Multiple-stage W mineralization in the Guanfang W deposit, southeastern Yunnan Province, China: Insights from scheelite in-situ trace elemental and Sr isotopic analyses

The Guanfang large-scale W deposit is located in the W polymetallic ore concentration area of Bozhushan in southeastern Yunnan, China. Despite extensive research, the fluid evolution process of the deposit remains ambiguous, leading to controversy regarding its genesis. This study conducted a detailed field geological survey, with systematic sampling of the KT6 orebody, to delineate mineralization stages. Fine mineralogy work, including the use of CL images of scheelite, in-situ LA-ICP-MS trace elements, and Sr isotopes, was carried out on different generations of scheelite formed in various stages. The findings identified the evolution of fluids in the mineralization process, shedding light on the genesis of the deposit. The study revealed four mineralization stages at the Guanfang W deposit: prograde skarn stage, retrograde skarn stage, quartz-sulfide stage, and carbonate-fluorite stage. Different generations of scheelite (Sch I, Sch II, Sch III) were observed in the first three stages, displaying distinct chondrite-normalized REE patterns. The REE of Sch I mainly substituted into the Ca site by REE³⁺  + □_Ca, and there may be a similar substitution of Nb for REE, whereas it is not the main substitution method. The REE of Sch II mainly enter the scheelite lattice in the form of REE³⁺  + Na⁺, and there may be a substitution of Nb for REE isomorphism. In the early stage, The REE of Sch III was mainly replaced by Nb for REE isomorphism, while in the later stage, the replacement mode of REE³⁺  +  □_Ca coexisted with it. The Mo content in scheelite, along with the corresponding Eu anomalies in both scheelite and garnet, collectively imply that the ore-forming fluids during various mineralization stages were predominantly oxidizing, with only slight reducibility observed in Sch II. The in-situ Sr isotope ratios of scheelite concentrates ranged from 0.7093 to 0.7153, resembling those of the Bozhushan granite, indicating a relationship between W mineralization and granite. In addition, the Y/Ho ratios of scheelite from various mineralization stages exhibit a narrow range (19–31), with a pronounced correlation between the contents of Y and Ho and a similar trend in their variation. This consistency suggests that the Guanfang deposit has undergone a uniform or comparable evolutionary process, implying a stable ore-forming fluid across different mineralization stages.