Zircon U-Pb age, trace element and Hf isotope composition of Sepon Au-Cu deposit, Laos: tectonic and metallogenic implications

ABSTRACT The Truong Son Fold Belt, located at the northeastern margin of the Indochina Block, is considered to be tectonically linked to the subduction of the Paleotethys Ocean and subsequent collision. Sepon is one of the most important super large deposits of the Truong Son Fold Belt. Our LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating results show that granodiorite porphyry samples from the Sepon deposit have ages of 302.1±2.9 Ma, which is a crucial phase for magmatic-tectonical activities from the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian and has avital influence on the mineralization of copper and gold. Zircon from granodiorite porphyry yields eHf (t) values of 4.32 to 9.64, and TDM2 has an average age of 914 Ma, suggesting that the source of the granodiorite porphyry in the region were mainly mantle components but underwent mixing and contamination of crust materials. The Ce4+/Ce3+ value of zircon in the granodiorite porphyry varys greatly from 2.4 to 1438.29, which shows magma mixing might occur. Considering the characteristics of trace elements in the zircon and the whole rock geochemical characteristics of intrusion rocks as well as the characteristics of regional volcanic-sedimentary association, it is indicated that the tectonic setting may be the continental arc environment. The Sepon Au-Cu deposit is derived from emplacement of calc-alkaline intermediate-acid magma with coming from deep sources in the subduction process of the Paleotethys Ocean, forming porphyry Mo-Cu, skarn Cu-Au mineralization and a hydrothermal sedimentary-hosted Au mineralization in the wall rocks.