Fission track thermochronology evidence for multiple periods of mineralization in the Wulonggou Gold deposits, eastern Kunlun Mountains, Qinghai Province

Abstract

It is a puzzle to determine metallogenetic ages in the world. This article uses zircon fission track (FT) dating to probe the mineralizing epochs of Wulonggou (五龙沟) gold ore deposits in eastern Kunlun (昆仑) Mountains. Total of six zircon FT ages have been obtained and can be divided into groups of 235–216 and 197–181 Ma, as well as 162 and 124 Ma, revealing multiple epochs of metallogenetic processes took place in Wulonggou area, mainly first two age groups. The mineralizing ages become lower from northeast Yanjingou (岩金沟) to southwest Hongqigou (红旗沟). The second epoch of 197–181 Ma is first achieved by this work. It is shown that the FT ages consist with other isotopic data and reflect different regional thermotectonic events.

Keywords

metallogenetic age / mineralizing time / fission track / thermochronology / gold deposit / Wulonggou / eastern Kunlun Mountains

References

[1] Brandon M T. Decomposition of Fission-Track Grain-Age Distributions. American Journal of Science, 1992, 292: 535-564.

[2] Brandon M T. Probability Density Plot for Fission-Track Grain-Age Samples. Radiation Measurements, 1996, 26: 663-676.

[3] Galbraith R F. On Statistical Models for Fission Track Counts. Math. Geol., 1981, 13: 471-488.

[4] Galbraith R F, Green P F. Estimating the Component Ages in a Finite Mixture. Nuclear Tracks and Radiation Measurements, 1990, 17(3): 197-206.

[5] Galbraith R F, Laslett G M. Statistical Models for Mixed Fission Track Ages. Nuclear Tracks, 1993, 21: 459-470.

[6] Gleadow A J W, Duddy I R, Green P F. Confined Fission Track Lengths in Apatite: A Diagnostic Tool for Thermal History Analysis. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 1986, 94: 405-415.

[7] Green P F. A New Look at Statistics in Fission Track Dating. Nuclear Tracks, 1981, 5: 77-86.

[8] Guedes S, Hadler J C, Iunes N, . Kinetic Model for the Annealing of Fission Tracks in Zircon. Radiation Measurements, 2005, 40: 517-521.

[9] Hu Z G, Liu J Q, Qian Z Z, . A Study of the Regional Metallogenetic Regularity in East Kunlun Mountains. Gold Science and Technology, 1998, Z1: 7-14.

[10] Hurford A J, Green P F. The Zeta Age Calibration of Fission Track Dating. Isotope Geosci., 1983, 1: 285-317.

[11] Kou L L, Luo M F, Zhong K H, . ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar Dating of the Gold-Bearing Shear Zone on Thegold-Ore Collected Belt of the Wulonggou, Qinghai, and Its Significance. Xinjiang Geology, 2010, 28(3): 330-333.

[12] Li H M, Qian Z Z, Liu J Q, . Prospecting Thinking about the Gold Deposits Familiar with Wulonggou Gold Deposit in the Middle Belt of East Kunlun. Qinghai Geology, 1999, 2: 47-52.

[13] Li H M, Shen Y C, Hu Z G, . Minerogenetic and Condition of Wulonggou Gold Deposit in East Kunlun Mountains, Qinghai Province. Geology and Prospecting, 2001, 37(1): 65-69.

[14] Liu Y J, Genser J, Neubauer F. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar Mineral Ages from Basement Rocks in the Eastern Kunlun Mountains, NW China, and Their Tectonic Implications. Tectonophysics, 2005, 398: 199-224.

[15] Mo X X, Luo Z H, Deng J F, . Granitoids and Crustal Growth in the East-Kunlun Orogenic Belt. Geological Journal of China Universities, 2007, 13(3): 403-414.

[16] Mo X X, Luo Z H, Xiao Q H, . Xiao Q H, Mo X X, . Evidences and the Study Methods of Magam Mixing in Granitoid Plutons. The Way of Investigation on Granitoids, 2002 Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 53-70.

[17] Mock C, Arnaud N O, Cantagrel J M. An Early Unroofing in Northeastern Tibet? Constraints from ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar Thermochronology on Granitoids from the Eastern Kunlun Range (Qinghai, NW China). Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 1999, 171: 107-122.

[18] Qian Z Z, Hu Z G, Liu J Q. Northwest Buctile Shear Zone and Their Tectonic Setting in the East of Kunlun Mountains. Journal of Chengdu University of Technology, 1998, 25(2): 201-205.

[19] Qian Z Z, Li H M, Hu Z G, . The Relationship between the Dioritic Porphyrite Dikes and the Gold Mineralization in the Middle Belt of East Kunlun Mountains: A Sample from Yanjingou Gold Mine. Journal of Xi’an Engineering University, 1999, 21(1): 3-6.

[20] Valsami-Jones E, Ragnarsdottir K V, Putnis A, . The Dissolution of Apatite in the Presence of Aqueous Metal Cations at pH 2–7. Chemical Geology, 1998, 151: 215-233.

[21] Wagner G A, Haute P V D. Fission Track Dating, 1992 Stuttgart: Ferdinand Enke Verlag, 95-119.

[22] Wang G C, Xiang S Y, Wang A, . Thermochronological Constraint to the Processes of the East Kunlun and Adjacent Areas in Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic. Earth Science-Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2007, 32(5): 605-615.

[23] Wang S C, Kang T S. A Study on Standardization of Fission Track Dating. Nuclear Tracks and Radiation Measurements, 1993, 22: 843-846.

[24] Wang S C, Kang T S, Wang L F, . Zircon Fission Track Dating and Significance from Dilling Samples in Ordos Basin. Acta Geoscientia Sinica, 1999, 18(Suppl.): 221-223.

[25] Wang S C, Yuan W M, Wang L F, . Thermal Evolution and Timing of Hydrothergen Generation the Huahai Basin: Evidence from Apatite Fission Track Data. Acta Geoscientia Sinica, 1999, 20(4): 428-432.

[26] Yamada R, Tagami T, Nishimura S, . Anealing Kinetics of Fission Tracks in Zircon: An Experimental Study. Chemical Geology, 1995, 122: 249-258.

[27] Yu X H, Mo X X, Yuan W M, . Geological Characteristics and Genesis of Wulonggou Gold Deposit and Evaluation of Gold Metallogenic Potential in East Kunlun. Journal of China University of Geosciences, 1999, 10(1): 62-66.

[28] Yuan W M, Dong J Q, Wang S C. Apatite Fission Track Evidence for Neogene Uplift in the Eastern Kunlun Mountains, Northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 2006, 27: 847-856.

[29] Yuan W M, Mo X X, Yu X H, . The Record of Indosinian Tectonic Setting from the Granitoids of Eastern Kunlun Mountains. Geological Review, 2000, 46: 203-211.

[30] Yuan W M, Mo X X, Yu X H, . Gold Mineralization Belt and Prospecting Direction in Eastern Kunlun Area. Geology and Prospect, 2000, 36(5): 20-23.

[31] Yuan W M, Zheng Q G, Bao Z K, . Zircon Fission Track Thermochronology Constraints on Mineralization Epochs in Altai Mountains, Northern Xinjiang, China. Radiation Measurements, 2009, 44: 950-954.

[32] Zhang D Q, Feng C Y, Li D X, . Orogenic Gold Deposits in the North Qaidam and East Kunlun Orogen, West China. Mineral Deposits, 2001, 20(2): 137-146.