Monazite and zircon UPb and muscovite 40Ar/39Ar geochronology constraints on the timing of magmatism and mineralization in the Huxingshan tungsten deposit, South China

Abstract

The Huxingshan W deposit (0.21 Mt. WO₃ @ 0.3 %) in northeastern Hunan province is located at the western margin of the Jiangnan tungsten belt (JNB), South China. It consists of a series of magma-derived scheelite-quartz-muscovite (SQM) veins in the F1 fault (which contains over 60 % of the W resource), beneath Niutitang Formation (Fm.) carbonate rocks, and above Yijiaqiao Fm. slate (sub-economic), distal from the concealed two-mica granite, which is thought to be responsible for the tungsten mineralization. In this study, we employ LA-ICP-MS zircon and monazite UPb, and muscovite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating to constrain the timing of magmatism and W mineralization at the Huxingshan deposit. Monazite and zircon dating yield coeval ages of 137.6 ± 0.5 Ma and 138.0 ± 0.5 Ma, respectively. Our muscovite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating yielded well plateau ages of 132.9 ± 0.6 Ma, 132.2 ± 0.6 Ma, 130.7 ± 0.5 Ma, and 129.7 ± 0.6 Ma for four representative SQM vein ore samples occurring in the Niutitang Fm. carbonate, F1 fault, and Yijiaqiao Fm. slate, indicating multiple pulses of ore-forming fluid infiltration at Huxingshan. Our age data demonstrate that the two-mica granite emplaced at ∼137.6 Ma, significantly earlier than the pulsed W mineralization at ca. 132.9–129.7 Ma. The lack of spatial and temporal association precludes any genetic link between them. Thus, we infer that the ore-forming fluids likely originated from undiscovered deep plutons and ascended through the F1 fault. Besides, our reliable ages coincide with the two periods of large-scale Mesozoic magmatism and W mineralization phases in the JNB, with the 137.6 Ma magmatism falling within the first phase (150–135 Ma), while the W mineralization (ca.132.9–129.7 Ma) falls within the second phase (130–125 Ma). Of which, the second phase, including the Huxingshan, Xianglushang, Dongping, and Jianfengpo deposits, are situated in the western JNB and show further potential in this region.