LA-ICP-MS U Pb geochronology of wolframite by combining NIST series and common lead-bearing MTM as the primary reference material:Implications for metallogenesis of South China

Abstract The ages of Carlin-type gold deposits in the Golden Triangle of South China have long been questioned due to the general lack of minerals unequivocally linked to gold deposition that can be precisely dated using conventional radiogenic isotope techniques. Recent advances in U-Pb methods show that calcite can be used to constrain the ages of hydrothermal processes, but few studies have been applied to ore deposits. Herein, we show that this approach can be used to constrain the timing of hydrothermal activity that generated and overprinted the giant Shuiyindong Carlin-type gold deposit in the Golden Triangle. Three stages of calcite (Cal-1, Cal-2, and Cal-3) have been recognized in this deposit based on crosscutting relationships, cathodoluminescence colors, and chemical (U, Pb, and rare earth element [REE]) and isotope (C, O, Sr) compositions. Cal-1 is texturally associated with ore-stage jasperoid and disseminated Au-bearing arsenian pyrite in hydrothermally altered carbonate rocks, which suggests it is synmineralization. Cal-2 fills open spaces and has a distinct orange cathodoluminescence, suggesting that it precipitated during a second fluid pulse. Cal-1 and Cal-2 have similar carbonate rock-buffered chemical and isotopic compositions. Cal-3 occurs in veins that often contain realgar and/or orpiment and are chemically (low U, Pb, and REE) and isotopically (higher δ13C, lower δ18O and Sri values) distinct from Cal-1 and Cal-2, suggesting that it formed from a third fluid. U-Pb isotope analyses, by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for U-rich Cal-1 and Cal-2 and by LA-multicollector (MC)-ICP-MS for U-poor Cal-3, yield well-defined age constraints of 204.3 to 202.6, 191.9, and 139.3 to 137.1 Ma for Cal-1, Cal-2, and Cal-3, respectively. These new ages suggest that the Shuiyindong gold deposit formed in the late Triassic and was overprinted by hydrothermal events in the early Jurassic and early Cretaceous. Given the association of Cal-3 with orpiment and realgar, and previous geochronologic studies of several other major gold deposits in the Golden Triangle, we infer that the latest stage of calcite may be associated with an early Cretaceous regional gold metallogenic event. Combined with existing isotopic ages in the region, these new ages lead us to propose that Carlin-type gold deposits in the Golden Triangle formed during two metallogenic episodes in extensional settings, associated with the late Triassic Indochina orogeny and early Cretaceous paleo-Pacific plate subduction. This study shows that the calcite U-Pb method can be used to constrain the timing of Carlin-type gold deposits and successive hydrothermal events.

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Comparison of Magma Oxygen Fugacity and Zircon Hf Isotopes between Xianglushan Tungsten-Bearing Granite and Late Yanshanian Granites in Jiangxi Province, South China

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min10020106 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 106

Author(s):

Xing-Yuan Li ◽

Jing-Ru Zhang ◽

Chun-Kit Lai

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Fugacity ◽

South China ◽

Granitic Magma ◽

Geochemical Data ◽

Jiangxi Province ◽

Magmatic Zircon ◽

Late Mesozoic ◽

Icp Ms ◽

T Values ◽

Southern Jiangxi Province

Jiangxi Province (South China) is one of the world’s top tungsten (W) mineral provinces. In this paper, we present a new LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb age and Hf isotope data on the W ore-related Xianglushan granite in northern Jiangxi Province. The magmatic zircon grains (with high Th/U values) yielded an early Cretaceous weighted mean U-Pb age of 125 ± 1 Ma (MSWD = 2.5, 2σ). Zircon εHf(t) values of the Xianglushan granite are higher (−6.9 to −4.1, avg. −5.4 ± 0.7) than those of the W ore-related Xihuanshan granite in southern Jiangxi Province (−14.9 to −11.2, avg. −12.5 ± 0.9), implying different sources between the W ore-forming magmas in the northern and southern Jiangxi Province. Compiling published zircon geochemical data, the oxygen fugacity (fO2) of the late Yanshanian granitic magmas in Jiangxi Province (the Xianglushan, Ehu, Dahutang, and Xihuashan plutons) were calculated by different interpolation methods. As opposed to the W ore-barren Ehu granitic magma, the low fO2 of the Xianglushan granitic magma may have caused W enrichment and mineralization, whilst high fO2 may have led to the coexistence of Cu and W mineralization in the Dahutang pluton. Additionally, our study suggests that the absence of late Mesozoic Cu-Mo mineralization in the Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Anhui Provinces (Zhe-Gan-Wan region) was probably related to low fO2 magmatism in the Cretaceous.

