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The Beiligaimiao magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposit is located in the northern rim of the North China Block, which was an active continental margin related to the southward subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate to the north in the Paleozoic. This deposit has never been studied before but is an excellent example of sulfide mineralization in arc settings that have been commonly overlooked by exploration geologists worldwide. Sulfide mineralization in the deposit is hosted in a mafic-ultramafic complex that consists of a small ultramafic body surrounded by an older and much larger gabbroic intrusion. Disseminated sulfide zones are present in both intrusive bodies but only those close to the surface within the ultramafic body have been mined in the past. The sulfide-mineralized ultramafic body is composed of olivine websterite and orthopyroxenite with a gradational contact between them. SIMS U-Pb dating of zircon crystals from a large olivine websterite sample yields a crystallization age of 269.4 ± 2.1 Ma, which is ∼25 Ma younger than the Erbutu subduction-related magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposit that occurs ∼50 km to the north. Orthopyroxene crystals in the Beiligaimiao ultramafic rocks have Mg # [100 Mg/(Mg + Fe), molar] of 77–78, significantly lower than those in the ultramafic rocks of the Erbutu deposit. Olivine crystals in the Beiligaimiao ultramafic rocks have forsterite (Fo) contents from 72 to 75 mol%, which are also significantly lower than those in the ultramafic rocks of the Erbutu deposit (Fo, 86–88 mol%). The mineral chemical data indicate a more fractionated parental magma for the former. Ca-depletion in olivine (i.e., 34 S values of sulfide separates from the Beiligaimiao deposit are 1.7 to 2.5‰, significantly lower than those for the Erbutu deposit but still slightly higher than the MORB value (−1.5 to 0.5‰). Olivine websterites in the Beiligaimiao deposit have e Nd from −8.9 to −9.5 and ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) i close to 0.7075, which are similar to those of an enriched lithospheric mantle. An orthopyroxenite sample from the deposit has much lower e Nd (−12.6) coupled with much higher ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) i ratio (0.7132), indicating ∼25% crustal contamination. The Sr-Nd-S isotope data support the premise that both crustal contamination and addition of crustal sulfur played a role in triggering sulfur saturation in the parental magma of the Beiligaimiao deposit. Since the immediate country rocks are exclusively gabbros, these processes likely took place at depth. The close temporal and spatial association of the Beiligaimiao and Erbutu deposits points to the possibility that more Permian arc-type magmatic sulfide deposits are yet to be discovered in the region.

The Wunugetushan porphyry Cu–Mo deposit is located in northeastern China. The deposit lies within the Mongolia–Erguna metallogenic belt, which is associated with the evolution of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean. The multiple episodes of magmatism in the ore district, occurred from 206 to 173 Ma, can be divided into pre-mineralization stage (biotite granite), mineralization stage (monzogranitic porphyry and rhyolitic porphyry), and post-mineralization stage (andesitic porphyry). The biotite granite has (87Sr/86Sr)i values of 0.704105–0.704706, eNd(t) values of −0.67 to −0.07, and eHf(t) values of −0.4 to 2.8, yielding Hf two-stage model ages (TDM2) 1250–1067 Ma, and Nd model ages of 1.04–0.96 Ga, indicating that the pre-mineralization magmas were generated by the remelting of Neoproterozoic juvenile crustal material. The monzogranitic porphyry has (87Sr/86Sr)i values of 0.704707–0.706134, eNd(t) values of 0.29–1.33, and eHf(t) values of 1.0–2.9, yielding TDM2 model ages of 1173–1047 Ma. The rhyolitic porp...

The Badaguan porphyry Cu Mo deposit is located in the Derbugan metallogenic belt of northeastern Inner Mongolia, China. The host granodioritic porphyry and the wall rock granitic porphyry were emplaced at 230 Ma and 238 Ma, respectively. The granodioritic porphyry has ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) i values of 0.70535–0.70549, e Nd (t) values of 0.41–1.17, e Hf (t) values of 1.30–6.51, and two–stage model ages (T DM2 ) of 1131–848 Ma. In contrast, the granitic porphyry is characterized by e Hf (t) values from − 0.75 to 7.28 that yield T DM2 model ages of 1355–816 Ma. The geochemical and Sr Nd Hf isotopic data for the magmatic rocks associated with the Badaguan porphyry Cu Mo deposit indicate that these intrusions were generated by the partial melting of juvenile lower crust. The δ 18 O values of ore fluids from different mineralizing stages are between − 6.0‰ and + 1.5‰, and the fluid δD water values vary from − 119.3‰ to − 140.0‰, indicating a mixed fluid of magmatic and meteoric water, the S Pb isotopes show that the metal was mostly derived from a deep-seated magma that involved some crustal materials, with a narrow δ 34 S range (− 2.4‰ to + 3.5‰). We infer that the Badaguan porphyry Cu Mo deposit formed during a period of southeast–directed subduction of the Mongol–Okhotsk oceanic plate beneath the Erguna Block.

