Ages and geochemistry of Laojunshan granites in southeastern Yunnan, China: implications for W-Sn polymetallic ore deposits

Abstract

The Southeastern Yunnan region is one of the most important polymetallic ore districts in South China. Located in the southern margin of the South China Block, these ore districts are part of a wider granite-related magmatic-hydrothermal system. Laojunshan granite intrusions, located in the western part of the Southeastern Yunnan, are closely related to W-Sn mineralisation. In this paper we report zircon U-Pb ages, geochemical and petrological characteristics for the ore-related granites in Laojunshan area. Three samples from three intrusive suites of the granitic rocks in Laojunshan intrusion have been analyzed by the LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb techniques, yielding ages of 86.66 ± 0.42 Ma, 86.72 ± 0.47 Ma and 86.02 ± 0.48 Ma, respectively. Bulk analysis reveals that three intrusive suites are strongly-peraluminous, silica-rich, aluminum-rich and alkali-rich granites and their ACNK values fall mainly into a small range of 1.10–1.38. Moreover, all granites show enriched Rb, La and Zr and depleted Ba, Sr and Ti, as well as a uniformly flat REE-pattern with a marked negative Eu anomaly. The granites and polymetallic W–Sn mineralization possibly both occurred during the Late Coniacian.