Combination features and exploration significance of natural heavy minerals from tin deposits

To investigate the combination characteristics of natural heavy minerals reflected by different types of tin deposits, the authors gathered statistic data of the occurrence situation of 35 typical tungsten deposits (mining areas) from seven provinces or autonomous region of Yunnan, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hunan, Qinghai and Guangxi, calculated the frequencies of occurrence of many kinds of natural heavy minerals, and worked out the mineral assemblages of skarn, hydrothermal and porphyry tin deposits as well as the typomorphic minerals. The results show that they have a certain sameness in mineral association, such as the existence of cassiterite + scheelite (or wolframite) assemblage without exception, and also show some differences; for example, the frequency of occurrence of garnet is relatively high for the skarn type tin deposit, whereas he frequency of occurrence of zircon is relatively high for the porphyry type tin deposit. The natural heavy mineral assemblage based on deposit type is of great significance for the formulation of the ore-prospecting model of natural heavy minerals.