DSpace at VNU: Formations of endogenous ore deposits and mineralization in VietNam

VNU Jo u rn al of Scicnce, E arth Scicnces 24 (2008) 26-31

Formations of endogenous ore deposits
and mineralization in Vietnam
Nguyen Van Nhan
Colỉege of Science, VNU
R eceived 14 January 2008; received in revised form 05 M arch 2008

A b strạct. F o rm atio n s of c n d o g e n o u s ore deposits an d m in era liza tio n arc vvidely d istrib u te d in
V ietnam . D etailed stu d ie s allow for d istin g u ish in g 30 o rc fo rm a tio n s re p rc se n tin g 9 g ro u p s of
m incral ra w - m atcrials: Cr, Ti, Fe, Sn - w , Mo, Pb - Zn, A u, Sb - H g. T h re e of p re sen ted íorm atio n s
are of m a g m a tic affiliation, one is pegm atitic, thrcc o th c rs bclong to sk a rn m in eralizatio n and tho
rc m ain in g o n es arc of h y d ro th c rm a l - volcanic and controvcrsial origin. T hree m etallogcnic epochs
can bc d istin g u ish c d : P roterozoic/ Palaeo/.oic and M esozoic - C ainozoic. T aking into considcratio n
th e reccnt stru c tu ra l d a ta and cconom ic im portance along vvith th c gcochem ical u n its can be
d istin g u ish e d in V ictnam : 1. Sialic - m afic Viet Bac; 2. M aíic T ay Bac; 3. Sialic T ru o n g Son; 4. M aíic m e ta m o rp h ic K ontum ; 5. Sialic - alkalinc Dalat - N am Bo.
Keyioords: E n d o g cn o u s ore deposit; M incralization.

V ietnam an d other countries of SE Asia
cover an o u tstan d in g area of the Crossing of
tw o structural a n d m etallogenic belts: Paciíic
and M editerranean. Sim ultaneously, this area
is an activc Continental m argin A b undant and
variable ore m ineralization is knovvn with the
íam ous vv - Sn b elt and deposits of Cr, Cu, Zn
- Pb, Au, Sb - Hg, Bi, M o and REE.
Geological h istory of the investigated area
is influenced by the developm ent of the two
large adjacent structures: Southern China
platíorm and In d o - C hina íolckbelt. Typical
ícature of V ietnam area is the M esozoic and

Cainozoic activization structures. N um crous
intrusions ran g in g in age írom Proterozoic to
Cainozoic w ere íorm ed in tectono - m agm atic

cycles operating w ithin the íold bclts and
activated areas.
D etailed stu d ies allow for distinguishing
30 ore ío ư n atio n s representing 9 groups oí
m ineral raw - m aterials: Cr, Ti, Fe (Fig. 1), Sn w (Fig. 2), Mo, Zn - Pb, Au, Sb - Hg (Fig. 3).
T hree of presented íorm ations are of
m agm atic aííiliation, one is pegm atitic, three
others belong to skarn m ineralization and the
rem aining ones are of hydrotherm al volcanic and controversial origin.
Three m etallogenic epochs can be
distinguished: Proterozoic/ Palaeozoic and
M esozoic - Cainozoic. A rchean endogenous
m ineralization is poorely know n but others
contain num erous, genetically diversiíied
m agm atic and post - m agm atic deposits.

♦TeL: 84-984973786.

26


Nguyên Van Nhan / VNU Ịoum al of Science, Enrth Sciences 24 (2008) 26-3Ĩ

CHINA

27

connected
vvith
basic
m etavolcanics
(grcenschists) also belong to this stage.
Palaeozoic m etallogenic epoch em braces
several ore - íorm ations. Few ultrabasic basic intrusions contain Cu - Ni and Ti m agnetite m ineralization. Pegm atites related
to Late - Palaeozoic granite intrusions host
cassiterite íorm ation w ith accom panying Nb
and Ta. G alena - sphalerite íorm ation w ith Pb
- Sb sulphosalts is connected vvith granite grano - syenite intrusions and associated
liparite - trachites.

Fig. 1. S hem e of Cr, Ti, Fe orc ío rm atio n s in V ictnam
Metalỉogenic units: I. V iet Bac; II. T ay Bac; III. T m o n g
Son; IV. Kon Tum ; V. Da Lat - N am Bo; VI. T he C r
ore d ep o sits (1. N ui N ua, 2. H o n V ang); VII. T he Ti
o re d cp o sits (3. N u i C hua, 4. T am ki, 5. Xa Hicu);
VIII. T h e Fe o re d c p o s its (6. C ao B ang, 7. H a Tinh, 8.

