Dating of lead-zinc deposits is of critical importance for better understanding of ore genesis, but has long been a big challenge due to the lack of suitable minerals that can be unequivocally linked to the ore genesis and that can be used for tradition radiometric methods. This kind of deposits have simple mineralogy dominated by galena and sphalerite commonly associated with calcite and other gangue minerals. Both galena and sphalerite have low and high variable Re concentrations and thus Re-Os dating of these minerals have been less promising. In addition, the recovery of Re is extremely low for galena when conventional method was applied, lending additional difficulty in precisely dating galena. In this study, we investigate the recovery of Re using different media for anion exchange separation and reporte a revised preparation method for Re-Os dating of galena and sphalerite. By using the new protocol, two reliable Re-Os isochron ages of galena and sphalerite from the Fule(20.4±3.2 Ma) and Laochang(308±25 Ma) Pb-Zn deposits in Yunnan Province, SW China, are achieved.
Located on the western Yangtze Block, the Sichuan (四川)-Yunnan (云南)-Guizhou (贵州) (SYG) Pb-Zn metallogenic province has been a major source of base metals for China. In the south- eastern SYG province, structures are well developed and strictly control about 100 Pb-Zn deposits. Al- most all the deposits are hosted in Devonian to Permian carbonate rocks. Lead-zinc ores occur either as veinlets or disseminations in dolomitic rocks with massive and disseminated textures. Ore minerals are composed of pyrite, sphalerite and galena, and gangue minerals are calcite and dolomite. Sulfide min- erals from four typical Pb-Zn deposits are analyzed for sulfur isotope compositions to trace the origin and evolution of hydrothermal fluids. The results show that 034S values of sulfide minerals range from +3.50%0 to +20.26%0, with a broad peak in +10%0 to +16%0, unlike mantle-derived sulfur (0±3%0). How- ever, the mean δ34Ssulflde and δ34S∑s-fluids values are similar to that of sulfate-bearing evaporites in the host rocks (gypsum: -+15%0 and barite: +22%0 to +28%0) and Cambrian to Permian seawater sulfate (+15%0 to +35%0). This suggests that reduced sulfur in hydrothermal fluids was likely derived from evaporates in the host rocks by thermo-chemical sulfate reduction (TSR). Calculated δ34S∑s-fluids values of the Shanshulin (杉树林), Qingshan (青山), Shaojiwan (筲箕湾) and Tianqiao (天桥) Pb-Zn deposits are +21.59‰, +18.33‰, +11.4‰ and +10.62‰, respectively, indicating sulfur-bearing hydrothermal fluids may be evolved from the Shanshulin to Qingshan and then the Shaojiwan to Tianqiao deposition sites along the Yadu (垭都)-Ziyun (紫云) lithospheric fracture in the southeastern SYG province.
The Pb-Zn metallogenic district in NW Guizhou Province is an important part of the Yun-nan-Sichuan-Guizhou Pb-Zn metallogenic province, and also is one of the most important Pb-Zn producers in China. The hosting rocks of the Pb-Zn deposits are Devonian to Permian carbonate rocks, and the basement rocks are meta-sedimentary and igneous rocks of the Proterozoic Kunyang and Huili groups. The ore minerals are composed of sphalerite, galena and pyrite, and the gangue minerals are include calcite and dolomite. Geology and C-O isotope of these deposits were studied in this paper. The results show that δ13C and δ18O values of hydrothermal calcite, altered wall rocks-dolostone, sedimentary calcite and hosting carbonate rocks range from -5.3‰ to -0.6 ‰ (mean -3.4‰) and +11.3‰ to +20.9 ‰ (mean +17.2‰), -3.0‰ to +0.9 ‰ (mean -1.3‰) and +17.0‰ to +20.8‰ (mean +19.7‰), +0.6‰ to +2.5 ‰ (mean +1.4‰) and +23.4‰ to +26.5 ‰ (mean +24.6‰), and -1.8‰ to +3.9‰ (mean +0.7‰) and +21.0‰ to +26.8‰ (mean +22.9‰), respectively, implying that CO2 in the ore-forming fluids was mainly a result of dissolution of Devonian and Carboniferous carbonate rocks. However, it is difficult to evaluate the contribution of sediment de-hydroxylation. Based on the integrated analysis of geology, C and O isotopes, it is believed that the ore-forming fluids of these carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn deposits in this area were derived from multiple sources, including hosting carbonate rocks, Devonian to Permian sedimentary rocks and basement rocks (the Kun-yang and Huili groups). Therefore, the fluids mixing is the main precipitation mechanism of the Pb-Zn deposit in this province.
The Nage Cu-Pb deposit, a new found ore deposit in the southeast Guizhou province, southwest China, is located on the southwestern margin of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt. Ore bodies are hosted in slate and phyllite of Neoproterozoic Jialu and Wuye Formations, and are structurally controlled by EW-trending fault. It contains Cu and Pb metals about 0.12 million tonnes with grades of 0.2 wt% to 3.4 wt% Cu and 1.1 wt% to 9.27 wt% Pb. Massive and disseminated Cu-Pb ores from the Nage deposit occur as either veinlets or disseminations in silicified rocks. The ore minerals include chalcopyrite, galena and pyrite, and gangue minerals are quartz, sericite and chlorite. The H-O isotopic compositions of quartz, S-Cu-Pb isotopic compositions of sulfide minerals, Pb isotopic compositions of whole rocks and ores have been analyzed to trace the sources of ore-forming fluids and metals for the Nage Cu-Pb deposit. The oSCUNBs values of chalcopyrite range from -0.09% to +0.33%0, similar to basic igneous rocks and chalcopyrite from magmatic deposits. J6SCUNBS values of chalcopyrite from the early, middle and final mineralization stages show an increasing trend due to 63Cu prior migrated in gas phase when fluids exsolution from magma, ja4ScDT values of sulfide minerals range from -2.7‰ to +2.8‰, similar to mantle-derived sulfur (0±3‰). The positive correlation between J65CUNBs and ja4SCDT values of chalcopyrite indicates that a common source of copper metal and sulfur from magma. JDu2o- SMOW and JlSOH2O-SMOW values of water in fluid inclusions of quartz range from -60.7‰ to -44.4‰ and +7.9‰ to +9.0%0 (T=260℃), respectively and fall in the field for magmatic and metamorphic waters, implicating that mixed sources for H20 in hydrothermal fluids. Ores and sulfide minerals have a small range of Pb isotopic compositions (208Pb/204pb=38.152 to 38.384, 207Pb/204Pb=15.656 to 17.708 and 206Pb/204Pb=17.991 to 18.049) that are close to orogenic belt and upper crust Pb evolution curve, and similar to Neoproterozo