Geological characteristics and mineralization model of sericite ore deposits in the Liji-Sanheji area, Chuzhou, Anhui Province

The Zhangbaling area in Chuzhou of Anhui Province is endowed with abundant sericite deposits. Discovery of a number of sericite deposits during the past few years made the area an important producing area for sericite resources in China. In combination with previous data available and 1:50 000 regional geological survey in the Liji-Sanheji area, in this paper, we summarize regional geological background, deposit characteristics and genesis, and ore-forming controlling factors to establish a regional metallogenic model of the sercite deposits. The study shows that the deposit is controlled by strata of the Xilengyan Formation in Qingbaihou Period, the protolith of which was one set of marine volcano rocks intercalated with terrigenous clastic rocks, which belong to spilite-quartz keratophyre formation, i.e. sericite schist resulted from low-degree greenschist facies metamorphism. Genesis of sericite deposits in the area belongs to volcano-sedimentary metamorphism and the main mineralization occurred in Indosinian period, which is also the main stage of metamorphism and defomation of the Xilengyan Formation.