Objective‌ and Methods The Kuru-Tegerek copper-gold deposit is located in the Chatkal tectonic belt of the western segment of the Central Asian orogenic belt in Kyrgyzstan. It is a large skarn-type copper-gold deposit (with proven reserves of 1.0 Mt Cu, 97 t Au, and 372 t Ag). In order to better understand the magmatic properties and petrogenesis of the ore-forming rock bodies in the Kuru-Tegerek copper-gold deposit, detailed petrographic and geochemical studies have been conducted on the ore-forming rock bodies in the mining area.

Results  The results show that the ore-forming rock bodies are granodiorites, belonging to the peraluminous calc-alkaline I-type granite series, with light rare earth elements enriched relative to heavy rare earth elements (La_N/Yb_N = 7.6～16.4), no significant Eu and Ce anomalies (δEu = 0.84～1.00; δCe = 1.04～1.05), and relatively enriched Rb, Ba, Zr, and Hf, while U, Th, Sr, Nb, Ta, and Nd are relatively depleted. The apatite in the granodiorite is enriched in light rare earth elements relative to heavy rare earth elements (LREE/HREE=3.42～17.15), showing strong negative Eu anomalies (δEu=0.12～0.47) and no significant Ce anomalies; zircons are strongly enriched in heavy rare earth elements (LREE/HREE=0.02～0.13), mostly showing strong negative Eu anomalies and positive Ce anomalies(δEu=0.03～0.31, δCe=1.3～80.9). The trace element geochemical characteristics of apatite and zircon indicate that the temperature of the ore-forming magma is about 742～779℃, with high magmatic oxygen fugacity (ΔFMQ=0.4～3.9) and high F (1466～2909 ppm) and Cl (548～2033 ppm) contents, providing favorable magmatic conditions for Cu-Au mineralization.

Conclusion  The Kuru-Tegerek copper-gold deposit may have been formed during the late Early Carboniferous period when the Turkestan oceanic crust subducted northward, and the mantle wedge was partially melted by the metasomatic components of the subducting slab, resulting in high oxygen fugacity and volatile-rich (F, Cl) magma intrusion into the Lower Carboniferous Duoneixi Formation limestone. The interaction between the ore-bearing magmatic hydrothermal fluid and the limestone formed the deposit.