Genesis of Kanggur Gold Deposit in Eastern Tianshan Orogenic Belt, NW China: Fluid Inclusion and Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Constraints

Abstract

Abstract. Primary fluid inclusions in quartz and carbonates from the Kanggur gold deposit are dominated by aqueous inclusions, with subsidiary CO2‐H2O inclusions that have a constant range in CO2 content (10–20 vol %). Microthermometric results indicate that total homogenization temperatures have a wide but similar range for both aqueous inclusions (120d̀ to 310d̀C) and CO2‐H2O inclusions (140d̀ to 340d̀C). Estimates of fluid salinity for CO2‐H2O inclusions are quite restricted (5.9∼10.3 equiv. wt% NaCl), whereas aqueous inclusions show much wider salinity ranging from 2.2 to 15.6 equivalent wt %NaCl.The 6D values of fluid inclusions in carbonates vary from ‐45 to ‐61 %, in well accord with the published δD values of fluid inclusions in quartz (‐46 to ‐66 %). Most of the δ18O and δD values of the ore‐forming fluids can be achieved by exchanged meteoric water after isotopic equilibration with wall rock by fluid/rock interaction at a low water/rock ratio. However, the exchanged meteoric water alone cannot explain the full range of δ18O and δD values, magmatic and/or meta‐morphic water should also be involved. The wide salinity in aqueous inclusions may also result from mixing of meteoric water and magmatic and/or metamorphic water.