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Kalatongke, Kalatunk |
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Xinjiang, China |
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Cu Ni PGE PGM
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Super Porphyry Cu and Au
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The Kalatongke (or Kalatunk) copper-nickel-PGE deposit is located approximately 28 km south-east of Fuyun City in the Altay Prefecture of Xinjiang Province, China (#Location: 46° 48' 30"N , 89° 50' 5"E).
Cu-Ni-PGE mineralisation is associated with nine Carboniferous mafic-ultramafic intrusions that occur within the Tian Shan-Hinggan fault/fold system on the southern side of the regional Irtysh Fault which separates the early Palaeozoic (Caledonian) Altay orogenic belt to the north from the late Palaeozoic (Variscan) Junggar orogenic belt to the south.
The southern part of the Altay orogenic belt is composed of high grade Proterozoic metamorphic rocks of an accreted microcontinent, with local inliers of weakly metamorphosed overlying Cambrian to Ordovician sandstones and limestones. Devonian marine volcanic rocks are found in several fault bounded basins along the margin of the microcontinental block. while voluminous Devonian to Permian granitoids were emplaced along north-west striking faults.
The northern part of the Junggar orogenic belt, defined by the Wulungu and Irtysh faults, is composed of Devonian to Carboniferous volcanic and clastic rocks developed on an active continental margin. These include mafic, intermediate and felsic pyroclastics and flows wit local intercalated turbidites, clastics and carbonates. Middle to late Variscan intermediate to felsic (mainly granodiorite and biotite-K feldspar alkaline granite) and mafic intrusions are found on the northern part of the Junggar orogenic belt. The mafic intrusions are discontinuously distributed along a 200 x 10 to 20 km wide zone on the southern margin of the Irtysh Fault. The Kalatongke Cu-Ni-PGE deposits are located near the centre of this zone.
The country rock to the host mafic to ultramafic intrusives in the mine area comprise the Lower Carboniferous Nanmingshui Formation which is composed of:
i). a lower 150 to 200 m thick sequence of lower red silty sandstone, muddy slate and grey-green tuffaceous slate intercalated with limestone and siliceous rocks;
ii). a middle >450 m thich middle succession comencing with a grey to grey-yellow sedimentary and volcanic breccias and dark grey, carbonaceous tuffaceous slate with interbeds of andesite and siliceous tuffaceous rocks. These are overlain by an upper grey to grey-yellow bedded tuff, a dark grey carbonaceous slate with minor intercalated limestone with alkali basalt, basaltic andesite and andesite, passing up into grey-green, thinly layered siliceous tuff;
iii). an upper zone composed of 70 to 100 m of grey-green, pebbly tuffeous sediments, bedded tuffs and tuffaceous slate overlain by grey-white tuffaceous siltstone and slate.
The deposit is located within the eastern segment of the fault dislocated, NW to WNW trending Saerbulake-Sasekebasito composite syncline, with limbs dipping at around 40°. Faulting trends in NW, WNW, east-west and NE directions, with the NW trend accommodating larger scale and multiple displacement. The host mafic intrusives are largely intruded along the NW trending structures, concentrated at the intersection with WNW structures.
Eleven mafic igneous masses are known at Kalatongke, all of which are intruded into Carboniferous slates and tuffs of the middle and upper sections of the Nanmingshui Formation, with a < 20 m contact metamorphic aureole. The intrusions are concentrated in two belts, the southern comprising the well differentiated, zoned and strongly mineralised No.s 1, 2 and 3 in the southernmost anticline, and the weakly mineralised, less well exposed, northern belt comprising intrusives 4 to 9 along the northern anticline.
The largest of the mineralised intrusive, No. 1, outcrops as an irregular lens that is 650 m long and 40 to 190 m in width, trending NW at 330° and dipping at 60 to 85° NW. It has a generally funnel shape in cross section, tapering to a more 'vein-like' shape at depth. Four intrusive phases are recognised, with the more mafic varieties predominanting at depth and in the core of the intrusive. From the margins inward and downwards, these phases are:
i). biotite rich diorite (4% by volume of the intrusive);
ii). biotite-hornblende norite (38% by volume of the intrusive);
iii). biotite-hornblende-olivine norite (30% by volume of the intrusive) which hosts the bulk of the known ore; and
iv). biotite-hornblende gabbro (27% by volume of the intrusive).
