A review of geological characteristics and time–space distribution of cobalt deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, Xinjiang, Northwest China

Abstract

ABSTRACT Northern Xinjiang in Northwest China is an important part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) and is characterized by Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, W, Mo, Au and rare metal deposits. Cobalt is a critical mineral resource and new energy material, but cobalt resources are scarce in China. Many by-product cobalt deposits have been found in the CABO of Xinjiang. In addition to cobalt-dominant minerals that contain essential Co, cobalt mainly occurs in sulphides, with minor amounts present in arsenic, oxides, and natural metal elements in the form of isomorphic substitutions. Co deposits are mainly distributed in East Tianshan and Beishan, and minor deposits occur in Junggar and West Tianshan. We recognize five types of Co deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt of Xinjiang: magmatic, magmatic-hydrothermal, volcanogenic, skarn, and sedimentary. Of these types, magmatic deposits are the most common. The ore formation in Co deposits can be divided into five mineralization phases: Early Cambrian, Early Silurian, Early Devonian, early Carboniferous, and Early Permian. Among these phases, the Early Permian was the main mineralization phase, in which magmatic-type (Cu–Ni–Co and Ni–Co) and skarn-type (Fe–Co and Ag–Cu–Pb–Zn–Co) deposits formed. The evolution of subduction, collision, and postcollision in the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate resulted in the formation of diverse types of Co deposits.