Zhang Et Al 2020 - Mesozoic Orogenic Gold Mineralization PDF

©2020 Society of Economic Geologists, Inc.
Economic Geology, v. 115, no. 2, pp. 415–441
Mesozoic Orogenic Gold Mineralization in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China:

A Focused Event at 120 ± 2 Ma During Cooling of Pregold Granite Intrusions
Liang Zhang,1,2 Roberto F. Weinberg,2 Li-Qiang Yang,1,† David I. Groves,1,3 Sheng-Xun Sai,1 Erin Matchan,4
David Phillips,4 Barry P. Kohn,4 Daniel P. Miggins,5 Yue Liu,1,4 and Jun Deng1,†
1State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
2School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia
3Centre for Exploration Targeting, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
4School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
5College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
Abstract
Jiaodong gold deposits are mainly sited along faulted contacts between Upper Jurassic Linglong granite and
Precambrian basement metamorphic rocks or Lower Cretaceous Guojialing granite. Long-standing contro-
versies relate to timing of gold mineralization and granite-gold relationships. In this study, gold-related mus-
covite consistently provides concordant 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 120 ± 2 Ma (2σ) for the Jiaojia, Sizhuang, and
Luoshan deposits. Analogous 40Ar/39Ar timing constraints from gold-related muscovite are provided by total gas
and high-temperature ages from Fushan, concordant high-temperature ages from Rushan, and fusion-step ages
from Xiadian deposits. These new 40Ar/39Ar ages, when combined with previous reliable 40Ar/39Ar and U-Pb
age constraints for mineralization, including ages of pre- and postgold dikes, define a widespread gold miner-
alization event at 120 ± 2 Ma (2σ). Published zircon U-Pb ages for Guojialing and Aishan granite magmatism
suggest an ~8-m.y. lag between peak intrusive activity and gold mineralization. This, together with lack of both
high-temperature alteration assemblages and alteration and/or metal zonation, indicates that the structurally
controlled Jiaodong deposits are orogenic rather than intrusion-related deposits. Despite this, granite intrusions
are considered to have provided suitable fluid trap sites. New 40Ar/39Ar analyses of biotite from the Linglong
and Guojialing granites show they had cooled to about ~300° ± 50°C by ca. 123 to 124 Ma, providing pressure-
temperature conditions similar to those under which most orogenic gold deposits formed close to the ductile-
brittle transition. This enabled the effective ingress of fluids at supralithostatic pressures at 120 ± 2 Ma, leading
to intensive brecciation, alteration, and deposition of both vein-type and disseminated gold ores. New zircon
(U-Th)/He dates together with apatite fission-track data indicate that preservation of the gold province is due
to slow postmineralization uplift and exhumation.
Introduction tionship, as discussed below. Some deposit models require a

The Jiaodong gold province, with more than 5,000 t of proven genetic relationship between granites and gold, whereas oth-
gold resources, is the largest gold producer in China (Fig. 1; ers stress structural control and metamorphic gold-rich fluid
Li, L., et al., 2015; Deng and Wang, 2016; Song et al., 2017). sources. In concert with geologic observations at different
The Jiaodong gold deposits formed in reactivated Precambri- scales, geochronological studies of both granites and gold de-
an terranes ~1.8 b.y. after high-grade metamorphism of the posits have the greatest potential to resolve the long-standing
Precambrian basement rocks (Goldfarb and Santosh, 2014). controversy relating to the genesis of the Jiaodong gold de-
This is highly anomalous in terms of most lode gold deposits, posits. However, recent geochronological studies at Jiaodong
such as those in the Superior Province, Canada, and Yilgarn have indicated at least four gold mineralization events close
craton, Australia, which formed during orogenic events that to ~120 Ma, which are variously older or younger than the
resulted in the generation and stabilization of cratons (Gold- granites, thus exacerbating the controversy (Yang, L.Q., et al.,
farb et al., 2001). 2014; Li, Y.J., et al., 2015; Li et al., 2016; Zhang et al., 2016,
Recent geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and geochrono- and references therein).
logical studies on this giant “gold-only” (Phillips and Powell, This study presents a critical overview of the previously
2015) granite-hosted gold province have improved the under- published isotopic age data to identify isotopic ages of low
standing of deposit formation mechanisms at depth and the reliability and remove these from future discussions of gold
postmineralization erosion processes that brought these de- mineralization ages. This is followed by geologic and geochro-
posits to shallow crustal levels (Deng et al., 2015; Mills et al., nological studies of four previously undated and two poorly
2015a; Fan et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2017). However, the close dated Jiaodong gold deposits, in order to improve the num-
spatial and temporal relationship between the regionally ex- ber and spatial distribution of reliable mineralization ages
tensive granites (used throughout in sensu lato) and the gold and resolve the contentious temporal and genetic relationship
deposits has resulted in ongoing debate on their genetic rela- between granites and gold mineralization. Additional thermo-
chronology is provided to elucidate the thermal connection
between these gold deposits and the host granite intrusions,
†Corresponding authors: e-mail, lqyang@cugb.edu.cn, djun@cugb.edu.cn as well as their postdepositional cooling and erosion history.
ISSN 0361-0128; doi:10.5382/econgeo.4716; 27 p.
Digital appendices are available in the online Supplements section. 415 Submitted: June 12, 2019 / Accepted: November 29, 2019
Downloaded from https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/segweb/economicgeology/article-pdf/115/2/415/4963192/4716_zhang_et_al.pdf

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416 ZHANG ET AL.
Fig. 1. Geologic map of the Jiaodong gold province showing the distribution of deposits in terms of size and mineralization
style, as well as the previously published mineralization ages. Vertical gray lines = Jiaobei terrane; horizontal gray lines =
Su-Lu UHP belt. Numbers in parentheses are number of data. Abbreviations for faults: GCF = Guocheng fault, HQF =
Haiyang-Qingdao fault, HSF = Haiyang-Shidao fault, JJF = Jiaojia fault, MRF = Muping-Rushan fault, QSF = Queshan fault,
QXF = Qixia fault, RCF = Rongcheng fault, SSDF = Sanshandao fault, TCF = Taocun fault, TLF = Tan-Lu fault, WHF =
Weihai fault, WQYF = Wulian-Qingdao-Yantai fault, ZPF = Zhaoping fault. Abbreviations for gold deposits: CS = Cangshang,
DMQJ = Damoqujia, DYGZ = Dayingezhuang, FS = Fushan, HS = Hushan, JH = Jiehe, JJ = Jiaojia, LS = Luoshan, PJK =
Pengjiakuang, RS = Rushan, SJ = Sanjia, SZ = Sizhuang, WES = Wanger’shan, XC = Xincheng, XD = Xiadian, XP = Xipo,
YGZ = Yinggezhuang. Abbreviations for quarry: SZQ = Shangzhuang quarry. Additional abbreviations: Mnz = monazite, Mus
= muscovite, UHP = ultrahigh pressure, Zr = zircon. References for mineralization ages are represented by superscript labels
and given in Table A1. Modified from L.Q. Yang et al. (2014) and original map from Wei et al. (2001).

MESOZOIC OROGENIC Au MINERALIZATION, JIAODONG PENINSULA, CHINA 417
Terminology and Genetic Controversy ing of magmas derived from upwelling asthenospheric mantle
After decades of research, the terminology used to describe and delaminated eclogitic lower crust (Hou et al., 2007), and
the Jiaodong gold deposits is still controversial. Given the it underwent intense synmagmatic shearing (Charles et al.,
close spatial-temporal relationship between the regionally 2013; Zhang et al., 2019). The undeformed late Lower Creta-
extensive granites and gold mineralization, the Jiaodong gold ceous Aishan granite, which is largely exposed in the eastern
deposits have been variously described as magmatic-hydro- Jiaodong Peninsula, is mainly composed of alkaline granitoids
thermal deposits (Zhai et al., 2011) and as intrusion-related interpreted to have formed by crustal-mantle mixing (Yang et
gold deposits (Sillitoe and Thompson, 1998). In terms of al., 2003).
their structural control and mineral paragenesis, the Jiaodong The Neoarchean amphibolites and tonalite-trondhjemite-
gold deposits share many features with orogenic gold depos- granodiorite (TTG) gneisses of the Jiaodong Group are host
its, such as their structural geometry and pyrite-muscovite- to a few small gold deposits. The majority of the gold deposits
quartz-carbonate alteration assemblages (Goldfarb and San- are hosted within the widespread pregold mineralization Lin-
tosh, 2014; Groves and Santosh, 2016; Yang et al., 2016a). glong granites and the ENE-trending, more restricted Guo-
Their anomalous continental tectonic setting has also resulted jialing granite located in the northwestern part of the penin-
in the new terminology of “anorogenic gold deposits” (Zhai et sula. Minor intrusions of Shidao syenite in the eastern tip of
al., 2004). Subsequently, Zhu et al. (2015) proposed the term the peninsula host no major gold deposits. The equally gold
“decratonic gold deposits” owing to the geodynamic setting of deposit-free Aishan granite intrusions, although mainly in the
the deposits, with gold mineralization broadly contemporane- east, include a large N-S–trending intrusion that cuts across
ous with destabilization of the North China block and related both the Guojialing granite and Precambrian basement in the
lithospheric thinning beneath the Jiaodong Peninsula (Wu northwest.
et al., 2008). In addition, the term “Jiaodong gold deposits,” Structurally, the Jiaodong Peninsula is dominated by
named after this peninsula, has been proposed to cover the NNE-NE–trending faults, considered to be subsidiary to the
highly anomalous features of this giant gold system (Li, L., et Tan-Lu fault. All have a complex structural history involving
al., 2015; Deng and Wang, 2016). oblique slip with a sinistral, more rarely dextral and reverse
component, followed by late normal movement (Deng et al.,
Regional Geology 2015). Precise isotopic ages for particular fault movements
The Jiaodong Peninsula lies to the east of the crustal-scale are lacking. However, a combination of previous K-Ar ages of
Tancheng-Lujiang (Tan-Lu) fault and comprises the Jiaobei fault gouge along the Jiaojia fault, 40Ar/39Ar ages of fractured
terrane and Su-Lu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic K-feldspar samples along the Sanshandao fault, and 40Ar/39Ar
belt (Fig. 1). The geologic terrane exposed on the Jiaodong ages of deformed muscovite samples from the major fault
Peninsula comprises metamorphic rocks of the Neoarchean plane of the Zhaoping fault indicate that these faults were ac-
Jiaodong Group, the Paleoproterozoic Jingshan and Fenzis tive at ~130 to 120 Ma (Song et al., 2010; Charles et al., 2013;
han groups, and the Neoproterozoic Penglai Group. These Zhang et al., 2017, 2019). Gold deposits in the peninsula are
rocks were deformed as a result of the Triassic (240–225 Ma) distributed along the regional NNE-NE–trending faults, par-
collision of the North China and South China blocks (Meng ticularly the Sanshandao, Jiaojia, Zhaoping, and Qixia faults to
and Zhang, 1999; Liu et al., 2004). The peninsula subsequent- the northwest, and the Muping-Rushan (Muru) fault to the
ly underwent widespread middle-late Mesozoic extension and east (Fig. 1). Similar to many lode-gold districts globally, most
magmatism as a result of the destabilization of the North Chi- gold-hosting faults developed along favorable lithologic con-
na block and related lithospheric thinning (Wu et al., 2008; tacts, in this case between granites and metamorphic rocks or
Zhu et al., 2011; Deng et al., 2017). To the east of the penin- between different granites (Figs. 1, 3–5). Jogs in these NNE-
sula, the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate may have been NE–trending faults, with many world-class deposits adjacent
initiated in the Lower Jurassic (Sun et al., 2007). to them, are interpreted to relate to preexisting, broadly E
The Mesozoic intrusions include the Triassic Shidao syenite, trending basement shear zones and folds, as revealed by both
Upper Jurassic Linglong granite, middle Lower Cretaceous geologic mapping and geophysical investigations (Lu et al.,
Guojialing granite, and late Lower Cretaceous Aishan granite 2007; Charles et al., 2011; Li, S., et al., 2012; Guo et al., 2013;
(Figs. 1, 2). The Triassic (215–200 Ma) Shidao syenite com- Deng et al., 2015). Locally, late NW-trending faults, such
plexes are exposed in the Su-Lu UHP metamorphic belt at the as the sinistral Dayingezhuang fault, crosscut the dominant
eastern tip of the peninsula. The complexes are composed of NNE-NE–trending faults, such as the Zhaoping fault (Fig. 1;
potassic to ultrapotassic pyroxene-syenite, quartz-syenite, and Yang, L.Q., et al., 2014).
syenogranite. These alkaline complexes were derived from
Ore Deposit Geology
partial melting of the subducted Yangtze craton lithospheric
mantle, as summarized by Yang et al. (2005). The Jurassic Lin- Deposits with dominantly disseminated/stockwork-style or
glong granite, which is widespread over the Jiaodong Peninsu- auriferous quartz-sulfide vein-style mineralization were se-
la, is mainly composed of biotite granite and monzonitic gran- lected for this study. These deposit types account for most
ite. The granite has been interpreted to derive from partial of the gold resources in the peninsula. The geology of each
melting of Neoarchean lower-crustal rocks based on detailed deposit is briefly summarized below.
petrological, geochronological, and geochemical data (Hou et
Disseminated and stockwork-style deposits
al., 2007). The middle Lower Cretaceous Guojialing granite,
which mainly comprises porphyritic granodiorite, is located in The Jiaojia gold deposit, a typical disseminated and stock-
the northwestern Jiaodong Peninsula. It was formed by mix- work-style deposit with minor auriferous quartz vein-style

