Genesis of the Xiangluwanzi Gold Deposit, Northeastern China: Insights from Fluid Inclusions and C-H-O Isotopes

The Xiangluwanzi gold deposit, located in the southern Jilin Province of Northeast China, is hosted within the Jurassic Guosong Formation, and surrounded by Archean granitoids. The ore bodies are governed by near-EW and NE-trending faults. Four alteration/mineralization stages have been distinguished: I, pyrite-sericite-quartz; II, gold-pyrite-quartz; III, sphalerite-quartz-carbonate; and IV, quartz-carbonate. Four types of fluid inclusions (FIs) were identified: pure CO2, CO2-rich, CO2-bearing, and NaCl-H2O fluid inclusions. Stage-I quartz veins contain all FIs, whereas stage II quartz veins host CO2-rich, CO2-bearing, and NaCl-H2O FIs. Only NaCl-H2O FIs were present in stages-III and -IV quartz veins. The homogenization temperatures of the FIs range, respectively, from 233 to 279, 185-242, 171-217, and 148-170 degrees C in stages I-IV, having salinities of 2.62-8.54, 2.81-7.58, 4.32-6.58, and 3.37-5.25 wt% NaCl equivalents, respectively. The H (-93.5 parts per thousand to -75.9 parts per thousand) and O (O-delta 18(H2O) = -5.8 parts per thousand to 4.6 parts per thousand) isotopic compositions suggest magmatic water was gradually diluted by meteoric water. Carbon isotopic values (22.8 parts per thousand to -17.8 parts per thousand) suggest the incorporation of organic carbon from surrounding strata via water-rock interactions. Fluid boiling, fluid mixing, and water-rock interactions are the primary mechanisms driving mineral precipitation.