The relationship between stratabound Pb–Zn–Ag and porphyry–skarn Mo mineralization in the Laochang deposit, southwestern China: Constraints from pyrite Re-Os isotope, sulfur isotope, and trace element data

Abstract

The Laochang polymetallic deposit is located in the Sanjiang Tethyan metallogenic province of southwestern China. This deposit contains stratabound (and locally vein-type) Pb–Zn–Ag mineralization and underlying porphyry–skarn Mo mineralization. The stratabound Pb–Zn–Ag mineralization is characterized by massive sulfide ores composed mainly of pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and minor chalcopyrite, whereas the underlying porphyry–skarn Mo mineralization is characterized by quartz–sulfide veins comprising mainly pyrite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, and minor sphalerite and galena. The age and origin of the stratabound Pb–Zn–Ag mineralization has long been debated, and its relationship to the porphyry–skarn Mo mineralization remains unknown. Integrated pyrite Re-Os isotope, sulfur isotope, and in situ trace element data are used here to constrain the age and origin of both types of mineralization and their genetic relationships.Pyrite related to porphyry–skarn Mo mineralization yields a Re-Os isochron age of 47.3 ± 4.8 Ma, which is consistent with a previous molybdenite Re-Os age of the quartz–sulfide ores and zircon U-Pb ages of the granite porphyry (~44–50 Ma). Pyrite from the stratabound Pb–Zn–Ag mineralization failed to yield a geologically meaningful age, but associated sphalerite and galena have a Re-Os isochron age of 308 ± 25 Ma (Liu et al., 2015), which is consistent with the Carboniferous age of the host basalts. Pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite from the stratabound Pb–Zn–Ag mineralization have δ34S values (−2.1 to 0.5‰; average 0.48‰) indistinguishable from those of sulfides from the porphyry–skarn Mo mineralization (−4 to 1.9‰; average 0.52‰). Initial Os isotope ratios indicate a mainly crustal origin for both types of mineralization. The calculated (Se/S)fluid and Co/Ni values of pyrite from the stratabound Pb–Zn–Ag mineralization indicate a mixed sedimentary and hydrothermal origin, with a significant magmatic contribution. The identification of a magmatic component, Eocene sulfide mineralization, and phyllic and propylitization alteration in stratabound Pb–Zn–Ag ores indicates that the magmatic–hydrothermal component reflects the overprinting of Carboniferous volcanogenic massive sulfide mineralization by magmatic–hydrothermal fluids derived from an Eocene granite porphyry.