418 ZHANG ET AL.
Fig. 2. Geologic map of the Jiaodong gold province showing the distribution of three major generations of granites and
representative published zircon U-Pb ages: (A) Upper Jurassic Linglong granites, (B) middle Lower Cretaceous Guojialing
granites, (C) late Lower Cretaceous Aishan granites. In each image, only the distribution of the granites of interest is shown;
the others have been removed for clarity. References for zircon U-Pb ages are represented by superscript of the ages and
listed in Table A2. The subscript LA refers to LA-ICP-MS and SH refers to SHRIMP.

Fig. 3. Geologic map (A) and typical cross section (B) of the Sanshandao goldfield showing the gold deposits/orebodies con-
trolled by faults along the contacts between granite and metamorphic rocks and different granites. The Haiyu deposit is under
the sea. Modified after Deng et al. (2020b).
Fig. 4. Geologic map (A) and cross sections (B, C) of the Jiaojia goldfield showing the gold deposits/orebodies controlled by faults
along the contact between granite and metamorphic rocks or between different granites. Modified after Yang et al. (2016b).

420 ZHANG ET AL.
Fig. 5. Geologic map (A) and cross section (B) of the Linglong goldfield showing the gold deposits/orebodies controlled by
faults along the contact between different granites. Modified after Guo et al. (2017).
mineralization, has Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC)- The Luoshan and Xiadian gold deposits share similar altera-
noncompliant gold resources >200 t with an average grade tion and ore mineralogy, as well as other features, with the Ji-
of 4 g/t. The deposit is structurally controlled by the Jiaojia aojia deposit. The geology of these two deposits has been well
fault and its subsidiary faults, with orebodies distributed on documented by Yang et al. (2016b) and Guo et al. (2017). The
the footwall of the Jiaojia fault (Fig. 4C). In general, three gold-hosting rocks in the Xiadian deposit underwent more in-
alteration zones can be defined from the major fault plane to tense ductile deformation than those at Jiaojia, including the
distal unaltered granite. The distal zone is mainly composed formation of mylonite. At Xiadian, minor pyrite displays evi-
of unaltered and weakly deformed Upper Jurassic granite, in dence of brittle-ductile deformation (Yang et al., 2016b).
places with minor weak chlorite alteration of biotite, as well
as muscovite (sericite) alteration of feldspars. The intermedi- Auriferous quartz-sulfide vein-style deposits
ate zone has an alteration assemblage of K-feldspar, chlorite, Compared to disseminated/stockwork-style mineralization,
muscovite, and quartz, reflecting more intense hydrother- the auriferous quartz-sulfide veins at the Fushan and Rushan
mal alteration hosted in largely brittle structures. Several deposits are more steeply dipping and narrower, and they
20- to 50-cm-thick auriferous quartz-sulfide veins controlled have relatively higher sulfide contents and gold grade (Li et
by faults parallel to the Jiaojia fault and widespread, thin py- al., 2006; Guo et al., 2017). Narrow subeconomic muscovite-
rite-muscovite-quartz veins hosted by subvertical and sub- quartz alteration zones with minor pyrite typically occur on
parallel joints that are orthogonal to the major Jiaojia fault both the hanging wall and footwall of the veins. Quartz-brec-
represent significant ore zones. Although feldspars have cia–style mineralization is also common in the Rushan depos-
been partially altered to fine-grained muscovite and quartz, it. Typically, numerous auriferous quartz-sulfide veins define
original textures are preserved in the host granite. The proxi- the ore zones in vein-style deposits such as the Fushan de-
mal zone, adjacent to the fault plane, is typified by intense posit, but the Rushan orebody is represented by a single but
brittle fractures and hydrothermal pyrite-muscovite-quartz strike-extensive quartz-sulfide vein. Both ore deposit styles
alteration. In this zone, most feldspars have been replaced share a similar paragenesis, although there is more hydrother-
by fine-grained quartz and muscovite with only minor relict mal quartz and less hydrothermal muscovite and K-feldspar in
magmatic K-feldspar. the vein-style deposits.

Transitional-style deposits stockwork- and quartz-sulfide vein-style deposits (e.g., Zhang

et al., 2019, and references therein). In order to avoid repeti-
Both disseminated/stockwork ores and auriferous quartz-sul-
tion of mineralogical data already in the literature, a simplified
fide veins are well developed in the Sizhuang deposit along
paragenesis with supporting evidence is provided in Figure 8.
the Jiaojia fault (Wang et al., 2019). Mineralization is similar
As the Jiaodong gold deposits are commonly hosted by the
to that of other deposits which are controlled by faults that
Linglong and Guojialing granites, pregold alteration typically
are subordinate to the Jiaojia fault (Fig. 4), such as at the
was initiated as K-feldspar alteration, with breakdown of bio-
Wanger’shan deposit (Yang et al., 2017). Compared to the
tite to form chlorite, rutile, and hematite, and minor alteration
Jiaojia deposit, the disseminated/stockwork-style mineraliza-
of feldspars by muscovite and quartz (Li et al., 2006; Zhang
tion at Sizhuang is weaker and has a lower gold grade.
et al., 2019). In contrast, syngold alteration is dominated by
Relationship Between Muscovite Alteration and intense pyrite-muscovite-quartz alteration and the formation
Gold Deposition of base-metal sulfides, such as galena, sphalerite, and chalco-
pyrite (Zhang et al., 2003; Li et al., 2006; Yang et al., 2017).
In this section, relationships between muscovite alteration Quartz-carbonate veins that cut across pyrite and muscovite
and gold deposition are summarized from the literature and aggregates mark the end stage of the gold mineralization in
combined with new detailed textural documentation of the most deposits (Guo et al., 2017).
samples analyzed (Figs. 6, 7, A1–A5). At the mesoscopic scale, As minor gold in the form of solid solution (Au+) and/or
three alteration zones can be defined in disseminated/stock- nanoparticles (Au0) is detected by laser ablation-inductively
work-style deposits hosted by Linglong or Guojialing granites coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)/second-
(Figs. 3–5). Gold, both as invisible gold in pyrite and free ary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) trace-element spot analy-
gold, is related to the intense pyrite-muscovite-quartz altera- sis and mapping of pyrite (Mills et al., 2015a, b; Yang et al.,
tion; gold content has a positive relationship with the intensity 2016a; Feng et al., 2018), the muscovite-pyrite link also con-
of this alteration and, thus, a negative relationship with the nects muscovite to gold mineralization. Gold in the Jiaodong
abundance of relict magmatic minerals such as K-feldspar. deposits is dominated by visible gold, petzite, or electrum as
For auriferous quartz-sulfide vein-style deposits, gold also inclusions in pyrite grains and particles in the microfractures
shows a positive relationship with muscovite alteration of of pyrite and interstices between pyrite grains or, more rarely,
breccias hosted in quartz veins and of host rocks on both the in the interstices between hydrothermal quartz (Mills et al.,
hanging wall and footwall of veins (Li et al., 2003, 2006; Zhang 2015a, b; Yang et al., 2016a). This coexistence of gold and
et al., 2019). muscovite in identical microfractures or microfracture arrays
At the microscopic scale, there is a well-documented, prov- in pyrite and the interstices between pyrite grains also indi-
ince-wide common paragenesis among both disseminated/ cates a gold-muscovite link.
Fig. 6. Photograph of (A) unaltered equigranular Linglong granite sample SZ14D05B1 and (B, C) photomicrographs of its
weakly deformed biotite grains. Photograph of (D) unaltered porphyritic Guojialing granite sample GJL-SZ01, and photomi-
crographs of its components (E, F), undeformed biotite in the strain shadow of a K-feldspar phenocryst and weakly deformed
biotite grains adjacent to dynamically recrystallized quartz bands. Abbreviations: Bt = biotite, Hbl = hornblende, Kfs = K-feld-
spar, Mag = magnetite, Pl = plagioclase, Qtz = quartz. (B, E) Crossed-polarized light (XPL). (C, F) Plane-polarized light (PPL).

422 ZHANG ET AL.
Fig. 7. Photomicrographs of the Jiaojia gold deposit. (A-E) Hydrothermal muscovite grains and their relationships to pyrite and
quartz. (A) Muscovite-quartz–altered rock preserving early-formed recrystallized quartz bands formed after magmatic quartz;
pseudomorphous replacement of feldspars by fine-grained muscovite and quartz aggregates. (B) Pyrite grain hosts fine-grained
pre- or synpyrite hydrothermal muscovite and quartz. (C) Muscovite and quartz aggregates intergrown with gold-bearing pyrite.
(D) Postpyrite muscovite in microfractures in pyrite and interstices between pyrite crystals. (E) Postpyrite muscovite and quartz
occur in the pressure shadow of pyrite. (F, G) Backscattered electron (BSE) images of gold grains and/or muscovite within pyrite.
(F) Pre- or synpyrite fine-grained electrum hosted in pyrite. (G) Coexistence of postpyrite electrum, hessite, galena, and mus-
covite within microfracture arrays in pyrite showing a close gold-muscovite link. (H) Photomicrograph of oblique calcite veins
that crosscut an early pyrite-muscovite-quartz vein. A to E and H are under crossed-polarized light (XPL). Abbreviations: Cal =
calcite, El = electrum, Gn = galena, He = hessite, Mus = muscovite, Py = pyrite, Qtz = quartz.

