Geology, isotope geochemistry and ore genesis of the Shanshulin carbonate-hosted Pb–Zn deposit, southwest China

Abstract

The Shanshulin Pb–Zn deposit occurs in Upper Carboniferous Huanglong Formation dolomitic limestone and dolostone, and is located in the western Yangtze Block, about 270km west of Guiyang city in southwest China. Ore bodies occur along high angle thrust faults affiliated to the Weishui regional fault zone and within the northwestern part of the Guanyinshan anticline. Sulfide ores are composed of sphalerite, pyrite, and galena that are accompanied by calcite and subordinate dolomite. Twenty-two ore bodies have been found in the Shanshulin deposit area, with a combined 2.7milliontonnes of sulfide ores grading 0.54 to 8.94wt.% Pb and 1.09 to 26.64wt.% Zn. Calcite samples have δ13CPDB and δ18OSMOW values ranging from −3.1 to +2.5‰ and +18.8 to +26.5‰, respectively. These values are higher than mantle and sedimentary organic matter, but are similar to marine carbonate rocks in a δ13CPDB vs. δ18OSMOW diagram, suggesting that carbon in the hydrothermal fluid was most likely derived from the carbonate country rocks. The δ34SCDT values of sphalerite and galena samples range from +18.9 to +20.3‰ and +15.6 to +17.1‰, respectively. These values suggest that evaporites are the most probable source of sulfur. The δ34SCDT values of symbiotic sphalerite–galena mineral pairs indicate that deposition of sulfides took place under chemical equilibrium conditions. Calculated temperatures of S isotope thermodynamic equilibrium fractionation based on sphalerite–galena mineral pairs range from 135 to 292°C, consistent with previous fluid inclusion studies. Temperatures above 100°C preclude derivation of sulfur through bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) and suggest that reduced sulfur in the hydrothermal fluid was most likely supplied through thermo-chemical sulfate reduction (TSR). Twelve sphalerite samples have δ66Zn values ranging from 0.00 to +0.55‰ (mean +0.25‰) relative to the JMC 3-0749L zinc isotope standard. Stages I to III sphalerite samples have δ66Zn values ranging from 0.00 to +0.07‰, +0.12 to +0.23‰, and +0.29 to +0.55‰, respectively, showing the relatively heavier Zn isotopic compositions in later versus earlier sphalerite. The variations of Zn isotope values are likely due to kinetic Raleigh fractional crystallization. The 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios of the sulfide samples fall in the range of 18.362 to 18.573, 15.505 to 15.769 and 38.302 to 39.223, respectively. The Pb isotopic ratios of the studied deposit plot in the field that covers the upper crust, orogenic belt and mantle Pb evolution curves and overlaps with the age-corrected Proterozoic folded basement rocks, Devonian to Lower Permian sedimentary rocks and Middle Permian Emeishan flood basalts in a 207Pb/204Pb vs. 206Pb/204Pb diagram. This observation points to the derivation of Pb metal from mixed sources. Sphalerite samples have 87Sr/86Sr200Ma ratios ranging from 0.7107 to 0.7115 similar to the age-corrected Devonian to Lower Permian sedimentary rocks (0.7073 to 0.7111), higher than the age-corrected Middle Permian basalts (0.7039 to 0.7078), and lower than the age-corrected Proterozoic folded basement (0.7243 to 0.7288). Therefore, the Sr isotope data support a mixed source. Studies on the geology and isotope geochemistry suggest that the Shanshulin deposit is a carbonate-hosted, thrust fault-controlled, strata-bound, epigenetic, high grade deposit formed by fluids and metals of mixed origin.