Discussion on the Metallogenic Regularity in West Qinling Metallogenic Belt, China

The West Qinling metallogenic belt (Ⅲ-28) has discovered 59 minerals, including 4 energy minerals, 28 metal minerals, 25 non–metal minerals, and 2 aqueous and gaseous minerals; 675 various mineral orefield have been discovered, including 8 super-large, 31 large, 80 medium, 276 small, and 280 mineral occurrences. Mineralization intensity by West Qinling metallogenic sub–belt: Guide–Xihe–Fengxian metallogenic sub–belt (Ⅳ-28①) ＞ Xinghai–Luqu–Huixian metallogenic sub–belt (Ⅳ-28②) ＞ Diebu–Wudu–Liuba metallogenic sub–belt (Ⅳ-28③) ＞ Maqu–Jiuzhaigou–Sanhe metallogenic sub–belt (Ⅳ-28④) . Mineralization intensity by geological age: Mesozoic (Mz) ＞ Late Paleozoic (Pz₂) ＞ Cenozoic (Cz) ＞ Early Paleozoic (Pz₁). Based on the principle of full coverage of mineral species and deposit types, this paper identifies 11 deposit metallogenic series, 20 deposit metallogenic subseries and 66 deposit types in the West Qinling metallogenic belt; establishes a regional metallogenic model for the West Qinling metallogenic belt based on the comprehensive diagram of metallogenic age–metallogenic action–tectonic environment of deposit metallogenic subseries. The dynamics of metallogenic evolution of the West Qinling mineralization belt is dominated by endogenous dynamics and secondary by exogenous dynamics. The most advantageous geodynamic setting for the West Qinling mineralization belt is the gradual extensional rifting of the Variscan and the intense extrusion orogeny of the Indosinian.