Mafic-ultramafic magma activity and copper-nickel sulfide metallogeny during Paleozoic in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt, Qinghai Province, China

Zhao-wei Zhang; Ya-lei Wang; Chi-yuan Wang; Bing Qian; Wen-yuan Li; Jiang-wei Zhang; Min-xin You

doi:10.31035/cg2018124

2019 Vol. 2, No. 4

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Article navigation > China Geology > 2019 > 2(4): 467-477

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Zhao-wei Zhang, Ya-lei Wang, Chi-yuan Wang, Bing Qian, Wen-yuan Li, Jiang-wei Zhang, Min-xin You, 2019. Mafic-ultramafic magma activity and copper-nickel sulfide metallogeny during Paleozoic in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt, Qinghai Province, China, China Geology, 2, 467-477. doi: 10.31035/cg2018124

Citation:

Mafic-ultramafic magma activity and copper-nickel sulfide metallogeny during Paleozoic in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt, Qinghai Province, China

a.
Key Laboratory for the Study of Focused Magmatism and Giant Ore Deposits, Xi’an Center of China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xi’an 710054, China
b.
Natural Resources Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
c.
Institute of Earth Sciences, Chengdu University of Geosciences, Chengdu 610059, China

More Information

Corresponding author: zhaoweiz@126.com (Zhao-wei Zhang)

Received Date: 15 August 2019

Revised Date: 30 October 2019

Accepted Date: 14 November 2019

Available Online: 20 December 2019

Publish Date: 25 December 2019

Abstract

Abstract

The Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt (EKOB) has a complex geological structure and diverse magmatic activities, which are closely related to the Qaidam Basin and the Tethys tectonic evolution. There are at least 3 stages mafic-ultramafic rocks occurred in the Early Paleozoic in EKOB. The first stage is the Later-Silurian to Early Devonian, represented by the giant Xiarihamu super large magmatic Cu-Ni deposit, containing about 1.18 million metric tons (Mt) of nickel with average grades of 0.65% Ni, and its age of ore-forming pyroxene peridotite is 411 Ma; The second stage is the Early Carboniferous, represented by the large Shitoukengde magmatic Cu-Ni sulfide deposit, and its ore-forming age of the olivine websterite is 334 Ma; The third stage of mafic-ultramafic rocks occurred mainly during the Middle-Late Triassic, represented by Xiaojianshan, Lalinggaoli, and Kaimuqi complexes, and no economical ore bodies have been found in this period. The authors summarized the difference between the ore-bearing and the non-mineralized mafic-ultramafic rocks in the EKOB. The olivine of the ore-bearing complexes contains higher MgO and SiO₂ content but lower FeO and CaO contents, and the clinopyroxene of ore-bearing complexes contains lower FeO and CaO contents. Crustal sulfur contamination is key to the formation of the giant Xiarihamu Ni deposit, and crustal sulfur contamination degree of the giant magmatic Ni deposit is higher than that of large Ni deposit. The above indicators could guide the exploration and evaluation of similar deposits in the EKOB.
- Early Devonian /
- Early Carboniferous /
- Mafic-ultramafic complexes /
- Cu-Ni deposit /
- Mineral exploration engineering /
- Eastern Kunlun orogenic belt /
- Qinghai /
- China

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References

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