The second ore-prospecting space in the eastern and central parts of the Nanling metallogenic belt: evidence from isotopic chronology

Abstract：A study of Re-Os isotopic chronology of molybdenite suggests that the metallogenic age of the Anqiantan tungsten ore deposit in south Jiangxi area within eastern Nanling region is about 156 Ma and that of the Yuanlingzhai molybdenum ore deposit is about 160Ma. Statistics indicate that there occurred 3 epochs comprising 6 stages of mineralization during Mesozoic in the eastern and central parts of the Nanling metallogenic belt. These stages are about 225 Ma and 195 Ma of Indo-Chinese period, 170-160 Ma, 160-150 Ma and 150-145Ma of Early Yanshanian period, and about 135 Ma and 100 Ma of Late Yanshanian period. The mineralization during Early Yanshanian period is the strongest one, so that Early Yanshanian is the major metallogenic period for tungsten and tin ore deposits in the eastern and central parts of the Nanling metallogenic belt. There exist independent W-Sn polymetallic ore deposits, Sn ore deposits, Cu-Pb-Zn polymetallic ore deposits and Mo ore deposits. Combined with an analysis of metallogenic chronology, the authors hold that there might exist undiscovered or neglected mineral resources in the horizontal direction as well as metallogenic potential at the depth of the known ore deposits in the vertical direction. This study has provided theoretic basis for geological prospecting in the second space of the eastern and central parts of the Nanling metallogenic belt.