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The newly discovered giant Dahutang W–Cu–Mo deposit in the central part of the Jiangnan Orogen hosts an estimated resource of 1.1 million tons (Mt) of WO3, plus a proven resource of 0.65 Mt Cu and 0.08 Mt Mo. The Dahutang deposit is temporally and spatially associated with the Late Mesozoic S-type granites emplaced into the Neoproterozoic Jiuling granodiorite batholith and the Shuangqiaoshan Group. Based on petrographic observations, eight hydrothermal alteration/mineralization stages have been recognized, comprising pegmatitic (Stage I), potassic alteration (Stage II), albite alteration (Stage III), greisenization and main mineralization (Stage IV), polymetallic sulfide mineralization (Stage V), late scheelite mineralization (Stage VI), carbonate alteration (Stage VII) and supergene alteration (Stage VIII). Stage IV can be further divided into the early greisenization (Stage IV-A), the main wolframite mineralization (Stage IV-B) and the main scheelite mineralization (Stage IV-C). Fluid inclusion and H–O isotope analyses on nine Stage IV to VII ore/gangue minerals (wolframite, cassiterite, scheelite, sphalerite, fluorapatite, fluorite, quartz, calcite and chlorite) suggest the presence of an early W and a late Cu–Mo ore-forming fluid system. The early ore-forming fluids belong to a medium to high temperature (200°–420 °C), low salinity H2O–NaCl–CaCl2 system. This primary magmatic-hydrothermal fluid (δ18Ofluid = 5.4 to 8.8‰ and δD = −102 to −75‰) was likely exsolved from the Late Jurassic granites at Dahutang. Wolframite and scheelite coexist closely with fluorapatite and fluorite, respectively, indicating that the volatile-rich fluids at Dahutang were also rich in tungsten, fluorine and phosphorous. Tungsten was likely transported as tungstate species (e.g., WO42− and HWO4−), oxygen fluorine complexes (e.g., [WO2F4]2−, [WO3F2]2−) and phosphorous heteropolytungstate (e.g., [P(W12O40)]3−) in the fluids. Fluorapatite and wolframite may have precipitated first when the temperature dropped from 400° to 320 °C (along with pH increase) at an estimated depth of 7.8 km. This was likely followed by the extensive scheelite mineralization (with fluorite precipitation) that formed huge disseminated/veinlet-type W orebodies when the temperature further dropped to 200 °C (along with pH increase). After the W mineralization, extensive Cu–Mo polymetallic mineralization and the associated sericite-chlorite alterations may have formed by the granite porphyry and/or muscovite granite emplacement. The late ore-forming fluids belong to a medium to high temperature (200°–360 °C), low salinity H2O–NaCl–CaCl2 system. Molybdenum was likely transported mainly as Mo complexes (e.g., H2MoO4/MoO42−), and copper as Cu–Cl complexes. Molybdenite and chalcopyrite may have begun to precipitate when the fluids ascended and the temperature dropped to 330 °C. Meteoric water incursion may have then occurred (δ18Ofluid = 1.9–6.9‰ and δD = −99 to −68‰) and further cooled the fluid system to 250 °C, forming large Cu–Mo orebodies.

The connection between prolonged granitic magmatism and the formation of giant tungsten (W) polymetallic deposits has long been disputed. In this study, we present 6 mica Ar-Ar plateau ages and 22 molybdenite Re-Os model ages data on the newly discovered giant Dahutang W-Cu-Mo deposit in South China, which is one of the largest W deposits in the world. New and published zircon U-Pb, mica Ar-Ar, and molybdenite Re-Os age data reveal that the Mesozoic Dahutang magmatism and mineralization occurred in two major periods: (1) the Late Jurassic (ca. 153-147 Ma), forming the hydrothermal breccia, large wolframite-bearing quartz vein, and scheelite-dominated disseminated/veinlet type orebodies, which is mainly associated with the emplacement of porphyritic biotite granite; (2) the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (ca. 146-130 Ma), forming the Cu-Mo-W +/- Sn mineralization overprinting the Late Jurassic W-Mo +/- Cu orebodies, which is mainly related to the successively emplacement of the Early Cretaceous granites. We suggest that continuous accumulation of mineralization for a long period of time (151-130 Ma) have contributed to the formation of the giant Dahutang deposit.

