Three periods of gold mineralization in the Liaodong Peninsula, North China Craton

The Liaodong gold province includes voluminous gold deposits, which occur in an Archean gneiss complex, Paleoproterozoic metamorphic rocks, and Mesozoic granite. However, the ore-forming age, the genesis, and the geodynamic setting of the gold deposits are not well constrained. In this study, we have summarized previous geochronology data, H-O-S-Pb isotopes, and He-Ar isotopic compositions of the gold deposits. Based on geochronology data, the gold mineralization was divided into Late Triassic, Early Jurassic, and Early Cretaceous. The H-O isotopic compositions suggest that the ore-forming fluids were mainly derived from a magmatic source mixed with minor meteoric water. The He-Ar isotopic compositions suggest that the ore-forming fluids were predominantly derived from crustal sources with minor mantle input. The sulfur and lead isotopic compositions of the sulfide minerals indicate that the gold deposits have a mixed material source from the Paleoproterozoic strata and Mesozoic intrusions. Combined with the H-O-S-Pb and He-Ar isotopic compositions, we suggest that the gold deposits in the Liaodong Peninsula are intrusion-related gold deposits. Based on these results and the regional geological history, the Late Triassic gold mineralization occurred in a syn/post-collisional extension setting associated with the subduction of the Yangtze Craton beneath the North China Craton. The Early Jurassic gold mineralization occurred in a compressional setting during the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate beneath Eurasia. The Early Cretaceous gold mineralization occurred in an extensional setting during the rollback of the Paleo-Pacific Plate.