Geology and mineralization at the Dajing tin-polymetallic ore deposit, Inner Mongolia, China

Abstract

Dajing is a large-scale tin-polymetallic ore deposit in north China with Sn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, and minor elements such as Co and In. The deposit is controlled by a passage-host structure system. Two groups of NE direction faults such as F2 and F1 are characterized by sinistral and multiphase activities, and the syn-ore NE faults with their derivative faults nearly in N-S direction constitute an important structure system as channelway for ore fluid. Around F2 fault (mineralization center), metallic elements display horizontal zoning outwards from Sn, Cu to Cu, Sn, Pb, Zn, Ag and to Pb, Zn, Ag. Controlled by sinistral pull-apart vein system, the WNW direction host structure yielded the ore vein to "W" shape on horizontal plan while to staircase shape on vertical profile. Multiperiodic activities of the host structures system lead to multistage of ore mineralization. Four mineralization stages are recognized in the main mineralization, i.e. 1) cassiterite-arsenopyrite-quartz stage, 2) cassiterite-sulfide (or Cu-polymetallic mineralization) stage, 3) massive pyrite stage, and 4) galena-sphalerite stage. Besides, fluid activities are identified here at the pre-mineral stage of the formation of quartz veins and sheared deformation, and at the post-mineral stage of quartz-calcite-fluorite deposition. The earlier tin-rich ore solution raised from NE faults and its nearly N-S derivatives filled the NW∼WNW direction fractures, and formed tin ore veins. Subsequent mineralization of Cu-polymetallic stage, pyrite stage and galena-sphalerite stage, overlapping on the same fracture system, sequentially expanded outwards from the fractures, and produced different kinds of ore types and mineralization zoning.