Metallogeny of pre-Jurassic lead-zinc deposits in northern China

Abstract

China is rich in lead-zinc mineral resources which stand at the fore in the world. Lead-zinc deposits of various types and of various metallogenic stages are widespread in China. Pre-Jurassic lead-zinc deposits occur mainly in northern China. This paper discusses preliminary the division of metallogenic units and the metallogeny of lead-zinc deposits in northern China. According to the geological settings, evolutionary history and metallogenic characteristics of lead-zinc deposits, three metallogenic provinces are identified. These are: the Northeast China geosynclinal fold system metallogenic province, the North China paraplatform metallogenic province and the Oinling geosynclinal fold system metallogenic province. Each of them possesses its own special features. Based on the regional geological structure and on genetic types, these three metallogenic provinces can be further subdivided into six metallogenic belts. According to ore-controlling factors, mineralization characteristics, source of ore-forming material and manner of formation, the lead-zinc deposits in northern China may be divided into three main genetic types, i.e. stratabound, contact-metasomatic and marine volcanogenic types. Among them, the stratabound type is the most important one and this has been discovered in four metallogenic belts. Three of them are located in the miogeosynclinal region and one is found in the paraplatform cover region.