Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Jido kaolin deposits

지도 도석광상에 대한 광물학적 및 지구화학적 연구

Jido kaolin deposits developed in the rhyolitic tuff of Cretaceous are located in the western part of Sinan-gun, Jeonranam-do. Jido kaolin deposits is predominantly composed of pyrophyllite, kaolinite and illite. On the basis of mineral assemblage Jido kaolin deposits can be divided into three alteraion zone from the center of alteration to the margin; kaolinite, kaolinite-pyrophyillite and pyrophyillite zones. Discriminant analysis show that $Al_2O_3$, $K_2O$, $Na_2O$, CaO of major elements are discriminant elements classifying kaolinite, kaolinite-pyrophyllite and pyrophyllite zones, while in case of trace elements Cr, Ni, Sc, Zn, and Zr are discriminant elements. Kaolin deposits has been formed by the hydrothermal alterations of the volcano rocks such as rhyolitic tuff and lapilli tuff, in late cretaceous. On the basis of the results of X-ray diffraction analysis, the deposits can be classified into three types of minerals assemblages; kaolinite, kaolinite-pyrophyllite and pyrophyllite zones. All the assemblages contain quartz and muscovite, but the kaolinite zone contains kaolinite, illite and chlorite, the kaolinite-pyrophyllite zone contains kaolinite, pyrophyllite and the pyrophyllite zone contains illite and pyrite.