Structural Control to the Genesis of Sediment-hosted Disseminated Jinlongshan Gold Orebelt, China

Abstract

Abstract. Jinlongshan gold orebelt is a newly discovered sediment-hosted gold orebelt in Southeastern Qinling Mountains hosted by Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous sedimentary rocks. The location of the belt is regionally controlled by E-W striking Zhenan-Banyan and Ningshan Faults, which were formed during the Indo-Sinian Orogeny. Circular patterns on TM images indicate that intrusive rocks occur at shallow depths in the Jinlongshan orebelt. Two basic types of disseminated and vein-type mineralization have been recognized. Calcareous siltstone is the most favorable host for disseminated mineralization. Vein-type mineralization is mostly hosted by limestone. Locally vein-type mineralization has envelop of disseminated mineralization. Gold deposits are distributed north and south of the Zhenan-Banyan Fault zone, and the zone is considered to be the feeder zone and pathway for mineralizing fluids. During the Indo-Sinian Orogeny, magmatic and orogenic fluids may have extracted gold and other elements from underlying Proterozoic rocks and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. The ore solutions evolved continuously with sedimentary rocks until gold was precipitated in appropriate structural sites. Exploration needs to be expanded along the Jinlongshan gold orebelt, focusing on inferred concealed intrusions and calcareous host rocks close to the Zhenan-Banyan Fault.