Ore-forming processes of the Qixiashan carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn deposit, South China: Constraints from sulfide trace elements and sulfur isotopes

Abstract

The Middle-Lower Yangtze River Valley Belt (MLYRB) in South China contains many stratabound Fe-Cu-Pb-Zn deposits hosted in Middle-Upper Carboniferous carbonates. The origin and nature of the ore fluids are poorly constrained (syngenetic vs. epigenetic). Trace elements and sulfur isotope compositions of sphalerite and galena from the Qixiashan carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn deposit (Eastern of MLYRB) help to clarify the ore-fluid source and metallogenic processes. Three types of sphalerites have been distinguished (black sphalerite a, zoned sphalerite b and light color sphalerite c). High Fe and Mn contents of the early black sphalerite (Sp-a) were possibly derived from preceding Fe-Mn-rich sulfide layer or sediments from ore-bearing strata via replacement at 274–315 °C. The zoned sphalerite (Sp-b) has a dark Fe-Cu-rich core (321–348 °C) overgrown by a light Fe-Cu-poor rim (285–314 °C). The Sp-b rims are compositionally similar to Sp-a, Therefore, zoned Sp-b possibly represents the transition stage from poor copper (Sp-a) to rich copper (Sp-c) fluids. The light-color late sphalerite (Sp-c) is characterized by Fe-Mn depletion, as well as Ga, Cu, Cd and Sn enrichments. The Ga-rich Sp-c was possibly precipitated by the mixing of Ga-bearing sulfate and metalliferous fluid at 146–255 °C. We considered the Qixiashan Pb-Zn deposit to be of epigenetic origin that has undergone multistage ore-forming processes, in which the ore sulfur (δ34S: –3.7‰ to +7.8‰) was sourced from seawater sulfate (+22‰) via thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR).