Metallogenic potential and prospecting of orogenic gold deposits in the Shuihouling area of the Dabie Orogenic Belt: A geochemical evidence from stream sediment anomalies

The Shuihouling ductile shear zone, located in the core of the Dabie Orogenic Belt spanning Anhui and Hubei provinces, is a key structural unit with notable mineral potential. Situated within the Wudang-Tongbai-Dabie Mo-REE-Au-Ag-Pb-Zn polymetallic belt, it shows promising prospecting potential, particularly for gold exploration. Our 1:50,000 stream sediment survey identified three major composite anomalies in the Shuihouling area, each with distinct elemental concentration centers and strong anomaly correlations. After verification, all three were classified as mineral-induced B2 anomalies: The HS-01 anomaly, controlled by a fault zone, is linked to gold-polymetallic mineralization; the HS-02 anomaly, controlled by the ductile shear zone, is associated with copper-molybdenum polymetallic mineralization; and the HS-03 anomaly, in S-type granitic gneiss, shows copper-gold mineralization with significant concentrations of copper (19.41 %) and gold (1.41 g/t), indicating strong deep mineralization potential. The HS-03 anomaly also suggests a combined effect of polymetallic and molybdenum mineralization bodies. The discovery of these gold and copper anomalies highlights significant potential for ductile shear zone-type gold deposits in the Shuihouling area, providing crucial insights for future gold exploration and mineralization studies in the Dabie Orogenic Belt. These geochemical anomalies serve as important markers for guiding future exploration efforts, and their significance for understanding mineralization mechanisms in this region cannot be overstated. • The Shuihouling shear zone hosts three composite anomalies linked to Au-polymetallic, Cu-Mo, and Cu-Au mineralization. • High Cu (19.41%) and Au (1.41 g/t) contents suggest strong deep mineralization in the area. • A promising shear zone-type gold deposit target in the Dabie Orogenic Belt has been suggested.