The orientation of the individual orebodies is consistent with the strike and dip if the host intrusion, occuring as irregular and lens-shaped masses in section and nest- or pocket shaped in plan, dipping sharply to the NE. The massive ores are surrounded by a halo of disseminated mineralisation.
The No. 2 intrusive is 400 m to the south-east of No. 1 and is 1400 m long by 40 to 200 m in width, striking NW a 300° and dipping 17 70 to 80° NE. It has an undulose upper boundary and a series of feeder 'roots'. It has a magmatic zonation from the top to bottom of:
i). biotite rich diorite (30% by volume of the intrusive);
ii). biotite-hornblende norite (50% by volume of the intrusive); and
iii). biotite-hornblende-olivine norite (20% by volume of the intrusive).
The first of two orebodies in this intrusive occurs as disseminated Cu-Ni-PGE mineralisation is found in the biotite-hornblende-olivine norite, while the second is present as both disseminated and massive sulphides in both the biotite-hornblende-olivine norite and biotite-hornblende norite.
The rod-like No. 3 intrusive further south-east of No. 2 and is 1320 m long by 200 to 420 m in width, striking NW a 300° and dipping 17 70 to 80° NE. It also has a magmatic zonation from the top to bottom of: i). biotite rich diorite (60% by volume of the intrusive); ii). biotite-hornblende gabbro (20 to 30% by volume of the intrusive); and iii). biotite-hornblende norite (20 to 30% by volume of the intrusive). At the base of the intrusive there is a banded mass of disseminated mineralisation that is 1000 m long, and 20 m thick
The following ore types and characteristics have been reported (Yan Shenghao, et al., 2003):
i). massive pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite with very high Cu and Ni grades with grades of around 3.5% Cu, 6% Ni. In some areas the Cu:Ni grade is elevated to as much as 10:1, due to very high Cu grades;
ii). moderately disseminated (20 to 60% sulphides) pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and magnetite with grades of around 1.25% Cu, 0.65% Ni;
iii). weakly disseminated (5 to 15% sulphides) and veinlet sulphide minerals, mainly pyrrhotite, pyrite and chalcopyrite, averaging 0.36 to 0.5% Cu;
iv). weakly disseminated (5 to 10% sulphides) pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite with minor magnetite, averaging 0.5% Cu, 0.38% Ni;
Geochemical studies by Zhang et al. 2005 suggest that the primary magmas were derived from MORB-type mantle source involved in previously subducted oceanic crust. The intrusions were generated by fractional crystallization in situ accompanying assimilation of upper crust at the upper part of the intrusions within high-level magma chambers. The sharp boundaries between massive and disseminated ores suggest that the massive ores were formed by immiscible sulphide liquid derived from a deep-seated crustal chamber, which was transported upwards to their present locations. In contrast, the broader transition from disseminated ores to barren wallrocks implies in situ crystal fractionation and settling of sulphides within a higher-level magma chamber.
Yan Shenghao, et al., 2003 report the following resources:
• No. 1 Intrusive - 0.232 Mt of Cu, 0.154 Mt Ni at grades of 1.4% Cu, 0.88% Ni, which equates to approximately 17 Mt of ore.
• No. 2 and 3 Intrusives - 0.187 Mt of Cu, 0.096 Mt Ni at grades of 1.05% Cu, 0.58% Ni, which equates to another approximately 17 Mt of ore.
The most recent source geological information used to prepare this decription was dated: 2007.
This description is a summary from published sources, the chief of which are listed below.
© Copyright Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, storage or dissemination prohibited.
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Selected References:
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Gao J-F, Zhou M-F, Lightfoot P C and Qu W, 2012 - Heterogeneous Os isotope compositions in the Kalatongke sulfide deposit, NW China: the role of crustal contamination: in Mineralium Deposita v.47 pp. 731-738
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Gao J-F, Zhou M-F, Lightfoot P C, Wang C Y and Qi L, 2012 - Origin of PGE-Poor and Cu-Rich Magmatic Sulfides from the Kalatongke Deposit, Xinjiang, Northwest China : in Econ. Geol. v.107 pp. 481-506
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Han, C., Xiao, W., Zhao, G., Mao, J., Li, S., Yan, Z. and Mao, Q., 2006 - Major types, characteristics and geodynamic mechanism of Upper Paleozoic copper deposits in northern Xinjiang, northwestern China: in Ore Geology Reviews v.28, pp. 308-328.
