A cooperative research program involving scientists from the United States and China is proposed to investigate the geochemical characteristics of copper and gold-bearing skarn deposits of the Ji Long Ores of the Yangxin-Daye area of Hubei Province, China. The goals of the proposed research are to establish geochemical characteristics of the ores and to determine the conditions of formation. Systematic field sampling in the Ji Long deposits using field and mine exposures and an extensive drill core library will be followed by detailed petrographic and electron microprobe analyses of ore and gangue minerals. The data obtained will be used to define the mineralogy and mineral chemistry within the deposits and to establish paragenetic sequences. This information will be complemented by detailed fluid inclusion studies, including standard microthermometry and laser Raman analyses, to define the composition and physical state of the mineralizing fluids. The project provides an excellent opportunity for cooperative research between the American and Chinese scientists and builds upon their respective knowledge and strengths of sulfide ore mineralogy and field relationships of the ores. Collaborative field sampling in China will be followed by detailed mineralogical and analytical studies in the United States. The information derived will be employed to define the geochemical and physical conditions of ore formation and aid in understanding where the skarn deposits form around the intrusions of the district.
