40Ar-39Ar dating and geological implication of auriferous altered rocks from the middle-deep section of Q875 gold-quartz vein in Xiaoqinling area, Henan, China

The 40Ar-39Ar age method is employed in this work to analyze the aurif erous altered rocks from the middle-deep section of the Q875 gold-quartz vein in the Xiaoqinling area, and the results show that the main gold deposition of the Q875 occurred in ca. 128-126 Ma. As a typical gold-bearing quartz vein in this gold-rich area, the age data obtained from the Q875 also constrain on the metal logenic time of the lode gold deposits developed in the same geological settings . This geochronological study supplies new evidence for further understanding the timing of gold mineralization, the genesis of gold deposits and the geodynamic settings in Xiaoqinling area.