Zhang, 2008; Jiang et al., 2012; Wang, 2012; Yang et al., 2012;
Ma et al., 2013; Li, Y.J., et al., 2015; Yang, L.Q., et al., 2018;
Table A2; Fig. 2A). For the gold-hosting Guojialing granite in
the northwestern Jiaodong Peninsula, 27 of 33 zircon U-Pb
ages are concentrated in the range 133 ± 3.0 to 126 ± 0.6 Ma,
with a peak at 128 Ma, interpreted as the peak of magmatism
(e.g., Guan et al., 1998; Wang et al., 2014, 2018; Yang, Q.Y.,
et al., 2014; Geng et al., 2016; Li et al., 2019; Table A2; Fig.
2B). The Aishan granite, which hosts no gold-only deposits, is
largely confined to the east of the Jiaodong Peninsula. It yields
zircon U-Pb ages of 120 to 108 Ma, with the oldest age (120
± 1 Ma) overlapping with the youngest age of 121 ± 1 Ma for
the Guojialing granite (e.g., Hu, 2006; Li, X.C., et al., 2012;
Ding et al., 2013; Tang et al., 2014; Li et al., 2018; Table A2;
Fig. 2C).
Five zircon U-Pb ages of the Linglong granite (146 ± 4.0,
144 ± 3.0, 142 ± 3.0, 141 ± 3.0, and 134 ± 5.0 Ma; Guo et
al., 2005; Zhang et al., 2010; Wang et al., 2011), six ages of
Fig. 8. Province-wide common paragenetic sequence of hydrothermal miner- the Guojialing granite (123 ± 1.0, 123 ± 0.4, 122 ± 0.9, 121
als among both disseminated/stockwork and quartz-sulfide vein-style deposits ± 2.0, 121 ± 0.4, and 111 ± 2.0 Ma; Zhang et al., 2010; Yu,
in the Jiaodong Peninsula. Relative abundance of minerals is represented by
the width of the solid lines. 2011; Liu et al., 2014; Zhao et al., 2018), and one age of the
Aishan granite (125 ± 3 Ma; Goss et al., 2010) fall outside the
above age ranges. Most of these anomalous ages may relate to
In summary, ore petrography in the literature on Jiaodong limited granite intrusion between the major magmatic events,
gold deposits indicates a single generation of muscovite that is whereas the 134 ± 5 Ma age of the Linglong and the 111 ±
clearly linked to gold mineralization via the intimate relation- 2 Ma age of the Guojialing granites may reflect analysis of
ship between hydrothermal quartz, gold-bearing pyrite, and zircons from minor late granite bodies intruded into them. A
muscovite. Muscovite crystallization also overlaps with depo- 125 ± 3 Ma zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age of the 120 to 108 Ma
sition of visible gold, petzite, and electrum and, hence, it is Aishan granite (Fig. 2C; Goss et al., 2010) may reflect analysis
the preferred mineral for dating the gold mineralization. of zircons from xenoliths or inherited zircons from the Guoji-
aling granite within the Aishan granite.
Overview of Previous Geochronology
The controversy concerning the genesis of the Jiaodong gold Assessment of samples and isotope methods used to deter-
deposits relates, at least in part, to the significant spread of mine mineralization ages
published age constraints for granite magmatism and gold de- Application of several radioisotopic dating methods, including
posits alike. Given the lack of a significant spatial and tempo- K-Ar, 40Ar/39Ar, Rb-Sr, Re-Os, and U-Pb, to a variety of miner-
ral relationship between the Triassic Shidao syenogranite and als has resulted in over 150 age determinations for mineraliza-
gold deposits, this intrusion is not discussed further. Unless tion that formed the Jiaodong gold deposits.
otherwise stated, ages are reported at the 2σ level. Whole-rock powders from disseminated and stockwork gold
ores and surrounding altered granites have been used in some
Intrusion ages for three major generations of granite Rb-Sr and K-Ar dating studies (e.g., Zhang et al., 1994; Wang
Zircon U-Pb dating via LA-ICP-MS, sensitive high-resolution et al., 2016). Given the complex history of mineral growth,
ion microprobe (SHRIMP), SIMS, and thermal ionization from the crystallization of preserved igneous quartz and K-
mass spectrometry (TIMS) has been applied by several au- feldspar to the formation of syn-ore alteration minerals and
thors to constrain the intrusion ages of the three major gener- postmineralization carbonate, these ages should be regarded
ations of granites in the Jiaodong Peninsula (Table A2; Fig. 2). as “mixed” ages. Hydrothermal quartz and pyrite in Jiaodong
In addition to the zircon U-Pb ages, various Rb-Sr, 40Ar/39Ar, gold ores, as for most lode-gold deposits globally, typically
and K-Ar ages have been determined for whole-rock samples contain numerous secondary fluid inclusions that do not re-
and individual phases from these granites (e.g., Li and Yang, flect the auriferous ore fluid (Goldfarb and Groves, 2015; Guo
1993). Only U-Pb zircon age constraints for magmatism are et al., 2017). Hydrothermal pyrite and trapped fluids in hydro-
considered here given the relatively low closure temperatures thermal quartz at Jiaodong contain low Rb contents of <1.3
of the Rb-Sr, 40Ar/39Ar, and K-Ar methods (Dodson, 1973; (Yang and Zhou, 2000) and <3.1 ppm (Zheng et al., 2007),
McDougall and Harrison, 1999; Reiners et al., 2005; Smye respectively, and are not suitable for traditional Rb-Sr dating.
et al., 2018). Similarly, chlorite and epidote, which typically have low Rb
Fifty-eight zircon U-Pb ages from samples distributed over contents and are formed by pregold alteration of biotite and
the entire Jiaodong Peninsula have been obtained for the hornblende in weakly altered granite (Zhang et al., 2019), are
widespread Upper Jurassic gold-hosting Linglong granites. not appropriate for Rb-Sr dating. Rubidium-Sr dating of fine-
Fifty-three of these ages range from 166 ± 5.0 to 149 ± 2.0 grained hydrothermal muscovite has given ages ranging from
Ma, with a peak at 159 Ma marking the timing of the most 213 to 80 Ma (e.g., Lv and Kong, 1993; Zhang et al., 1994),
voluminous magmatism (e.g., Miao et al., 1998; Zhang and with the broad range likely reflecting enhanced mobility of Sr

424 ZHANG ET AL.
during postmineralization hydrothermal activity. Purportedly, Based on the considerations above, high-precision 40Ar/39Ar
hydrothermal K-feldspar has been analyzed in some 40Ar/39Ar, ages for muscovite that can be demonstrably associated with
K-Ar, and Rb-Sr dating studies, but these data are now con- gold deposition, together with U-Pb ages of syngold hydro-
sidered to be mixed ages rather than mineralization ages, as thermal monazite and zircon, are considered the only reliable
(1) newly formed nonmagmatic K-feldspar is rare and, where age constraints for Jiaodong gold deposits (Table A1). Con-
present, has been proven to represent premineralization al- sequently, ages derived using different sample types and/or
teration formed by nonauriferous fluids (Taylor et al., 2017), different isotopic methods are not discussed further. The geo-
and (2) hydrothermal K-feldspar typically forms intergrowths logic significance of these age data is examined below.
with magmatic plagioclase and K-feldspar, making it extreme-
ly difficult to isolate (Liu, 2015). Gold mineralization age constraints
The quality of K-Ar dating is influenced by sample hetero- After removing those age determinations that have been
geneity and argon loss/gain (McDougall and Harrison, 1999). deemed of questionable reliability, gold mineralization ages
40Ar/39Ar dating overcomes the shortcomings of the K-Ar can be divided into three groups: (1) 133 (± 0.6) to 127 (±
method by progressively releasing argon from a sample and 0.6) Ma (four ages) for the Dayingezhuang disseminated/
measuring the resultant isotopic ratios. For the Jiaodong gold stockwork-style deposit; (2) 123 (± 1) to 117 (± 3) Ma (38
deposits, hydrothermal muscovite, especially fine-grained ages) for 13 deposits (seven disseminated/stockwork-style de-
muscovite, in close paragenetic association with gold-bearing posits, four auriferous quartz-sulfide vein-style deposits, one
pyrites, is well developed in disseminated ores (Li et al., 2006; transitional-style deposit, and one altered breccia-style de-
Yang et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2019; Chai et al., 2020). Care- posit); and (3) 109 (± 0.3) to 108 (± 0.5) Ma (six ages) for the
ful separation can generate muscovite suitable for 40Ar/39Ar Rushan auriferous quartz-sulfide vein-style deposit (Li et al.,
dating with a purity of >99% from samples of strongly altered 2003, 2006; Zhang et al., 2003, 2019; Hu et al., 2004; Yang,
host rocks (e.g., Fairmaid et al., 2017). As separation of pure L.Q., et al., 2014, 2017; Bi and Zhao, 2017; Chen, 2017; Ma
hydrothermal muscovite from weakly altered granite samples et al., 2017; Yang, K.F., et al., 2018; Yuan et al., 2019; Chai et
with residual igneous muscovite and feldspars is difficult (Li, al., 2020; Table A1). It is suggested here that the 123 (± 1) to
Y.J., et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2016), such samples should be 117 (± 3) Ma age group represents a single regional-scale gold
avoided. Grains with diameters less than ~100 μm may be sig- mineralization event along the Sanshandao, Jiaojia, Zhaoping,
nificantly affected by recoil of 39Ar and generate discordant Qixia, Queshan, Guocheng, and Muru faults. The older and
age spectra, and they are also undesirable for 40Ar/39Ar dat- younger age groups are confined to the Dayingezhuang and
ing (e.g., Dong et al., 1995; Hall, 2014). Most of the musco- Rushan deposits, respectively (Li et al., 2006; Yang, L.Q., et
vite separations used for dating at Jiaodong have grain sizes al., 2014). A hydrothermal zircon U-Pb age of 117 ± 3 Ma (Hu
larger than 100 μm, except for that from a moderately altered et al., 2004) and a hydrothermal monazite U-Pb age of 114
granite sample (Li, Y.J., et al., 2015). Other possible causes ± 2 Ma for the Rushan gold deposit (Deng et al., 2020a) are
of discordant ages, such as inherited argon or argon loss via distinctly older than hydrothermal muscovite 40Ar/39Ar ages of
late alteration and/or thermal events (Fergusson and Phillips, 109 (± 0.3) to 108 (± 0.5) Ma reported for the same deposit
2001; Phillips et al., 2012; Fairmaid et al., 2017), can be miti- (Li et al., 2006).
gated by careful mineral separation and analysis. 40Ar/39Ar dat-
ing of hydrothermal quartz has been attempted (Ying, 1993). Cooling ages of the granites
However, given that hydrothermal quartz typically contains The criteria for ascertaining reliable intrusion and mineraliza-
only trace amounts of K, the data likely reflect outgassing of tion ages can also be applied to granite cooling ages. Most
K-rich mineral inclusions, and reported ages (154–117 Ma; published 40Ar/39Ar ages for hornblende, biotite, and musco-
e.g., Ying, 1993) are considered unreliable. vite are listed in Table A3.
Molybdenite occurs in the Linglong and Aishan granites Published 40Ar/39Ar data reveal that different intrusions of
and a few gold deposits, but its genetic relationship to gold Linglong granite cooled through the closure temperatures
mineralization is questionable (Liu et al., 2010; Wen et al., of the argon systems of muscovite (~350° ± 50°C) or biotite
2015). Thus, molybdenite Re-Os dating cannot be used to (~300° ± 50°C) at different times, typically over the interval
directly date the gold mineralization event(s). Pyrite Re-Os of 143 ± 1.4 to 124 ± 0.4 Ma (Hu et al., 1987; Li et al., 2003,
dating has been applied to the Dayingezhuang, Xiadian, and 2006; Liu, 2011; Charles et al., 2013; Table A3).
Tudui deposits in the Jiaodong Province but only generated Hornblende and biotite 40Ar/39Ar ages from two intru-
one relatively high precision age of 145 ± 2 Ma (Li et al., sions indicate that the gold-hosting Guojialing granite cooled
2016), which is older than the gold-hosting Guojialing granite. through argon closure temperatures of ~510° ± 25°C (horn-
Uranium-Pb dating of rare hydrothermal monazite from blende) and ~300° ± 50°C (biotite) at 135 to 132 and 125 to
the Jiaodong Province has produced high-precision ages of 124 Ma, respectively (Hu et al., 1987; Li et al., 2003; Liu,
120.0 ± 3.1 and 120.0 ± 1.4 Ma for the Hushan and Xiadi- 2011; Charles et al., 2013; Shen et al., 2016; Zhang et al.,
an deposits, respectively (Ma et al., 2017; Yang, K.F., et al., 2017; Table A3), whereas minor local magma in the center of
2018), while a nine-spot U-Pb analysis of hydrothermal zircon the intrusion and away from the main gold district may have
from the Rushan deposit gave an age of 117 ± 3.0 Ma (Hu et still been crystallizing at 121 Ma (Fig. 2B). The heterogeneity
al., 2004). Zircon fission-track dating has also been used to of cooling ages in the Linglong granites and the fact that the
date gold mineralization at the Xiadian deposit (Yang et al., youngest biotite cooling ages coincide with those of the Guo-
2016b). However, the large errors of this method and complex jialing granite suggest that sections of the Linglong granites
thermal history of the region limit its application. were reheated by Guojialing intrusions and that both cooled

