Geology and genesis of the Xiaguan Ag–Pb–Zn orefield in Qinling orogen, Henan province, China: Fluid inclusion and isotope constraints

•Fluid inclusion and H–O–C–S–Pb isotope studies were applied to Xiaguan Ag–Pb–Zn orefield.•The Ag–Pb–Zn deposits in Xiaguan orefield belong to orogenic-type systems.•Xiaguan Ag–Pb–Zn orefield was formed in a continental collision regime in accordance with the tectonic model for continental collision, metallogeny and fluid flow.

The Xiaguan Ag–Pb–Zn orefield (Neixiang County, Henan Province), hosting the Yindonggou, Zhouzhuang, Yinhulugou and Laozhuang fault-controlled lode deposits, is situated in the Erlangping Terrane, eastern Qinling Orogen. The quartz-sulfide vein mineralization is dominated by main alteration styles of silicic-, sericite-, carbonate-, chlorite- and sulfide alteration. Major Ag-bearing minerals are freibergite, argentite and native Ag. The deposits were formed by a CO2-rich, mesothermal (ca. 250–320 °C), low-density and low salinity (< 11 wt.% NaCl equiv.), Na+–Cl−-type fluid system. Trapping pressures of the carbonic-type fluid inclusions (FIs) decreased from ca. 280–320 MPa in the early mineralization stage to ca. 90–92 MPa in the late mineralization stage, indicating that the ore-forming depths had become progressively shallower. This further suggests that the metallogenesis may have occurred in a tectonic transition from compression to extension. Geological- and ore fluid characteristics suggest that the Xiaguan Ag–Pb–Zn orefield belongs to orogenic-type systems.The δ18OH2O values change from the Early (E)-stage (7.8–10.8 ‰), through Middle (M)-stage (6.0–9.4 ‰) to Late (L)-stage (− 1.5–3.3 ‰), with δD values changing from E-stage − 95 to − 46 ‰, through M-stage − 82 to − 70 ‰ to L-stage − 95 to − 82 ‰. δ13CCO2 values of the ore fluids in the E- and M-stage quartz vary between 0.1 ‰ and 0.9 ‰ (average: 0.3 ‰); δ13CCO2 values of L-stage FIs are − 0.2–0.1 ‰ in quartz and − 6.8 ‰ to − 3.5 ‰ in calcite. The H–O–C isotopic data indicate that the initial ore fluids were sourced from the underthrusted Qinling Group marine carbonates, and were then interacted with the ore-hosting Erlangping Group metasedimentary rocks. Inflow of circulated meteoric water may have dominated the L-stage fluid evolution.Sulfur (δ34S = 1.9–8.1 ‰) and lead isotopic compositions (206Pb/204Pb = 18.202–18.446, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.567–15.773 and 208Pb/204Pb = 38.491–39.089) of sulfides suggest that the ore-forming materials were mainly sourced from the ore-hosting metasedimentary strata. The stepped heating sericite 40Ar/39Ar detection suggests that the mineralization occurred in the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (ca. 187 − 124 Ma). Considering the regional tectonic evolution of the Erlangping Terrane, we propose that the Xiaguan Ag–Pb–Zn orefield was formed in a continent–continent collisional tectonic regime, in accordance with the tectonic model for continental collision, metallogeny and fluid flow (CMF).

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