Geological characteristics of lead-zinc mineralized zones in the Mayuan area, Shaanxi, and their ore prospects

Abstract：Lead-zinc mineralization in the Mayuan area, Shaanxi Province, occurs on the southeastern margin of the Beiba uplift on the northern margin of the Yangtze platform. It, >60 km long and 10-200 m wide, may be divided into the north, east and south mineralization zones, in which over 40 lead-zinc orebodies have been delineated. The south mineralized zone is >20 km and 20-120 m. The east mineralized zone is >30 km long and 20-200 m wide, in which seven orebodies have been found at the surface. The north mineralized zone is >10 km long and 10- 100 m wide, and the orebodies are generally 100-2560 m long and 0.80-10.01 m thick with a zinc grade ranging between 1.5 and 10.82% and a lead grade of 0.55%-7.54%. The principal orebody has a length of 2560 m and ranges in thickness from 1.46 to 32.53 m, with a mean thickness of 7.60 m, and contains 1.45-11.42% zinc, averaging 4.47%. The mineralized zones are composed predominantly of dolostone of the Sinian Dengying Formation, occurring in doloruditic breccia of the Sinian Dengying Formation. The mineralization is mainly controlled by stratigraphy and structures. It is estimated that the Mayuan area has good ore prospects and potential for forming a superlarge lead-zinc deposit.