Geochronology of the L imu W – S n– N b– T a‐Bearing Granite Pluton in South C hina

L imu W – S n– N b– T a mining district is located in the N anling R ange W – S n poly‐metallic mineralization belt in south C hina. The district includes a number of S n– N b– T a and W – S n ore occurrences; all of them are spatially associated with granite stocks of a largely‐unexposed pluton, the L imu granitic pluton. A granite sample collected from the S n– N b– T a‐bearing Jinzhuyuan granite stock yields a zircon SHRIMP U – P b age of 218.3 ± 2.4 Ma, a muscovite 40 Ar/ 39 Ar plateau age of 212.4 ± 1.4 Ma, and a muscovite 40 Ar/ 39 Ar isochron age of 213.2 ± 2.2 Ma. Another granite sample collected from the W – S n‐bearing Sangehuangniu granite stock yields a zircon SHRIMP U – P b age of 214 ± 5 Ma. The geochronological data provide new constraints on the age of the L imu granite pluton and the timing of the associated W – S n– N b– T a mineralization—at least it sets a reasonable upper age limit for the mineralization of the W – S n– N b– T a ores. The reported ages suggest an active L ate T riassic granitic magmatism in L imu area which is part of a regional magmatic event near the end of the Indosinian orogeny in south C hina.