Skarn-type　Pb　(lead)–Zn　(zinc)　polymetallic　deposits　are　not　only　important　sources　of　Pb　and　Zn　but　also　critical　metals　such　as　Cd,　In,　Ge,　and　Ga.　Significant　numbers　of　skarn-type　(or　magmato-hydrothermal)　Pb–Zn　deposits　have　been　identified　within　the　Xuancheng　ore　district　of　the　Middle　and　Lower　Yangtze　River　metallogenic　belt　of　eastern　China.　However,　these　Pb–Zn　deposits　are　understudied　compared　to　the　well-documented　porphyry-type　Cu–Au,　skarn-type　Cu–W　and　Cu–Mo　deposits　within　this　district.　In　addition,　the　controls　and　nature　of　the　deportment　of　critical　metals　within　Pb–Zn　deposits　also　remain　poorly　constrained,　including　identification　of　substitution　processes　and　the　sources　of　these　metals　within　these　Pb-Zn　systems.　The　potential　genetic　link　between　the　Maweishan　deposit　and　the　adjacent　Qiaomaishan　deposit　also　remains　uncertain,　with　some　research　considering　that　the　Maweishan　deposit　is　a　distal　part　of　the　Qiaomaishan　skarn　system　whereas　other　research　suggests　that　these　are　independent　skarn　systems.　This　study　addresses　these　issues　using　new　evidence　of　the　timing　of　mineralization　obtained　by　the　in-situ　U–Pb　dating　of　the　garnet　from　the　Maweishan　deposit.　This　garnet　yields　a　well-defined　lower-intercept　U–Pb　age　of　132.3　±　1.4　Ma,　consistent　with　a　zircon　U–Pb　age　for　the　proximal　Maweishan　quartz　diorite　(132.4　±　0.9　Ma).　This,　combined　with　the　spatial　relationships　of　alteration　and　mineralization　within　the　deposit,　strongly　suggests　that　the　proximal　quartz　diorite　is　genetically　related　to　the　formation　of　the　Maweishan　deposit　and　this　deposit　is　not　a　distal　manifestation　of　the　Qiaomaishan　skarn　system.　Sphalerite　from　the　Maweishan　deposit　also　contains　high　levels　of　the　critical　metals　Cd　[3480–5107　parts　per　million　(ppm)],　In　(78.3–407　ppm)　and　Ga　(22.4–348　ppm).　The　Cd2+　within　this　sphalerite　was　incorporated　into　the　mineral　lattice　by　direct　substitution　for　Zn2+,　whereas　the　uniform　concentrations　of　In3+　in　all　three　types　of　sphalerites　is　indicative　of　incorporation　by　the　adsorption　or　capture　of　homogeneous　In　nanoparticles.　The　Ga3+　within　the　Maweishan　deposit　was　predominantly　incorporated　into　sphalerite　as　a　result　of　coupled　substitution　with　Cu+　replacing　2Zn2+,　with　the　Ag+　+　Ga3+　coupled　substitution　for　2Zn2+　also　involved　in　the　incorporation　of　Ga　into　the　Sp2　sphalerite.　The　narrow　range　of　sulfur　isotopes　(δ34S　from　4.9　‰　to　8.3　‰,　average　of　5.8　‰)　for　sulfides　within　the　Maweishan　deposit　combined　with　the　new　garnet　trace　element　data　and　elemental　maps　presented　in　this　study　suggests　that　the　metals　and　fluids　that　formed　the　Maweishan　were　primarily　derived　primarily　from　the　proximal　quartz　diorite.　These　sulfur　isotopic　data　also　indicate　that　a　small　amount　of　metals　or　sulfur　were　derived　from　the　surrounding　country　rocks.　These　data　provide　new　insights　into　critical　metal　mineralization　associated　with　Pb–Zn　deposits　in　the　Xuancheng　ore　district,　where　regional　folding　concentrated　ore-forming　fluids　that　generated　both　139　Ma　Cu–W　and　132　Ma　Pb–Zn　mineralization　events,　indicating　that　this　structural　zone　is　an　ideal　area　for　future　exploration　within　the　Xuancheng　district　and　in　other　areas　with　similar　characteristics.　©　2025