Origin of the Fanjingshan Mafic-Ultramafic Rocks, Western Jiangnan Orogen, South China: Implications for PGE Fractionation and Mineralization

Abstract

The Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks in the west Jiangnan Orogen of South China are considered to be a potential target for mineral exploration. However, the petrogenesis and magma evolution of these rocks are not yet clearly constrained, let along their economic significance. The compositions of platinum group elements (PGE) in the Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks can provide particular insight into the generation and evolution of the mantle-derived magma and thus the potential of Cu-Ni-PGE sulphide mineralization. The Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks have relatively high Pd-subgroup PGE (PPGE) relative to Ir-subgroup PGE (IPGE) in the primitive mantle-normalized diagrams. Meanwhile, the Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks have low Pd/Ir (11–28) ratios, implying relatively low degree of partial melting in the mantle. Low Cu/Pd ratios (545–5 216) and high Cu/Zr ratios (0.4–5.8 with the majority greater than 1) of Fanjingshan ultramafic rocks indicate that the S-undersaturated parental magma with relatively high PGE was formed. Although the Fanjingshan mafic rocks have remarkably higher Cu/Pd ratios (8 913–107 016) likely resulting from sulphide segregation, the degree of sulphide removal is insignificant. Fractionation of olivine rather than chromite and platinum group minerals or alloys governed the fractionation of PGE and produced depletion of IPGE (Os, Ir and Ru) relative to PPGE (Rh, Pt and Pd), as supported by the positive correlation between Pd/Ir and V, Y and REE. Collectively, original S-undersaturated magma and insignificant crustal contamination during magma ascent and emplacement result in the separation of immiscible sulphide impossible and thus impede the formation of economic Cu-Ni-PGE sulphide mineralization within the Fanjingshan mafic-ultramafic rocks.