On the Prospecting Plans of Mulkum Iron Mine Viewed by the Character and Mode of Occurrence of Ore bodyies

물금철산의 광체발달 양상과 그에 따른 탐광계획

The Mulkum mine, located in Mulkum-myon, Yangsan-Kun, Kyeongsang Province, is one of the biggest iron mine in Korea. The geology of this mine and its vicinity consists of Chusan andesitic rocks and Datae-dong andesite porphyry of the Kyeongsang System which were intruded by biotite granite widely distributed near the vicinity of Mulkum-ni. The ore deposits, embedded in Dotae-dong andesite porphyry, are fissure-filling vein type in origin. Up to present ore bodies of Main vein, No. 2 vein, Eastern No. 1, 2 vein and Western No. 1 vein are exploited. Generally the veins strike N 10-25 E and dip to 60-90 SE. The proved length of vein is more than 500 meters and its depth 150 meters in Main vein with 3-4 meters of thickness in average. Ore minerals are mainly magnetite and locally associated with small amounts of hematite, sphecularite and chalcopyrite. Gangue minerals are quartz, epidote, chlorite, pyroxene, and garnet, etc. The modes of occurrence of vein are as follow; 1. Branching and parallel vein patterns are observed around main shaft in -1 level. 2. Multiple cymoid loops and subrectangular vein patterns are observed around main shaft in -2 level. 2. Single vein patterns are observed in -3 and -5 level. The ore-shoots plunge northeasterly about 20-30 degrees. In conclusion, the tectonically fractured zone belongs to the poorly mineralized zone and shoots are formed as single vein type. The general trends of one-shoots must be applied the prospecting of the deep-seated ore body in the deposits.