The Xitieshan Pb—Zn ore deposit is the largest lead—zinc polymetal deposit in the Northwest China, however, its ore deposit tpye has been contradiction for a long time, and more and more researchers regarded it as Sedimentary exhalative massive sulfide deposit(SEDEX deposit).On the basis of summaries on the latest advances in metallogenic tectonic setting of massive sulfide deposit in recent years, in combination with progress in regional geologic research about the north boundary of the Qaidam basin, early Paleozoic, it is pointed out in this paper that the metallogenic tectonic setting of the Xitieshan ore deposit was not intracontinental rift or aulacogen traditionally regarded, whereas should be backarc or intraarc basin rift. Corresponding to this change in metallogenic tectonic settings, ore deposit type should be VSHMS type, instead of SEDEX type. So, three aspects of significances could be carried out: (1) it is advantage to solve the contradiction between knowledge of metallogenic tectonic settings and those of regional geologic research; (2) to ensure regional metallogenic researches and orefinding exploration and assessment on the basis of correct geologic setting, and (3) relating ore deposit type to metallogenic tectonic settings, consequently using ore deposit type implies tectonic settings, it is a kind of embodiment to through ore deposit research serves as Earth system science.