The　Chitudian　Pb-Zn-Ag　deposit,　located　in　the　southern　margin　of　the　North　China　Craton　(SNCC),　is　a　typical　magmatic-hydrothermal　deposit,　where　sphalerite　is　the　predominate　ore　mineral　with　significant　concentrations　of　critical　metals,　including　Ga,　In,　and　Cd.　However,　previous　studies　paid　little　attention　to　the　critical　metals　in　the　deposit.　This　study　carried　out　in-suit　elemental　analysis　on　the　sphalerite　from　the　Chitudian　deposit,　aiming　to　constrain　the　spatial　distribution　and　enrichment　mechanism　of　critical　metals.　In　the　Chitudian　deposit,　five　types　of　sphalerite　were　identified　(Z-Sp,　Y-Sp1,　Y-Sp2,　X-Sp1,　and　X-Sp2),　which　differ　in　color,　texture,　and　chemical　composition.　The　concentrations　of　Cd,　Ga,　and　In　of　these　sphalerites　range　from　1440　to　5145　ppm,　0.53　to　528　ppm,　and　0.75　to　2113　ppm,　respectively.　In　detail,　Cd　is　mainly　concentrated　in　the　sphalerites　from　the　hydrothermal　vein-type　orebodies　relative　to　skarn-type　orebodies.　Indium　is　progressively　depleted　from　granite-proximal　locations　to　granite-distal　locations,　and　the　Fe-rich　sphalerite　is　an　excellent　host　of　In.　Gallium　enrichment　is　only　observed　in　the　tectonically　deformed　location　of　the　sulfide　ore　vein,　where　the　Ga-rich　sphalerite　is　poor　in　Fe　and　shows　a　complex　texture.　Microanalysis　conducted　on　the　Ga-rich　sphalerite　suggested　that　Ga,　together　with　In,　Sn,　and　Cu,　are　removed　from　the　deformed　sphalerite　by　mineral-fluid　interaction　and　subsequently　sequestered　by　the　late　sphalerite　cement.　Considering　that　the　Ga-rich　sphalerite　is　close　to　the　Ga-bearing　coal　bed　of　the　Meiyaogou　Formation,　it　is　likely　that　the　coal　bed　could　be　a　potential　source　for　Ga.　These　results　highlight　that　tectonic　deformation　followed　by　hydrothermal　fluid　overprinting　is　favorable　for　the　enrichment　of　critical　metals　in　sphalerite-rich　deposits.　©　2023　The　Author(s)