LA-ICPMS U-Pb age of zircon from basalt of Matoutan Group in Shilipo native copper area, eastern Tianshan, Xiniang

The native copper mineralization occurring in the Matoutan Group was discovered in the Shilipo area in Eastern Tianshan of North Xinjiang. According to LA-ICPMS age of zircon, the crystallization age of the orebearing basalts in Matoutan Group is 307 ± 4Ma, corresponding to the late Carboniferous. It indicates that the Matoutan Group belonged to Upper Carboniferous stratum, volcanic rocks in the Matoutan Group as well as the native copper mineralization were formed in a post-collisional tectonic setting, The tectonic setting, minerogenetic: system and mineralisation type of the native copper mineralisation in the study area are different from those in Emeishan flood basalts, southwest China and the Keweenaw in America, which may result from different genesis.