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Tin partition behavior and implications for the Furong tin ore formation associated with peralkaline intrusive granite in Hunan Province, China

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Abstract

Tin deposits are often closely associated with granitic intrusions. In this study, we analyzed tin partition coefficients between different fluids and melts (\({\text{D}}_{Sn}^{aq.fl./melt}\)) as well as various crystals and melts \({\text{D}}_{Sn}^{aq.fl./melt}\)(\({\text{D}}_{Sn}^{crystal/melt}\)) from the Furong tin deposit associated with the Qitianling A-type granite. Our experimental results indicate that tin partition behavior is affected by the chemical compositions of fluids, melts, and minerals. Tin is prone to partitioning into the residual magma in fractional crystallization or other differential magmatic processes if the magma originated from crustal sources with high alkali content, high volatile content, and low oxygen fugacity. Highly evolved residual peralkaline granitic magma enriched in tin can lead to tin mineralization in a later stage. Furthermore, the volatiles F and Cl in the magma play important roles in tin partitioning behavior. Low F contents in the melt phase and high Cl content in the aqueous fluid phase are favorable factors for tin partitioning in the aqueous fluid phase. High Cl content in the aqueous fluid catalyzes water–rock interaction and leads to the extraction of tin from tin-bearing minerals. All these findings support a hydrothermal origin for the tin deposits. In light of the geotectonic setting, petrochemical characteristics, and mineralizing physicochemical conditions of the Furong tin deposit, it is inferred that the ore-forming fluid of the Furong tin ore deposit could have derived from the Qitianling peralkaline intrusion.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Professor Fan Wenling for her instruction. Constructive, detailed comments by the reviewers and the chief editor were greatly appreciated. This research project was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41103030; 41130423).

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  1. State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaoyan Hu, Xianwu Bi, Ruizhong Hu & Youwei Chen

  2. Guizhou Bureau of Nonferrous Metal and Nuclear Industry Geological Exploration, Guiyang, 550002, People’s Republic of China

    Guosheng Cai

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  1. Xiaoyan Hu
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Hu, X., Bi, X., Hu, R. et al. Tin partition behavior and implications for the Furong tin ore formation associated with peralkaline intrusive granite in Hunan Province, China. Acta Geochim 35, 138–147 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-016-0091-9

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