The Mesozoic Caosiyao Giant Porphyry Mo Deposit in Inner
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Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 127 (2016) 281–299 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Asian Earth Sciences journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jseaes The Mesozoic Caosiyao giant porphyry Mo deposit in Inner Mongolia, North China and Paleo-Pacific subduction-related magmatism in the northern North China Craton ⇑ Huaying Wu a,b,c, , Lianchang Zhang c, Franco Pirajno d, Qihai Shu a, Min Zhang b, Mingtian Zhu c, Peng Xiang a a State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China b Institute of Mineral Resources Research, China Metallurgical Geology Bureau, Beijing 100025, People’s Republic of China c Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 9825, Beijing 100029, People’s Republic of China d Centre for Exploration Targeting, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6005, Australia article info abstract Article history: The Caosiyao giant porphyry Mo deposit is located in the Wulanchabu area of Inner Mongolia, within the Received 7 November 2015 northern North China Craton (NCC). It contains more than 2385 Mt of ore with an average grade of 0.075% Received in revised form 13 June 2016 Mo. In the Caosiyao mining district, Mo mineralization occurs mainly in a Mesozoic granite porphyry as Accepted 14 June 2016 disseminations and stockworks, with some Mo distributed in Archean metamorphic rocks and diabase as Available online 27 June 2016 stockworks and veins. The host granite porphyry is composed of two different phases that can be distin- guished based on mineral assemblages and textures: one phase contains large and abundant phenocrysts Keywords: (coarse-grained), while the other phase is characterized by fewer and smaller phenocrysts (medium- Zircon U–Pb dating grained). Zircon U–Pb–Hf analyses of the former phase yielded a concordant 206Pb/238U age of Molybdenite Re–Os dating 206 238 e Giant porphyry Mo deposit 149.8 ± 2.4 Ma with a Pb/ U weighted mean age of 149.9 ± 2.4 Ma and Hf(t) values ranging from 206 238 Caosiyao À12.2 to 18.3, while the latter phase gave a concordant Pb/ U age of 149.0 ± 2.2 Ma with a 206 238 Northern North China Craton Pb/ U weighted mean age of 149.0 ± 2.1 Ma and eHf(t) values ranging from À13.1 to 17.7. Five sam- Paleo-Pacific subduction ples of disseminated molybdenite have a 187Re–187Os isochron age of 149.5 ± 5.3 Ma with a weighted average age of 149.0 ± 1.8 Ma, whereas six veinlet-type molybdenite samples have a well-constrained 187Re–187Os isochron age of 146.9 ± 3.1 Ma and a weighted average age of 146.5 ± 0.8 Ma. Thus, it is sug- gested that the Mo mineralization of the Caosiyao deposit occurred during the Late Jurassic (ca. 147–149 Ma), almost coeval with the emplacement of the host granite porphyry (ca. 149–150 Ma). The host granite porphyry is characterized by high silica (SiO2 = 71.52–74.10 wt%), relatively high levels of oxidation (Fe2O3/FeO = 0.32–0.94 wt%) and high alkali element concentrations (Na2O+K2O = 8.21– 8.76 wt%). The host granite porphyry also shows enrichments in U and K, and depletion in Ba, Sr, P, Eu, and Ti, suggesting strong fractional crystallization of plagioclase, biotite, and accessory minerals. These observations, together with high SiO2 contents and a high differentiation index (DI = 89.04–92.44), indicate a strong differentiation of the granite magma. Based on geological, geochronological, isotope systematics, and geochemical studies, we propose, for the first time, a genetic model for the Caosiyao porphyry Mo deposit. Under a regional extensional setting caused by far-field tectonics related to the Paleo-Pacific subduction during the Late Jurassic, a series of geodynamic, magmatic, and ore-forming processes took place, including formation of multi-directional and multi-phase faults, emplacement of the granitic host rocks, and Mo mineralization. Highly silicic, highly oxidized, and alkali-rich granitic magma, derived from partial melting of old lower crust, intruded into the country rocks. This highly differentiated granitic magma and the exsolved ore-forming fluids, enriched in Mo, migrated upward and interacted with the wall rocks. Eventually, ore minerals precipitated in fractures, resulting in the extensive deposition of molybdenite. Ó 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction ⇑ Corresponding author at: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, People’s Northern China and its adjacent areas have experienced a long Republic of China. and complex tectono-magmatic evolution responsible for the E-mail address: [email protected] (H. Wu). