The Genetic Association between Quartz Vein- and Greisen-Type Mineralization at the Maoping W–Sn Deposit, Southern Jiangxi, China: Insights from Zircon and Cassiterite U–Pb Ages and Cassiterite Trace Element Composition

Abstract

The large-scale Maoping W–Sn deposit in the Gannan metallogenic belt of the eastern Nanling Range, South China, spatially associated with the Maoping granite pluton, hosts total ore reserves of 103,000 t WO3 and 50,000 t Sn. Two different types of mineralization developed in this deposit: Upper quartz vein-type mineralization, mostly within the Cambrian metamorphosed sandstone and slate, and underneath greisen-type mineralization within the Maoping granite. Cassiterites from both types of mineralization coexist with wolframite. Here we report for the first time in situ U–Pb data on cassiterite and zircon of the Maoping deposit obtained by LA-ICP-MS. Cassiterite from quartz vein and greisen yielded weighted average 206Pb/238U ages of 156.8 ± 1.5 Ma and 156.9 ± 1.4 Ma, respectively, which indicates that the two types of mineralization formed roughly at the same time. In addition, the two mineralization ages are consistent with the emplacement age of the Maoping granite (159.0 ± 1.5 Ma) within error, suggesting a close temporal and genetic link between W–Sn mineralization and granitic magmatism. The two types of mineralization formed at the same magmatic-hydrothermal event. Cassiterite from both types of mineralization shows high Fe, Ta, and Zr contents with a low Zr/Hf ratio, suggesting that the ore-forming fluid should be derived from the highly differentiated Maoping granite pluton. Cassiterite in greisen has higher contents of Nb and Ta but a lower concentration of Ti compared with that in quartz vein, indicating that the formation temperature of greisen-type mineralization is little higher than that of quartz-vein-type mineralization.