Day 1 09.15_Pirajno_China gold metallogeny

Gold metallogeny in P. R. of
China

Franco Pirajno(1,2), Jingwen Mao(2) and Yanjing
Chen(3)

1)

2) Institute of Mineral Resources,
Chinese Academy of Geological
Science, Beijing, China
3) Key Laboratory of Orogenic
Belts and Crustal Evolution,
Peking University, Beijing,
China

Chen Huayong, Cheng Yanbo, Han Yigui, Li Nuo,

Wang Yitian, Xiao Long, Xiao Wenjiao, Zhang Lianchang, Zhang Shihong,

Zhou Meifu, Zhou Taofa, Yang Fuquan, Yuan Shunda

中国金矿床
位于胶东以及黄金三角地带的

世界顶级金矿

Tectonic domains of China

CAOB Central Asian orogenic belt; TM Tarim Block; NCC North China Craton; YC Yangtze Craton;
CC Cathaysia Craton; CCO Central China orogens; SGO Songpan-Ganze orogeny; AHO Alpine-Himalayn
Orogens; TLF Tan-lu Fault

Distribution of granitoids
Geological Publishing House, Beijing

Distribution of selected Au deposits (jin kuang) in China

Modified after Zhang R et al. 2014 OGR

Courtesy of Richard Goldfarb

A) Top producing countries in
2018

B) Metric tons/year from 1960 to
2013 for selected countries

Compiled by Wang Bixiang and Li Zhaonai

Geological Publishing House, Beijing

Compiled by Wang Bixiang and Li Zhaonai

Geological Publishing House, Beijing



Compiled by Wang Bixiang and Li Zhaonai

Geological Publishing House, Beijing

Jiaodong gold province

After Li et al. 2919, OGR

Two deposit styles:
Dongfeng/Jiaojia = disseminations and
sulphide stockworks
Linglong (shown here) = auriferous
Qtz veins

Wen et al., 2014, OGR

A) a lode that was exploited by the
Japanese in World War 2;

B) details of the lode shown in A;
C) Deep drilling; D) Jiaojia-type

stockworks in granite;
E) and F) photomicrographs
showing extensive fracturing of
granite with sericite and pyrite
alteration

Geotectonic model for the structurally controlled Jiaodong province

Goldfarb and Santosh, 2013, GSF



CARLIN-STYLE or SEDIMENT-HOSTED
GOLD DEPOSITS

The Golden Triangle; SW China and NE Vietnam;
SE Asia

The Golden
Triangle

Distribution of Carlin-style mineral systems in China

Pirajno, 2013

The Golden Triangle: Sedimentary rock-
hosted Au and associated metals (Sb, Hg,
Tl) deposits in Guizhou Province
(after Su et al. 2009)

The Golden Triangle
Carlin-style deposits in the Guizhou Province

More than 200 ore deposits and
occurrences, with mineral
reserves/resources and ore
grades ranging from1 to 167
tonnes and 1 to 20 g/t Au
Ages range from 235 to 206 Ma

After Chen M et al., 2015, OGR

Carlin-style gold deposits in SW China are

associated with an extensional tectonic

regime that followed continental collision

between the Indochina and South China

Blocks The similarity in geological setting of gold

deposits NE Vietnam and the Golden Triangle

region, as well as timing and kinematics of

deformation, magmatic features, stratigraphic

sequence and bulk architecture, lead to

conclusion that NE Vietnam and SW China is a

single metallogenic zone.

After Nevolko et al. 2017, OGR, v. 89

Carlin-style ore system;

after Cline et al. 2005

Structural evolution

Lannigou structural map

Lannigou Carlin-style gold deposit:
arsenian pyrite and arsenopyrite; lesser
realgar (AsS), orpiment (As2S3), stibnite (Sb2S3),
Cinnabar (HgS), Tl-bearing minerals

After Chen M et al., 2011, OGR

(A) - karst structures near the Lannigou
deposit (B) – ore-bearing carbonaceous

material in a shear zone in Guizhou area



The Qinling orogenic province

Model of the Qiyugou breccia pipe and
associate gold mineralisation

Shanggong and Tieluping
deposits

B CC

AA B

A = brittle; epizone
B = brittle-ductile; mesozone
C = ductile, hypozone

Xiaoqinling gold and gold-molybdenum district

After Yang et al. in press OGR



Epithermal deposits in South China; gold and polymetallic

After Zhong, Pirajno and Chen, 2017,
Gondwana Res v 42

Au–Ag (>200
occurrences)

Circular structure
Fault / fracture

South China Fold Belt

Pirajno and Bagas, 2002, OGR, v. 20

Zhilingtou is a gold-polymetallic mineral
system with proven reserves of > 20 t of
Au, with grades ranging from 8 to 46 g/t,
1000 t of Ag (165-685 g/t), 0.1 Mt Pb and
0.1 Mt Zn; concealed Mo occur beneath
the polymetallic ores

After Zhong, Pirajno and Chen, 2017,
Gondwana Res v 42

Aspects of epithermal veins at Zhilingtou, Zhejiang province, China

South China Fold Belt

e. g. Zijinshan, >50 t reserves
e. g. Zhilingtou, ca 15 t reserves

HOT SPRING HOT SPRING
Au CRATER FILL Au

FELSITE

Peripheral Vein System
Au-Ag,
Pb-Zn, Cu-Pb-Ag-Zn

Porphyry Stockworks
Mo-Cu, W, Sn



e. g. Ha: Sawuyardun orogenic cluster, 300 t resource
e. g. 5: Axi LS epithermal, >70 t resource

Pirajno et al. 2011. GSF

Turfan – Hami Basin
F3

Kanggur shear zone; Pirajno, unpublished field mapping, 2005

A local gold mine



Polymetallic skarns,in China, many with gold as a by-product

After Chen YJ et al. 2007, OGR



Distribution of Cenozoic mineral deposits in the Tibetan strike-slip
faults (Hou and Cook, 2009, OGR v. 36)

Franco Pirajno, Jingwen Mao, Yanjing Chen

Institute of Mineral Resources, Key Laboratory of Orogenic
Chinese Academy of Geological Belts and Crustal Evolution,
Science, Beijing, China Peking University, Beijing,
China

谢谢 多謝諸位!

Thank you for your attention