Skarn-Ore Associations and Phase Equilibria in the Yeonhwa-Keodo Mines, Korea

태백산광화대(太白山鑛化帶) 연화(蓮花)-거도광산(巨道鑛山)에 있어서의 스카른과 광석광물(鑛石鑛物)의 수반관계(隨伴關係) 및 상평형(相平衡)

The Yeonhwa (I, II) and Keodo mines, neighboring in the middle part of the Taebaegsan mineral belt, contain three distinct classes of skarn deposits: the zinc-lead skarn at Yeonhwa (I, II), the iron skarn at Keodo south (Jangsan orebodies), and the copper skarn at Keodo north (78 orebodies). The present study characterizes the three classes of skarn deposits mainly in terms of skarn/ore associations examined from chemical compositional point of view, and applies existing quantitative phase diagrams to some pertinent mineral assemblages in these mines. At Yeonhwa I the Wolam I orebody shows a vertical variation in skarn minerals ranging from clinopyroxene/garnet zone on the lower levels through clinopyroxene (without garnet) zone on the intermediate levels, and finally to rhodochrosite veins on the upper levels and surface. Ore minerals, sphalerite and galena, associate most closely with the intermediate clinopyroxene zone. At Keodo, the Jangsan iron skarn hosted in quartz monzodiolite as a typical endoskarn, shows a skarn zoning, from center of orebody to outer side, magnetite zone, magnetite/garnet zone, garnet clinopyroxene zone, and clinopyroxene/epidote/plagioclase zone. The 78 copper skarn in the Hwajeol limestone indicates a zoning, from quartz porphyry side toward limestone side, orthoclase/epidote zone, epidote/clinopyroxene zone, and clinopyroxene/garnet zone; chalcopyrite and other copper sulfides tend to be in clinopyroxene/garnet zone. Mioroprobe analyses of clinopyroxenes and garnets from the various skarn zones mentioned above revealed that the Yeonhwa zinc/lead skarns are characterized by johansenitic clinopyroxene (Hd 25-78, Jo 15-23) and manganoan andraditic garnet (Ad 13-97, Sp 1-24), whereas the Jangsan iron skarn at Keodo by Mn-poor diopsidic clinopyroxene (Di 78-93, Jo 0.2-1.0) and Mn-poor grossularitic grandite (Gr 65-77, Sp 0.5-1.0). The 78 copper skarn at Keodo is characterized by Mn-poor diopsidic-salite (Di 66-91, Jo 0.2-1.1) and Mn-poor andraditic grandite(Ad 40-74, Sp 0.5-1.1). The compositional charateristics of iron, copper, and zinc-lead skarns in the Yeonhwa-Keodo mines are in good correlations with those of the foreign counterparts. Compiling a $T-XCO_2$ phase diagram for the Jangsan endoskarns, a potential upper limit of temperature of the main stage of skarn formation is estimated to be about $530^{\circ}C$, and a lower limit to be $400^{\circ}C$ or below assuming $XCO_2=0.05$ at P total=1kb. Applying a published log $fS_2$-log $fo_2$ diagram to the Keodo 78 and Yeonhwa exoskarns, it is revealed that copper sulfides and zinc-lead sulfides do not co-exist stably below log $fS_2=-4$ and log $fO_2=-23$ at $T=400^{\circ}C$ and ${\times}CO=1$ atm.