Geochemical Tracing of Ore-forming Material Sources of Carlin-type Gold Deposits in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Triangle Area --A Case Study of the Application of the Combined Silicon Isotopes Geochemistry and Siliceous Cathodoluminescence Analysis

This paper deals with characteristics of silicon isotope compositions and siliceous cathodolumines-cence of host rocks, ores and hydrothermal silicified quartz of the Carlin-type ore deposits in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi triangle area. The study shows that primary silicified quartz is nonluminescent but quartz in host rocks andsecondary silicified quartz are luminescent by the action of cathode rays. Correspondingly, silicon isotope composi-tions of host rocks, ores and hydrothermal quartz veins are clearly distinguished. In strata from the Middle Triassic tothe "Dachang" host bed, δ;Si of the host rocks ranges from 0.0‰-0.3‰, while that of primary ore-forming silici-fied fluids from -0.1‰ to -0.4‰, in the Upper Permian and Lower Carboniferous strata and Indosinian diabasehost beds, δ;Si of the host rocks is from -0.1‰ to -0.2‰ and that of the primary silicified quartz veins from 0.3‰-0.5‰. This pattern demonstrates the following geochemical mineralization process: primary ore-forming sili-ceous fluids migrated upwards quickly along the main passages of deep-seated faults from mantle to crust and en-tered secondary faults where gold deposits were eventually formed as a result of permeation and replacement of thesiliceous ore-forming fluids into different ore-bearing strata. This gives important evidence for the fact that ore-forming fluids of this type of gold deposits were mainly derived from upper mantle differentiation and shows goodprospects for deep gold deposits and geochemical background for large and superlarge gold deposits.