Comparative study of the geology of Dur'ngoiMassive Sulfide Deposit, Northern Tibet Plateau - a typical example of hydrothermal metallogenesis in slow spreading mid-ocean ridge

Dur'ngoi Massive Sulfide Deposit is located in Northern Tibet Plateau. Its country rock is ultramafic rocks of A'nyemaqen Ophiolite, which represent relicts of Paleo-Tethys Ocean. We analyzed Dur'ngoi Massive Sulfide Deposit in detail, and considered it to preserve an abundance of geology record of submarine hydrothermal activities, which include: thin layers of exhalite on the top of the ore body; colloidal, framboidal, and brecciated textures preserved in porous sulfides; major minerals components; calcite or felsic minerals cementing pyrite breccia; and similar zonation with the Atlantic hydrothermal complex rainbow and TAG. The spreading rate of the segment of Paleo-Tethys Ocean represented by Dur'ngoi Ophiolite can be estimated through the bulk TiO2 composition of basalts. Result turns out to be 1.1-2.5cm/a. By analogy of the modern hydrothermal sulfide fields, it can be insisted that Dur'ngoi Massive Sulfide Deposit experience three major steps: submarine hydrothermal metallogenesis, submarine colling, and subduction emplacement. The first step is supposed to be genetically related to oceanic core complex. In the third step, emplacement of ore body, ultramafic rocks, and basalts are controlled by thrust faults. Compared with similar deposits on land, Dur'ngoi Massive Sulfide Deposit is younger (Carboniferous) and much better preserved. It's a typical example of hydrothermal metallogenesis in slow spreading mid-ocean ridge, and can be called Dur'ngoi type. Sulfide sample micrography comparation between the Dur'ngoi massive sulfide deposit and other sea hydrothermal sulfide deposit; a, b, f, g, h: Dur'ngoi massive sulfide deposit; c: Dergamysh deposit, Ural suture zone; d: Rainbow-1 hydrothermal sulfide deposit; e: SWIR hysrothermal sulfide deposit Comparison of mineral zonation among Dur'ngoi massive sulfide deposit, Rainbow (MAR) and TAG (MAR) hydrothermal sulfide deposits