Magmatic Conduit Metallogenic System in Jinchuan Cu-Ni (PGE) Sulfide Deposit

Abstract:

The Jinchuan Cu-Ni (PGE) sulfide deposit is located in the southwestern margin of North China Craton. Jinchuan ultramafic intrusion hosts the third largest magmatic Cu-Ni deposit in the world. There are mainly four orebodies, namely, orebody-58, orebody-24, orebody-1, and orebody-2, respectively from west to east in the deposit. The primary characteristics of Jinchuan Cu-Ni sulfide deposit are the following： (1) There is an obvious boundary between orebodys and country rocks, usually orebodys intruded into country rocks. (2) “sulfide melts” migrate and settle in the later stage of magma evolution. (3) Fluid Minerals Assemblages are found in the sulfide ores, there is Phl+Cc+Pn+Ccp+Po in orebody-2; Phl+Dol+AP+Pn+Ccp+Po in orebody-24; Q+Mag+AP+Pn+Ccp+Po in orebody-58. (4) Massive sulfides mainly occur in orebody-2, and its PGE content is very rare. Pt-Pd enrichment zones mainly occur in orebody-1; orebody-24 and orebody-58. Ir vs. Ru, Rh, Pt, Pd show positive relationship in orebody-2, but Ir vs. Ru, Rh show positive relationship, Ir vs. Pt, Pd exhibit negative relationship in orebody-1, orebody-24 and orebody-58. The modeling of Ir-Pd shows that the massive sulfide in orebody-2 maybe the origin of MSS. Pt-Pd enrichment zones in orebody-1 orebody-24 and orebody-58 are the relic liquid of monosulfide solid solution segregation; (5) Cu/Ni value is 1.24 in orebody-58, 1.56 in orebody-24, 1.83 in orebody-1, and 2.06 in orebody-2.

These features imply that (1) “ore magma” or “melt-fluid bearing metal” formed in the staging chamber in depth; (2) “ore magma” might contain a lot of fluids; (3) “melt-fluid bearing metal” flow moves as a whole; (4) The moving direction of melt-fluid bearing metal flow is form west to east. The ores are enriched in Ni in the front, and enriched in Cu, Pt, Pd in the back of Jinchuan Magmatic Conduit Metallogenic System.