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Types, geological features and geodynamic significances of gold-copper deposits in the Kanggurtag metallogenic belt, eastern Tianshan, NW China

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Abstract

Occupying the middle of the central Asia Paleozoic accretionary and collisional orogenic belt, the eastern Tianshan area has a great economic potential due to Au-Cu mineralization during syn- and post- orogenic events. In the Kanggurtag Au-Cu metallogenic belt, three major types of gold deposits have been recognized: ductile-shear-zone-hosted gold deposits, magmatic hydrothermal gold deposits, and epithermal gold deposits. Four kinds of copper deposits have also been identified recently: the porphyry-type, the skarn-type, the magmatic type, and volcanic/sedimentary-type. Tectonically, the development of these late Paleozoic gold and copper deposits was closely associated with the subduction and collision of the ancient Tianshan ocean that intervened between the Tarim craton and the Siberian block. In the early to mid-Carboniferous, N-dipping subduction beneath the Dananhu arc generated magmatic intrusions, leading to formation of the porphyry Cu deposits. The magmatic front migrated southward to form the Yamansu arc upon the Kanggurtag accretionary wedge. In the latest Carboniferous to early Permian, during the closure of the ancient Tianshan ocean, large mafic-ultramafic complexes were emplaced, resulting in several magmatic copper-nickel deposits. Gold deposits of the shear-zone-type are controlled by the Kanggurtag ductile shear zone, which is related to collisional orogenesis. The epithermal gold deposits are associated with extensional tectonics and post-tectonic volcanic activity. The tectonic settings, geological features, and temporal and spatial distributions of these different types of gold and copper deposits reflect, to a great extent, the accretionary and collisional tectonics that occurred between the northern margin of the Tarim block and the southern margin of the Siberian block.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed by national projects of China (2001 CB409801 and 2001 CB409805) and CAS Knowledge Innovation Project (KZCX3-SW-137). We sincerely thank Mr. Wang Lei of the First Geological Team of Xinjiang and Mr. Tang Kaihua of Kanggur Gold Mine who offered help with sampling in the field. We appreciate Professors Goldfarb, J.R., Mao Jingwen, Li Jiliang and Zhou Xinhua for instructing our research and review of an earlier some version of the paper. The authors whish to thank prof. Kemil and Carol Simpson for their constructive comments and improvement of the English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Lithosphere Tectonic Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100029, Beijing , China

    Lian-Chang Zhang

  2. Resource college, Chang-an University, 710054, Xi-an , China

    Jin-sheng Ji & Xing-ke Yang

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  1. Lian-Chang Zhang
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  2. Wen-Jiao Xiao
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  3. Ke-Zhang Qin
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  4. Jin-sheng Ji
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Correspondence to Lian-Chang Zhang.

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Zhang, LC., Xiao, WJ., Qin, KZ. et al. Types, geological features and geodynamic significances of gold-copper deposits in the Kanggurtag metallogenic belt, eastern Tianshan, NW China. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 93, 224–240 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-004-0383-x

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