The role of crustal contamination in the formation of Ni-Cu sulfide deposits in Eastern Tianshan, Xinjiang, Northwest China: Evidence from trace element geochemistry, Re-Os, Sr-Nd, zircon Hf-O, and sulfur isotopes

Tulaergen, Xiangshan, Huangshan, Tianyu, and Baishiquan magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposits, which are all located in the eastern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, and associated with small mafic-ultramafic intrusions with high-grade Cu and Ni orebodies have similar ages of formation. Their magma sources are MORB-like and OIB-like depleted mantle. Modeling calculations of Sr-Nd and zircon Hf isotopic data show that about 10-15% of oceanic slab components are added into the source of Baishiquan and Tianyu intrusions, but only less than 5% are in the three other intrusions. The higher degree of subduction meta-somatism in the Baishiquan and Tianyu magma sources is likely the result of the Paleozoic multiple-stage subduction. Moreover, the relative enrichment of LILE, depletion of HFSE, and lower Ce/Pb ratios indicate that these intrusions experienced crustal contaminations. The effects of crustal contamination are also identified in the magmatic sulfide deposits by the higher zircon delta O-18, higher sulfide gamma Os, and delta S-34 values observed. We propose a two-stage crustal contamination model of the Tulaergen, Xiangshan, Tianyu, and Baishiquan intrusions. However, the Huangshan intrusion, which has the highest degree of crustal contamination, likely experienced only single-stage upper crustal contamination (similar to 14.2%). The addition of crustal S appears to be directly related to triggering S saturation in these deposits. According to a simple S isotopic modeling calculation, 11%, 2.9%, 1.2% and 2.1% of the crustal sulfur addition into the parental magma would be required to form the Tianyu, Baishiquan, Xiangshan, and Tulaergen deposits, respectively. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.