Proterozoic low-grade metamorphic rocks, comprising the Lengjiaxi group (base) with sandy, greyish green slates and locally phyllites, and the Banxi group (top), consisting of (a) the Madiyi Formation of red slates, locally interbedded with sandy rocks and sandstones, and (b) the Wuqiangxi Formation of sandy, greyish green slates, arkoses and sandstones. The Madiyi Formation is a very important host unit for gold deposits in northwestern Hunan. The mineralization is controlled by the E-W striking Woxi thrust fault and by anticlines and synclines. At the fault, the Madiyi Formation dips under the younger Wuqiangxi Formation. To the southwest, the Lengjiaxi Group is disconformably overlain by the Madiyi Formation. The stratabound orebodies occur in red slates of the Madiyi Formation and may be associated with a magmatic intrusion.
The deposit was discovered in 1875 and since then has been continuously exploited. Reserves amount to 1.76 million tons of ore, grading at 12.98 g/t Au, 6.45% Sb and 0.47% WO3. Currently, about 800 tons of ore is mined and processed per day. There are several mines in the ore field, including Hongyanxi, Lijiaxi, Shangwoxi (Upper Woxi), Shilupenggong, Sujiaxi, Xiangxi and Yuershan.
References
- Zhengxiang Bao (1988): Occurrence features, metallogenesis and exploration guide of a stratabound scheelite deposit in western Hunan. Geology and Prospecting 24(3), 15-20.
- Jianyan Li (1989): Geological features of the Woxi Au-Sb-W ore deposit. Geology and Prospecting 25(12), 1-7.
- Zhenxiang Bao (1990): Geological features and exploration guides of the W-Sb-As-Au deposits in western Hunan Province. Geology and Prospecting 26(2), 17-23.
- Ying Li (1996): Geochemistry of Strata-Bound Tungsten Deposits. In: Tu Guangzhi (ed.): "Geochemistry of Strata-Bound Deposits in China", Science Press (Beijing), 549-564.
- Xiongwei Hu, Satoshi Murao, and Xuchang Huang (1996): Genetic model of gold-antimony-tungsten mineralization: evidence from geology and mineralization of the Wuxi deposit, Hunan, China. Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Japan 47(11), 577-597.
- Sixue Yang, Blum, N., Rahders, E., and Zhenru Zhang (1998): The nature of invisible gold in sulfides from the Xiangxi Au-Sb-W ore deposit in Northwestern Hunan, People's Republic of China. Canadian Mineralogist 36, 1361-1372.
- Schulz, O., Vavtar, F., and Xuexiang Gu (2002): Stratiforme Sb-W-Au-Lagerstätte Woxi in Hunan, China. Erzmetall 55(10), 547-552 (in German with English anstract).
- Bo Peng, Guanghao Chen, and Piestrzynski, A. (2003): Ore mineralogy of stibnite ore-veins and its genetic implications for the W-Sb-Au ore deposit at Woxi, Western Hunan, China. Acta Mineralogica Sinica 23(1), 82-90.
- Bo Peng and Frei, R. (2004): Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic constraints on metal and fluid sources in W-Sb-Au mineralization at Woxi and Liaojiaping (Western Hunan, China). Mineralium Deposita 39, 313-327.
- Bo Peng, Piestrzynski, A., Liu Shengyou, and Pieczonka, J. (2007): Gold-antimony mineral phases observed in pyrite grains in the Woxi W-Sb-Au deposit, western Hunan, China. Geological Bulletin of China 26(5).
- Xuexiang Gu, Schulz, O., Vavtar, F., Jianming Liu, Minghua Zheng, and Shaohong Fu (2007): Rare earth element geochemistry of the Woxi W-Sb-Au deposit, Hunan Province, South China. Ore Geology Reviews 31(1-4), 319-336.
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