FU Hao¹, WANG Jiasheng^1*, CHANG Jinyang², WANG Yan³, WANG Bo¹, YE Bin¹, LI Haoyu¹

(1. Faculty of Land Resource Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China; 

2. China Nonferrous Metals (Guilin) Geology and Mining Co., Ltd., Guilin 541004, China; 3. Yunnan Institute of Geological Survey, Kunming 650216, China)

Abstract: The large areal low-temperature metallogenic domain in the southwestern China is an important base for Au, Sb, Hg, Pb-Zn and other medium-low temperature hydrothermal deposits in China. Whether there is genetic relationship among those various hydrothermal deposits is still an unresolved scientific issue. Calcite as an important gangue mineral is widely distributed in various types of hydrothermal deposits. In this paper, the Yata Carlin-type gold deposit, Qinglong and Banian antimony deposits, La'e mercury deposit and Huize lead-zinc deposit in the above region are selected as research objects of typical deposits to comparatively study characteristics of rare earth elements (REE) of their calcites collected from various veins of different mineralization and non-mineralization periods. The results show that calcites of metallogenic periods in different types of deposits have obviously different REE patterns. Calcites of the Carlin-type gold deposits show enrichment characteristics of the MREE and those of antimony deposits have enrichment characteristics of the M-HREE, indicating that the ore-forming fluids of gold and antimony deposits could be sourced from the magma of deep concealed granite. Calcites of the Pb-Zn-Hg deposits generally show enrichment characteristics of the LREE. In addition, the REE distribution patterns of calcites in Hg deposit are consistent with those of the standard marine carbonate rocks, whereas those of calcites in Pb-Zn deposit are characterized with the left-inclined REE patterns with the La and Ce depletion. These characteristics indicate that the ore-forming fluid of mercury deposit could be mainly sourced from the dissolution of marine carbonate rocks by meteoric water, but the ore-forming fluid of lead-zinc deposit could be sourced from the mixed fluid through the leaching of basement strata and wall rocks by the basinal brine. No matter what kinds of ore deposits, calcites which are unrelated to mineralization have the LREE enrichment characteristics of REE distribution patterns. The above REE distribution pattern characteristics of calcites can also be used as important indicators for prospecting various types of hydrothermal deposits in the area.

Keywords: Au-Sb-Hg-Pb-Zn deposits; Calcite; Rare earth elements; The large areal low temperature metallogenic domain in the southwestern China