The age and mechanism of formation of the Jinwozi gold deposit, Xinjiang

Abstract：The Jinwozi gold deposit is an important gold deposit located in the eastern segment of the East Tianshan-Beishan gold deposit concentration region, Xinjiang. There are different views about its mineralization age and metallogenic mechanism. However, as the mineralization age directly affects the understanding of the metallogenic mechanism, highly precise 40Ar/39Ar dating of the gold deposit and the shear belt was performed. The results indicate that the Jinwozi gold deposit formed in the Early Triassic and was the early Indosinian product. The mineralization age is in good agreement with the activity epoch of the regional ductile shear zone in the eastern area of the East Tianshan.