CAWBOOlA

Trai C au, 9. L ang K huan, 10. Linh N ham ).

D uring Proterozoic the area of Vietnam
vvas a p ro to - geosynclinal - proto Continental
area m arked by basaltoid - granitoid
m agm atism . In th e initial geosynclinal stage
sedim entary - volcanic pile of considerable

thickness vvas deposited. Basic volcanic and
meta - gabbros (ophiolite type) contain
chalcopyrite - m agnetite - ortite íorm ation
(s.c., Cu - pyrites) vvithin m etasom atic rocks
of Proterozoic
basem ent.
Pyrite
and
polym etalic Cu - p y rite íorm ations genetically

0

Fig. 2. S hem e of Sn -

100

200

300

km

w ore ío rm atio n s in V ietnam .

Metaỉlogenic units: I. V iet Bac; II. T ay Bac; III. T ru ô n g
Son; IV. Kon T um ; V. Da Lat - N am Bo; VI. T he Sn -

w ore d ep o sits (39. T inh Tuc, 40. T am

Dao, 41. Q u y

H op, 42. Kim C uong, 43. Ban C h ien g , 44. P h u Loi).


28

N guy en Van Nhan / VNU Ịourrnl o f Science, Enrth Sciences 24 (2008) 26-32

Post - P crm ian rejuvenation of tectonic
and m agm atic activity in the w holc area of
Vietnam resulted in n um erous valuable ore
and other raw - m aterial deposits. Two
m etallogenic epochs can be distinguished:
C im m erian a n d Alpine.
C im m erian epoch includes deposits and
m ineralizatíon of Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb - Zn, Mo,
Sn, w , Sb - H g, Au - Ag. In the Black River
depression P erm o - Triassic basic volcanics
are com m on w ith the related íorm ations of
pyrites, Cu - pyrites, chalcopyrite - quartz
and native coppcr. M agnetite - hem atite
hydrotherm al - m etasom atic íorm ation can
also be connected vvith this basic volcanism.
C hrom ite ío rm atio n occurs in Permo Triassic apo - harzb u rg itc intrusions locatcd
along the d cep fault structure of Ma Rivcr.
Ilm enite - Ti - m agnetite m ineralization is
knovvn from the w id esp read U pper Triassic
basic intrusions, w hcreas Cu - Ni íorm ation is
hostcd in P erm o - Triassic serpcntinizcd
dunitcs. G ranite - granodiorite complexes

(Perm o - Triassic) providc num erous othcr
íorm ations: sp h aleritc - galena in carbonate
rocks, sp h aleritc - galena - pyrite arsenopyrite, an d galena - q u artz in granites,
m agnctite
in
skarns
and
syderite.
G ranodiorite - m ozonite intrusions (100 - 190
my) contain m olybdenite - chalcopyrite
íorm ation.
Sub
volcanic
intrusions
accom panied by acid - alkaline volcanics
Qurassic - C retaceous) are connccted vvith
galena - sp h alerite íorm ation w ith Pb - Sb
sulphosalts.

Fig. 3. S hcm c of C u, Pb - Zn, Au, Sb - Hg, Mo orc
íorm ations in V ictnam .
Metalỉogenic units: I. Viet Bac; II. Tay Bac; III. T ru o n g
Son; IV. Kon Tum ; V. Da Lat - N am Bo; VI. The Cu
ore d ep o sits (11. Sin Q uyen, 12. Son La, 13. C ao Bang,
14. T ra Lam, 15. Van Sai, 16. L uong Son, 17. N ui N ua,
18. Bac G iang); VII. T he Pb - Z n o re d cp o sits (19.
N g an Son, 20. C ho Dien, 21. L ang Hit, 22. Q u an Son,
23. Mi Duc, 24. Tu Le, 25. N a Son, 26. D uc Bo, 27. Phu
Loi); VIII. T he Au o rc d cp o sits (28. Bong M ieu, 29.
P ac Lan); IX. T he Sb - Hg o re d cp o sits (30. C hiem

H oa, 31. Ba Thuoc, 32. D ien Bicn, 33. Bac Thai, 34.
Yen Vo); X. T he Mo ore d e p o sits (35. Sapa, 36. N ui
Sam, 37. K rongía, 38. N ui Dat).