together so that both the gold-hosting Linglong and most et al., 2015a); and (4) some deposits controlled by regional
parts of the Guojialing granites had cooled to ~300° ± 50°C major faults show different mineralization styles, such as the
before ~124 Ma. Sizhuang deposit, which is controlled by the primary Jiaojia
Locally, some of the earliest phases of the Aishan granite fault and shows features similar to those of deposits controlled
cooled through ~510° ± 25°C and ~300° ± 50°C at 122 ± 3.6 by secondary faults (e.g., Wanger’shan deposit). Breccia-style
Ma and 121 ± 1.3 to 116 ± 0.5 Ma, respectively, as revealed mineralization was not analyzed as there are only a few depos-
by one hornblende 40Ar/39Ar age and six biotite 40Ar/39Ar ages its of this style, all located on the northeastern margin of the
(Zhang and Zhang, 2007; Liu, 2011; Charles et al., 2013; Wu Jiaolai Basin, and one of them (Pengjiakuang) has been well
et al., 2018; Table A3). The fact that the zircon U-Pb ages dated (seven consistent hydrothermal muscovite 40Ar/39Ar
of both the Guojialing (133–121 Ma) and the Aishan gran- ages of ~120 Ma; Li et al., 2006). In order to compare with
ites (120–108 Ma) overlap with their hornblende and biotite the results from the gold ores and constrain the premineral-
40Ar/39Ar ages indicates that these granites underwent rapid ization cooling history of the gold host rocks, several unaltered
cooling, consistent with emplacement at relatively shallow granite samples were collected from quarries or mines.
crustal levels (Guojialing 6–13 km; Lu et al., 2011; Dou et al., More than 50 unaltered granites, altered rocks, and ore
2015; Aishan 3 km; Dou et al., 2015). samples were collected from the Shangzhuang quarry and
the Jiaojia, Sizhuang, Luoshan, Fushan, Xiadian, and Rushan
Deformation ages gold deposits. Mica samples were selected for 40Ar/39Ar dat-
40Ar/39Ar ages of deformed hornblende, biotite, and muscovite ing, including fresh biotite from one unaltered Linglong gran-
and K-Ar ages of illite and fault gouge are summarized in Table ite sample (SZ14D05B1) and one Guojialing granite sample
A4. Among these ages, one 40Ar/39Ar age from muscovite, with (GJL-SZ01), hydrothermal muscovite from nine dissemi-
clear textural evidence of deformation, constrains the timing nated ore samples (JJ11D010B3, JJ11D025B1, SZ14D09B2,
of ductile deformation along the Zhaoping fault to 134 ± 1.5 SZ14D013B2, SZ14D015B1, LS13D067B1, LS13D080B1,
Ma (Charles et al., 2013), while another 40Ar/39Ar age from XD1303, and XD1305), and hydrothermal muscovite from
reputedly deformed muscovite provided a similar age of 134 three quartz-sulfide vein samples with altered breccia of host
± 1.0 Ma (Lin et al., 2000). K-Ar ages of 131 to 124 Ma for rocks (FS13D01B2, FS13D29B2, and JQD15D009B1) from
black fault gouge on the Jiaojia fault have been interpreted as the above deposits (Table 1). Zircon separates from a range of
reflecting the timing of brittle failure on the fault (Song et al., granites, altered granite, and ores were used for (U-Th)/He
2010). In broad agreement, two muscovite samples, showing dating (Table 1). These were as follows: one unaltered Lin-
clear textural evidence of brittle deformation, from the fault glong granite sample from the Sizhuang deposit (SZ14D05B1),
plane of the Zhaoping fault have 40Ar/39Ar ages of 128 ± 1.4 one unaltered Guojialing granite sample (GJL-SZ01) from
Ma (Charles et al., 2013). In the eastern Jiaodong Peninsula, the Shangzhuang quarry, one K-feldspar–altered granite (JJ-
five 40Ar/39Ar analyses of biotite with textural evidence of de- ZK15D013B1), three muscovite-quartz–altered rocks (JJZ-
formation provide apparent ages of 127 ± 0.4 to 123 ± 0.6 Ma, K15D013B2, JJZK15D013B4, and JJZK15D013B16) and one
interpreted to reflect the time of oblique-slip shear movement pyrite-muscovite-quartz ore (JJZK15D013B8) from the Jiao-
with sinistral and thrust components (Zhang et al., 2007). K- jia deposit, and two pyrite-muscovite-quartz ores (XD1303
feldspar with textural evidence of fracturing at the Xinli de- and XD1306) from the Xiadian deposit.
posit provides synmineralization brittle-faulting ages of 122 ± The unaltered equigranular Linglong granite sample SZ-
1.3 and 121 ± 1.2 Ma (Zhang et al., 2017). Illite K-Ar ages of 14D05B1 from the Sizhuang deposit is mainly composed of
86 ± 1.6, 83 ± 4.2, 82 ± 3.4, and 63 ± 3.4 Ma for several fault quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, and biotite (Fig. 6A-C). Bio-
gouge samples (see photographs in Deng et al., 2015) and tex- tite in this sample is unaltered and exhibits weak ductile de-
turally unconstrained K-Ar ages of 49 ± 3.3 and 41 ± 2.0 Ma for formation, as indicated by undulose extinction (Fig. 6B, C).
white fault gouge (Song et al., 2010) suggest postmineraliza- The unaltered porphyritic Guojialing granite sample GJL-
tion movement on the Jiaojia fault (Deng et al., 2015). SZ01 from the Shangzhuang quarry comprises quartz, K-
feldspar, plagioclase, biotite, and hornblende (Fig. 6D-F). K-
Sampling and Analytical Methods feldspar megacrysts up to 8 cm long (Fig. 6D) have not been
Three disseminated/stockwork-style deposits (Jiaojia, Xiadian, dated. Magmatic quartz in this sample has undergone duc-
and Luoshan), two auriferous quartz-sulfide vein-style depos- tile deformation with formation of dynamically recrystallized
its (Fushan and Rushan), and the Sizhuang deposit, which ex- quartz bands 0.5 to 5 mm wide (Fig. 6E). Biotite grains along
hibits both styles of mineralization, were selected for analysis. or adjacent to the quartz bands have been deformed to vary-
They were chosen because (1) many gold deposits/goldfields, ing degrees (Fig. 6E, F). Some biotite grains have undergone
such as the Linglong goldfield, are rarely or poorly dated (e.g., variable chlorite alteration.
Luoshan and Fushan deposits); (2) anomalously older ages or Generally, original granitic textures are preserved in altered
younger ages from certain deposits need to be confirmed or granites with biotite partially or completely altered to chlorite
replaced by further work, such as relatively young muscovite or muscovite, and feldspars replaced by fine-grained musco-
40Ar/39Ar ages for the Rushan deposit (Li et al., 2006) and vite and quartz. In the disseminated ore samples, most of the
older zircon fission-track ages for the Xiadian deposit (Yang et magmatic minerals have been altered and the granitic tex-
al., 2016b); (3) in some deposits, structural analysis suggests tures have been completely overprinted, whereas the dynami-
two generations of mineralization in a single deposit, such as cally recrystallized quartz is commonly preserved (Fig. 7A).
that for undated orebody 3 in the Jiaojia deposit, which has Most hydrothermal muscovite derives from the in situ altera-
been interpreted as postdating the ~120 Ma orebody 1 (Mills tion of K-feldspar and plagioclase (Fig. 7A), although there

426 ZHANG ET AL.
Table 1. Descriptions of Samples for 40Ar/39Ar and (U-Th)/He Dating from the Jiaodong Gold Province
Equipment for
Mineral separations 40Ar/39Ar
dating
Depth in mine
Sample no. Location (Elevation, m) Samples 40Ar/39Ar (U-Th)/He VG3600 ARGUSVI
GJL-SZ01 Shangzhuang 25.0 Guojialing granodiorite Biotite flakes Zircon Yes Yes (2)
quarry
SZ14D05B1 Sizhuang deposit –445.0 Linglong biotite granite Biotite flakes Zircon Yes Yes (2)
SZ14D09B2 –445.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite aggregates / Yes /
quartz ore
SZ14D013B2 –400.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite aggregates / Yes /
quartz ore
SZ14D015B1 –400.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite flakes / Yes /
quartz ore
JJ11D010B3 Jiaojia deposit –230.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite aggregates / Yes /
quartz ore of orebody 3
JJ11D025B1 –230.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite aggregates / Yes Yes
quartz ore of orebody 3
JJZK15D013B1 –1,113.0 K-feldspar–altered granite / Zircon / /
JJZK15D013B2 –1,039.7 Muscovite-quartz–altered granite / Zircon / /
JJZK15D013B4 –995.6 Muscovite-quartz–altered granite / Zircon / /
JJZK15D013B8 –826.3 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- / Zircon / /
quartz ore
JJZK15D013B16 –405.2 Muscovite-quartz–altered granite / Zircon / /
FS13D01B2 Fushan deposit –430.0 Quartz-sulfide veins Muscovite aggregates / / Yes (2)
FS13D29B2 –750.0 Quartz-sulfide veins Muscovite aggregates / / Yes
LS13D067B1 Luoshan deposit –560.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite aggregates / Yes Yes
quartz ore
LS13D080B1 –680.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite aggregates / Yes Yes
quartz ore
XD1303 Xiadian deposit –545.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite aggregates Zircon Yes Yes
quartz ore
XD1305 –643.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- Muscovite aggregates / Yes Yes
quartz ore
XD1306 30.0 Disseminated pyrite-muscovite- / Zircon / /
quartz ore
JQD15D009B1 Rushan deposit –865.0 Quartz-sulfide veins Muscovite aggregates / / Yes
and flakes
Notes: Numbers in parentheses are numbers of aliquots; / = not applicable
are also muscovite veinlets that crosscut recrystallized quartz magmatic quartz, hydrothermal muscovite, and pyrite grains
bands and pyrite (Figs. A1C, A2–A5B). These muscovite vein- (Figs. 7H, A1F).
lets, which cut original quartz, feldspars, and hydrothermal The textural relationships described above are consistent
pyrite, are interpreted to have formed in the same event in with published data from other Jiaodong deposits that dem-
which feldspars were partially or completely replaced by mus- onstrate synchronous deposition of muscovite, gold-bearing
covite aggregates. Quartz-sulfide vein samples FS13D01B2, pyrite, and free gold (Li et al., 2003, 2006; Zhang et al., 2003,
FS13D29B2, JJZK15D013B2, JJZK15D013B4, and JQD- 2019). Analytical methods related to 40Ar/39Ar step-heating
15D009B1 are mainly composed of anhedral hydrothermal analyses and zircon (U-Th)/He dating are described in the on-
quartz and pyrite with muscovite and quartz pseudomorphs line version (electronic Appendix).
after precursor feldspars from host-rock breccias. As stated
above, hydrothermal muscovite is closely related to gold-bear- Results
ing pyrite in both mineralization styles (Figs. 7, 8, A1–A5), 40Ar/39Ar
which, in places, hosts pre- or synpyrite hydrothermal quartz ages of magmatic biotite
and muscovite aggregates (Figs. 7B, A1–A4A). Typically, py- Results from biotite 40Ar/39Ar step-heating analyses (VG3600
rite grains occur in a fine-grained muscovite-quartz matrix furnace and ARGUSVI laser step-heating) obtained for Lin-
with local replacement boundaries against pyrite (Fig. 7C). glong (SZ14D005B1) and Guojialing (GJL-SZ01) granite
Some postpyrite muscovite occurs in fractures within pyrite samples from the Sizhuang deposit and Shangzhuang quarry,
or in replacement boundaries and pressure shadows around respectively, are summarized in Table 2 and shown in Figure
pyrite grains (Figs. 7C-E, A1–A4B, C, A5B). In places, gold, 9. Individual detailed incremental heating 40Ar/39Ar data are
chalcopyrite, galena, and muscovite coexist in the microfrac- presented in Tables A5 and A6.
tures of pyrite (Figs. 7G, A1D, E, A2E, F, A3–A4D, A5C, Age spectra for both biotite samples are discordant and
D). Late calcite veins commonly crosscut residual deformed broadly hump-shaped with anomalously young and/or old val-

