Geochemical fingerprinting of typical giant deposits in the Central Asian metallogenic domain: case studies of the Muruntau gold deposit and the Almalyk porphyry copper deposit
Abstract
Objective The Central Asian Metallogenic Domain is rich in mineral resources. Geochemical metal-content surveys conducted during the Soviet era led to the discovery of the Muruntau gold deposit, the world’s second-largest gold deposit, and the Almalyk porphyry copper deposit, the largest porphyry copper deposit in the Central Asian Metallogenic Domain. Research on their geochemical characteristics is of significance for finding similar deposits in China. Methods Geochemical characteristics were investigated at both regional and deposit scales to characterize the distribution and spatial relationships of geochemical anomalies in the two deposits. Results In the Muruntau gold deposit, soil and rock-fragment geochemical surveys in areas covered by residual and colluvial materials, as well as penetrating geochemical surveys in peneplained areas covered by aeolian sand, effectively delineated geochemical anomalies. At the regional scale, Au, As, Sb, Hg, Pt, and Pd anomalies showed strong spatial overlap, with exceptionally high concentrations along the ore-controlling anticline and in carbonaceous wall rocks. At the deposit scale, pronounced Au and As anomalies occurred above the main orebodies. The Almalyk porphyry copper deposit exhibited a distinct geochemical anomaly pattern. At the regional scale, Cu–Mo–Au–Pb–Zn multielement anomalies showed substantial spatial overlap. At the deposit scale, the anomalies displayed a distinct concentric zoning pattern, with Mo forming the inner zone, Cu–Au the intermediate zone, and Pb–Zn the outer zone. Conclusions The two deposits represent distinct types of giant deposits in the Central Asian Metallogenic Domain, each characterized by specific geochemical signatures and prospecting indicators. Significance These findings provide a reference for exploring similar deposits in the Xinjiang region of China, from regional target selection to deposit-scale exploration.
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BibTeX
@article{xueqiu2026geochemical,
title = {{Geochemical fingerprinting of typical giant deposits in the Central Asian metallogenic domain: case studies of the Muruntau gold deposit and the Almalyk porphyry copper deposit}},
author = {WANG Xueqiu and XIE Miao and LIU Qingqing and JING Xiuming},
journal = {Dizhi lixue xuebao},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2026134},
url = {https://doi.org/10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2026134},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Geochemical fingerprinting of typical giant deposits in the Central Asian metallogenic domain: case studies of the Muruntau gold deposit and the Almalyk porphyry copper deposit
AU - WANG Xueqiu
AU - XIE Miao
AU - LIU Qingqing
AU - JING Xiuming
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Dizhi lixue xuebao
DO - 10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2026134
UR - https://doi.org/10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2026134
AB - Objective The Central Asian Metallogenic Domain is rich in mineral resources. Geochemical metal-content surveys conducted during the Soviet era led to the discovery of the Muruntau gold deposit, the world’s second-largest gold deposit, and the Almalyk porphyry copper deposit, the largest porphyry copper deposit in the Central Asian Metallogenic Domain. Research on their geochemical characteristics is of significance for finding similar deposits in China. Methods Geochemical characteristics were investigated at both regional and deposit scales to characterize the distribution and spatial relationships of geochemical anomalies in the two deposits. Results In the Muruntau gold deposit, soil and rock-fragment geochemical surveys in areas covered by residual and colluvial materials, as well as penetrating geochemical surveys in peneplained areas covered by aeolian sand, effectively delineated geochemical anomalies. At the regional scale, Au, As, Sb, Hg, Pt, and Pd anomalies showed strong spatial overlap, with exceptionally high concentrations along the ore-controlling anticline and in carbonaceous wall rocks. At the deposit scale, pronounced Au and As anomalies occurred above the main orebodies. The Almalyk porphyry copper deposit exhibited a distinct geochemical anomaly pattern. At the regional scale, Cu–Mo–Au–Pb–Zn multielement anomalies showed substantial spatial overlap. At the deposit scale, the anomalies displayed a distinct concentric zoning pattern, with Mo forming the inner zone, Cu–Au the intermediate zone, and Pb–Zn the outer zone. Conclusions The two deposits represent distinct types of giant deposits in the Central Asian Metallogenic Domain, each characterized by specific geochemical signatures and prospecting indicators. Significance These findings provide a reference for exploring similar deposits in the Xinjiang region of China, from regional target selection to deposit-scale exploration.
SN - 1006-6616
ER -