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Fluid inclusion and H–O-S-Pb isotope constraints on the origin of carbonate-hosted Hg-Sb mineralization at Gongguan, central China

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Abstract

The Gongguan deposit in southern Qinling district, central China, is characterized by a Hg and Sb metal association, with proven reserves of 7,543 t Hg and 17,100 t Sb. The Hg-Sb mineralized veins are primarily hosted by local Lower Devonian dolomite. Three primary paragenetic stages have been identified, including (I) pyrite-dolomite-quartz, (II) stibnite-cinnabar-quartz-calcite and (III) post-ore calcite. Dominant mercury and antimony mineralization occurred in stage II. Fluid inclusion microthermometry of quartz and calcite reveal that the Hg-Sb mineralization is associated with a low temperature (142° to 240 °C) and low salinity (< 8.6 wt% NaCl equivalent) fluid, belonging to a H2O-NaCl ± CO2 system. The H–O isotope compositions (δDH2O = −84 to −63‰, δ18OH2O = 1.3 to 12.7‰) of the hydrothermal fluid suggest a mixture of metamorphic fluid and meteoric water. In situ sulfur isotope results of cinnabar (δ34S = 3.4 to 14.5‰), stibnite (δ34S = 4.9 to 10.5‰) and pyrite (δ34S = 3.8 to 5.4‰) indicate sulfur sources from decomposition of diagenetic pyrite and/or the thermochemical sulfate reduction in local sedimentary rocks. In situ obtained 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios (18.006 to 18.362, 15.445 to 15.610 and 37.871 to 38.288, respectively) of stibnite and pyrite substantially differ from those for the regional Carlin Au-Sb and SEDEX Pb–Zn ore deposits. The lead isotope results indicate that the underlying Paleozoic (Silurian to Cambrian) strata and Precambrian metamorphic basement supplied substantial metals for the studied Hg-Sb deposit, whereas the host Devonian carbonates did not contribute significant metals. In summary, we propose that fluid mixing between metamorphic fluid and meteoric water was the main cause for carbonate-hosted Hg-Sb deposition at Gongguan, which reduced the stibnite solubility, oxidized mercury (Hg0 to Hg2+), favoring the process of dedolomitization.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Kexin Wang, Qingqing Zhao and Jingxin Hong for fruitful discussions, and Shun Xiang and Hao Meng for their field and analytical help. We appreciate Editor-in-Chief Georges Beaudoin, Associate Editor Mostafa Fayek and the anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments and suggestions that significantly improved the quality of the paper.

Funding

This research was supported financially by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. 41730426, 92062219 and 42122012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, and School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Gang Zhao, Degao Zhai & Jiajun Liu

  2. Department of Geology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, 16652, USA

    Ryan Mathur

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  1. Gang Zhao
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  2. Degao Zhai
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Correspondence to Degao Zhai.

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Zhao, G., Zhai, D., Liu, J. et al. Fluid inclusion and H–O-S-Pb isotope constraints on the origin of carbonate-hosted Hg-Sb mineralization at Gongguan, central China. Miner Deposita 58, 1519–1536 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-023-01192-w

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