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Han, C., Xiao, W., Zhao, G., Qu, W. and Du, A., 2007 - Re-Os dating of the Kalatongke Cu-Ni deposit, Altay Shan, NW China, and resulting geodynamic implications: in Ore Geology Reviews v32 pp 452-468
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Han, C., Xiao, W., Zhao, G., Su, B., Sakyi, P.A., Ao, S., Wan, B., Zhang, J., Zhang, Z. and Wang, Z., 2014 - Mid-Late Paleozoic metallogenesis and evolution of the Chinese Altai and East Junggar Orogenic Belt, NW China, Central Asia: in J of Geosciences, v.59, pp. 255-274.
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Lu, Y., Lesher, C.M. and Deng, J., 2019 - Geochemistry and genesis of magmatic Ni-Cu-(PGE) and PGE-(Cu)-(Ni) deposits in China: in Ore Geology Reviews v.107, pp. 863-887.
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Mao, Y.-A., Qin, K.-Z., Barnes, S.J., Ferraina, C., Iacono-Marziano, G., Verrall, M., Tang, D. and Xue, S., 2018 - A revised oxygen barometry in sulfide-saturated magmas and application to the Permian magmatic Ni-Cu deposits in the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt: in Mineralium Deposita v.53, pp. 731-755.
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Mao, Y.-J., Barnes, S.J., Godel, B., Schoneveld, L., Qin, K.-Z., Tang, D., Williams, M. and Kang, Z., 2022 - Sulfide Ore Formation of the Kalatongke Ni-Cu Deposit as Illustrated by Sulfide Textures: in Econ. Geol. v.117, pp. 1761-1778. https://doi.org/10.5382/econgeo.4914.
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Pirajno, F., 2010 - Intracontinental strike-slip faults, associated magmatism, mineral systems and mantle dynamics: examples from NW China and Altay-Sayan (Siberia): in J of Geodynamics v.50, pp. 325-346.
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Pirajno, F., Seltmann, R. and Yang, Y., 2011 - A review of mineral systems and associated tectonic settings of northern Xinjiang, NW China: in Geoscience Frontiers v.2, pp. 157-185.
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Song X-Y and Li X-R, 2009 - Geochemistry of the Kalatongke Ni-Cu-(PGE) sulfide deposit, NW China: implications for the formation of magmatic sulfide mineralization in a postcollisional environment: in Mineralium Deposita v.44 pp. 303-327
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Tang, D., Qin, K., Mao, Y. and Evans, N.J., 2022 - Magnetite geochemistry and iron isotope signature of disseminated and massive mineralization in the Kalatongke magmatic Cusingle bondNi sulfide deposit, northwest China: in Chemical Geology v.605, doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2022.120965.
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Wei, B., Wang, C.Y., Lahaye, Y., Xie, L. and Cao, Y., 2019 - S and C Isotope Constraints for Mantle-Derived Sulfur Source and Organic Carbon-Induced Sulfide Saturation of Magmatic Ni-Cu Sulfide Deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, North China: in Econ. Geol. v.114, pp. 787-806.
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Zhang Zhaochong, Jingwen Mao, Chai Fengmei, Yan Shenghao, Chen Bailin and Pirajno F, 2009 - Geochemistry of the Permian Kalatongke Mafic Intrusions, Northern Xinjiang, Northwest China: Implications for the Genesis of Magmatic Ni-Cu Sulfide Deposits : in Econ. Geol. v104 pp 185-203
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Zhou, N., Xue, G., Li, H., Chen, W. and Lei, K., 2022 - Electromagnetic Characteristics of the Magmatic Ni-Cu Sulfide Deposits in the Orogenic Belt: A Case Study from Kalatongke Deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt: in Econ. Geol. v.117, pp. 1779-1789. doi:https://doi.org/10.5382/econgeo.4905.
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Porter GeoConsultancy Pty Ltd (PorterGeo) provides access to this database at no charge. It is largely based on scientific papers and reports in the public domain, and was current when the sources consulted were published. While PorterGeo endeavour to ensure the information was accurate at the time of compilation and subsequent updating, PorterGeo, its employees and servants: i). do not warrant, or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use of the information contained herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency, or otherwise; and ii). expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or conclusions contained herein.
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