Trace element geochemistry of magnetite from the giant Beiya gold-polymetallic deposit in Yunnan Province, Southwest China and its implications for the ore forming processes

Abstract

The Beiya gold–polymetallic deposit is one of the largest gold deposits in China and is considered to be a typical porphyry-skarn system located in the middle of the Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan alkaline porphyry metallogenic belt. Massive magnetite is widespread in the Beiya ore district but its genesis is still the subject of debate. Five representative magnetite types are present in the Beiya deposit, namely magmatic magnetite (M1) from the ore-related porphyry, disseminated magnetite (M2) from the early retrograde alteration, massive magnetite (M3) from the early quartz-magnetite stage, massive magnetite (M4) from the middle quartz-magnetite stage and magnetite (M5) from the late quartz-magnetite stage. Compared with the M1 magnetite, the magnetites from stages M2 to M5 are depleted in Ti, Al and high field strength elements, implying a hydrothermal origin, distinct from the magmatic accessory magnetite in the ore-related porphyry (M1). The concentrations of cobalt in the hydrothermal magnetites decrease gradually from M2 to M5, and can be used to discriminate the magnetite types. The Al+Mn and Ti+V contents of the successively precipitated magnetite grains (M2–M5) suggests that the ore forming temperature decreased from M2 to M4, but increased from M4 to M5, possibly as the result of a new pulse of magma entering the chamber, which may have triggered the gold mineralization. The V content in the hydrothermal magnetite suggests that the oxygen fugacity increased from M2 to M4 but decreased as soon as the sulfides entered the system (M5).