Geochronology, geochemistry, and Pb–Hf isotopes of mineralization-related magmatism in the Dongyang gold deposit, Fujian Province, southeastern China

Abstract

The recently discovered Dongyang low-sulphidation epithermal Au deposit is located in Fujian Province. The Au mineralization hosted in rhyolite porphyry and the Lower Jurassic Nayuan Formation continental volcanic rocks is considered to be related to intermediate–acidic intrusions (rhyolite porphyry, quartz diorite porphyry, and dacite porphyry). The zircon U–Pb ages of these samples are 160.3 ± 0.8, 156.6 ± 0.8, and 154.1 ± 0.6 Ma, respectively, and the sulphide Rb–Sr isotope isochron age is 152.4 ± 1.7 Ma, indicating a temporal link between porphyry emplacement and Au mineralization. Porphyries are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements and light rare earth elements and slightly depleted in heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements, belong to the high-potassium calc-alkaline or shoshonitic series, and show characteristics of volcanic arcs or active continental margins. Moreover, the εHf(t) values of the porphyries range from −11.6 to −7.6, −11.2 to −5.4, and −9.8 to −4.6, respectively. The 208Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, and 206Pb/204Pb values of the ore minerals are from 38.417 to 38.406, 15.603, and from 18.179 to 18.175, respectively. Pb and Hf isotopes indicate that the intermediate–acidic magma related to mineralization originated from Mesoproterozoic lower crust. Consequently, these data favour an intermediate–acidic magma origin for Au mineralization in the Dongyang deposit. Integrating new and published data on the tectonic evolution, we suggest that the rhyolite porphyry, quartz diorite porphyry, dacite porphyry, and associated Au mineralization in the Dongyang deposit formed at 160–152 Ma in an extensional environment related to subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific Plate beneath the South China block.