Geology and new perspectives of the Heiniudong copper deposit and its surrounding areas in Jiulong,Sichuan

The Heiniudong copper deposit formed during the Yanshanian is hosted in the extensional ductile shear zones of the Jianglang metamorphic core complexes. The metabasic volcanic rocks within the copper deposit have been highly mineralized and altered. The extensional ductile shear zones display the structural features of extensional or tenso-shear faulting. The copper deposit is likely to be the ductile shear zone type, and polyphyletic, polyphase and polygenetic. The controlling factors include the Yanshanian extensional ductile shearing and late brittle faulting. Further exploration should be expected for the extensional ductile shear zones where the metabasic volcanic rocks are well developed, mineralized, altered, and associated with late extensional or tenso-shear faulting.