Table 2. Summary of Biotite 40Ar/39Ar Step-Heating Experiment Results
Apparent age ranges for the

Plateau age mid- to high-temperature steps % 39Ar Steps used for Total gas age
Location Sample no. Equipment (Ma, 2σ) (Ma, 2σ) released age calculation (Ma, 2σ)
Sizhuang deposit SZ14D005B1 ARGUSVI / 124.2 (± 0.2)–125.5 (± 0.2) 96.5 2–10 123.8 ± 0.2
(SZ1)
SZ14D005B1 VG3600 / 122.4 (± 2.4)–139.4 (± 5.0) 98.9 2–11 127.3 ± 2.6
(SZ14)
SZ14D005B1 VG3600 / 122.9 (± 1.7)–129.2 (± 1.0) 71.1 5–11 125.8 ± 1.7
(SZ14-2)
Shangzhuang quarry GJL-SZ01 ARGUSVI / 123.2 (± 0.2)–125.3 (± 0.2) 86.5 2–11 123.4 ± 0.2
(GJL)
GJL-SZ01 VG3600 / 123.2 (± 1.3)–129.9 (± 4.5) 97.0 1–7 125.8 ± 3.0
(GJL1)
GJL-SZ01 VG3600 125.95 ± 0.63 / 58.7 2–8 126.1 ± 5.0
(GJL2)
Notes: SZ14005B1 from Linglong granite and GJL-SZ01 from Guojialing granite; / = not applicable
ues for the initial few heating steps. Apparent age ranges for 9B), and they have corresponding total gas ages of 123.8 ± 0.2,
the mid- to high-temperature steps of the SZ14D005B1 ali- 127.3 ± 2.6, and 125.8 ± 1.7 Ma, respectively (Table 2).
quots are 124.2 (± 0.2) to 125.5 (± 0.2) (SZ1; ARGUSVI; Fig. Apparent age ranges for the mid- to high temperature steps
9A), 122.4 (± 2.4) to 139.4 (± 5.0) (SZ14; VG3600; Fig. 9B), of biotite sample GJL-SZ01 are 123.2 (± 0.2) to 125.3 (± 0.2)
and 122.9 (± 1.7) to 129.2 (± 1.0) Ma (SZ14-2; VG3600; Fig. (aliquot GJL; ARGUSVI; Fig. 9C), 123.2 (± 1.3) to 129.9 (±
Fig. 9. Age spectra for biotite 40Ar/39Ar step-heating experiments. Plateau and high-temperature age steps are shown by red
line and blue shading/line, respectively. SZ14005B1 from Linglong granite and GJL-SZ01 from Guojialing granite.

428 ZHANG ET AL.
4.5) (GJL-1; VG3600; Fig. 9D), and 121.7 (± 2.2) to 131.2 (± SZ14D03B2 (aggregates), SZ14D09B2 (aggregates), and
4.4) Ma (GJL-2; VG3600; Fig. 9D), with overlapping corre- SZ14D015B1 (flakes) from the Sizhuang deposit, were ana-
sponding total gas ages of 123.4 ± 0.2, 125.8 ± 3.0, and 126.1 lyzed via furnace step-heating (VG3600), producing highly
± 5.0 Ma. The final three heating steps of aliquot GJL, rep- reproducible, concordant age spectra with the exception of
resenting 14% of the total 39Ar, yield a weighted mean age some anomalously young apparent ages for initial heating
of 123.91 ± 0.15 Ma (MSWD = 0.58, P = 0.56). The low- to steps and anomalously old apparent ages for some high-tem-
mid-temperature heating steps of aliquot GJL2 yield an older perature steps (Fig. 10C). Two samples, SZ14D03B2 and SZ-
plateau age of 126.0 ± 0.6 Ma, but analytical uncertainties for 14D015B1, yield well-defined plateau ages of 120.5 ± 0.9 and
three of the constituent steps were relatively large, potentially 120.1 ± 0.9 Ma (Fig. 10C), respectively, consistent with their
masking isotopic discordance in this aliquot. total gas ages of 119.7 ± 1.5 and 121.0 ± 1.7 Ma. Although
40Ar/39Ar
muscovite sample SZ14D09B2 did not yield a plateau age re-
ages of hydrothermal muscovite sult, most apparent ages are in the range 118.0 (± 1.0) to 122.2
The hydrothermal muscovite age results for typical Jiaodong (± 1.6) Ma, broadly consistent with the plateau ages of the two
gold deposits, including Jiaojia, Sizhuang, Luoshan, Fushan, other samples (Fig. 10C).
Xiadian, and Rushan, are summarized in Table 3 and present- Fushan deposit: Two hydrothermal muscovite aggregate
ed in Figure 10. The complete muscovite 40Ar/39Ar dataset is samples, FS13D01B2 and FS13D029B2 from the Fushan
available in Tables A7, A8, and A9. deposit, were analyzed via laser step-heating (ARGUSVI).
Jiaojia deposit: ARGUSVI analysis of hydrothermal mus- Two aliquots of sample FS13D01B2 (FS1-1 and FS1-2) yield
covite (aggregates) from sample JJ11D025B1 (aliquot JJ1) reproducible, subtly increasing age spectra with most values
yields a discordant, ascending age spectrum with values for in the narrow range of 120 to 122 Ma, with the exception
low-temperature steps increasing sharply from 104.9 (± 0.7) of anomalously young and old values for the initial and final
to 118.2 (± 0.2) Ma, followed by a more subdued increase to heating steps (Fig. 10D). Total gas ages for aliquots FS1-1 and
a narrow range of 119.2 (± 0.2) to 120.4 (± 0.2) Ma for the re- FS1-2 are 121.1 ± 0.3 and 120.5 ± 0.2 Ma, respectively. Mus-
mainder of the spectrum (Fig. 10A). The total gas age of 118.8 covite aggregate sample FS13D029B2 (aliquot FS2) yields a
± 0.2 Ma overlaps with the intermediate- to high-temperature more severely discordant ascending age spectrum with appar-
step ages. VG3600 analysis of the same sample yields a pla- ent ages increasing from 115.1 ± 0.2 to 121.6 ± 0.1 Ma (Fig.
teau age of 120.4 ± 0.7 Ma (Fig. 10B) and a total gas age of 10D) and defining a total gas age of 119.8 ± 0.2 Ma.
121.0 ± 3.6 Ma, consistent with the ARGUSVI data. VG3600 Luoshan deposit: ARGUSVI analysis of muscovite aggregate
analysis of hydrothermal muscovite aggregates from sample samples LS13D80B1 (aliquot LS8) and LS13D67B1 (LS7)
JJ11D010B3 (JJ3) yields an identical plateau age of 121.0 ± yields discordant, broadly ascending age spectra with more
0.6 Ma (Fig. 10B) and total gas age of 120.8 ± 1.9 Ma. extreme discordance for the low- and high-temperature heat-
Sizhuang deposit: Three hydrothermal muscovite samples, ing steps (Fig. 10E). For LS13D80B1 (aliquot LS8), apparent
Table 3. Summary of Hydrothermal Muscovite 40Ar/39Ar Step-Heating Experiment Results
Apparent age ranges for the mid- to

Plateau age high-temperature steps % 39Ar Steps used for age Total gas age
Deposit Sample no. Equipment (Ma, 2σ) (Ma) released calculation (Ma, 2σ)
Jiaojia JJ11D025B1 (JJ1) ARGUSVI / 119.2 (± 0.2)–120.4 (± 0.2) 79.3 4–11 118.8 ± 0.2
VG3600 120.4 ± 0.7 / 97.9 1–12 121.0 ± 3.6
JJ11D010B3 (JJ3) VG3600 121.0 ± 0.6 / 75.7 7–13 120.8 ± 1.9
Sizhuang SZ14D09B2 VG3600 / 118.0 (± 1.0)–122.2 (± 1.6) 88.5 4–10 122.0 ± 1.7
SZ14D013B2 VG3600 120.5 ± 0.9 / 93.4 3–10 119.7 ± 1.5
SZ14D015B1 VG3600 120.1 ± 0.9 / 85.9 3–10 121.0 ± 1.7
Fushan FS13D01B2 (FS1-1) ARGUSVI / 120.4 (± 0.1)–122.9 (± 0.6) 90.0 1–5 121.1 ± 0.3
FS13D01B2 (FS1-2) ARGUSVI / 120.1 (± 0.1)–121.1 (± 0.2) 87.6 2–6 121.0 ± 0.2
FS13D029B2 (FS2) ARGUSVI / 119.3 (± 0.3)–121.6 (± 0.1) 62.3 9–16 119.8 ± 0.2
Luoshan LS13D067B1 (LS7) ARGUSVI / 117.1 (± 0.3)–119.1 (± 0.3) 74.5 6–16 117.0 ± 0.2
VG3600 / 116.9 (± 1.4)–122.9 (± 1.0) 93.6 3–12 119.4 ± 3.8
LS13D080B1 (LS8) ARGUSVI / 119.2 (± 0.3)–120.9 (± 0.2) 82.7 4–12 119.2 ± 0.3
VG3600 120.8 ± 0.7 / 80.9 6–12 121.8 ± 3.2
Xiadian XD1305 (XD5) ARGUSVI / 116.2 (± 0.3)–118.8 (± 0.2) 66.5 6–13 116.1 ± 0.3
VG3600 / 115.8 (± 2.2)–123.7 (± 4.0) 99.5 2–14 119.1 ± 2.3
XD1306 (XD6) ARGUSVI / 117.2 (± 0.3)–120.5 (± 0.2) 74.8 4–11 117.4 ± 0.3
VG3600 / 116.2 (± 1.4)–122.5 (± 0.8) 93.6 3–11 119.8 ± 2.3
Rushan JQD15D009B1 (JQD1) ARGUSVI / 121.3 (± 0.2)–121.6 (± 0.2) 31.5 15–24 119.7 ± 0.2
JQD15D009B1 (JQD2) ARGUSVI / 119.9 (± 0.5)–120.1 (± 0.6) 10.5 19–29 113.0 ± 0.2
Abbreviation: / = not applicable

