Four metallogenic epochs occurred in different tectonic environments during theevolution of the Northern Qilian metallogenic province through the geological time. The Mid-dle Proterozoic metallogenic epoch witnessed the tectonic environment of crustal breakupcaused by mantle diapirism, in which ultramafic-mafic rocks were intruded along beep faultbelts and the superlarge Jinchuan magmatic Cu-Ni sulphide deposit was formed. In theMiddle-Late Proterozoic metallogenic epoch the crust was further broken to form anintracontinental rift, in which the Chenjiamiao style massive Cu-Fe sulphide deposits hosted bybasic volcanic tuff were formed in the lower volcano-sedimentary sequence, while the largesedex type Jingtieshan style Fe-Cu deposits were formed within the upper abyssal carbon-richargillaceous sedimentary sequence. The Early Palaeozoic saw the aulacogen environment, with-in which the Baiyinchang style superlarge massive base and precious metal sulphide depositshosted by quartz keratophyric tuff were formed in the Middle-Late Cambrian rifted island arcand the massive Cu-Zn sulphide deposits and magmatic chromite deposits associated with theophiolite suite were formed in the Early-Middle Ordovician, and the Honggou style massiveCu-Fe sulphide deposits hosted by spilite were formed in the Late Ordovician back-arc basinenvironment. In the Late Palaeozoic-Meso-Cenozoic, the metallogenic province went into anintracontinental orogenic stage characterized by compressive tectonic environment, in whichthere occurred carbonate-quartz vein type and tectono-alteration gold deposits associated withductile-shear structures.