Multiple Eocene−Miocene tin mineralization events in Southeastern Tibet

Southeastern Tibet, an important part of the Southeast Asian Tin Belt (SATB), hosts notable Cenozoic Sn mineralization events. This study presents laser ablation−inductively coupled plasma−mass spectrometry U-Pb dating of cassiterite and monazite from the A’mo, Yunling, and Tiechang Sn deposits in the Chongshan-Lincang shear zone in Southeastern Tibet. U-Pb dating reveals three distinct mineralization events at A’mo: ca. 37 Ma for mineralized gneiss, ca. 23 Ma for cassiterite-quartz ores, and ca. 15 Ma for cassiterite-sulfide ores. The ca. 15 Ma event represents the youngest reported Sn mineralization event in the SATB. The Tiechang and Yunling deposits yield cassiterite U-Pb ages of 28.8 ± 0.5 Ma and 22.1 ± 0.7 Ma, respectively. These findings confirm multiple Eocene−Miocene Sn mineralization events in the SATB, driven by crustal shortening, strike-slip motion, and block extrusion and rotation during the India-Eurasia collision. This study provides insights into the geodynamic processes controlling Cenozoic Sn mineralization and indicates the potential existence of Eocene−Miocene Sn deposits genetically associated with strike-slip fault systems in the SATB.