The Hongqiling is a vein-type Sn-W polymetallic deposit in southern Hunan (South China). It is geologically located on the northern margin of the Nanling metallogenic belt. Based on the mineral assemblage and vein crosscutting relationship, three mineralization stages were identified: Sn-W mineralization (S1: cassiterite, wolframite, scheelite, arsenopyrite, molybdenite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and quartz), Pb-Zn mineralization (S2: chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, galena, sphalerite, pyrite, quartz, and fluorite), and late mineralization (S3: quartz, fluorite, calcite, galena, sphalerite, and pyrite). According to laser Raman probe analysis, H₂O dominates the fluid inclusions in the S1 and S2 stage quartz, with CO₂ and trace N₂ following close behind. The ore fluid has low salinity, low density, and a wide temperature range, as per our microthermometric data: the S1 stage has homogenization temperatures (Th) of 236–377.6 °C (average 305.3 °C) and salinity of 3.5–10.7 wt.% NaCleqv; the S2 stage has Th of 206.5–332 °C (average 280.7 °C) and salinity of 1.6–5.1 wt.% NaCleqv; and the S3 stage has Th of 170.9–328.7 °C (average 246 °C) and salinity of 0.2–5.9 wt.% NaCleqv. Based on the results of the aforementioned investigation, the fluid inclusions in quartz, fluorite, and calcite are mainly H₂O-NaCl vapor-liquid two-phase. Additionally, examinations of inclusions in S1 wolframite and coexisting quartz using infrared and microthermometry show that the mineralizing fluid likewise belongs to the NaCl-H₂O system. The Th of inclusions in wolframite is ~40 °C higher than that of coexisting quartz. Moreover, the fluid experienced a decrease in temperature accompanied by nearly constant salinity, which indicates that wolframite precipitation is due to fluid mixing and simple cooling, and the precipitation is earlier than quartz. In situ S and H-O isotope data show that the samples have δ³⁴S = −2.58‰ to 1.84‰, and the ore fluids have δD = −76.6 to −51.5‰ (S1 and S2), and δ¹⁸O_fluid = −6.6 to −0.9‰ (S1) and −12.9 to −10.2‰ (S2). All these indicate that the mineralizing fluid was derived from the granitic magma at Qianlishan, with substantial meteoric water incursion during the ore stage. Such fluid mixing and subsequent cooling are most likely the primary controls for ore deposition.

The Pulang copper deposit, formed in the Late Triassic, is the largest porphyry Cu-Mo-Au deposit in the eastern Tethys, and its genetic type and mineralization potential have received widespread attention. Identifying the characteristics of ore-forming fluids and the sources of ore-forming materials in the deep and peripheral ore bodies of Pulang is particularly important for constructing a complete porphyry copper mineralization system. Based on detailed core logging and geological observations, this article provides extensive petrographic, fluid inclusion micro-thermometry, laser Raman spectroscopy, and H-O-S isotope data on the veins of the main mineralization stage (B veins) in the first mining area and eastern ore section of the Pulang porphyry copper deposit. The genetic correlation between the eastern ore section and the first mining area is clarified, and their mineralization potential is inferred. The results indicate that the deep vein bodies in the first mining area exhibit multi-stage characteristics, and the fluid in B veins exhibits both high-temperature and salinity characteristics. The magma-derived early ore-forming fluids underwent processes such as boiling and experienced immiscibility during meteoric water mixing, which could be the primary mechanism of the precipitation of Cu, Mo, Au, and other metals. The outer eastern ore section is located in a medium-to-low-temperature hydrothermal mineralization zone far from the mineralization center. This outer eastern ore section is a distant part of the magmatic–hydrothermal system of the first mining area.

