Geology and exploration potential of the Mazhala gold deposit,Cuomei, Xizang: An approach

The Mazhala gold deposit as an earliest discovered gold deposit in the Zhaxikang mining district is located on the southern margin of the Lungzi thrust in the southern part of Tethyan Himalaya,north of the south Tibetan detachment fault system. A geological mapping within the extent of 30 km² is currently carried out in the Mazhala gold deposit and its adjacent area in this study. The stratigraphic system in the mining district is redefined, and widespread magmatic rocks has newly been recognized. The fault framework is reshaped,and the deformation stages in the mining district are preliminarily determined. According to the regional geological characteristics and recent findings in the geological survey,and geophysical and geochemical anomalies,a new model for orecontrolling structures is tentatively constructed. Further exploration of this gold deposit should be focused on the EW-trending faults and their secondary fractures within the overthrust system. These faults are ramps and backthrusts. They are extruded in the early stages and extended in the later periods. The emphasis should be placed on the structural alteration type gold deposit in these structures. The results in this study may have important significance for the deployment and arrangement in the future exploration of the Mazhala gold deposit.