Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology (광물과 암석)

The Petrological Society of Korea & The Mineralogical Society of Korea (한국암석학회 & 한국광물학회)
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Morphology and Trace Element Distribution in Pyrite: Implications for the Exploration of Pb-Zn Deposit

황철석내 미량원소 분포 및 형태: 연-아연 광상의 탐사에 대한 적용

  • Bong Chul Yoo (Critical Minerals Research Center, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
  • 유봉철 (한국지질자원연구원 희소금속광상연구센터)
  • Received : 2024.09.11
  • Accepted : 2024.09.30
  • Published : 2024.09.30
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Abstract

Recently, resources-rich advanced countries are putting more effort into mineral resource exploration as mineral resource depletion worsens along with deepening resource nationalism regarding mineral resources. Therefore, one of the methods used to explore mineral resources is to explore through the chemical composition of mineral. Pyrite, which is formed throughout the mineralization process and regardless of the mineral commodity type, is widely used as major geochemical indicator in mineral deposit exploration using content and list of trace elements in the pyrite. In this paper, the author aims to report on indicator elements that can be used when exploring lead-zinc orebody by studying the occurrence and chemical composition of pyrites from wallrock, wallrock alteration and lead-zinc orebody in the Janggun lead-zinc deposit. This deposit is hydrothermal replacement deposit formed by reaction of lead and zinc-bearing hydrothermal fluid and Paleozoic Janggum limestone formation. The wallrock alteration that is remarkably recognized with Pb-Zn mineralization at this hydrothermal replacement orebody consists of mainly rhodochrositization with minor of dolomitization, pyritization, sericitization and chloritization. Pyrite, which is occurred from wallrock, wallrock alteration, and lead-zinc orebody, is classified into three types (Py I type, Py II type, and Py III type) based on the texture, occurrence and paragenetic relationship. Pyrite on the basis of paragenetic sequence are as followed : Py I type (wallrock and wallrock alteration) → Py II type (wallrock alteration and Pb-Zn orebody) → Py III type (wallrock alteration and Pb-Zn orebody). Trace elements with a large content change in pyrite by all types are Mn, As, Ag, Sb and Pb elements, but trace elements with a small content change in pyrite are Zn, Cu, Cd, Se, Te, Co, Ni, Au, In and Sn elements. The substitution of these elements in all pyrite types is as followed: Fe2+↔Co2+ substitution (Py I type), 3Fe2+↔Ag1++(Mn2++Ni2++As2+)+(As3++Sb3+) substitution (Py II type) and 3Fe2+↔Ag1++(Mn2++As2++Pb2+)+(Mn3++As3++Sb3+), S1-↔(As1-+Sb1-) substitution (Py III type). This means that Mn, As, Sb, Ag and Pb elements were enriched during evolution of hydrothermal fluid. Therefore, based on the above research results, pyrite is a useful mineral for exploration of lead-zinc orebody. And when exploring lead-zinc orebody with similar geological conditions, lead-zinc orebody is explored through the enrichment of as indicator elements.

최근들어, 자원 선진국들은 광물자원에 대한 자원민족주의 심화와 함께 광물자원 고갈이 심해짐에 따라 광물자원 탐사에 한층 더 심혈을 기울이고 있다. 그래서 광물자원 탐사에 이용되는 방법 중의 하나는 광물의 화학조성을 통해 탐사하는 방법이다. 황철석은 광화작용 전반에 걸쳐 산출되고 광종에 관계없이 산출되는 광물로써 그 광물내 미량원소들의 종류 및 함량변화가 광상 탐사에 주요 지화학적 지시자들로써 많이 활용되고 있다. 저자는 이 논문에서 장군 연-아연 광상의 모암, 모암변질대 및 연-아연 광체에서 산출되는 황철석의 산상과 화학조성 변화 등을 연구함으로써 연-아연 광체 탐사 시 활용할 수 있는 지시원소들에 대해 보고하고자 한다. 이 광상은 모암인 고생대의 장군석회암층에 연-아연 열수용액과의 반응에 의해 형성된 열수교대형 광상이다. 이 열수교대형 광상의 연-아연 광화작용과 관련된 모암변질작용은 주로 능망간석화작용과 일부 돌로마이트화작용, 황철석화작용, 견운모화작용 및 녹니석화작용 등이 관찰된다. 모암, 모암변질대 및 연-아연 광체에서 산출되는 황철석은 조직, 산상 및 선후관계 등을 근거로 3가지 유형(Py I형, Py II형 및 Py III형)으로 분류되며 광화작용이 진행됨에 따라 Py I형에서 Py II형을 걸쳐 Py III형으로 산출된다. 각 유형별 황철석내 미량원소의 함량 변화가 큰 원소는 Mn, As, Ag, Sb 및 Pb 원소들이며 함량 변화가 작은 원소는 Zn, Cu, Cd, Se, Te, Co, Ni, Au, In 및 Sn 원소들이다. 각 유형별 황철석내 미량원소들은 각각 Fe2+↔Co2+ 치환(Py I형), 3Fe2+↔Ag1+ +(Mn2++Ni2++As2+)+(As3++Sb3+) 치환(Py II 형)과 3Fe2+↔Ag1++(Mn2++As2++Pb2+)+(Mn3++As3++Sb3+), S1-↔(As1-+Sb1-) 치환(Py III형)이 관찰되는데 이는 연-아연 광화작용 말기로 감에 따라 상대적으로 Mn, As, Sb, Ag 및 Pb 원소들이 부화되었음을 의미한다. 따라서 상기 연구 결과를 토대로, 황철석은 연-아연 광체 탐사에 유용한 광물이며 또한 Mn, As, Sb, Ag 및 Pb 원소들은 유사한 지질조건을 갖는 연-아연 광체 탐사 시 부화정도에 따라서 연-아연 광체 탐사 지시원소로서 활용할 수 있을 것이다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

우선 이 연구를 수행하게 시료들을 제공해 주신 충남대 이현구 명예교수님께 진심으로 감사드립니다. 이 연구는 한국지질자원연구원 기본사업인 "K-배터리 원료광물(Ni, Co) 잠재성 평가 및 활용기술 개발(24-3215) 과제"와 "국내 기반암 잠재적 유해원소 통합관리 및 유해성 평가(24-3121) 과제" 지원을 받아 수행되었다. 바쁘신 와중에도 이 논문의 미비점을 지적, 수정하여 주신 편집위원장님, 책임편집위원님 및 두분의 심사위원님들께 깊이 감사드립니다.

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