Geology and K-Ar ages of the South, Huh Bulgiin Hundii, Saran Uul, Taats Gol and Han Uul deposits in the Bayankhongor Region, Mongolia

Abstract

The Bayankhongor region in central Mongolia consists of a Paleozoic subduction system including Precambrian microcontinents (Baidrag and Burd Gol zones), obducted ophiolites and accretionary sedimentary rocks (Bayankhongor and Dzag zones), and forearc sedimentary rocks (Khangay zone). Arc magmatism in the Bayankhongor region is characterized by dominance of Early Paleozoic ilmenite-series and Late Paleozoic magnetite-series granitoids. These granitoids accompany many hydrothermal deposits of such various types as porphyry, skarn and vein. K-Ar dating on four deposits in the region revealed that the South porphyry Cu-Au, Huh Bulgiin Hundii skarn Cu-Au, Han Uul shear zone-hosted Au and Taats Gol pegmatite W-Au deposits formed at 240±5 Ma, 252±5 Ma, 283±6 Ma and 329±7 Ma, respectively. Thus the former three are related to the Permian to earliest Triassic magnetite-series granitoids, whereas the W-Au pegmatite at Taats Gol to the Early Carboniferous ilmenite-series granitoids. Porphyry and skarn Cu-Au mineralization occurred at latest Permian to earliest Triassic, when the Andean-type arc magmatism was immediately followed by the collision between the Baidrag and Tarbagatai microcontinents.