Nguỵen Van Nhan / V N U Ịonrĩiaỉ of Science, Eartk Sciences 24 (2008) 26-31

Alpine
m etallogenic
epoch
is
characterized by ore deposits of Sn, Mo, Zn Pb, Ag - Au, Sb - Bi, u an d REE vvith the
lcading deposits of Sn, w , M o and REE.
sphalerite - galena - cassiterite íorm ation rich
in Ag along vvith Au - q u artz - sulphide
íorm ation are connected w ith U pper Cretaceous granites and leucogranites. Au Sb íorm ation is spatially related to the Sn and
Zn - Pb - Ag ores. Tin deposits belonging to
cassiterite - vvolíramite - q u artz and cassiterite

29

- silicate - sulphide íorm ations are hosted in
U pper Cretaceous tw o - mica granites. In
Southern Vietnam quartz - m olybdenite veins
cut C retareous leucoeratic - biotitic granite
massifs. Palaeogene granite - granosyenite
intrusions provide Sn and Zn - Pb ores
belonging to cassiterite - silicate - sulphide,
cassiterite and gaỉena - sphalerite íormations
in skarns, m olybdcnite - q u artz íorm ation

and m olybdenite - uraninite One.

T ablc 1. M ctallogcnic epochs in V ictnam
Epochs

O rc com plcx
Rcỉate to m ctaso m atic rocks

PR - PZ1
Relate to g re en sch ist
Rolate to u ltra m a íic - m aíic in tru sio n s
PZ

- C h alcopyrite - m ag n etite - o rth itc
Sin Q uyen
(Cu - py rite)
Bo Xinh, D uc Phu,
- Pyrito
- P olym etalic C u - pyrite
D uc Bo
- Pyrrhotite - pcntlandite - chalcopyritc T ra Lam, Dac Sa
- Um cnite Ti - m agnetite

T am Ky, Xa H ieu

Rclate to g ran ito id

- C assiterite in p egm atite

Kim C uong

R eỉate to alk alin c acid cx tru sio n

- G alena - sp h alcritc ío rm atio n vvith
N a Son
Pb - Sb su lp h o salts

1
R elate to basic cx tru sio n

C im m erian

O rc d cp o sits

O rc íorm ation

- Pyrite

Song Da

- Pyrite - Z n - Pb - C u

V an
Sai,
H uong

- C halcopyrit - q u artz
- N ative co p p e r

Ban M ua

- M agnctite - hem atite

Trai C au

Rclatc to ap o - h a rz b u g ite

- C h ro m ite

C o D inh

Relate to d u n ite, g ab b ro , p erid o tite

P y rrh o tite
chalcopyrite

Rclate to gabbro

- Iỉm enite Ti - m agnetite

-

p e n tlan d ite

Ban

Xang,

Q uy

C ao

B ang
C ay C!ham

- Sphalerite - galena in carbonate rock D ien Bicn
- S p h alerite - gaicn a
Relate
to
g ra n o d io rit

g ran ite,

- D icn Bien
- P hiabioc

- V an C an h
- P h u Trai
U n k n o w n relate to m ag m a

Relate to g ra n o d io rite - m o zo n ite

- p y rite -

arsen o p y rite

C ho D ien

- M agnctite - hem atitc

T hai N g u y en

- M agnetite in sk a m s

H a T inh, N a Rua

- Sidcrite

Ban P hang

- G alena - q u a rtz in g ran ite

T ien

T h u an ,

An

K he

- B ornite - chalcocite

Bac G iang,
Son

- A n tim o n ite - q u a rtz

Q u a n g N in h

- M olybđenitc - chalcopyrite

K rongía

- G alena - q u a rtz in g ran ite

Gia Bac

M au


N guy en Van Nhan / VNU Ịourtial of Science, Earth Sciences 24 (2008) 26-31

30

O re d ep o sits
O rc ío rm atio n
G
aỉena
sp
h
aleritc
ío
rm
atio
n
vvith
R elate to su b p lu to n an d alkaline acid
Tu Le
Pb - Sb su lp h o salts
e x tru sio n

O re com plex

E pochs

R elate to g ra n itc - g ran o sy en itc
R clate to b asa n ite an d csite

- C assiterite - w olfram itc - q u artz

M epu

- M olybdenitc - w olfram ite

Nui Dat

Pyrite w ith Au, Ag

Thu D uc

- S phalerite - gaỉena - cassiteritc
ío rm atio n rich in Ag
R elate

to

g ra n itc

- - Piaoak

MZ
KZ

-

A lp in e

leu co g ran ite

- D co Ca

R elato

to

granitc,

- Au - q u a rtz - su lp h id o

Pac Lan

- C assiterite - vvolíram ite - q u artz

Tinh Tuc

- C assiterite - silicatc - s u lp h ỉd e

Tam D ao

- Au - an tim o n ite

C hiem H oa

- M olybdenite - quart7.

