# Genesis of the Baiyangping Cu-Co and Pb-Zn Mineralizations in Lamping Basin, SW China
## 1 Introduction  
The classification of sediment-hosted Pb-Zn deposits consists of Mississippi Valley-type (MVT), vein-type, or clastic-dominated deposits. Sediment-hosted Pb-Zn deposits are major sources of Pb and Zn and significant sources of Ag and Ge, whereas Cu mineralization is generally rare yet economically important [1; 2; 3; 4; 5]. Such Pb-Zn deposits rich in Cu-Co and hosted in siliciclastic and dolomitic rocks often have mixed mineralizing fluid sources, such as basinal brines relating to magmatic-hydrothermal or metamorphic fluids [6; 7; 8; 9; 10].  
The currently known sediment deposits include those located in the Otavi Mountain Land of Namibia; in the Goodsprings district of Nevada, America; and in the Leeuwbosch and Thabazimbi district of Cornwall [11; 12; 13; 14]. The rarity of such types of sediment-hosted deposits appears to reflect a more complex genesis, which deserves detailed studies.  
To distinguish the coexistence and precipitation mechanisms involved in the formation of sediment deposits, we chose to study the Baiyangping Cu-Co-Pb-Zn metallogenic district in the Mesozoic to Cenozoic Lamping Basin of SW China [15; 16; 17; 18]. The mineralization is widespread in the central part of the basin, which is located within the eastern part of the Indian-Asian collisional zone (Figure 1).  
The Baiyangping deposit, a typical sediment-hosted Cu-Co-Pb-Zn deposit that the homonymous metallogenic district is named after, is controlled by faults cutting through Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous siliciclastic and carbonate rocks. It is located at the intersection of the ESE-trending Wudichang and northerly trending Xiayanshan faults [18]. Previous studies on the Baiyangping Cu-Co-Pb-Zn deposit focused on its geology, mineralization, fluid inclusions, isotopes, and geochronology [19; 20; 21; 22; 23]. Despite extensive studies on the deposit, none of them have conclusively determined its genesis [24; 25; 26]. The mineralization in the area is considered to have been formed either after a magmatic-hydrothermal activity driven by concealed plutons or a focused influx of basinal brines originating from sedimentary sequences [24; 26; 27; 28]. These opposing interpretations point to the necessity for a more integrated approach regarding the deposit's genesis. Such a study requires a better understanding of the structural, lithological, and geochemical parameters controlling the deposit. Furthermore, knowledge of the genesis and ore-forming controllers for the Baiyangping polymetallic districts is considered essential in determining vectors for prospectors to find similar deposits in this tectonic setting, which extends to the north and south along the Cenozoic Tethys Orogen.  
This paper reports an integrated study on the geological and isotopic characteristics of Cu-Co and Pb-Zn ones in the Baiyangping deposit, based on new data presented in this work and other published journals. The genesis of this mineralization is discussed in regard to its tectonic setting, source, deposition, and diagenesis.  
Figure 1: Simplified geological maps: (**a**) Lamping Basin; reprinted with permission from Ref. [9], 2018 Wiley. (**b**) Baiyangping Cu–Co–Pb–Zn deposit; reprinted with permission from Ref. [10], 2016 Wiley.