Paleozoic Epithermal Au and Porphyry Cu Deposits in North Xinjiang, China: Epochs, Features, Tectonic Linkage and Exploration Significance

Abstract

Abstract. Based on field investigation of large number of ore deposits including some latest discoveries and multidiscipline comprehensive research, we demonstrated the general features of metallic deposits and we suggest that Paleozoic archipelago‐type collisional orogen at North Xinjiang, northwestern China show intimate similarity with the metallogenesis of Southeast Asia Cenozoic archipelago. We briefly described the characteristics of major porphyry‐type, skarn‐type Cu deposits and typical high‐sulfidation type (HS‐type) and low‐sulfidation type (LS‐type) epithermal Au deposits as well as some latest discoveries. Systematic isotopic age‐dating on the Tuwu‐Yandong superlarge porphyry Cu deposits revealed that they formed in Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous in an accretionary arc setting. The tectonic settings of epithermal Au deposits and its linkage with porphyry Cu deposits are further discussed. The formation condition for porphyry Cu deposits is more strict than epithermal Au deposits. The distribution width for porphyry Cu deposits in the orogenic belts is more limited than epithermal Au deposits. The discovery and prospecting progress of the Kalatage HS‐type Cu‐Au deposit were reported. The significance in further exploration was suggested.