Abstract:

Qinghai Province is located in the Northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, where the Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun and the northern Qiangtang-Sanjiang orogens are amalgamated. It has experienced the formation and development of the basement, spreading, subduction, closure and collision of the Proto-Paleo-Neo Tethys Ocean, and plateau uplift process. In the long-term geological tectonic evolution, different metallogenic processes occur and are accompanied by a series of ore deposits in a specific time and space. Based on the latest mineral exploration achievements obtained since the implementation of the “Qinghai 358 Geological Exploration Engineering” and “Strategic Action of Prospecting Breakthrough”, 137 kinds of minerals, 895 deposits and 4 597 ore (chemical) points have been analyzed. A systematic summary and study of the tectonic environment, metallogenic geological conditions, metallogenic characteristics, metallogenic processes, genetic types, metallogenic ages and metallogenic regularities, using the metallogenic series theory proposed by Chen Yuchuan et al., 14 metallogenic series groups, 46 metallogenic series, 76 metallogenic sub-series and 131 ore deposit types of major deposits in Qinghai Province were divided. Finally, 11 metallogenic series groups, 25 metallogenic series, 44 metallogenic sub-series and 63 typical ore deposit types with the most prospecting prospects are proposed, and a brief summary and analysis are made according to metallogenic zones.

Key words: metallogenic series, ore deposit type, prospecting potential, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Qinghai Province