Fig. 10. 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages (2σ) for hydrothermal muscovite from typical gold deposits.
ages initially increase sharply from 105.5 (± 0.5) to 118.6 (± Xiadian deposit: ARGUSVI analysis of hydrothermal mus-
0.2) Ma before showing a more subtle increase from 119.2 (± covite aggregates from samples XD1305 (aliquot XD5) and
0.3) to 120.9 (± 0.2) Ma for the remainder of the profile (Fig. XD1306 (aliquot XD6) define similar, broadly ascending age
10E), yielding a total gas age of 119.2 ± 0.3 Ma. Apparent ages spectra with ranges of 109.4 (± 0.3) to 118.8 (± 0.2) Ma and
for LS13D67B1 (LS7) are more discordant, rising from initial 113.4 (± 0.2) to 120.5 (± 0.2) Ma (Fig. 10G), respectively, and
values of 112.2 (± 0.2) to 116.0 (± 0.2) Ma before showing a corresponding total gas ages of 116.1 ± 0.3 (XD5) and 117.4
more subdued general increase from 117.1 (± 0.3) to 119.1 (± ± 0.3 Ma (XD6). VG3600 furnace step-heating analysis of the
0.3) Ma (Fig. 10E), yielding a total gas age of 117.0 ± 0.2 Ma. same two samples yields more randomly discordant age spec-
VG3600 analysis of LS13D80B1 and LS13D67B1 musco- tra than the ARGUSVI analyses, with ranges of 102.4 (± 31.4)
vite yields more concordant results than the ARUGSVI anal- to 123.7 (± 4.0) Ma for XD1305 and 110.6 (± 57.0) to 133.5 (±
yses, owing to the larger analytical uncertainties (Fig. 10F). 9.6) Ma for XD1306 (Fig. 10H), with total gas ages of 119.1 ±
LS13D80B1 defines a plateau age of 120.8 ± 0.7 Ma (Fig. 2.3 (XD5) and 119.8 ± 2.3 Ma (XD6).
10F) and a total gas age of 121.8 ± 3.2 Ma, consistent with Rushan deposit: ARGUSVI analysis of both muscovite flakes
the ARGUSVI-derived total gas age of 119.2 ± 0.3 Ma for this and muscovite aggregates from sample JQD15D009B1 was
sample. VG3600 analysis of LS13D67B1 yields a discordant completed. In both cases, broadly ascending age spectra were
age spectrum with most apparent ages in the range of 116.9 generated. The muscovite flake sample (JQD1) defined an age
(± 1.4) to 122.9 (± 1.0) Ma (Fig. 10F) and defining a total gas spectrum with initial anomalously young apparent ages of 102.5
age of 119.4 ± 3.8 Ma. (± 0.7) to 116.0 (± 0.1) Ma, followed by a monotonic increase to

430 ZHANG ET AL.
concordant ages of 121.3 (± 0.2) to 121.6 (± 0.2) Ma (weighted ± 5.9, and 85 ± 5.2 Ma, showing significant intrasample varia-
mean age of 121.4 ± 0.1 Ma; steps 15–24, representing 31.5% tions. Two of these ages (135 and 124 Ma) are older than or
of the 39Ar) and then an increase to 128.9 (± 7.5) Ma for the overlap with the 128 to 123 Ma 40Ar/39Ar ages of the sample,
final heating steps (Fig. 10I). A total gas age of 119.7 ± 0.2 Ma is whereas the other three are younger.
calculated for JQD1. The muscovite aggregate aliquot (JQD2) Guojialing granite sample GJL-SZ01 yields relatively con-
produced a steeper ascending age spectrum than JQD1, with sistent single-grain zircon (U-Th)/He ages of 102 ± 6.3, 99 ±
values increasing from an anomalously young initial value of 6.1, 96 ± 6.0, and 84 ± 5.2 Ma, with all ages younger than the
105.9 (± 0.2) Ma to a range of 113.3 (± 0.1) to 120.1 (± 0.6) Ma 126 to 123 Ma 40Ar/39Ar ages of the same sample.
for the remainder of the spectrum, with steps 19 to 29 (rep- Five altered granite and disseminated ore samples (JJ-
resenting 10.5% of the total 39Ar) yielding concordant ages of 15D013B1, JJ15D013B2, JJ15D013B4, JJ15D013B8, and JJ-
119.9 (± 0.5) to 120.1 (± 0.6) Ma (Fig. 10I). A total gas age of 15D013B16) taken from a drill hole at the Jiaojia gold deposit
113.0 ± 0.2 Ma is calculated for JQD2. define four groups of single-grain zircon (U-Th)/He ages of
217 (one age), 156 (one age), 136 to 124 (two ages), and 111
Zircon (U-Th)/He ages to 66 Ma (16 ages). The two older ages of 217 ± 13.5 and 156
Thirty-eight single zircon (U-Th)/He ages from the Guojialing ± 6.7 Ma are older than or overlap with the zircon U-Pb ages
granite in the Shangzhuang quarry, Linglong granite from the of the Linglong granite, while the other two ages of 136 ± 8.4
Sizhuang gold deposit, and altered rocks and ores from the Jiao- and 124 ± 7.7 Ma are similar to the biotite 40Ar/39Ar cooling
jia and Xiadian gold deposits are presented in Tables 4 and A10. age of the granite.
Linglong granite sample SZ14D005B1 yields single-grain Sample XD03 from the Xiadian deposit yields single-grain
zircon (U-Th)/He ages of 135 ± 8.4, 124 ± 7.7, 100 ± 6.2, 95 zircon (U-Th)/He ages of 113 ± 7.0, 108 ± 6.7, 96 ± 5.9, and
Table 4. Summary of Zircon (U-Th)/He Results for Typical Deposits in the Jiaodong Gold Province
Sample no. Location Elevation (m) Corrected age (Ma) Error (Ma, 1σ) Weighted average age
Included in
calculation (Ma, 2σ)
SZ14D005B1 Sizhuang deposit –445.0 124.4 7.7 No 92.2 ± 6.6
84.6 5.2 Yes
95.1 5.9 Yes
135.0 8.4 No
99.9 6.2 Yes
GJL-SZ-01 Shangzhuang quarry 25.0 101.9 6.3 Yes 94.4 ± 5.9
96.3 6.0 Yes
84.4 5.2 Yes
99.1 6.1 Yes
JJZK15DO13B1 Jiaojia deposit –1,113.0 101.1 6.3 Yes 94.2 ± 5.9
82.9 5.1 Yes
101.5 6.3 Yes
96.9 6.0 Yes
135.5 8.4 No
JJZK15DO13B2 –1,039.7 89.9 5.6 Yes 91.6 ± 5.7
123.8 7.7 No
90.1 5.6 Yes
99.0 6.1 Yes
88.7 5.5 Yes
JJZK15DO13B4 –930.0 95.7 5.9 Yes No data
JJZK15DO13B8 –826.3 73.8 4.6 Yes 80.1 ± 5.1
110.5 6.9 Yes
65.8 4.1 Yes
217.1 13.5 No
99.2 6.2 Yes
JJZK15DO13B16 –405.2 156.3 9.7 No 96.3 ± 6.0
104.3 6.5 Yes
89.4 5.5 Yes
98.9 6.1 Yes
95.0 5.9 Yes
XD1303 Xiadian deposit –643.0 113.3 7.0 Yes 104.5 ± 7.5
107.6 6.7 Yes
73.9 4.6 No
95.8 5.9 Yes
XD1306 30.0 90.3 5.6 Yes 86.1 ± 5.4
81.7 5.1 Yes
85.6 5.3 Yes
87.9 5.5 Yes

74 ± 4.6 Ma. The age of 74 ± 4.6 Ma does not overlap, within apparent ages (120–122 Ma) from high-precision step-heating
analytical uncertainties (at ±2σ), with the other 113 to 96 Ma of muscovite aggregates from the Fushan deposit, the total
ages. Sample XD06 from the same deposit yields relatively gas ages of 121.1 ± 0.3, 120.5 ± 0.2, and 120 ± 0.2 Ma are con-
consistent single-grain zircon (U-Th)/He ages of 90 ± 5.6, 88 sidered to closely approximate the crystallization age.
± 5.5, 86 ± 5.3, and 82 ± 5.1 Ma. In the case of the Rushan deposit, the concordant high-
temperature data for muscovite sample JQD1 are consid-
Interpretation of Age Results ered to constrain the age of crystallization to 121.4 ± 0.1 Ma.
40Ar/39Ar
The Xiadian muscovite aggregates yield more discordant
ages of magmatic biotite data. The high-precision (ARGSUVI) ages of 120.5 ± 0.2 and
The discordant age spectra for the biotite samples probably 118.8 ± 0.2 Ma calculated for the fusion steps of samples
reflect recoil-redistribution caused by chlorite alteration (e.g., XD1306 and XD1305, respectively, are interpreted as mini-
Di Vincenzo et al., 2003), with the anomalously old values mum age constraints for crystallization.
for the fusion steps of the VG3600 analyses possibly reflect-
ing nonatmospheric, high-temperature furnace blanks. The Zircon (U-Th)/He ages
youngest total gas ages calculated for each sample, namely As shown above, samples XD1306 and GJL-SZ01 show repli-
124.0 ± 0.2 Ma for SZ14D005B1 (Linglong) and 123.0 ± 0.4 cate single-grain ages at the ±2σ error level. Five samples (SZ-
Ma for GJL-SZ01 (Guojialing), are considered the best avail- 14D005B1, JJZK15D013B1/2/8/16) provide older single-grain
able age constraints. These values may either approximate or ages, while one sample has slightly younger single-grain ages.
slightly exceed the true biotite cooling ages for these granites. The older ages may result from excess 4He, which is typically
40Ar/39Ar
contained in submicron, insoluble, U-Th–rich minerals or He-
ages of hydrothermal muscovite bearing fluid inclusions (e.g., Danišík et al., 2017). Given all
All high-precision (ARGUSVI) muscovite step-heating analy- grains have relatively low U content (<650 ppm, with one ex-
ses in this study yield broadly ascending age spectra, some with ception of 926 ppm), strong alpha radiation damage effects that
narrow concordant regions for intermediate- to high-temper- could influence He bulk diffusion can be precluded. Thus, the
ature steps. In five cases, corresponding (VG3600) furnace dispersion of single grains is most likely in part attributed to U
step-heating analyses for the same samples yield well-defined and Th zonation within grains, a factor that cannot be evalu-
plateau ages representing 76 to 98% of the total 39Ar, with ated prior to analysis using the methodological protocol em-
the remainder defining subtly discordant age spectra. Appar- ployed in this work. With outliers excluded, weighted averages
ent ages for the majority of intermediate- to high-temperature of single grain ages in each sample have been calculated (with
steps fall within the range of 118 to 122 Ma for all samples. uncertainties quoted at the 95% confidence interval level) using
Argon loss, alteration, and recoil loss or redistribution of 39ArK ISOPLOT version 4.16 (Ludwig, 2012). These weighted aver-
are commonly invoked to explain discordant age spectra for ages (105 ± 7.5 Ma, XD03; 96 ± 6.0 Ma, JJ15D013B16; 92 ±
fine-grained muscovite (Fergusson and Phillips, 2001; Phillips 6.6 Ma, SZ14D005B1; 94 ± 5.9 Ma, GJL-SZ01; 94 ± 5.9 Ma,
et al., 2012; Fairmaid et al., 2017), with 39ArK recoil loss or re- JJ15D013B1; 92 ± 5.7 Ma, JJ15D013B2; 86 ± 5.4 Ma, XD06; 80
distribution considered to be the primary cause of dominantly ± 5.1 Ma, JJ15D013B8: see Tables 4 and A10) can be taken as
ascending age spectra in fine-grained phyllosilicates (e.g., Hall representing the time that the samples cooled though the zircon
et al., 1997). Young apparent ages for low- and intermediate- (U-Th)/He closure temperature. The relevant closure tempera-
temperature steps may also reflect argon loss due to late altera- ture can be assumed to be ~185° ± 10°C for a cooling rate of
tion or younger thermal events. High-temperature data reflect 10°C/m.y. (e.g., Reiners, 2005; Wolfe and Stockli, 2010; Guen-
outgassing of more retentive sites that may be less affected by thner et al., 2013), considering that the samples have a relatively
isotopic disturbance, and, if concordant, high-temperature ages low level of alpha radiation damage, as indicated by the proxy
may be geologically meaningful. effective uranium concentration values listed in Table A10.
Research on fluid inclusions in hydrothermal quartz (Fan et
al., 2003; Guo et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2017; Cai et al., 2018) Discussion
indicates that the gold mineralization and related alteration In recent years, there have been several tectonic and metal-
in Jiaodong gold deposits mainly occurred at temperatures of logenic models proposed for the anomalous Jiaodong gold
350° to 250°C, overlapping or slightly lower than the 40Ar/39Ar deposits (Zhai et al., 2004; Goldfarb and Santosh, 2014; Zhu
muscovite closure temperature of 300° ± 50°C (McDougall et al., 2015; Groves and Santosh, 2016). It is not the inten-
and Harrison, 1999). Thus, the concordant, well-defined tion here to reiterate these models or produce a new tecton-
40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 120.4 ± 0.7 and 121.0 ± 0.6 Ma for ic model. Instead, this contribution focuses on the insights
the Jiaojia deposit, 121.5 ± 0.9 and 120.1 ± 0.9 Ma for the that the new isotopic age data provide on the timing of gold
Sizhuang deposit, and 120.8 ± 0.7 Ma for the Luoshan deposit mineralization relative to granitic intrusion and the role that
obtained from this study are interpreted to reflect the crys- cooling rates in the host granite intrusions have played in
tallization of hydrothermal muscovite. It is noted that these providing suitable pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions
values are consistent with the intermediate- to high-tempera- for gold mineralization.
ture ages for the high-precision Jiaojia muscovite analysis but
are older than its total gas age of 118.8 ± 0.2 Ma, supporting New geochronological constraints indicate a widespread 120
the assertion that total gas ages for fine-grained samples with ± 2 Ma gold mineralization event
ascending age spectra should generally be regarded as mini- Reliable age estimates for the crystallization of hydrothermal
mum ages (e.g., Hall et al., 1997). Given the narrow range of muscovite are defined by the following: (1) well-defined, con-

