Origin of fluids in the Lancangjiang tin belt, southwestern Yunnan Province, China: Evidence from trace element and boron isotopic compositions of tourmaline

Abstract

The Lancangjiang tin belt is located on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, which is in the northern part of the Southeast Asian tin belt that contains Sn, W, and base metal ore deposits. Tourmaline alteration and high B contents are typical features of the magmatic–hydrothermal systems in the Lancangjiang tin belt. Our new data for tourmaline intergrown with cassiterite reveal complex geochemical features that provide important insights into the origins of ore-forming fluids in this B-rich tin belt. Most of the tourmaline in the Sn deposits and metamorphic rocks belongs to the alkali-group dravite series, except for some that is part of the X-vacant group. The tourmaline compositions differ among the ore districts, but all exhibit Fe-poor (0.61–1.08 apfu) and Mg-rich (1.43–2.06 apfu) compositions, with Fe/(Fe + Mg) = 0.18–0.46. Most trace elements in the tourmaline occur at low contents (<50 ppm), including the large-ion lithophile elements (e.g., Cs and Ba) and high-field-strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ta, Hf, and Th). However, some trace elements (e.g., Zn, Sr, and V) and Sn have high contents (up to several hundreds or thousands of ppm). The δ¹¹B values of tourmaline from the Sn deposits range from −14.7 ‰ to −11.3 ‰, except for those in the Man Makhsan Sn deposit, which range from −12.0 ‰ to −8.1 ‰. The δ¹¹B values (−14.7 ‰ to −8.1 ‰) and the positive correlation between Sn contents and Nb/Ta, Al/Ga, and K/Cs ratios in the ore-related tourmaline indicate that the exsolved ore-forming fluids were derived from highly fractionated S − type granitic magmas. The fluids were mainly B-, Sn-, and Al-enriched. The low Fe/(Mg + Fe) ratios, high oxygen fugacity, and Al saturation were favorable for cassiterite precipitation, and are proxies for the ore-forming potential of large-scale Sn deposits.