A new idea of the ore-controlling structure in the Liqingdi lead-zinc-silver deposit, Inner Mongolia, and breakthrough in mineral exploration

Abstract：Major advances have been made in mineral exploration in the Liqingdi lead-zinc-silver deposit, central Inner Mongolia in recent years. This deposit is an epithermal deposit related to Jurassic continental volcanism. The mineralization is controlled by a volcanic edifice formed by circular and radial fractures centering on the Danaobaoshan volcano. Previously it was considered that the ore-controllｉｎｇ fractures strike NE. Although large amount of exploration work had been done, only reserves of small silver deposits were obtained. Study shows that the NE-trending (basement) fractures control the ore zoneｓ, while the NW-trending fractures control orebodies. The major lead-zinc-silver orebodies occur in the NW-trending fractures and oreshoots occur near the intersection site of the NW- and NE-trending fractures. This new idea of the ore-controlling fractures leads to a new breakthrough in mineral exploration in the Liqingdi deposit and discovery of lead-zinc-silver oreshoots. At present several NW-trending ore-bearing fractures have been found successively in the ore district, indicating that the entire Liqingdi ore district has the potential of becoming a superlarge lead-zinc-silver deposit.