Genetic types, mineralization styles, and geodynamic settings of Mesozoic tungsten deposits in South China

Abstract

South China hosts the most abundant and largest tungsten (W) deposits in the world, being a famous W metallogenic region. Located at the eastern part of the South China Block, which was formed by amalgamation of the Yangtze and Cathaysia Blocks during the Neoproterozoic, these W deposits were mainly formed during the Mesozoic. The W mineralization is dominanted by greisen, quartz-vein, skarn, and porphyry types, all of which are genetically related to the evolution of highly fractionated granitoids. Four episodes of W mineralization are recognized: (1) Late Triassic (230–210 Ma) in the central and western parts of South China; (2) Middle Jurassic (ca. 170 Ma) to Early Cretaceous (ca. 140 Ma) in the interior of South China, with the mineralization being concentrated in southern Jiangxi Province between 165 and 150 Ma; (3) Early Cretaceous (136–120 Ma) with deposits across South China; and (4) Late Cretaceous (100–80 Ma) mainly in the southwestern parts of South China. These four periods of mineralization are closely related to the closure of paleo-Tethys and subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate. In the Late Triassic, these two events caused local extensional environments, facilitating emplacement of the peraluminous granitoids, and formation of the W deposits. In the Middle Jurassic, break-off of the subducting oceanic plate resulted in emplacement of highly fractionated granites in the Nanling region. Later anticlockwise rotation of the paleo-Pacific plate created widespread S-type granitoids and associated Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous W mineralization in the interior of South China. Since 136 Ma, rollback of the subducting Pacific plate resulted in weak W mineralization across South China. Finally, a change of direction in the retreating plate from SE to ESE resulted in intensive mineralization of the southwestern part of South China.