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Huize Ore Field, Qilinchang, Kuangshanchang
Yunnan, China
Main commodities: Zn Pb


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The Qilinchang and Kuangshanchang carbonate hosted ("Mississippi Valley type") zinc-lead deposits are part of the Huize Zn-Pb Ore Field located in northern Yunnan Province, south-west China and is hosted by upper Palaeozoic shelf carbonates on the south-western margin of the Yangtze block, adjacent to the suture between the Eurasian and Indian plates.

The basement is composed of 400 to 7000 m of lower Sinian, 900 to 740 Ma, Neoproterozoic acid to intermediate volcanics, volcaniclastics and granitoids which overlie Palaeoproterozoic gneisses, migmatites, metaclastics and metavolcanics, and Mesoproterozoic clastics and minor carbonates.

The post Sinian sequence comprises 360 to 1000 m of late Sinian (late Neoproterozoic) marine dolostones, Palaeozoic sediments (810 to 1600 m of Cambrian dolostones, clastics and evaporites;   640 to 950 m of Ordovician dolostones and clastics;   270 to 350 m of Devonian dolostones;   around 170 m of Carboniferous dolostone;   650 m of Permian limestones with minor clastics) and the 800 to 2100 m thick, 250 Ma, Emeishan basalt pile.

The Qilinchang deposit is hosted by lower Carboniferous dolostone of the Baizuo Formation which is locally in contact with middle Carboniferous marine limestone.   The dolostones of the Baizuo Formation are the result of regional dolomitisation which predated the formation of the Qilinchang ores.

Mineralisation at Qilinchang occurs as open space filling and is one of a number of related Pb-Zn (-barite-fluorite) deposits in the district (including Maxiongchang and Xiaoheiqing).   Ore phase minerals are sphalerite, galena, pyrite and calcite.   The lower, early formed part of the orebody (which is around 1 m thick) is composed of fine minerals, followed by the subsequent and better developed coarse grained (>2 cm) ore sulphides which were emplaced in three phases in the order of pyrite, followed by sphalerite and galena (with sphalerite largely predating the galena), and finally by calcite and minor sulphides in the third phase.

Reserves at Qilinchang 2001 amounted to 3.32 Mt @ 17.5% Zn, 6.6% Pb with important amounts of Ge, Ag, Cd, In and Ga (Zhou et al., 2001).
The Huize Zn-Pb Ore Field is quoted as containing approximately 5 Mt of ore at grades of from 32.5 to 36.5% Pb+Zn (Li et al., 2007).

For more detail consult the reference(s) listed below.

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.


  References & Additional Information
   Selected References:
Chaoxian Zhou, Chunsheng Wei, Jiyun Guo, Chaoyang Li  2001 - The source of metals in the Qilinchang Zn-Pb deposit, northeastern Yunnan, China: Pb-Sr isotope constraints: in    Econ. Geol.   v96 pp 583-598
Li Wenbo, Huang Zhilong and Yin Mudan,  2007 - Dating of the Giant Huize Zn-Pb Ore Field of Yunnan Province, Southwest China: Constraints from the Sm-Nd System in Hydrothermal Calcite: in    Resource Geology   v57 pp 90-97


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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