432 ZHANG ET AL.
cordant 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 121.0 ± 0.6 and 120.4 ± 0.7 aling granite, which hosts several gold deposits (e.g., Sanshan-
Ma for orebody 3 in the Jiaojia deposit, 121.5 ± 0.9 and 120.1 dao and Xincheng), is altered and mineralized. In contrast,
± 0.9 Ma for the Sizhuang deposit, and 120.8 ± 0.7 Ma for the the Aishan granite does not host gold-only deposits, indicating
Luoshan deposit; (2) similar total gas ages of 121.1 ± 0.3, 120.5 that gold mineralization most likely predated the Aishan mag-
± 0.2, and 120 ± 0.2 Ma that are considered to closely approxi- matic event, which lasted from 120 to 108 Ma (Table A2). Lo-
mate crystallization ages of muscovite in the Fushan deposit; cally, a postmineralization mafic dike at Sanshandao intruded
and (3) high-temperature step-heating weighted mean age of at 116 ± 4 Ma, as constrained by zircon U-Pb age data (Li-
121.4 ± 0.1 Ma for the Rushan deposit, which is interpreted to ang, 2017). At Dayingezhuang, premineralization mafic dikes
reflect the muscovite crystallization age; a minimum crystalliza- yielded a zircon U-Pb age of 123 ± 3 Ma (Yuan et al., 2019).
tion age of 120.5 ± 0.2 Ma is apparent for the Xiadian muscovite At Xiadian, a premineralization porphyritic diorite dike and a
(Figs. 10, 11). The new 40Ar/39Ar ages of ca. 120 Ma for musco- postmineralization quartz diorite porphyry dike yielded zir-
vite crystallization, which overlaps with the deposition of gold con U-Pb ages of 121 ± 1 and 116 ± 2 Ma, respectively (Ma
(Figs. 7, 8, A1–A5), accord with previous age constraints (123 et al., 2017). At Linglong, a postmineralization feldspar por-
± 1–117 ± 3 Ma; Table A1) and are interpreted as constraining phyry dike generated a zircon U-Pb age of 120 ± 2 Ma (Wang
the timing of hydrothermal gold deposition across the province. et al., 1998).
A ca. 120 Ma mineralization event is also constrained by re- The arithmetic mean of all concordant age constraints for
gional geologic events. For example, the 133 to 121 Ma Guoji- mineralization in the Jiaodong province is 120 ± 2 Ma (2σ). If
Fig. 11. Geologic map of the Jiaodong gold province showing new and previously published reliable and geologically mean-
ingful gold mineralization ages, with all other ages omitted. Vertical gray lines = Jiaobei terrane; horizontal gray lines = Su-Lu
UHP belt. Numbers in parentheses are number of data. Abbreviations are the same as in Figure 1. References for mineral-
ization ages are represented by the superscript of the data and listed in Table A1. Data from this study are in bold green and
marked with superscript Z20.

correct, the 120 ± 2 Ma gold mineralization event must have Although earlier or later insignificant mineralization events
extended over an area of 19,500 km2 in the Jiaodong Peninsula. cannot be ruled out completely for such a large gold prov-
Having established that 120 ± 2 Ma coincides with a wide- ince, the new 40Ar/39Ar data indicate a narrow range of 120
spread gold mineralization, it is important to determine if ± 2 Ma (2σ) for the timing of the main gold mineralization
there are other ages that could represent additional gold event across the Jiaodong Peninsula. The Jiaodong gold event
mineralization events, as has been suggested previously (Li appears to be part of a diachronous Mesozoic circum-Pacific
et al., 2006; Yang, L.Q., et al., 2014). For example, both hy- gold event that includes the famous Mother Lode (135–115
drothermal muscovite 40Ar/39Ar ages of 133 ± 0.6 to 127 ± 0.6 Ma, Marsh et al., 2008; Snow et al., 2008, and references
Ma from the Dayingezhuang deposit and zircon fission-track therein) and Grass Valley (162–157 Ma, Taylor et al., 2015,
ages of 131 ± 7.6 to 130 ± 4.4 Ma for the adjacent Xiadian and references therein) gold provinces of the Sierra Foothills
deposit have been interpreted as older gold mineralization in California (Goldfarb et al., 2001).
events (Yang, L.Q., et al., 2014, 2016b) occurring along the
Zhaoping fault (Fig. 1). However, new hydrothermal mus- No genetic role for granite intrusions in gold mineralization
covite 40Ar/39Ar results from this study and monazite U-Pb Spatially, both the Linglong and Guojialing granite intrusions
ages (Ma et al., 2017) from the Xiadian deposit, in addition have a close relationship with the Jiaodong gold deposits,
to a recently published hydrothermal muscovite 40Ar/39A age whereas the Aishan granite shows no such relationship (Fig.
of 119 ± 1.2 Ma (Yuan et al., 2019), indicate that gold min- 1), except for a few small deposits at the eastern tip of the Jia-
eralization occurred at ca. 120 Ma (Figs. 10, 11). Published odong Peninsula. A genetic relationship between the Linglong
hydrothermal muscovite 40Ar/39Ar ages of 133 ± 0.6 to 127 ± granite and gold mineralization is excluded, because the Lin-
0.6 Ma are consistent with the timing of ductile deformation glong granite is 40 to 30 m.y. older than the now well-defined
along the fault (~128 Ma; Charles et al., 2013). Hence, the 120 ± 2 Ma gold mineralization event. As shown in Figure 12,
ca. 130 Ma age might be due to premineralization alteration the gold mineralization event is closer to the peak intrusion
induced by pregold hydrothermal fluids related to the adja- age of the Guojialing granite, but there is an age gap of ~8 m.y.:
cent narrow ductile deformation zones, although it should only five of the 33 ages for the Guojialing granites overlap the
be noted that the muscovite grains show no obvious signs of regional gold mineralization age. Guojialing magmatism may
ductile deformation. The hydrothermal muscovite 40Ar/39Ar have continued locally until 121 Ma but is generally older, and
age of 129 ± 1 Ma previously reported for the Rushan de- Guojialing granites host gold mineralization in many places.
posit, close to the easternmost extent of the Jiaodong gold Aishan granite magmatism may have commenced penecon-
province, has been interpreted as a pregold alteration age temporaneously with gold mineralization, but its median age
(Hu et al., 2006), whereas the 109 to 108 Ma hydrothermal is significantly younger, and it is not gold mineralized. This in-
muscovite 40Ar/39Ar age has been considered to be the gold dicates that neither the Guojialing nor the Aishan granites are
mineralization age (Li et al., 2006). In contrast, new hydro- causative intrusions for gold mineralization. Considering the
thermal muscovite 40Ar/39Ar ages and a hydrothermal zircon broader picture, gold mineralization occurred in a magmatic
SHRIMP U-Pb age (Hu et al., 2004) extend over the range lull separating Guojialing from Aishan magmatism (Fig. 12).
122 to 117 Ma, suggesting that the Rushan deposit is part There is also an absence of fluid inclusion thermometry data
of the widespread 120 ± 2 Ma gold mineralization event. In to indicate magmatic-hydrothermal temperatures (>500°C)
the Rushan gold deposit, lamprophyre dikes are generally and no evidence of alteration or metal zonation from proximal
parallel to the gold veins (see fig. 4 in Li et al., 2006), sug- Au-Bi-Te to distal Ag-Pb-Zn assemblages, which is typical of
gesting generation during the same structural event. At the granite-related deposits (Sillitoe and Thompson, 1998; Lang
macroscopic scale in the mine, lamprophyre dikes crosscut et al., 2000; Qiu et al., 2019, 2020). Thus, an intrusion-related
the major auriferous quartz-sulfide veins and are crosscut by origin for the Jiaodong gold deposits (Sillitoe and Thompson,
late barren quartz-calcite veins (Fig. A6), indicating that the 1998) can be discounted.
lamprophyre dikes formed late in the gold mineralization
event. Similar lamprophyre dikes in the same orientation in The structural role of granite intrusions in gold mineralization
the vicinity of Rushan provided zircon U-Pb ages of 118.5 ± As shown by geologic maps at regional and goldfield scales
2.9 and 119.3 ± 0.8 Ma (Liang, 2017). These ages are consis- (Figs. 1, 3A, 4A, 5A) and geologic cross sections (Figs. 3B,
tent with our new 40Ar/39Ar ages of hydrothermal muscovite 4B, C, 5B), contacts between granites and metamorphic rocks
and the hydrothermal zircon SHRIMP U-Pb age of Hu et or between different granites provided competency contrasts
al. (2004), which indicate that the mineralization most likely that focused brittle deformation and/or faulting, which, in
formed at ~120 Ma (range of individual ages of ca. 121–117 turn, controlled the formation and distribution of gold miner-
Ma). All available geochronological data combined indicate alization across the Jiaodong Peninsula. Major gold orebodies
that the youngest age possible for Rushan gold mineraliza- are typically located on the footwall of the major faults with
tion is 117 ± 3 Ma, overlapping with the monazite U-Pb age rare, normally smaller orebodies on the hanging wall, such as
of 114 ± 2 Ma obtained by Deng et al. (2020a). The younger that in the Matang gold deposit.
40Ar/39Ar ages of 109 to 108 Ma, which appear reliable in The 166 to 149 Ma Linglong granite underwent relatively
terms of 40Ar/39Ar systematics, most likely represent a late slow postintrusion cooling, whereas the younger, 133 to 121
local thermal reset by intrusion of nearby dike swarms, at Ma Guojialing granite underwent fast cooling (Fig. 13). Im-
a high angle to both the gold lode and lamprophyre dikes. portantly, both granites had cooled to 300° ± 50°C at the time
These late dikes are possibly linked to the Aishan granite of gold mineralization on the basis of the 40Ar/39Ar analyses
(minimum age of 108 Ma). presented above (Tables 2–3; Figs. 13, 14A, B). Thus, the

