Genesis and magmatic-hydrothermal evolution of the Shapoling Mo deposit, East Qinling, China: Insights from geochronology, petrogenesis and fluid evolution

Abstract

The Shapoling deposit, located in Xiong'ershan area, East Qinling, China, is characterized by a magmatic-hydrothermal Mo vein system. We present whole-rock geochemical, zircon U-Pb-Hf-O isotopic, quartz H-O isotopic and fluid inclusion data for the Shapoling deposit. We use these data to investigate the petrogenesis of granitoids associated with Mo mineralization and the processes of magmatic-hydrothermal evolution that formed the Mo deposit. The granitoids from the Shapoling deposit are metaluminous, alkalic to calc-alkalic, shoshonitic to high-K series, and belong to highly fractionated I-type granitoids. These granitoids are strongly enriched in light rare earths (LREEs) and large ion lithophile elements (LILE), but depleted in heavy rare earths (HREEs) with negative europium anomalies and high field-strength elements (HFSE), mostly plotting in the range of the Taihua Group rocks. Most of the Shapoling granitoids show relatively lower Sr/Y and (La/Yb)N than the typical adakitic rocks, showing that the parental magmas were generated under lower pressure. Therefore, the Shapoling granitoids were generated at thin crustal levels by lithospheric thinning process linked to the tectonic transition from compression to extension. Zircon U-Pb ages of the Shapoling granitoids range from 132.9 ± 1.3 Ma to 126.5 ± 0.7 Ma. The εHf(t) values and δ18Ozircon values show a variation trend from −19.1 to −8.0 and 5.33‰ to 6.30‰, which are consistent with Hf-O isotopic features of mixing of the partially melted Taihua Group with mantle-derived components. FIluid inclusion microthermometry results suggest that the hydrothermal fluids forming the Shapoling Mo deposit changed from early moderate- to low-salinity CO2-rich fluids in the H2O-NaCl-CO2 system, to late H2O-NaCl low-salinity fluids. The corresponding quartzs have δD values varying from −93.3‰ to −78.2‰ and δ18O values from −5.14‰ to 0.92‰, indicating a dominant magmatic source but were diluted by meteoric water in the late stage. Fluid boiling is the key factor that controlling the precipitation of molybdenite. Our study provides insights into the formation of Mo system associated with a prolonged and active magmatic system, upwelling of hot asthenosphere and intense mantle-crust interaction. The prolonged magmatic system is steadily replenished by mantle-derived materials in the magma chamber, which feed the hydrothermal systems and govern the formation of the Shapoling Mo deposit.