Metallogenic age and hydrothermal evolution of the Jidetun Mo deposit in central Jilin Province, northeast China: Evidence from fluid inclusions, isotope systematics, and geochronology

- The Jidetun Mo deposit was formed at 168.9 ± 1.9 Ma.
- Porphyritic granodiorite from the Jidetun ore district was formed at 173.5 ± 1.5 Ma.
- Mo mineralization is closely related to porphyritic granodiorite.
- The ore-forming fluids originated from porphyritic granodiorite.

The Jidetun deposit is a large porphyry Mo deposit that is located in central Jilin Province, northeast China. The Mo mineralization occurs mainly at the edge of porphyritic granodiorite, as well as the adjacent monzogranite. Field investigations, cross-cutting relationships, and mineral paragenetic associations indicate four stages of hydrothermal activity. To determine the relationships between mineralization and associated magmatism, and better understand the metallogenic processes in ore district, we have undertaken a series of studies incluiding molybdenite Re-Os and zircon U-Pb geochronology, fluid inclusions microthermometry, and C-H-O-S-Pb isotope compositions. The molybdenite Re-Os dating yielded a well-defined isochron age of 168.9 ± 1.9 Ma (MSWD = 0.34) that is similar to the weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 173.5 ± 1.5 Ma (MSWD = 1.8) obtained from zircons from the porphyritic granodiorite. The results lead to the conclusion that Mo mineralization, occurred in the Middle Jurassic (168.9 ± 1.9 Ma), was spatially, temporally, and genetically related to the porphyritic granodiorite (173.5 ± 1.5 Ma) rather than the older monzogranite (180.1 ± 0.6 Ma). Fluid inclusion and stable (C-H-O) isotope data indicate that the initial H2O-NaCl fluids of mineralization stage I were of high-temperature and high-salinity affinity and exsolved from the granodiorite magma as a result of cooling and fractional crystallization. The fluids then evolved during mineralization stage II into immiscible H2O-CO2-NaCl fluids that facilitated the transport of metals (Mo, Cu, and Fe) and their separation from the ore-bearing magmas due to the influx of abundant external CO2 and heated meteoric water. Subsequently, during mineralization stage III and IV, increase of pH in residual ore-forming fluids on account of CO2 escape, and continuous decrease of ore-forming temperatures caused by the large accession of the meteoric water into the fluid system, reduced solubility and stability of metal clathrates, thus facilitating the deposition of polymetallic sulfides.

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