Primary Sn-rich titianite in the Qitianling granite, Hunan Province, southern China: An important type of tin-bearing mineral and its implications for tin exploration |
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Authors: | Lei Xie RuCheng Wang Jun Chen JinChu Zhu WenLan Zhang DeZi Wang APeng Yu |
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Institution: | (1) State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China |
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Abstract: | The Qitianling calc-alkaline granite in Hunan Province (South China) has attracted much attention since the discovery of the
Furong super-large tin deposit. The present study provides new mineralogical data to address their implications for exploration
of tin deposits. In the Taoxiwo granite in the southeastern part of the Qitianling granite body, Sn-rich titanite was identified
as an important type of Sn-bearing mineral. The titanite commonly occurs with biotite as euhedral crystals, exhibiting typical
envelope-like shape and sector-zoning texture. These indicate that the titanite most likely crystallized in the magmatic stage.
Electron-microprobe analyses show that the titanite is enriched in tin up to 1.12 wt% SnO2, with an average of 0.43 wt%. With the crystallization of the granite, primary minerals undertook hydrothermal alteration
by magma-derived fluids. Subsequently, in the hydrothermal stage, the primary Sn-bearing titanite was altered (at least partially),
but still preserved its typical envelope-shaped outline. Micro-scale cassiterite is a representative product of such alteration;
other secondary minerals include fluorite, ilmenite, Sn-bearing rutile and quartz. Therefore, the titanite, commonly present
in the calcalkaline granites, can be treated as an important Sn-carrying mineral in the Qitianling granite, reflecting the
primary magmatic environment with tin enrichment. The hydrothermal alteration of the primary titanite and subsequent crystallization
of cassiterite recorded a process of leaching and accumulation of tin in magmatic-hydrothermal evolution of the Sn-bearing
granite. Thus, this titanite has important implications for tin exploration.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40730423 and 40221301) and Project of China Geological
Survey (Grant No. 1212010632100) |
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Keywords: | Sn-bearing titanite genetic mineralogy implications for tin exploration Qitianling granite |
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