Abstract:
Qinglonggou Gold Deposit is a significant gold deposit in Tanjianshan Goldfield, northern margin of Qaidam. The orebodies are mainly hosted in Mesoproterozoic carbon-bearing dolomitic marble of the Wandonggou Group, with some found in intrusive diorite porphyrite. However, the diorite porphyrite's chronology, source, origin of gold-bearing materials, and gold content variation have not been adequately addressed, limiting the understanding of mineralization and the potential for further exploration. Zircon U-Pb geochronology and in-situ sulfur isotopes and trace elements in pyrite from gold-bearing diorite porphyrite were analyzed using LA-ICP-MS. The findings reveal that the diorite porphyrite formed in the Early Permian (293.0 Ma±1.8 Ma), with zircon ε
Hf(t) values ranging from -3.5 to 4.8 and a two-stage model age (T
DM2) between 912 and 1375 Ma, indicating material from the Mesoproterozoic middle-lower crust with mantle contributions. Pyrite in the diorite porphyrite exhibits low δ
34S values, low Au content, high As content, and elevated w(Co)/w(Ni) ratios (δ
34S=4.01 ‰ -4.58 ‰; w(Au)=0.10×10
-6-0.49×10
-6, averaging 0.26×10
-6; w(As)=404.61×10
-6-9546.27×10
-6, averaging 5779.62×10
-6; w(Co)/w(Ni)=3.86-97.37), differing significantly from the δ
34S, Au content, As content, and w(Co)/w(Ni) values of pyrite in the carbon-bearing dolomitic marble host rock (δ
34S=8.4 ‰ -15.8 ‰, w(Au)=1.92×10
-6-30.28×10
-6, w(As)=9029.20×10
-6-130727.48×10
-6, w(Co)/w(Ni)=0.11-0.38). This suggests that gold mineralization likely originated from deep-seated Early Permian magma or mantle degassing. The low gold content in pyrite suggests a limited contribution to mineralization, with exploration efforts focusing primarily on gold bodies within carbon-bearing dolomitic marble, followed by magmatic rocks.