Abstract
Magmatic-hydrothermal Sn deposits are commonly associated with high silica magmas, but why most global high silica granites do not bear economic Sn ore grades remains unclear. Two crucial factors controlling magmatic-hydrothermal Sn mineralization, including advanced fractionation and depressurization-induced rapid cooling, were revealed in the case study of the Guyong granitic pluton linked with the Xiaolonghe Sn deposit, in the Tengchong block, SW China. The Guyong granitic pluton comprises three petrological facies: less evolved biotite syenogranite, evolved alkali granite and leucogranite, and highly evolved facies (the protolith of greisenized granite). Similar crystallization ages (∼77 Ma) and gradual contact between different petrological facies indicate the Guyong granitic pluton records a continuous fractionation process. Monte Carlo-revised Rayleigh fractionation model suggests the fractionation degree of the Guyong pluton is markedly high (>87 wt.%) that can only be achieved by a high initial water (≥4 wt.%) content in the parent granitic magma revealed by rhyolite-MELTS calculation. Advanced degree fractionation causes the first Sn enrichment but it also significantly increases the viscosity of evolved magmas, suppressing the exsolution and transport of hydrothermal fluids. Hence, it must be compensated by the second critical factor: depressurization-induced rapid cooling, reflected by the occurrence of highly metamict zircons in the greisenized granite. The highly metamict feature, indicated by the large full width at half maximum (FWHM) values of zircon ν3(SiO4) peak (>19.5 cm−1), suggests these zircons do not experience thermal annealing but rapidly ascend into a shallow cooling environment. Depressurization-induced rapid cooling facilitates exsolution and transport of hydrothermal fluids, interacting with wall rocks and resulting in Sn mineralization.
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