The geodynamic setting of magmatic rocks and geodynamic mechanism of Cu–Mo–Fe–Sn–Pb–Zn–Ag polymetallic mineralization in northeastern (NE) China are attracting increasing attention. This study explores these issues by providing SIMS zircon U–Pb dating, whole-rock geochemical, Hf isotopic data of magmatic rocks, and molybdenite Re–Os dating exposed in the Wunugetushan porphyry Cu–Mo deposit, NE China. This deposit is located in the western part of the Great Xing'an Range, on the southeastern margin of the Mongol–Okhotsk Orogenic Belt. Molybdenite Re–Os and SIMS zircon U–Pb dating of the host monzogranitic porphyry and the wall rock of biotite granite in the Wunugetushan porphyry Cu–Mo deposit indicate that the ore-formation, host porphyry, and wall rock-emplacement occurred at 180.5 ± 2.0 Ma, 180.4 ± 1.4 Ma, and 203.5 ± 1.6 Ma, respectively, and the mineralization of the Wunugetushan porphyry Cu–Mo deposit occurred during the same period as that of the host monzogranitic porphyry. Geochemically, the Wunugetushan granitoids are characterized by strong LREE/HREE fractionation, and pronounced negative Nb, Ta, and Ti anomalies, with slightly negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.71–0.97) of the host monzogranitic porphyry and pronounced negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.29–0.32) of the wall rock of biotite granite. In situ Hf isotopic analyses of zircons from the host monzogranitic porphyry and the wall rock of biotite granite yielded eHf(t) values ranging from 0.5 to 8.2, and from − 6.9 to 5.9, respectively. The geochemical and isotopic data for the Wunugetushan granitoids imply that the primary magmas of the host monzogranitic porphyry could have originated by partial melting of a thickened lower crust, with input of mantle components, while the primary magmas of the wall rock of biotite granite could have been derived by partial melting of a thickened lower crust that mixed with ancient crustal materials. Based on the regional geological history, geochemistry of the Wunugetushan granitoids, and new isotopic age data, we suggest that the formation of the Wunugetushan porphyry Cu–Mo deposit was possibly induced in the Early Jurassic during the period of the southeastward subduction of the Mongol–Okhotsk oceanic plate beneath the Erguna Massif.

The Haoyaoerhudong gold deposit in the northern margin of the North China Craton (NCC) is a large tonnage lower-grade deposit with a reserve of about 148 tons of gold. Gold mineralization is characterized by pyrite and pyrrhotite films and thin veins on the schistosity plane of the Proterozoic black shales. The orebodies, strictly controlled by a near EW-trending shear zone, are stratabound within carbonaceous phyllite and andalusite-garnet schist of the Bilute Formation. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic data show that the ore-forming fluid was derived from a magmatic source and mixed with meteoric water. Sulfur and carbon isotope data indicate that most of the sulfur and carbon came from the black shale strata. Well-defined biotite Ar-Ar plateau age and inverse isochron age show that the deposit formed at ca. 270Ma, which suggests a probable link between Hercynian magmatism and gold mineralization. Studies on regional geology, ore geology, isotope geochemistry, and ore-forming age substantiate a complex evolutionary history of the deposit. The Proterozoic black shales rich in gold, sulfur, and organic matter, which were deposited in the Proterozoic continental margin rifts, comprised the source bed for gold mineralization. EW-ENE-structures, products of Palaeozoic orogenic process, provided pathways and mineralization space for ore-forming fluids. Hercynian tectono-magmatism and subsequent hydrothermal events remobilized gold and drove the ore-forming fluids to dilatational fracture zones. Related to postcollisional magmatic hydrothermal events, the Haoyaoerhudong gold deposit is considered as a special type of orogenic gold deposit formed in the compression–extension transition stage.

The petrogenesis and geodynamic setting of magmatic rocks in Eastern Tianshan, Xinjiang, are attracting increasing attention. This study explores these issues by providing SHRIMP zircon U–Pb dating, and element geochemical and Hf isotope data of magmatic rocks exposed in the Yandong region of Eastern Tianshan, Xinjiang. SHRIMP zircon U–Pb dating data indicate that the magmatic activities occurred around 335 Ma, and that mineralization of the Yandong porphyry Cu deposit occurred during the same period as that of the rock formation in the region or slightly later. All the magmatic rocks in Yandong are sub-alkaline or high-K, calc-alkaline with A/CNK values ranging from 0.91 to 2.70, enriched in K, Rb, and Ba and clearly depleted in Nb, Ta, P, Ti, and Th, and have geochemical characteristics typical of adakites (i.e, high Al2O3, high La/Yb ratios and Sr contents, low Y and HREE contents, and positive Eu anomalies). In situ Hf isotopic analyses of zircons that had previously been dated by SHRIMP yielded posit...

The Erbutu Ni-Cu sulfide deposit is hosted in a small ultramafic intrusion located at the southern margin of the Central Asian orogenic belt, Inner Mongolia. This deposit is the first case of a magmatic sulfide deposit related to boninitic magmatism in an arc setting. The host intrusion is composed of orthopyroxenite and olivine orthopyroxenite. More than three quarters of the intrusion contains economic, disseminated sulfide mineralization. SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircons from the intrusion gives a crystallization age of 294.2 ± 2.7 Ma, similar to the age of the Permian Tarim plume in northwest China. Olivine orthopyroxenite is characterized by olivine crystals with relatively high Fo contents (85–88 mol %) and extremely low Ca contents (

It is believed that the albite-potash-feldspar-greenschists in the middle Proterozoic Langshan Group in Tanyackou District are synsedimentary potassic spilite (or poenite) based on the following facts and features: (i) they occur in beds and look blackish (or apple) green and compact; (ii) they bear blasto-glomeroporphyritic and blastocrystalloclastic crystals which consist of (altered) albite laths with hollow skeleton crystal texture in which there are slender dark strips and minor pyroxene, and blasto-amygdaloid filled with pyrite, chlorite, magnetite, etc.; (iii) the results of the petrochemical diagrams show that they are orthometamorphites; (iv) Sm-Nd isotopic age of them is 1 824 Ma (model age (tDM) is 2 006–2 132 Ma).