The multi-stage mineralization and uplift of the Li-Be metal ore belt on the northern margin of Qaidam basin in Qinghai province

Abstract

This study investigates the zircon and apatite fission track data from the Chakabeishan region, focusing on lithium-beryllium and niobium-tantalum-lithium deposits. The zircon fission track results suggest that the age group of 170–159 Ma represents the peak of lithium mineralization, while the 153–137 Ma group is related to the hydrothermal stage of pegmatites. The 127–106 Ma group marks the end of hydrothermal evolution, and cooling events in the Late Cretaceous (100–94 Ma and 87–72 Ma) are associated with subsequent metallogenic events. Thermal history simulations of apatite fission tracks reveal four exhumation stages: 160–140 Ma (0.86 km), 140–50 Ma (0.57 km), 50–15 Ma (0.43 km), and 15 Ma to present (1.43 km), with a total exhumation thickness of 3.29 km. The study also shows that the rare metal metallogenic thermal events in the Chakabeishan are coupled with those in the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, particularly during the Late Cretaceous to Eocene (100–41 Ma). This coupling reflects widespread thermal effects caused by regional tectonic movements and collisions, providing key insights into the timing and genesis of rare metal mineralization. The findings highlight the importance of zircon and apatite fission track methods in determining the metallogenic age of pegmatite deposits.