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Supplemental Material: Identification of ca. 520 Ma mid-ocean-ridge–type ophiolite suite in the inner Cathaysia block, South China: Evidence from shearing-type oceanic plagiogranite

10.1130/gsab.s.16548087 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Longming Li

Keyword(s):

South China ◽

Nd Isotope ◽

Icp Ms ◽

Mid Ocean Ridge ◽

Ophiolite Suite ◽

Cathaysia Block ◽

Ocean Ridge ◽

Oceanic Plagiogranite ◽

Felsic Rocks ◽

Os Isotope

Table S1: Zircon SIMS U-Pb data and d18O values for the meta-felsic rocks from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; Table S2: LA-ICP-MS analysis of trace elements in zircon from the meta-felsic rocks, Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; Table S3: Zircon Hf isotope compositions of the meta-felsic rocks from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; Table S4: Major- and trace-element compositions of the serpentinites, meta-ultramafic rocks, and meta-felsic rocks from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; Table S5: Whole-rock Re-Os isotope compositions of the serpentinites from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; and Table S6: Sr-Nd isotope compositions of the meta-ultramafic and meta-felsic rocks from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China.

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DESENVOLVIMENTO DO MÉTODO DE DATAÇÃO QUÍMICA U-Th-Pb DE MONAZITA POR MICROSSONDA ELETRÔNICA NA UFMG

Revista Geonomos ◽

10.18285/geonomos.v21i2.268 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Alexandre de Oliveira Chaves ◽

Elizabeth Kerpe de Oliveira ◽

Luiz Rodrigues Armoa Garcia

Keyword(s):

Electron Microprobe ◽

Chemical Data ◽

Common Lead ◽

Icp Ms ◽

Dating Method ◽

Physics Department ◽

Chemical Dating

O método de datação química U-Th-Pb (não-isotópica) de monazita por microssonda eletrônica vem sendo desenvolvido há pelomenos 20 anos e já tem o reconhecimento da comunidade geológica por apresentar resultados que se equivalem à geocronologia isotópicaU-Pb. Este mineral contém quantidades negligenciáveis de chumbo comum, guardando apenas Pb radiogênico proveniente do Th e U destemineral. O desenvolvimento deste método no Laboratório de Microanálises do Departamento de Física da Universidade Federal de MinasGerais mostra que os dados químicos de U, Th e Pb de cristais de monazita fornecidos por sua microssonda eletrônica produzem idadesnão-isotópicas para eles que se equiparam às idades isotópicas U-Pb produzidas pela técnica LA-ICP-MS. Grãos de monazita de placersmarinhos de Buena (RJ) isotopicamente datados pelo método U-Pb com idades entre 530 e 580 Ma foram quimicamente datadas na UFMGentre 505 e 580 Ma. Estes resultados são consideravelmente compatíveis e colocam o referido laboratório a disposição da comunidadegeocientífica para obtenção de idades de cristais de monazita.Palavras-Chave: MONAZITA, DATAÇÃO QUÍMICA, MICROSSONDA ELETRÔNICA, UFMG ABSTRACTDEVELOPMENT OF THE MONAZITE U-Th-Pb CHEMICAL DATING METHOD BY USING ELECTRON MICROPROBE AT UFMG. Themonazite U-Th-Pb chemical dating method (non-isotopic) by electron microprobe has been developed for about 20 years and has theacceptance of the geological community by presenting results that are equivalent to the isotope U-Pb geochronology. This mineral containsnegligible amounts of common lead, keeping only radiogenic Pb from the Th and U of this mineral. The development of this method in themicroanalysis laboratory of the Physics Department- UFMG shows that the monazite U, Th and Pb chemical data provided by itsmicroprobe produce non-isotopic ages for it that are similar to the U-Pb isotopic ages produced by LA-ICP-MS technique. Monazite grainsfrom marine placers of Buena (RJ) isotopically dated by method U-Pb between 530 and 580 Ma were chemically dated at UFMG between505 and 580 Ma. These results are consistent each other and put the laboratory available to the geoscience community as a tool inobtaining monazite ages.Keywords: MONAZITE, CHEMICAL DATING, ELECTRON MICROPROBE, UFMG

