Geology, fluid inclusion and stable isotope study of the Yueyang Ag-Au-Cu deposit, Zijinshan orefield, Fujian Province, China

Abstract

The large Yueyang Ag-Au-Cu deposit is commonly regarded as a low-sulfidation epithermal deposit in the Zijinshan orefield, Fujian Province, southeastern China. The Ag-Ag-Cu orebodies hosted in the Zijinshan granitic batholith are mainly stratoid and lens in shape, and controlled by a series of NW-trending listric faults with shallow dip angles. Four mineralization stages are recognized on the basis of mineral assemblage, ore fabrics, and crosscutting relationships of the ore veins, namely: pre-ore (pyrite+sericite+quartz±chlorite), main Cu (chalcopyrite+pyrite+sericite+quartz±bornite), main Ag-Au (Ag and Au minerals+pyrite+quartz+adularia±calcite±apatite±chalcopyrite±galena±sphalerite) and post-ore (quartz±chalcedony±calcite) stages. Fluid inclusions (FIs) in the deposit include aqueous liquid-rich (WL-), aqueous vapor-rich (WV-), and minor carbonic (C-) and daughter mineral-bearing (S-) type ones. WL-subtype is the main inclusion type in the Yueyang deposit, accounting for more than 90% in proportion in each stage. Minor WV-subtype inclusions occur in both the main Cu and Ag stages, while the C-type and S-type ones are only observed in the main Cu stage. Fluid inclusion and H-O isotope study indicated that the ore-forming fluid of the main Cu stage is primarily magmatic vapor, which further underwent fluid boiling and mixing with meteoric water, while the ore-forming fluid of the main Ag stage is meteoric water-dominated, and the precipitation of silver and gold was mainly resulted from fluid boiling and the precipitation of other sulfides. On the basis of the aforementioned geological, fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies, we proposed a two-stage model for the Yueyang deposit, including a magmatic vapor-related porphyry type Cu mineralization and meteoric water-related low-sulfidation epithermal Ag-Au-Cu mineralization, although the porphyry Cu mineralization is very limited in scale. The mineralization and exhumation depths of the Yueyang deposit are estimated to be 448‒527m and 18‒97m, respectively. By comparison with the exhumation depths of other deposits in the Zijinshan orefield, it is suggested that more epithermal deposits could be found in the southwest of the orefield due to less uplift and exhumation therein.