Geochronology, petrogenesis, and mineralization potential of the syenogranites in the Yama fluorite deposit, Tataleng granitic batholith, Qilian Orogen, NW China

Abstract

The Yama fluorite deposit in the Qilian Orogen in NW China is characterized by predominant granitic magmatism and fluorite mineralization. The wall rocks hosting the fluorite–quartz veins in the Yama area consist of the Yama porphyritic syenogranite and the Wulandawu syenogranite. In this study, the major and trace element compositions, zircon U–Pb ages, and zircon Hf isotopes and trace element compositions were investigated. Two samples for the Yama porphyritic syenogranite yielded weighted mean 206Pb/238U zircon ages of 440.7 ± 4.8 and 447.9 ± 6.0 Ma, and one sample for the Wulandawu syenogranite yielded a weighted mean 206Pb/238U zircon age of 441.2 ± 5.0 Ma, all of which indicate a Late Ordovician to Early Silurian crystallization age. Geochemically, both syenogranites are peraluminous, with high alkali contents, low Zr + Nb + Ce + Y contents, relatively low (K2O + Na2O)/CaO ratios, and high Rb/Sr and Rb/Ba ratios, suggesting that they are fractionated S-type granites. They have zircon εHf( t) values of −14.9 to −4.4 and −12.2 to −4.5, respectively, suggesting that they were derived from the partial melting of pelitic-rich sources within the relatively shallow Paleoproterozoic reworked crust. The detailed geochronological and geochemical data suggest that the studied syenogranites were emplaced in a post-collisional setting related to the closure of the South Qilian Ocean. Finally, they have relatively low quantitative oxygen fugacity values, indicating relatively reduced redox states, but their very low zircon Ce4+/Ce3+ ratios, low whole-rock K/Rb ratios, relatively high Nb/Ta ratios, and low Zr/Hf ratios suggest that they are not likely to form important W–Sn deposits and related fluorite deposits.