China Geology (Oct 2022)
Geology and mineralization of the Pulang supergiant porphyry copper deposit (5.11 Mt) in Shangri-la, Yunnan Province, China: A review
Abstract
The porphyry copper belt in the Geza island arc in southwestern China is the only Indosinian porphyry copper metallogenic belt that has been discovered and evaluated so far. The Pulang porphyry copper deposit (also referred to as the Pulang deposit) in this area has proven copper reserves of 5.11×106 t. This deposit has been exploited on a large scale using advanced mining methods, exhibiting substantial economic benefit. Based on many research results of previous researchers and the authors’ team, this study proposed the following key insights. (1) The Geza island arc was once regarded as an immature island arc with only andesites and quartz diorite porphyrites occurring. This understanding was overturned in this study. Acidic endmember components such as quartz monzonite porphyries and quartz monzonite porphyries have been identified in the Geza island arc, and the mineralization is mainly related to the magmatism of quartz monzonite porphyries. (2) Complete porphyry orebodies and large vein orebodies have developed in the Pulang deposit. Main orebody KT1 occurs in the transition area between the potassium silicate alteration zone of quartz monzonite porphyries and the sericite-quartz alteration zone. Most of them have developed in the potassium silicate alteration zone. The main orebody occurs as large lenses at the top of the hanging wall of rock bodies, with an engineering-controlled length of 1920 m and thickness of 32.5‒630.29 m (average: 187.07 m). It has a copper grade of 0.21%‒1.56% (average: 0.42%) and proven copper resources of 5.11×106 t, which are associated with 113 t of gold, 1459 t of silver, and 170×103 t of molybdenum. (3) Many studies on diagenetic and metallogenic chronology, isotopes, and fluid inclusions have been carried out for the Pulang deposit, including K-Ar/Ar-Ar dating of monominerals (e.g., potassium feldspars, biotites, and amphiboles), zircon U-Pb dating, and molybdenite Re-Os dating. The results show that the porphyries in the Pulang deposit are composite plutons and can be classified into pre-mineralization quartz diorite porphyrites, quartz monzonite porphyries formed during the mineralization, and post-mineralization granite porphyries, which were formed at 223±3.7 Ma, 218±4 Ma, and 207±3.9 Ma, respectively. The metallogenic age of the Pulang deposit is 213‒216 Ma. (4) The petrogeochemical characteristics show that the Pulang deposit has the characteristics of volcanic arc granites. The calculation results of trace element contents in zircons show that quartz monzonite porphyries and granite porphyries have higher oxygen fugacity. The isotopic tracing results show that the diagenetic and metallogenic materials were derived from mixed crust- and mantle-derived magmas.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.
