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Geology and geochemistry of the Tulaergen conduit-style magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposit in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, northwestern China

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Abstract

The Tulaergen magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide ore deposit is located along the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt in northwestern China. This deposit is hosted by a small mafic–ultramafic complex composed of a Late Carboniferous (~ 301 Ma) gabbroic member at the margin and a younger ultramafic dyke in the center. Net-textured and semi-massive sulfides are mainly concentrated in the steeply dipping, widened parts of the dyke. Zircons from the ultramafic member yield a U–Pb age of 281 ± 2 Ma, ~ 20 myr younger than the gabbroic member. The average εHf(t) value of the zircons is ~ 16. The Tulaergen mafic–ultramafic rocks are characterized by light REE enrichments, pronounced negative Nb–Ta anomalies, (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios from 0.7034 to 0.7036, and εNd(t) values from 5.1 to 6.9. The isotope data indicate negligible bulk contamination with the crust. The δ34S values of sulfide ores are from − 0.3 to 1.5‰, similar to the values of the country rocks. The γOs values of the sulfide ores are from + 605 to + 954, much higher than typical mantle values. The Os-S isotope data together support the view that the addition of Os-bearing organic matter from the country rocks may have played a critical role in triggering sulfide saturation. In the sub-vertical segment of the deposit, the upper zone has lower PGE tenors coupled with lower and rather constant olivine Fo contents compared to the lower zone. Based on the geometry of the dyke and sulfide distribution, we conclude that the Tulaergen deposit formed in a dynamic magma conduit.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Shoubo Chen, Zhaoming Zhao, and Xiwen Yin for assistant in the field work, and Yanguang Li, Shuangshuang Wang, and Yixiao Han for their analytical support. The manuscript was written during the first author’s visit to Indiana University in 2020, which was financially supported by China Scholarship Council (grant No. 201908575010). Constructive comments from two anonymous reviewers and editorial guidance plus corrections from Wolfgang Maier and Bernd Lehmann are greatly appreciated.

Funding

The study was financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China (Grant 41873053), China Geological Survey (DD20190143), the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research (STEP) (grants No. 2019QZKK0801 and No. 2019QZKK0806), and the Innovative Team of Magmatism Mineralization and Prospecting (grant No. 2020TD-030).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MNR Key Laboratory for the Study of Focused Magmatism and Giant Ore Deposits, Xi’an Center of China Geological Survey, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Yalei Wang, Wenyuan Li, Zhaowei Zhang, Yongbao Gao & Jiangwei Zhang

  2. Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Science, Beijing, 100037, China

    Yalei Wang

  3. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA

    Chusi Li & Edward M. Ripley

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  1. Yalei Wang
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Correspondence to Chusi Li.

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Wang, Y., Li, C., Li, W. et al. Geology and geochemistry of the Tulaergen conduit-style magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposit in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, northwestern China. Miner Deposita 57, 319–342 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-021-01064-1

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