Mass transfer during hydrothermal bleaching alteration of red beds in the Lanping Basin, SW China: Implications for regional Cu(-Co) and Pb-Zn mineralization

The Lanping Basin in SW China hosts many hydrothermal Cu(-Co) and Pb-Zn deposits. Widespread bleaching alterations of red beds in the basin record mass transfer during the hydrothermal fluid migration and may provide useful information about metal sources for the deposits. Based on fluid inclusion study, mineral and elemental mapping of thin sections, and whole-rock major and trace element analyses, this study investigates fluid properties and mass transfer during the hydrothermal bleaching alterations at T1 and T2 two places where Jurassic red siltstones have been bleached in association with sulfides-free hydrothermal quartz(-siderite) veins. Mineral compositions and fluid inclusion microthermometry indicate that both T1 and T2 fluids are CO2-free, weakly acidic to neutral, S-poor, hydrocarbon-bearing reduced fluids, but the former is higher than the latter in the homogenization temperatures (188 - 265 degree celsius versus 136 - 184 degree celsius) and salinities (17 - 36 wt% NaCl eq. versus < 11 wt.%NaCl eq.). These reduced fluids caused the bleaching alterations due to the loss of Fe3+ (in terms of hematite) from the red siltstones. The T1 fluid is comparable to the vein-type Cu-Co and Pb-Zn ore fluids in the Baiyangping district. Enrichment of Cu-Co and depletion of Pb-Zn in the bleached rocks relative to the protolith at T1 suggest that the two pairs of elements are less possibly derived from the same source rocks. Red beds probably provided Pb and Zn, while other rock types, such as mafic volcanic rocks, were likely the sources of Cu and Co. As such, various degrees of contributions from different source rock types during the ore fluid migration may determine the variable (Cu-Co)/(Pb-Zn) ratios observed in the vein-type Cu-Co and Pb-Zn deposits. The T2 fluid is similar to the ore fluids of some vein-type Cu deposits along the western margin of the Lanping Basin. Considering that the T2 hydrothermal veins are free of sulfides and the fluid inclusions from the vein-type Cu deposits in this region either contain CO2 or do not contain CO2, the abundance of reduced sulfur rather than CO2 determines whether the reduced fluids in this area are capable of causing Cu mineralization. Different from T1, Mg and TFe2O3 were introduced into the bleached rocks at T2 site. This possibly resulted from interaction between the migration fluids and widespread mafic volcanic rocks in this region. Enrichment degree of Cu is apparently greater than those of Co, Zn, and Pb in the bleached rocks, which is consistent with the Cu-only mineralization for the vein-type Cu deposits in this area.

Automated summary

This study investigates fluid properties and mass transfer during the hydrothermal bleaching alterations in the Lanping Basin, SW China. The results provide insights into the contributions of different source rock types to the Cu, Co, Pb, and Zn deposits and the role of reduced fluids in Cu mineralization.