The Multiple Crust Accretion and Endogenous Metal Mineralization in the Paleozoic of the Eastern Tianshan Mountains

The geological characteristics and spatio-temporal distribution of ore deposits can serve as significant indicators of the evolution of tectonics. Based on the new understanding and insights into the tectonic evolution of the Eastern Tianshan in recent years, combined with the latest progress in geological and mineral exploration research in the Eastern Tianshan, especially the acquisition of a large amount of precise dating data for mineralization and new understanding of the sources of rock-forming and ore-forming materials, a preliminary understanding of the Paleozoic crustal accretion and mineralization in the Eastern Tianshan has been formed. The endogenous metal deposits in the Eastern Tianshan are classified into the following mineralization sub-series: ① VMS and epithermal Cu-Au-Zn mineralization sub-series formed during the Late Ordovician accretion;② VMS and epithermal Cu-Au-Zn mineralization sub-series formed during the Silurian accretion; ③ Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au-Ag mineralization sub-series formed during the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous accretion; ④ Fe-Cu-Pb-Zn deposit mineralization sub-series formed during the Early Carboniferous accretion; ⑤ Magmatic copper-nickel sulfide mineralization sub-series formed after the collision in the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian; ⑥ Orogenic gold deposit mineralization sub-series formed during the post-collision period in the Early Permian. In summary, the Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Eastern Tianshan orogenic belt has undergone multiple stages of subduction-accretion, collision orogeny, and post-collision, with each tectonic evolution stage accompanied by a set of endogenous metal deposit mineralization series and the accumulation of large amounts of metal elements. The occurrence of multiple tectonic evolution processes and mineralization events in one region has formed the unique endogenous metal mineralization belt and large-scale mineralization clusters of copper-molybdenum, iron, lead-zinc, copper-nickel, and gold in the Eastern Tianshan.