Mechanism of mineralization in the Changjiang uranium ore field, South China: Evidence from fluid inclusions, hydrothermal alteration, and H–O isotopes

Abstract

The Changjiang uranium ore field, which contains >10,000tonnes of recoverable U with a grade of 0.1–0.5%, is hosted by Triassic two-mica and Jurassic biotite granites, and is one of the most important uranium ore fields in South China. The minerals associated with alteration and mineralization can be divided into two stages, namely syn-ore and post-ore. The syn-ore minerals are primarily quartz, pitchblende, hematite, hydromica, chlorite, fluorite, and pyrite; the post-ore minerals include quartz, calcite, fluorite, pyrite, and hematite. The fluid inclusions of the early syn-ore stage characteristically contain O2, and those of the late syn-ore and post-ore stage contain H2 and CH4. The fluid inclusions in quartz of the syn-ore stage include H2O, H2O–CO2, and CO2 types, and they occur in clusters or along trails. Homogenization temperatures (Th) for the H2O–CO2 and two-phase H2O inclusions range from 106°C to >350°C and cluster in two distinct groups for each type; salinities are lower than 10wt% NaCl equiv. The ore-forming fluids underwent CO2 effervescence or phase separation at ∼250°C under a pressure of 1000–1100bar. The U/Th values of the altered granites are lowest close to the ore, increase outwards, but subsequently decrease close to unaltered granites. From the unaltered granites to the ore, the lowest Fe2O3/FeO values become lower and the highest values higher. The REE patterns of the altered granites and the ores are similar to each other. The U contents of the ores show a positive correlation with total REE contents but a negative correlation with LREE/HREE ratios, indicating the pitchblende is REE-bearing and selectively HREE-rich. The δEu values of the ore show a positive correlation with U contents, indicating the early syn-ore fluids were oxidizing. The δCe values show a negative correlation, indicating the later mineralization environment became reducing. The water–rock interactions of the early syn-ore stage resulted in oxidization of altered granites and reduction of the ore-forming fluids, and it was this reduction that led to the uranium mineralization. During alteration in the early syn-ore stage, the oxidizing fluids leached uranium from granites close to faults, and Fe2O3/FeO ratios increased in the alteration zones. The late syn-ore and post-ore alteration decreased the Fe2O3/FeO ratios in the alteration zones. The δ18OW–SMOW values of the ore-forming fluids range from −1.8‰ to 5.4‰, and the δDW–SMOW values range from −104.4‰ to −51.6‰, suggesting meteoric water. The meteoric water underwent at least two stages of water–rock interaction: the first caused the fluids to become uranium-bearing, and the second stage, which was primarily associated with ore-bearing faults, led to uranium deposition as pitchblende, accompanied by CO2 effervescence.