Geological characteristics and sulfur and lead isotopes of the Kanling lead-zinc deposit, Southern Tianshan Mountains

The Kanling lead-zinc deposit is one of the typical lead-zinc deposits in south Tianshan orogen, Xinjiang. It is located in the Kalpin uplift belt on the northwestern margin of the Tarim plate. Geological survey and isotope studies show that the host rocks of the deposit with epigenetic genesis are Upper Cambrian-Ordovician carbonate rocks, and the orebodies exhibit veined, stratoid and lenticular forms, mainly controlled by the fault and strata. Galena and sphalerite are the main ore minerals, with weak wall rock alteration. The characteristics of the sulfur isotope (in the range of -1‰-12.2‰) imply that the sources of sulfur was mainly derived from the deep mantle and sedimentary strata, the Pb isotopic composition of the ore is more homogeneous, and the ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios range from 17.262 to 17.269, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb from 15.571 to 15.675, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb from 38.062 to 38.396; the ore-forming metals were mainly derived from the sedimentary strata as compared with the Pb isotopic characteristics of the ore and the host rocks. Geological and geochemical characteristics of the deposit indicate that the Kanling lead-zinc deposit is a MVT deposit, which is hosted in the platform carbonate rocks.