The fluids in of pegmatite rare metal deposits are generally rich in rare metal elements and volatiles (B, P, F, H₂O, CO₂, etc.), and they have a high capacity for dissolving and migrating rare metals. The Dakalasu No. 1 rare metal pegmatite vein is located in northwest China’s Altay orogenic belt. Previous studies have indicated that it is a small- to medium-sized beryllium-niobium-tantalum deposit. It showed significant mineral assemblage zonations from the rim to the core, and the mineralizing fluids define a volatile-rich NaCl-H₂O-CO₂ ± CH₄ system. In this contribution, beryl and quartz, which are widely developed in each mineral association and textural zone, were selected for fluid inclusion research through detailed petrographic investigation, microthermometry, and LA-ICP-MS analysis. Petrographic results show that at least three types of fluid inclusions are developed in each mineral textural zone. They are CO₂-rich inclusions (type I), gas-liquid two-phase inclusions (type II), and daughter mineral-bearing inclusions (type III), respectively. Additionally, minor melt inclusions (type IV) are visible in the beryl from the rim zone. Microthermometric measurements showed that the homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions in the rim zone was concentrated between 242 °C and 293 °C, with an average of 267 °C, and the salinity was between 7.2–10.3 wt% NaCl_eqv, with an average of 8.6 wt% NaCl_eqv. In comparison, the temperature of the core zone was in the range of 225–278 °C, with an average of 246 °C, and the salinity focused between 6.0–7.7 wt% NaCl_eqv, with an average of 7.1 wt% NaCl_eqv. The quantitative analysis of individual inclusions by LA-ICP-MS revealed that Li, B, K, Zn, Rb, Sb, Cs, and As were relatively enriched in the rim zone. In contrast, the core zone showed a decreasing trend in trace elements such as Li, B, K, Rb, and Cs. The CO₂ content in the fluid exhibited the same decreasing trend from the rim to the core zone, indicating that volatile components such as CO₂ played an essential role in the migration and enrichment of rare metal elements. The melt-fluid immiscibility is likely to be a necessary mechanism for significantly enriching rare metals in the Dakalasu No. 1 pegmatite dyke.

The Nanpanjiang basin hosts the world’s second-largest concentration of Carlin-type gold deposits. To decipher the origin and evolution of hydrothermal fluid, this study conducted Sm–Nd dating, in-situ trace element, and C-O-Sr isotopic analyses on three types of calcite samples from the giant Lannigou gold deposit in the Nanpanjiang basin, SW China. The type-I calcite, intergrown with Au-bearing arsenian pyrite, has an Sm–Nd isochron age of 213 ± 7 Ma (MSWD = 0.81), indicating that gold mineralization occurred in Late Triassic. The type-II calcite, which coexists with high-maturity bitumens and cut through the main-stage gold orebodies, yields an Sm–Nd age of 188 ± 14 Ma (MSWD = 0.34), representing a post-ore hydrocarbon accumulation event. The type-I and type-II calcite samples have low REE contents (5.28–51.6 ppm) and exhibit MREE-enriched and LREE-/HREE-depleted patterns. Combined with their identical C-O-Sr isotopes, we suggest that hydrothermal fluids responsible for the precipitation of type-I and type-II calcite samples were derived from a mixed metamorphic fluid and meteoric water source. In contrast, the type-III calcite samples, associated with realgar and orpiment, have distinct Mn, Sr, and As contents, REE patterns, and C-O-Sr isotopic composition from the type-I and II calcites, suggestive of different fluid sources. Based on our and previously published data, we propose that the fluid evolution, gold mineralization, and hydrocarbon accumulation in the Nanpanjiang basin are closely related to the Indosinian and Yanshanian orogenies in South China.

The Fule deposit is a typical Cd-, Ge- and Ga-enriched Pb-Zn deposit located in the southeast of the Sichuan–Yunnan–Guizhou Pb-Zn polymetallic ore province in China. Zoned, euhedral cubic and pentagonal dodecahedral and anhedral pyrites were observed, and they are thought to comprise two generations. First generation pyrite (Py1) is homogeneous and entirely confined to a crystal core, whereas second generation pyrite (Py2) forms bright and irregular rims around the former. Second generation pyrite also occurs as a cubic and pentagonal dodecahedral crystal in/near the ore body or as an anhedral crystal generally closed to the surrounding rock. The content of S, Fe, Co, and Ni in Py1 are from 52.49 to 53.40%, 41.91 to 44.85%, 0.19 to 0.50% and 0.76 to 1.55%, respectively. The values of Co/Ni, Cu/Ni and Zn/Ni are from 0.22 to 0.42, 0.02 to 0.08 and 0.43 to 1.49, respectively, showing that the Py1 was formed in the sedimentary diagenetic stage. However, the contents of S, Fe, Co, and Ni in Py2 are in the range from 51.67 to 54.60%, 45.01 to 46.52%, 0.03 to 0.07% and 0.01 to 0.16%, respectively. The Co/Ni, Cu/Ni and Zn/Ni values of Py2 are from 0.40 to 12.33, 0.14 to 13.70 and 0.04 to 74.75, respectively, which is characterized by hydrothermal pyrite (mineralization stage). The different δ³⁴S values of the Py1 (−34.9 to −32.3‰) and the Py2 (9.7 to 20.5‰) indicate that there are at least two different sources of sulfur in the Fule deposit. The sulfur in Py1 was derived from the bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR), whereas the sulfur in the ore-forming fluids (Py2) was derived from the thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR). The main reasons for the different morphologies of pyrite in the regular spatial distribution in the Fule deposit are temperature and sulfur fugacity.