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U–Pb geochronology of epidote by LA–ICP–MS as a tool for dating hydrothermal-vein formation

10.5194/gchron-2020-27 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Veronica Peverelli ◽

Tanya Ewing ◽

Daniela Rubatto ◽

Martin Wille ◽

Alfons Berger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

A Priori ◽

Swiss Alps ◽

Hydrothermal Vein ◽

Isotopic Compositions ◽

Vein Formation ◽

Icp Ms ◽

Wide Range ◽

Primary Reference

Abstract. Monoclinic epidote is a low-µ (µ = 283U / 204Pb) mineral occurring in a variety of geological environments, participating in many metamorphic reactions and stable throughout a wide range of pressure–temperature conditions. Despite containing fair amounts of U, its use as a U–Pb geochronometer has been hindered by the commonly high contents of initial Pb with isotopic compositions that cannot be assumed a priori. We present U–Pb geochronology of hydrothermal-vein epidote spanning a wide range of Pb (3.9–190 µg g−1), Th (0.009–38 µg g−1) and U (2.6–530 µg g−1) contents and with µ values between 7–510 from the Albula area (eastern Swiss Alps), from the Grimsel area (central Swiss Alps) and from the Heyuan fault (Guangdong province, China). The investigated epidote samples show appreciable fractions of initial Pb that vary to different extents. A protocol has been developed for in situ U–Pb dating of epidote by spot-analysis laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) with a magmatic allanite as primary reference material. The suitability of the protocol and the reliability of the measured isotopic ratios have been ascertained by independent measurements of 238U / 206Pb and 207Pb / 206Pb ratios respectively by quadrupole and multicollector ICP–MS applied to epidote micro-separates digested and diluted in acids. For age calculation, we used the Tera–Wasserburg (207Pb / 206Pb–238U / 206Pb) diagram, which does not require corrections for initial Pb and provides the initial 207Pb / 206Pb ratio if all intra-sample analyses are co-genetic. Petrographic and microstructural data indicate that the calculated ages date the crystallization of vein epidote from a hydrothermal fluid and that the U–Pb system was not reset to younger ages by later events. Vein epidote from the Albula area formed in the Paleocene (62.7 ± 3.0 Ma) and is related to Alpine greenschist-facies metamorphism. The Miocene (19.1 ± 4.0 Ma and 16.9 ± 3.7 Ma) epidote veins from the Grimsel area formed during the Handegg phase (22–17 Ma) of the Alpine evolution of the Aar Massif. Identical initial 207Pb / 206Pb ratios reveal homogeneity in Pb isotopic compositions of the fluid across ca. 200 m. Vein epidote from the Heyuan fault is Cretaceous in age (108.1 ± 8.4 Ma) and formed during the early movements of the fault. In situ U–Pb analyses of epidote returned reliable ages of otherwise undatable epidote-quartz veins. The Tera–Wasserburg approach has proven pivotal for in situ U–Pb dating of epidote and the decisive aspect for low age uncertainties is the variability in intra-sample initial Pb fractions.

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Comparison of fluid processes in coexisting wolframite and quartz from a giant vein-type tungsten deposit, South China: Insights from detailed petrography and LA-ICP-MS analysis of fluid inclusions

American Mineralogist ◽

10.2138/am-2019-6958 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 104 (8) ◽

pp. 1092-1116 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jun-Yi Pan ◽

Pei Ni ◽

Ru-Cheng Wang

Keyword(s):