434 ZHANG ET AL.
Fig. 12. An interpretation of the evolution of tectonic settings, sedimentation, magmatism, and gold mineralization in the
Jiaodong Peninsula, based on Deng et al. (2015), Zhang and Zhang (2007, 2008), and data in Tables A1 to A4. Gold mineral-
ization ages used are presented in Figure 11.
120 ± 2 Ma widespread gold mineralization occurred, at least mineralization, related to fluid phase separation and sulfida-
initially, at an ambient temperature of 350° to 300°C at an tion, respectively (Yang et al., 2016a), across the Jiaodong
interpreted depth of 7 to 8 km (~2 kbar), assuming paleogeo- gold province. High fluid fluxes hydraulically fractured the
thermal gradients of 44°C/km for the Early Cretaceous (Fig. host granites to produce vein-type gold deposits, and they
14A, B; Tang, 1998). This is in good agreement with the maxi- also produced grain-scale fracture networks to allow fluid-
mum temperatures and pressures (350°C, 3 kbar) recorded rock reactions. Such reactions caused sulfidation to produce
from fluid inclusion studies of quartz veins from several gold the disseminated gold ores, with late gold in fractures within
deposits in the Jiaodong Peninsula (Fan et al., 2003; Wang et earlier-deposited auriferous pyrite (Fig. 14C, D; Mills et al.,
al., 2015; Yang et al., 2017; Ma et al., 2018). Importantly, the 2015a, b; Yang et al., 2016a).
cooling history of the granites thus produced P-T conditions It appears that the Jiaodong gold province owes its giant
in cooler, previously metamorphosed and stabilized, Precam- gold endowment to a conjunction of crustal-scale faulting and
brian basement rocks that are similar to those in normal meta- the cooling of host granites through P-T conditions of the
morphic gradients in active orogenic belts that host lode-gold ductile-brittle transition under which many other giant gold
deposits elsewhere in the world (Groves et al., 1998; Goldfarb deposits were formed (Fig. 14A, B; e.g., the Golden Mile at
et al., 2005; Phillips and Powell, 2010). Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and Timmins, Ontario, Cana-
The ambient temperature of ~350° to 300°C as mineral- da; Phillips and Groves, 1983; Smith et al., 1984; Mernagh
ization initiated is interpreted to be one of the key factors et al., 2004; Robert et al., 2005). In the Jiaojia and Zhaoping
leading to formation of the giant Jiaodong gold province. gold belts, where there are particularly abundant geochrono-
This is because a much higher ambient temperature would logical and thermochronological data, comparison between
have resulted in ductile deformation, as identified by nar- the cooling histories of the Linglong and Guojialing granites
row pregold ductile shear zones and the ductile deforma- reveals that, during gold mineralization, the younger Guojial-
tion textures in igneous biotite and quartz prior to the gold ing granite was at a slightly higher temperature than the older
mineralization and alteration overprint and, thus, lower Linglong granite (Fig. 13), potentially providing a greater
fracture permeability. The brittle deformation and resultant contrast in rock strength as well as a thermal gradient across
fracture propagation at both the rock and grain scale under the ore-controlling fault zone.
supralithostatic fluid pressures (Cox, 1995, 2010) resulted in Following mineralization, the gold province was uplifted
the combination of vein-related and replacement-style gold and, based on the zircon (U-Th)/He data presented here and

Fig. 13. Cooling histories of gold-hosting granites for the Sanshandao, Jiaojia, Zhaoping, Qixia, Queshan, and Muru gold belts.
Cooling histories have only been generated for granites with sufficient geochronological data for modeling. References for
geochronological and thermochronological data are listed in Tables A1, A2, and A3.
that in Sun et al. (2016) and Wu et al. (2018), cooled at a Classification and genetic model for Jiaodong gold deposits
rate of ~3° to 6°C/m.y. to ~185° ± 10°C at a depth of 5 ± 1
km by ~100 to 80 Ma (Tables 4, A3, A10; Fig. 13). Apatite Previous genetic models for the Jiaodong gold deposits have
fission track data reported from the Sanshandao, Xinli, and emphasized the role of contacts between granite and meta-
Xincheng deposits (Deng et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2016, morphic rocks or between different granites in controlling the
2017, 2019) indicate that the deposits continued to cool location of crustal-scale faults. Faults then focused the high
relatively slowly through the apatite partial annealing zone auriferous fluid fluxes required to form the gold ores in jogs
(~60°–120°C) to their current crustal level at an average and other structural complexities (Deng et al., 2015). The rec-
cooling rate of ~2° to 3°C/m.y. This relatively slow rate of ognition of the regional 120 ± 2 Ma gold event, together with
postmineralization cooling and exhumation helped preserve isotopic ages for the granites, implies that both granite intru-
the gold province. sions had cooled to subsolidus temperatures prior to the gold

436 ZHANG ET AL.
slightly after peak crustal metamorphism, the deposits were

formed under similar ductile-brittle P-T conditions at a criti-
cal cooling stage reached by the granite intrusions. In contrast
to the normal situation for orogenic gold deposits, this was
1.8 to 1.7 b.y. after regional metamorphism of the basement
rocks, and ~100 m.y. after the Su-Lu eclogite event that af-
fected the eastern part of the Jiaodong Peninsula (Li et al.,
1996; Zhai et al., 2000; Faure et al., 2003). Auriferous fluids
are ascribed either directly to the devolatilization related to
the subducting slab and overlying sediment wedge or to de-
volatilization of lithosphere metasomatized and fertilized by
such fluids (Goldfarb and Santosh, 2014; Groves and Santosh,
2016; Deng et al., 2020b; Groves et al., 2020a, b; Yang and
Santosh, 2020).
Conclusions
Unlike most orogenic gold provinces worldwide where gold
mineralization occurred in the final stages of orogenesis, the
Jiaodong gold province is anomalous in that gold was deposit-
ed 1.8 to 1.7 b.y. after orogenesis and regional metamorphism
of the host terrane. This and the close spatial association with
granite intrusions have made classification of the Jiaodong
gold deposits controversial.
New 40Ar/39Ar ages of gold-related hydrothermal muscovite
from the Jiaojia, Sizhuang, Luoshan, Fushan, Xiadian, and
Rushan deposits and reexamination of previous isotope ages
of gold-related minerals indicate a main gold mineralization
event at 120 ± 2 Ma. These ages are consistent with a lack of
gold mineralization in the 120 to 108 Ma Aishan granites and
the ages of syn- and postmineralization mafic dikes at several
deposits. Together with deposit-scale data that indicate no
strong zonation in alteration minerals or metals or magmatic-
hydrothermal temperatures, the age data preclude a direct
genetic association between granites and gold mineralization
and negate a classification as intrusion-related gold deposits.
Instead, the nature of the deposits is consistent with their
classification as mesozonal to epizonal orogenic gold deposits.
Despite the lack of a direct genetic relationship, the granite
intrusions are interpreted to have played an important role
in providing thermal and structural conditions conducive to
fluid infiltration and gold deposition. New 40Ar/39Ar age data
Fig. 14. Schematic diagrams showing the formation and cooling history of the for igneous biotite demonstrate that the granites had cooled
Jiaodong gold deposits. TTG = tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite.
to 300° ± 50°C by ca. 123 to 124 Ma, providing P-T conditions
similar to those under which most orogenic gold deposits
event. Different thermochronological systems indicate that formed worldwide. This is confirmed by a switch from pre-
the gold was deposited at maximum ambient temperatures of gold ductile deformation textures to syngold brittle deforma-
about 350° to 300°C, as also shown by fluid inclusion studies of tion, as recorded by deformation of igneous minerals in the
gold-related quartz (Fig. 13; Fan et al., 2003; Guo et al., 2017; host granites. These ideal thermal conditions at 120 ± 2 Ma
Yang et al., 2017). As other authors have demonstrated (Wang enabled high fluid fluxes that both fractured the host granites
et al., 2015; Guo et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2017), the CO2-rich, to produce vein-type gold deposits and produced grain-scale
low- to moderate-temperature and -salinity ore-forming flu- fracture networks to produce the disseminated gold ores.
ids, trace elements of ores and ore-bearing sulfides, and C-H- Some gold was even deposited in fractures within earlier-de-
O-S-Pb isotope ratios all resemble those of typical orogenic posited auriferous pyrite or quartz. Relatively slow postminer-
gold deposits (Groves et al., 1998; Deng et al., 2003; Goldfarb alization uplift and exhumation helped preserve the Jiaodong
and Santosh, 2014; Goldfarb and Groves, 2015). Thus, the Jia- gold province, as indicated by zircon (U-Th)/He and apatite
odong deposits are best termed “orogenic gold deposits” in fission track data.
the sense of Groves et al. (1998) and Goldfarb et al. (2005),
with interpreted P-T conditions suggesting a mesozonal to Acknowledgements
epizonal classification. However, instead of forming during an We thank Richard Goldfarb, Andrew Tomkins, M. Santosh,
orogenic event under metamorphic gradients at the time of or and Kun-Feng Qiu for their inspiration and useful discussions

on the Jiaodong gold province, Peter Miller and Flame Burg- Deng, J., Wang, C.M., Bagas, L., Carranza, E.J.M., and Lu, Y.J., 2015, Creta-
mann from the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy for ceous-Cenozoic tectonic history of the Jiaojia fault and gold mineralization
in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China: Constraints from zircon U-Pb, illite K-Ar,
helping with the SEM-BSE analysis, Rachelle Pierson, Mas- and apatite fission track thermochronometry: Mineralium Deposita, v. 50,
simo Raveggi, Song Lu, and Junnel Alegado for their help with p. 987–1006.
muscovite separation, and Yu Wang, Lin-Nan Guo, Bing-Lin Deng, J., Liu, X.F., Wang, Q.F., Dilek, Y., and Liang, Y.Y., 2017, Isotopic char-
Zhang, Si-Chen Sun, Rong-Hua Li, and Hao Wang for their acterization and petrogenetic modeling of Early Cretaceous mafic diking—
lithospheric extension in the North China craton, eastern Asia: Geological
help checking the data and figures. The paper was consider- Society of America Bulletin, v. 129, p. 1379–1407.
ably improved by the incisive and knowledgeable comments Deng, J., Qiu, K.F., Wang, Q.F., Goldfarb, R.J., Yang, L.Q., Zi, J.W., Geng,
of Franco Pirajno, Clive Rive, and Associate Editor Jonathan J.Z., and Ma, Y., 2020a, In situ dating of hydrothermal monazite and
Cloutier. This work was financially supported by the National implications on the geodynamic controls of ore formation in the Jiaodong
Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 41230311, gold province, eastern China: Economic Geology, in press, doi:10.5382/
econgeo.4711.
41572069, 41702070), the National Key Research Program of Deng, J., Wang, Q.F., Santosh, M., Liu, X.F., Liang, Y.Y., Zhao, R., and Yang,
China (Grant no. 2016YFC0600107-4), the State Key Labora- L., 2020b, Remobilization of metasomatized mantle lithosphere: A new
tory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources at the Chi- model for the Jiaodong gold province, eastern China: Mineralium Deposita,
na University of Geosciences (GPMR201812), the Key Labora- v. 55, p. 257–274.
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and Li, B., 2013, U-Pb dating of zircons from the Weideshan molybdenum
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Liang Zhang is a postdoctoral fellow at China

University of Geosciences, Beijing (CUGB). He
obtained a B.Eng. degree (2011) from Hebei GEO
University, was a visiting Ph.D. student (2015) at
Monash University, and received his Ph.D. degree
from CUGB (2016). He works on structural geol-
ogy, geochemistry, geochronology, and thermochro-
nology of lode-gold deposits. He has published more than 20 research papers
(as a first author or coauthor) in publications such as Economic Geology, GSA
Bulletin, and Mineralium Deposita. He has several Scientific and Technologi-
cal Progress Awards (First Prize, Ministry of Education, China, 2014; Second
Prize, Shandong Province, China, 2014; First Prize, China Gold Association,
2012 and 2013).


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©2020 Society of Economic Geologists, Inc.

Economic Geology, v. 115, no. 2, pp. 415–441

Mesozoic Orogenic Gold Mineralization in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China:

Introduction tionship, as discussed below. Some deposit models require a

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Transitional-style deposits stockwork- and quartz-sulfide vein-style deposits (e.g., Zhang

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Notes: Numbers in parentheses are numbers of aliquots; / = not applicable

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Table 2. Summary of Biotite 40Ar/39Ar Step-Heating Experiment Results

Apparent age ranges for the

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Table 3. Summary of Hydrothermal Muscovite 40Ar/39Ar Step-Heating Experiment Results

Apparent age ranges for the mid- to

Abbreviation: / = not applicable

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slightly after peak crustal metamorphism, the deposits were

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Liang Zhang is a postdoctoral fellow at China

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