Geochronological and geochemical constraints on the Wuyi tungsten metallogenic belt, South China

The Wuyi metallogenic belt is a key part of the world-class South China tungsten province, but its metallogenic regularities are poorly constrained. Here, we present chronological and geochemical data from U–Pb geochronology, O isotopes, and trace elements in zircon, monazite, and wolframite for the Xingluokeng large-scale, Guomuyang medium-scale, and Beikeng small-scale W deposits in this belt. This study reports the first granite emplacement ages and W mineralization ages for the Guomuyang and Beikeng deposits. The results show that the Guomuyang biotite granite (∼435 Ma) and the Beikeng early-stage biotite granite (410–413 Ma) were emplaced during the Early Paleozoic, but these host granites have no direct genetic relationship with the Late Jurassic W mineralization (Guomuyang, ∼144 Ma; Beikeng, ∼150 Ma). This interpretation is further supported by the weakly fractionated nature of the Early Paleozoic granites, such as high K/Rb and low Rb/Sr ratios. The fertile granites are interpreted respectively as a concealed intrusion at Guomuyang and a younger muscovite granite cupola at Beikeng. Wolframite from these three deposits exhibits consistent REE patterns and δ 18 O values (Guomuyang, 2.92–4.76‰; Beikeng, 2.44–3.71‰; Xingluokeng, 3.50–4.70‰), indicating a magmatic-hydrothermal origin typical of quartz-vein-type W deposits. However, significant differences exist in trace element compositions: wolframite from Xingluokeng exhibits higher Nb, Ta, and Sc and lower Nb/Ta ratios than Guomuyang and Beikeng. This fluid signature is consistent with a highly differentiated, reduced, and acidic magmatic-hydrothermal system, which would have favored efficient tungsten transport, thereby likely contributing to the substantially higher WO 3 endowment at Xingluokeng. Overall, these chronological and geochemical data, together with those from other W deposits in the same belt, indicate that granitic magmatism and W mineralization in the Wuyi metallogenic belt peaked in the Late Jurassic, showing a strong temporal correlation with the adjacent Nanling metallogenic belt.