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Mingsai Au deposit, Zhaxikang ore district, Cona Co. (Cuona Co.), Shannan Prefecture (Lhokha Prefecture; Lhoka Prefecture), Tibet, Chinai
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
28° 22' 25'' North , 91° 58' 58'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Is a recently discovered orogenic gold deposit that formed during the early Miocene. The deposit contains a significant amount of pyrite, which is the main sulfide mineral that carries gold. The pyrite is found disseminated and also in vein-like structures. The chemical characteristics of the fluids indicate that the mixing of fluids is the main process that controls the deposition of sulfides and gold in the Mingsai deposit.
The Mingsai gold deposit contains two significant hidden orebodies. These orebodies are located within the grey metamorphic tuff layer, which is interspersed with carbonaceous slate. The first orebody, Au Ⅰ, is partially exposed and spans an elevation range of 4860 to 4930 m. On the other hand, the second orebody, Au Ⅱ, is entirely concealed and found between 4750 and 4810 m in elevation.
The Mingsai gold deposit has a tonnage of over 10 t and an average gold grade of more than 3 g/t. The most common type of hydrothermal alteration in this deposit is silicification, which is characterized by varying sizes of quartz veins containing pyrite, arsenopyrite, and economically significant gold. The majority of gold is found in silicification veins associated with pyrite. The age of the Mingsai deposit, determined using 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the main ore stage sericite, is estimated to be 16.03 ± 0.31 Ma.
The Mingsai gold deposit contains two significant hidden orebodies. These orebodies are located within the grey metamorphic tuff layer, which is interspersed with carbonaceous slate. The first orebody, Au Ⅰ, is partially exposed and spans an elevation range of 4860 to 4930 m. On the other hand, the second orebody, Au Ⅱ, is entirely concealed and found between 4750 and 4810 m in elevation.
The Mingsai gold deposit has a tonnage of over 10 t and an average gold grade of more than 3 g/t. The most common type of hydrothermal alteration in this deposit is silicification, which is characterized by varying sizes of quartz veins containing pyrite, arsenopyrite, and economically significant gold. The majority of gold is found in silicification veins associated with pyrite. The age of the Mingsai deposit, determined using 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the main ore stage sericite, is estimated to be 16.03 ± 0.31 Ma.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
9 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | Arsenopyrite | 2.EB.20 | FeAsS |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Rutile | 4.DB.05 | TiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Ankerite | 5.AB.10 | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | var. Sericite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Chlorite Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Apatite' | - | Ca5(PO4)3A |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Ankerite | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Ankerite | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2 |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Rutile | TiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3A |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Ankerite | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3A |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Ankerite | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3A |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Rutile | TiO2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Ankerite | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| As | Arsenic | |
| As | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| Au | Gold | |
| Au | ⓘ Native Gold | Au |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
AsiaContinent
- HimalayasMountain Range
- Hindukush Himalayan RegionGroup of Mountain Ranges
- Tibetan PlateauPlateau
China
- Himalayan Li Mineral BeltMineral Belt
- Southern Tibet - Tengchong Li Mineral BeltMineral Belt
- ⭔Southwest ChinaRegion
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
- Himalayan Orogenic BeltOrogenic Belt
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References
[1]Miao, Fengyu; Sun, Xiaoming; Liu, Qiaofen; Tong, Zida; Li, Dengfeng; Fu, Yu; Lu, Qiyuan; Zhang, Zhi (2024) In situ trace element and sulfur isotopic analysis of multi-stage pyrite in Mingsai gold deposit, southern Tibet: Insights into mineralization and gold remobilization. Ore Geology Reviews, 165. doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2024.105896
Wang, Guangwen; Lu, Zhanwu; Li, Wenhui; Xu, Tairan; Xue, Shuai; Liang, Yao; Cheng, Yongzhi; Chen, Si; Wang, Guan; Cai, Wei; et al. (2024) The characteristics of S-wave velocity and mineralization of the “Double Domes” structure in the eastern of the Tethys Himalaya. Ore Geology Reviews, 173. doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2024.106225