The giant Dahutang W–Cu–Mo ore field is one of the largest tungsten ore fields worldwide. Three main types of mineralization are developed at Dahutang, comprising veinlet-disseminated, hydrothermal breccia, and coarse quartz vein-type mineralization. In this study, precise muscovite 40Ar/39Ar ages and systematic in situ sulfur isotope compositions of sulfides from the Shimensi and Shiweidong deposits were presented to determine the ore-forming ages and mineralizing intrusions of the hydrothermal breccia type and coarse quartz vein-type mineralization, sources of sulfur in the mineralization, and tectonic setting of the Dahutang ore field. The precise muscovite 40Ar/39Ar dating suggested that the hydrothermal breccia in the Shimensi deposit formed at 142.0 ± 0.6 Ma and was triggered by the biotite granite porphyry (BGP), while the coarse quartz vein-type mineralization in the Shiweidong deposit formed at 136.1 ± 0.5 Ma and was caused by an early episode of coarse-grained porphyritic two-mica granite (CPTG; 144.2–137.5 Ma) and destroyed by the late episode of CPTG (130–128 Ma). The in situ sulfur isotope compositions of sulfides showed that the hydrothermal breccia type and the coarse quartz vein-type mineralization had a narrow range of sulfur isotope compositions (−3.38–+0.39‰), implying a magmatic origin for sulfur. The increased sulfur isotopes in the sulfides from early to late stages were probably caused by a reduction in the oxygen fugacity of ore-forming fluids in the hydrothermal breccia mineral system. The main W–Cu–Mo mineralization event at Dahutang occurred in the 146–136 Ma interval and was only associated with the early episode of magmatism (149–138 Ma), which coincided well with the Cu–Au–Mo–Fe mineral system in the neighboring Middle–Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt (148–135 Ma). The late episode of magmatism (138–128 Ma), however, was commonly emplaced after the tungsten polymetallic mineralization and even destroyed early formed orebodies as ore-barren intrusions. Combined with the regional tectonic evolution, we proposed that the W–Cu–Mo mineralization and ore-related granites in the Dahutang ore field formed in a transitional setting from a compressional regime to an extensional regime.

The study presents δ65Cu and δ97Mo isotope values from cogenetic chalcopyrite and molybdenite found in veins and breccias of the Dahutang W-Cu-Mo ore field in China. The samples span a 3–4 km range. Both isotopes show a significant degree of fractionation. Cu isotope values in the chalcopyrite range from −0.31‰ to +1.48‰, and Mo isotope values in the molybdenite range from −0.03‰ to +1.06‰. For the cogenetic sulfide veined samples, a negative slope relationship exists between δ65Cu and δ97Mo values, which suggest a similar fluid history. Rayleigh distillation models the vein samples' change in isotope values. The breccia samples do not fall on the trend, thus indicating a different source mineralization event. Measured fluid inclusion and δD and δ18O data from cogenetic quartz indicate changes in temperature, and mixing of fluids do not appear to cause the isotopic shifts measure. Related equilibrium processes associated with the partitioning of metal between the vapor-fluid in the hydrothermal system could be the probable cause for the relationship seen between the two isotope systems.

