Gejiu Cassiterite-Polymetallic Sulphide Deposit, Yunnan

This is a major tin polymetallic deposit (China’s tin capital) located in Gejiu City, Yunnan Province. The Gejiu cassiterite-polymetallic sulphide deposit mainly produces tin ore that is intergrown and associated with other metallic ores, such as copper, tungsten, bismuth, lead and silver. The north-south-oriented Gejiu Fault divides the deposit into eastern and western parts, and the major tin ore fields are concentrated in the eastern part. These include the 5 large ore fields, namely, Malage, Songshujiao, Gaosong, Laochang and Kafang from north to south. The western part contains the Niushipo large tin ore field and tens of small- and medium-size tin and lead ore beds (points). The formation of the deposit was related to a granite intrusion in the middle and late Yanshan period, after which the magmatic tin sulphide and polymetallic ores were deposited in sand on the eroded granite slope at the surface. The deposit has a long mining history. The ‘Han Book–Geographic Chronicle’...