Metallogenic Mechanism of the Galinge Polymetallic Iron Skarn Deposit, Qiman Tagh Mountains, Qinghai Province

This thesis summarizes the metallogenetic mechanism of the Galinge skarn deposit based on integrated knowledge of tectonics, geochemistry, geochronology, petrology, mineralogy, thermodynamics and hydrothermal fluids. It also discusses the multistage growth characteristics of various skarn minerals in which the varying compositions reflect the evolution of the hydrothermal fluid. The multidisciplinary nature of this research sheds new light on reconstructing metallogenetic processes successfully. It outlines the main aspects of skarn zonation based on the dominant contents of the skarn minerals and the wall rock compositions. In addition, it focuses on volatile-rich minerals including tourmaline and hastingsite, highlighting the importance of the volatile component in the skarn deposit. Lastly, it describes the regional tectonic–magmatic evolutionary history to explain the metallogenic principles, which can be used to guide prospecting in the field.