Geological characteristics, fluid inclusion, and isotope systematics of the Zhongshangou gold deposit, northern margin of the North China Craton: A comparative study with the Dongping deposit and implications for regional mineralization

• The Zhongshangou deposit represents a typical Te-rich gold deposit located at the northern margin of the North China Craton. • H–O–Pb isotopic data reveal a magmatic origin for both the ore-forming fluids and components. • Oxidized hydrothermal fluids play a critical role in the enrichment of tellurium in gold deposits. • The Zhongshangou and Dongping deposits are products of contemporaneous magmatic-hydrothermal events. The Zhongshangou deposit, located in the Zhang-Xuan ore concentration area, Hebei Province, China, is a representative Te-rich gold deposit related to alkaline intrusion. For the purpose of revealing the ore-forming characteristics, a comprehensive study was conducted on the ore deposit geology, fluid inclusions, laser Raman spectroscopy, and isotopes of H, O, C, S, and Pb. Fluid inclusion data and laser Raman spectroscopy indicate that the fluids responsible for Au–Te mineralization belong to a H 2 O-CO 2 -NaCl system, characterized by medium temperatures and low salinities. The hydrogen (δD = −98.1 ‰ to −78.7 ‰) and oxygen (δ 18 O SMOW = −7.5 ‰ to 12.5 ‰) data suggest that the ore fluids of Zhongshangou were originally magmatic sourced. The δ 13 C V-PDB values of calcite samples (0.7 ‰ to 1.9 ‰) overlap with those of igneous carbon, and the δ 13 C V-PDB values of CO 2 extracted from fluid inclusions also show similar characteristics to mantle-derived fluids (−16.9 ‰ to −13.2 ‰). The δ 34 S values of mineralization-associated sulfides have a large range of variations (−19.1 ‰ to −5.3 ‰), implying that the physical and chemical conditions for mineralization have undergone drastic changes. These abrupt fluctuations in ore-forming geochemistry are conducive to anomalous gold enrichment and its coexistence with tellurium. The 206 Pb/ 204 Pb, 207 Pb/ 204 Pb, and 208 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios of mineralization-associated sulfides are 17.24 to 18.08, 15.42 to 15.64, and 37.17 to 38.55, respectively, overlapping with those of deeply sourced alkaline rocks. Similar ore-hosting rocks, mineral assemblages, fluid inclusion types, and comparable stable isotope compositions suggest that the Dongping and Zhongshangou deposits have a common origin and formed in a simultaneous magmatic hydrothermal system.