| Abstract: | The Southern Great Xing'an Range (SGXR) which forms part of the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is known as one of the most important Cu-Mo-Pb-Zn-Ag-Au metallogenic belts in China, hosting a number of porphyry Mo (Cu), skarn Fe (Sn), epithermal Au-Ag, and hydrothermal vein-type Ag-Pb-Zn ore deposits. Here we investigate the Bianjiadayuan hydrothermal vein-type Ag-Pb-Zn ore deposit in the southern part of the SGXR. Porphyry Sn ± Cu ± Mo mineralization is also developed to the west of the Ag-Pb-Zn veins in the ore field. We identify a five-stage mineralization process based on field and petrologic studies including (i) the early porphyry mineralization stage, (ii) main porphyry mineralization stage, (iii) transition mineralization stage, (iv) vein-type mineralization stage and (v) late mineralization stage. Pyrite is the predominant sulfide mineral in all stages except in the late mineralization stage, and we identify corresponding four types of pyrites: Py1 is medium-grained subhedral to euhedral occurring in the early barren quartz vein; Py2 is medium- to fine-grained euhedral pyrite mainly coexisting with molybdenite, chalcopyrite, minor sphalerite and galena; Py3 is fine-grained, subhedral to irregular pyrite and displays cataclastic textures with micro-fractures; Py4 occurs as euhedral microcrystals and forms irregularly shaped aggregate with sphalerite and galena. LA-ICP-MS trace element analyses of pyrite show that Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Sn, Cd and Sb are partitioned into pyrite as structurally bound metals or mineral micro/nano-inclusions, whereas Co, Ni, As and Se enter the lattice via isomorphism in all types of pyrite. The Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd concentrations gradually increase from Py1 to Py4, which we correlate with cooling and mixing of ore-forming fluid with meteoric water. Py2 contains the highest contents of Co, Ni, Se, Te and Bi, suggesting high temperature conditions for the porphyry mineralization stage. Ratios of Co/Ni (0.03–10.79, average 2.13) and sulphur isotope composition of sulfide indicate typical hydrothermal origin for pyrites. The δ34SCDT values of Py1 (0.42‰–1.61‰, average 1.16‰), Py2 (–1.23‰ to 0.82‰, average 0.35‰), Py3 (–0.36‰ to 2.47‰, average 0.97‰), Py4 (2.51‰–3.72‰, average 3.06‰), and other sulfides are consistent with those of typical porphyry deposit (–5‰ to 5‰), indicating that the Pb-Zn polymetallic mineralization in the Bianjiadayuan deposit is genetically linked to the Yanshanian (Jurassic–Cretaceous) magmatic-hydrothermal events. Variations of δ34S values are ascribed to the changes in physical and chemical conditions during the evolution and migration of the ore-forming fluid. We propose that the high Sn content of pyrite in the Bianjiadayuan hydrothermal vein-type Pb–Zn polymetallic deposit can be used as a possible pathfinder to prospect for Sn mineralization in the surrounding area or deeper level of the ore field in this region. |
