Zircon U–Pb and molybdenite Re–Os geochronology, Hf isotope analyses, and whole-rock geochemistry of the Donggebi Mo deposit, eastern Tianshan, Northwest China, and their geological significance

The geodynamic setting of Mesozoic magmatic rocks and associated mineralization in eastern Tianshan, Northwest China, are attracting increasing attention. The newly discovered giant Donggebi molybdenum deposit (0.508 Mt at 0.115% Mo) is located in the central part of eastern Tianshan, Xinjiang. The molybdenum mineralization was genetically associated with the Donggebi stock, comprised of porphyritic granite and granite porphyry. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) zircon U–Pb dating constrains that the porphyritic granite and granite porphyry emplacement occurred at 233.8 ± 2.5 Ma and 231.7 ± 2.6 Ma, respectively. The Re–Os model ages of six molybdenite samples range from 235.2 to 237.0 Ma, with a weighted mean age of 236.1 ± 1.4 Ma, which is roughly consistent within errors with the zircon U–Pb ages, suggesting a Middle Triassic magmatic–mineralization event at Donggebi. Geochemically, the Donggebi granitoids are characterized by high SiO2 and K2O contents, with low MgO contents, belonging to high-K calc-alkaline granites. These rocks show pronounced enrichment in K, Rb, U, and Pb, and depletion in Sr, Ba, P, and Ti, with negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.20–0.38). In situ Hf isotopic analyses of zircon from the porphyritic granite and granite porphyry yielded εHf(t) values ranging from +6.6 to +10.5, and from +5.5 to +10.1, respectively. The geochemical and isotopic data imply that the primary magmas of the Donggebi granitoids could have originated by partial melting of a juvenile lower crust that involved some mantle components. Combined with the regional geological history, geochemistry of the Donggebi granitoids, and new isotopic age data, we thus propose that the Donggebi molybdenum deposit was formed in the Middle Triassic, and occurred in an intracontinental extension setting in eastern Tianshan.