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2016.06.014 1367-9120/Ó 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 282 H. Wu et al. / Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 127 (2016) 281–299 region’s abundant mineral resources (Deng et al., 2006, 2014, tectono-magmatic evolution, including the formation of Archean– 2015; Luo et al., 1991; Mao et al., 2003, 2005; Pei et al., 1998; Paleoproterozoic lithotectonic units, Middle–Late Proterozoic rift- Pirajno and Zhou, 2015; Wu et al., 2011, 2014; Zhai et al., 2001, ing, subduction–collision associated with the closure of the 2004; Zeng et al., 2011, 2012; L.C. Zhang et al., 2009). Recently, a Paleo-Asian Ocean, and Mesozoic intracontinental tectono- large number of porphyry deposits with Mo as the major metal thermal events that are commonly referred to as the Yanshanian resource have been reported along the southern and northern mar- movement (Coleman, 1994; Meng, 2003; Pirajno et al., 2009; gins of the North China Craton (NCC) as well as its adjacent areas Pirajno, 2013; Santosh, 2010; Santosh et al., 2010; Sengör and (Fig. 1a). The Qinling orogenic belt, containing 8.5 Mt Mo, is situ- Natal’in, 1996; Xiao et al., 2003). During the Paleozoic, the geody- ated along the southern part of the NCC, and is known as the namic evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean influenced the northern largest Mo district worldwide (Mao et al., 2011; Li et al., 2005, NCC and its adjacent areas, and is largely responsible for the tec- 2007). Representative porphyry deposits in the Qinling Mo metal- tonic framework of these areas, especially northeast China, which logenic belt include the Shijiawan, Jinduicheng, Leimengou, Yuchil- is characterized by several convergent orogenic boundaries ing, Donggou, Nannihu, and Shangfanggou deposits (Cao et al., (Windley et al., 2002; Xiao et al., 2003; Y. Zhao et al., 2010). During 2015; Li et al., 2006; Yang, 2013; Ye et al., 2006; H.J. Zhao et al., the Mesozoic, the region entered into an intracontinental orogenic 2010; Zhu et al., 2008). Moreover, recent discoveries of several stage, which was later overprinted by the Paleo-Pacific subduction giant porphyry Mo deposits in the northern NCC and its adjacent in the east (Pei et al., 1998; Pirajno et al., 2009). This tectonic tran- areas (e.g., the Chalukou, Luming, Daheishan, Diyanqinamu, and sition from Indosinian to Yanshanian tectono-thermal events to Caosiyao deposits) have led to the recognition of this region as far-field tectonics related to the Paleo-Pacific subduction was another important Mo province, both for China and globally responsible for intense mantle–crust interaction and melting of (Leng et al., 2015; Li et al., 2014; Nie et al., 2012; Zhou et al., the lower crust, resulting in a large–scale metal mineralization in 2014). Several metallogenic belts with Mo–Cu as the principal the northern NCC and its adjacent areas (Mao et al., 1999; Zhai metals in the northern NCC and other places in the Central Asian et al., 2003). The Wulanchabu district in Inner Mongolia, where Orogenic Belt (CAOB) have been reported, including the Yanshan– several polymetallic deposits have been discovered, is a represen- Liaoning (Yanliao) Mo metallogenic belt, and the Xilamulun, Jilin- tative product of the above-mentioned tectonic and thermal Heilongjiang (Jihei), and Da-Hinggan Mo–Cu metallogenic belts events. (Chen et al., 2009, 2012; Li et al., 2014; Mao et al., 2005; Shu The Wulanchabu district is located in the northern NCC et al., 2015; L.C. Zhang et al., 2009; L.C. Zhao et al., 2010). (Fig. 1a), within the eastern Yinshan orogen. It consists of a wide Additional details of representative porphyry Mo–Cu deposits in range of lithotectonic units, including ancient continental blocks, these Mo (Cu) metallogenic belts are listed in Table 1. Mesozoic–Paleozoic continental volcano-sedimentary successions, The newly discovered Caosiyao giant porphyry Mo deposit, and a range of Precambrian and Paleozoic–Mesozoic granitoids located east of the Liangcheng fault uplift in the Wulanchabu area (Fig. 1b) (BGMRIM, 1991; Nie et al., 2012, 2013; Shen et al., within the northern NCC, is the largest porphyry Mo deposit in this 2010). The principal regional structures are represented by sets area. Mo mineralization in the mining district is developed in a of nearly E–W-, NE- and NW- striking faults. The E–W- striking Mesozoic granite porphyry and Archean metamorphic rocks, as faults include the Daqingshan and Hohhot-Wulanchabu faults, well as in a diabase. Geological characteristics, geochronology, the NE-trending faults occur in the southeast and are represented and fluid inclusion studies of the Caosiyao Mo deposit have been by the Daihai-Huangqihai and Datong-Shangyi faults, and the NW- reported in the Chinese literature (Li et al., 2012; Nie et al., 2012, trending fault is represented by the Xinghe-Shangdu fault (Fig. 1b). 2013; Wang et al., 2014; Xue et al., 2015), with only few publica- Magmatism occurred frequently from the Precambrian to the Pale- tions in the international literature.