Porphyry and skarn deposits in the middle Yangtze Valley within the Northern Yangtze Craton have a combined tungsten resource of ~ 3 million tonnes (Mt) and represent one of the most important tungsten regions in the world. The Dahutang porphyry tungsten deposit, with reserves of > 1 Mt, is one of the largest deposits. Uranium–Pb analyses for the ore-related granitoids yield ages of 147.4 ± 0.58 Ma–148.3 ± 1.9 Ma for porphyritic biotite granite, 144.7 ± 0.47 Ma–146.1 ± 0.64 Ma for fine-grained granite, and 143.0 ± 0.76 Ma–143.1 ± 1.2 Ma for granite porphyry, a progressive youngling of ages that is consistent with field observations. Geochemical data show that the three types of granite are characterized by enrichments in Rb, Pb, and U, and depletion in Ba, Nb, P, and Ti, with ASI [molar Al2O3/(CaO + Na2O + K2O)] > 1.1 that is characteristic of a peraluminous melt. The P2O5 contents of the granites are 0.13–0.37% and have a positive correlation with SiO2, and they are thus S-type intrusions. They exhibit initial 87Sr/86Sr of 0.721 to 0.731 and eNd(t) of − 5.06 to − 7.99 for porphyritic biotite granite, 0.7196 to 0.7289 and − 6.29 to − 6.74 for fine-grained granite, and 0.7153 to 0.7365 and − 5.09 to − 7.64 for granite porphyry. Chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns for the granites are characterized by enrichment in the light REE and a strong negative Eu anomaly, indicating that they were derived from the Proterozoic pelitic and psammitic basement strata and experienced strong fractional crystallization of plagioclase. Our ca. 150–140 Ma age for the Dahutang S-type magmatism and W mineralization is identical to that of the I-type magmatism related to Cu–Au–Mo–Fe-bearing porphyry and skarn deposits along the middle to lower Yangtze River Valley. We propose that the latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous granitoids and ores formed during a tearing of the subducting Izanagi slab, which caused the upwelling of asthenosphere and resulting mantle–crust interaction. The S-type granitoids and related W ore systems resulted from the re-melting of the Proterozoic crust, whereas the I-type granitic rocks and related ores are attributed to the partial melting of the subducted slab.

This is a brief research report about the recently-discovered and currently being explored Dahutang tungsten deposit (or ore field) in northwestern Jiangxi, south-central China. The deposit is located south of the Middle–Lower Yangtze River valley Cu–Au–Mo–Fe porphyry–skarn belt (YRB). The mineralization is genetically associated with Cretaceous porphyritic biotite granite and fine-grained biotite granite and is mainly hosted within a Neoproterozoic biotite granodiorite batholith. The Dahutang ore field comprises veinlets-disseminated (~ 95% of the total reserve), breccia (~ 4%) and wolframite–scheelite quartz vein (~ 1%) ore styles. The mineralization and alteration are close to the pegmatite shell between the Cretaceous porphyritic biotite granite and Neoproterozoic biotite granodiorite and the three styles of ore bodies mentioned above are related to zoned hydrothermal alteration that includes greisenization, K-feldspar alteration, silicification, carbonatization, chloritization and fluoritization arranged in time (early to late) and space (bottom to top). Five samples of molybdenite from the three types of ores have been collected for Re/Os dating. The results show Re/Os model ages ranging from 138.4 Ma to 143.8 Ma, with an isochron age of 139.18 ± 0.97 Ma (MSWD = 2.9). The quite low Re content in molybdenite falls between 0.5 ppm and 7.8 ppm that is indicative of the upper crustal source. This is quite different from molybdenites in the YRB Cu–Au–Mo–Fe porphyry–skarn deposits that contain between 53 ppm and 1169 ppm Re, indicating a mantle source. The Dahutang tungsten system is sub-parallel with the YRB porphyry–skarn Cu–Au–Mo–Fe system. Both are situated in the north margin of the Yangtze Craton and have a close spatial–temporal relationship. This possibly indicates a comparable tectonic setting but different metal sources. Both systems are related to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate beneath the Eurasian continent in Early Cretaceous. The Cu–Au–Mo–Fe porphyry–skarn ores are believed genetically related to granitoids derived from the subducting slab, whereas the porphyry W deposits are associated with S-type granitoids produced by remelting of the upper crust by heat from upwelling asthenoshere.