Fluid Inclusion ◽

Fluid Inclusions ◽

South China ◽

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Fluid Phase ◽

Fluid Temperature ◽

Depositional Sequence ◽

Ms Analysis ◽

Icp Ms ◽

Tungsten Mineralization

Abstract Granite-related wolframite-quartz veins are the world's most important tungsten mineralization and production resource. Recent progress in revealing their hydrothermal processes has been greatly facilitated by the use of infrared microscopy and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis of both quartz- and wolframite-hosted fluid inclusions. However, owing to the paucity of detailed petrography, previous fluid inclusion studies on coexisting wolframite and quartz are associated with a certain degree of ambiguity. To better understand the fluid processes forming these two minerals, free-grown crystals of intergrown wolframite and quartz from the giant Yaogangxian W deposit in South China were studied using integrated in situ analytical methods including cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging, infrared microthermometry, Raman microspectroscopy, and fluid inclusion LA-ICP-MS analysis. Detailed crystal-scale petrography with critical help from CL imaging shows repetition of quartz, wolframite, and muscovite in the depositional sequence, which comprises a paragenesis far more complex than previous comparable studies. The reconstruction of fluid history in coexisting wolframite and quartz recognizes at least four successive fluid inclusion generations, two of which were entrapped concurrently with wolframite deposition. Fluctuations of fluid temperature and salinity during precipitation of coexisting wolframite and quartz are reflected by our microthermometry results, according to which wolframite-hosted fluid inclusions do not display higher homogenization temperature or salinity than those in quartz. However, LA-ICP-MS analysis shows that both primary fluid inclusions in wolframite and quartz-hosted fluid inclusions associated intimately with wolframite deposition are characterized by strong enrichment in Sr and depletion in B and As compared to quartz-hosted fluid inclusions that are not associated with wolframite deposition. The chemical similarity between the two fluid inclusion generations associated with wolframite deposition implies episodic tungsten mineralization derived from fluids exhibiting distinct chemical signatures. Multiple chemical criteria including incompatible elements and Br/Cl ratios of fluid inclusions in both minerals suggest a magmatic-sourced fluid with the possible addition of sedimentary and meteoric water. Combined with microthermometry and Raman results, fluid chemical evolution in terms of B, As, S, Sr, W, Mn, Fe, and carbonic volatiles collectively imply fluid phase separation and mixing with sedimentary fluid may have played important roles in wolframite deposition, whereas fluid cooling and addition of Fe and Mn do not appear to be the major driving factor. This study also shows that fluid inclusions in both wolframite and coexisting quartz may contain a substantial amount of carbonic volatiles (CO2 ± CH4) and H3BO3. Ignoring the occurrence of these components can result in significant overestimation of apparent salinity and miscalculation of LA-ICP-MS elemental concentrations. We suggest that these effects should be considered critically to avoid misinterpretation of fluid inclusion data, especially for granite-related tungsten-tin deposits.

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In situ LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology and geochemical characteristics of garnet from the Zhuxi skarn W-Cu deposit, South China

Ore Geology Reviews ◽

10.1016/j.oregeorev.2021.104577 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 104577

Author(s):

Jingxin Hong ◽

Hongyu Zhang ◽

Dengfeng Li ◽

Yongpeng Ouyang ◽

Degao Zhai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South China ◽

Geochemical Characteristics ◽

Icp Ms

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Supplemental Material: Identification of ca. 520 Ma mid-ocean-ridge–type ophiolite suite in the inner Cathaysia block, South China: Evidence from shearing-type oceanic plagiogranite

10.1130/gsab.s.16548087.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Longming Li

Keyword(s):

South China ◽

Nd Isotope ◽

Icp Ms ◽

Mid Ocean Ridge ◽

Ophiolite Suite ◽

Cathaysia Block ◽

Ocean Ridge ◽

Oceanic Plagiogranite ◽

Felsic Rocks ◽

Os Isotope

Table S1: Zircon SIMS U-Pb data and d18O values for the meta-felsic rocks from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; Table S2: LA-ICP-MS analysis of trace elements in zircon from the meta-felsic rocks, Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; Table S3: Zircon Hf isotope compositions of the meta-felsic rocks from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; Table S4: Major- and trace-element compositions of the serpentinites, meta-ultramafic rocks, and meta-felsic rocks from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; Table S5: Whole-rock Re-Os isotope compositions of the serpentinites from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China; and Table S6: Sr-Nd isotope compositions of the meta-ultramafic and meta-felsic rocks from Shitun area, Cathaysia block, South China.

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