysis (RPCA) and using the exploratory data analysis (EDA) method. Subsequent validation exercises evaluating these four delineated zones reveal that Zone 1, Xinlong-Langmeila area, is the most promising prospect due to its high element concentrations, large size, and marked coincidence of element assemblages (also referred to as high-large-coincidence anomalies; HLCAs) and its characteristics are in line with those of epithermal deposits. Notably, the Xinlong deposit represents the first documented epithermal gold deposit hosted within the Zenong Group volcanic rocks. The identification of this deposit offers valuable insights and strategic directions for the broader understanding of Zenong Group volcanic rocks across the central Lhasa terrane. Additionally, subsequent strategies have been proposed for mineral exploration at both Xinlong camp and regional scales. • Gold anomalies were detected in the western Dangreyongcuo area, Tibet. • Xinlong deposit is a newly discovered high-sulfidation epithermal gold deposit. • Xinlong gold deposit is linked to Zenong Group volcanic rocks. • Promising prospecting potential exists within regional Zenong Group volcanic rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]