N ui Sam

- C assiterite - w olfram ite * q u a rtz
Song C hu, Ban
- C assitcrite - silicatc - su lp h id e
C hicng
- C assiterite in sk am

g ra n o sy e n ite
Y eycnsun

Bu Me
Q uy H op
Phu Loi

- G alcna - sp h aleritc in skarn

Ke T ang

- M olybdcnite - q u a r t/

Sapa

- M olybdcnite - u ra n in ite

Vi Kem

- C h alcopyritc w ith

Taking into consideration recent structural
data and econom ic im portancc along w ith the
geochem ical character of m ineralizations, five
large m incralogical units can be distinguished
in Vietnam as íollovvs:
1. Sialic - m aíic Viet Bac;
2. Mafic Tay Bac;
3. Sialic T ru o n g Son;
4. M aíic - m etam o rp h ic Kon Tum;
5. Siaỉic - alkaline Da Lat - N am Bo.
The tvvo íirst units belong to Vietnam C hon fold belt vvhcreas the rem aining
represents Indo - C hina fold belt. A part from
that, tw o sep arate zones w ere distinguished:
M uong Te and H a Tien vvhich are the parts of
Thailand - M alay geosynclinal - fold belt.
Each unit reveal typical m etalogenic íeatures
controlled by tectonic - structural development:
1. Viet Bac: Sn - vv, Zn - Pb, Au, Sb - Hg;
2. Tay Bac: Cu, Cu - Ni, pyrites, Cr, Mo,
REE, Zn - Pb;
3. Truong Son: Sn - vv, Zn - Pb, Fe, Au, Sb - Hg;
4. Kontum : Au;
5. D alat - N am Bo: Mo, Bi.

N gan Son

u, REE

Sin Q uyen

Endogenous ore - íorm ing processes are
clearly coníincd to the m agm atic and tectonic
activity in the speciíic geological epochs. The
íirst g ro u p em braces deposits of Cr, Ni, Co,
Cu, Cu - Ni, Fe (contact - metasom atic), Ti
and pyrites, all of them connected vvith
basic/ultrabasic intrusions and located along
the íaults. The second group em braces
polym etallic Zn - Pb, Ag, Sb, Hg, Au, Sn - w
and rare - m ctal deposits genetically related
to granites and/or granodiorites and occuring
within the tectonic blocks or, commonly, at
the contacts betvveen tw o areas of diffcrcnt
structural and íacial characters. The crucial
íactor controlling thc m etallogeny of this
territory vvas m agm atic/tectonic activization
cycle in Mesozoic and Cainozoic.
Endogenous m ineralization in Vietnam
bears the m etallogenic íeatures of the Paciíic
belt vvith typical Sn - vv, Mo, Zn - Pb and Au
deposits. M editcrranean belt íeaturcs can be
observed in Tay Eac unit vvith the typical Cu,
Cu - Ni, pyrites, Cu - polym etallic pyrite
deposits.

N guy en Van Nhan / V N U Ịoumal of Science, Enrth Sciences 24 (2008) 26-3Ĩ

Reíerences

31

[3| N gu y cn Van N han, F orm ations of en d o g cn o u s
ore d ep o sits an d m in e ra li/a tio n in V ietnam ,

[1] D inh Van Dien ct aỉ., M ineraỉs and resources of

Scientiíic b u ỉletin s o í Stanislavv stas/.ic A cadem y

Vietnam - generaỉ o f development o f Ceology and

of M in in g an d M etallurgy, K rakow / P oỉand,

Mineraìs of Vietnam, D e p a rtm e n t of G eology a n d

Geology bulletin No. 38 (1988) 134.

M inerals of V ietnam , H anoi, 1995, 254.
[2] N gu v en Van N h a n , Polymetaỉlic Ore/ormations in
North o/V ietnam , IV, GEOSEA, M alina, Philipin,
1981.

[4] N g u y c n V an N han, F orm ations of e n d o g c n o u s
ore d cp o sits in V ietnam , Ịournal ofGeology, series
A, N o. 234 (1996) 7 (in V ictnam ese).