The Tiegelongnan deposit is a newly discovered super-large porphyry-epithermal Cu-(Au) deposit in the western part of the Bangong Co-Nujiang metallogenic belt, Tibet (China). Field geology and geochronology indicate that the porphyry mineralization was closely related to the Early Cretaceous intermediate-felsic intrusions (ca. 123–120 Ma). Various epithermal ore and gangue mineral types were discovered in the middle-shallow part of the orebody, indicating the presence of epithermal mineralization at Tiegelongnan. Potassic, propylitic, phyllic and advanced argillic alteration zones were identified. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of hydrothermal biotite (potassic zone), sericite (phyllic zone), and alunite (advanced argillic zone) in/around the ore-bearing granodiorite porphyry yielded 121.1±0.6 Ma (1σ), 120.8±0.7 Ma (1σ) and 117.9±1.6 Ma (1σ), respectively. Five hydrothermal mineralization stages were identified, of which the Stage IV pyrite was Rb-Sr dated to be 117.5±1.8 Ma (2σ), representing the end of epithermal mineralization. Field geology and geochronology suggest that both the epithermal and porphyry mineralization belong to the same magmatic-hydrothermal system. The Tiegelongnan super-large Cu-(Au) deposit may have undergone a prolonged magmatic-hydrothermal evolution, with the major mineralization event occurring at ca.120–117Ma.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	40Ar/39Ar and Rb-Sr dating, Tiegelongnan Cu-(Au) deposit, Bangong Co-Nujiang metallogenic belt, Tibet, Proto-Tethys
Research Division:	Earth Sciences
Research Group:	Geology
Research Field:	Geochronology
Objective Division:	Mineral Resources (Excl. Energy Resources)
Objective Group:	Mineral exploration
Objective Field:	Copper ore exploration
UTAS Author:	Lin, B (Mr Bin Lin)
UTAS Author:	Zhang, L (Dr Lejun Zhang)
ID Code:	123694
Year Published:	2017
Web of Science® Times Cited:	42
Deposited By:	CODES ARC
Deposited On:	2018-01-19
Last Modified:	2018-04-24
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