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http://dx.doi.org/10.9727/jmsk.2014.27.4.169

Hydrothermal Alteration around the Tofua Arc (TA) 25 Seamounts in Tonga Arc  

Cho, Hyen Goo (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Research Institute of Natural Science, Gyeongsang National University)
Kim, Dong-Ho (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Research Institute of Natural Science, Gyeongsang National University)
Koo, Hyo Jin (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Research Institute of Natural Science, Gyeongsang National University)
Um, In Kwon (Petroleum and Marine Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
Choi, Hunsoo (Petroleum and Marine Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
Publication Information
Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea / v.27, no.4, 2014 , pp. 169-181 More about this Journal
Abstract
Korea government has consistently investigated the development of economic mineral deposits in the Tofua volcanic arc, Tonga since 2008 for the secure of sea floor mineral resources. We studied the composition and distribution of minerals formed by hydrothermal activity around TA 25 seamounts of the Tofua volcanic arc, Lau Basin, Tonga, using X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. We used 7 core samples and 9 surface sediment samples. Barite, sphalerite, and clinoclase are present in the most volcanic vent area. Gypsum, smectite, and kaolin mineral are distributed in vent A area, chalcopyrite, pyrite, smectite, and kaolin mineral are in vent B and C area, and gypsum, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and goethite are in vent D area. From the study of clay fraction, smectite and few kaolinite are detected in the most studied area except inner part of caldera, which suggest that argillic alteration are dominant in the volcanic vent areas. Various sulfide or arsenide minerals were found in the hydrothermal vent B, C, and D. The mineralogy and geochemistry suggest higher hydrothermal activities in volcanic vent B, C, and D compared to vent A and inner caldera area. Therefore higher probabilities of massive sulfide deposits may occur in hydrothermal vent B, C, and D.
Keywords
seafloor hydrothermal deposit; TA 25 seamount; X-ray diffraction analysis; hydrothermal vent; chalcopyrite; sphalerite; smectite;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 4  (Citation Analysis)
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