• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.521-529
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the natural origin of fluorine contained in the rocks within the Eulwangsan area via petrological and mineralogical analyses. The main geology of the Yongyudo Eulwangsan area is Triassic biotite granite. Biotite granite and mylonite are the major rock types containing fluorine at high levels (up to 1,700 and 2,400 mg/kg for biotite granite and mylonite, respectively). In the case of the biotite granite, a high concentration of fluorine can be contributed to fluorite, and the results of microscopic analyses show that the fluorite was observed as small veinlets filling cleavages and micro-fractures within alkali-feldspars and plagioclases, or observed together with quartz in ore veins, indicating the secondary formation of fluorite by hydrothermal fluids. In mylonite, on the other hand, a high fluorine concentration is attributable to sericite. Microscopic analyses revealed that the boundary between sericite and surrounding quartz was not clear, the sericite occurred filling the micro-fractures of quartz and encapsulating small quartz cataclasts. These results indicate that the sericite was also formed as a result of hydrothermal alteration. Consequently, it is speculated that the high fluorine level in the rocks of the Eulwangsan area of Yongyudo is of natural origin due to hydrothermal processes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.443-453
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• 2010

The Samsung gold-silver deposit consists of quartz veins that fill along the fault zone within Cretaceous shale and sandstone. Mineralization is occurred within fault-breccia zones and can be divided into two stages. Stage I is main ore mineralization and stage II is barren. Stage I is associated with wall-rock alteration minerals(sericite, pyrite, chlorite, quartz), rutile, base-metal sulfides(pyrrhotite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena), and electrum. Stage II occur quartz, calcite and pyrite. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinities of stage I range from 145 to $309^{\circ}C$ and from 0.4 to 12.4 wt.% NaCl, respectively. It suggests that hydrothermal fluids were cooled and diluted with the mixing of meteoric water. The main deposition of base-metal sulfides and electrum occurred as a result of cooling and dilution at temperature between $200^{\circ}C$ and $300^{\circ}C$. Sulfur(9.3~10.8‰) isotope composition indicates that ore sulfur was mainly derived from a magmatic source as well as the host rocks. The calculated oxygen[-2.3~0.9‰(quartz: 0.3‰, 0.9‰, calcite: -2.3‰)] and hydrogen[-86~-76‰(quartz: -86‰, -82‰, calcite: -76‰)] isotope compositions indicate that hydrothermal fluids may be meteoric origin with some degree of mixing of another meteoric water for paragenetic time.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.377-386
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• 2022

In addition to anthropogenic origins, fluorine (F) is naturally enriched in rocks due to geological events, such as magma dissemination, hydrothermal alteration, mineralization, and fault activities. Generally, it has been well known that F is chiefly enriched in the region of igneous and metamorphic rocks, and biotite granite was mostly distributed in the study area. The F enrichment mechanism was not sufficiently elucidated in the previous studies, and the study on a fault zone was conducted to reveal it more precisely. The mineral composition of the fault zone was identical to that of the Eulwangsan biotite granite (EBG), but they were quantitatively different between the two areas. Compared with the EBG, the fault zone showed relatively higher contents of quartz and F-bearing minerals (fluorite, sericite) but lower contents of plagioclase and alkali feldspar. This difference was likely due to hydrothermal mineral alterations. The results of microscopic observations supported this, and the generation of F-bearing minerals by hydrothermal alterations was recognized in most samples. Accordingly, it might be interpreted that the mineralogical and petrological differences observed in the same-age biotite granite widely distributed in the Yongyudo was caused by the hydrothermal alterations due to small-scale geological events.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.193-201
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• 2011

The Geopung Cu deposit consists of two subparallel quartz veins that till the NE-trending fissures in Triassic Cheongsan granite. The quartz veins occur mainly massive with partially cavity and breccia. They can be followed along strike for about 500 m and varies in thickness from 0.2 to 2.2 m. Based on the mineralogy and paragenesis of veins, mineralization of quartz veins can be divided into hypogene and supergene stages. Hypogene stage is associated with hydrothermal alteration minerals such as sericite, pyrite, quartz, chlorite, clay minerals and sulfides such as pyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, sphalerite, stannite, chalcopyrite and galena. Supergene stage is composed of geothite. Fluid inclusion data from quartz indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinity of hypogene stage range from 163 to $356^{\circ}C$ and from 0.2 to 7.2 wt.% eq. NaCl, respectively. They suggest that ore forming fluids were progressively cooled and diluted from mixing with meteoric water. Sulfur (${\delta}^{34}S$: 4.3~9.2‰) isotope composition indicates that ore sulfur was derived from mainly magmatic source although there is a partial derivation from the host rocks. The calculated oxygen (${\delta}^{18}O$: 0.9~4.0‰) and hydrogen (${\delta}D$: -86~-69‰) isotope compositions suggest that magmatic and meteoric ore fluids were equally important for the formation of the Geopung Cu deposit and then overlapped to some degree with another type of meteoric water during mineralization.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2016

Tsogttsetsii area, an intrusive complex associated with Cu porphyry mineralization, is located in the Gurvansaikhan island arc terrane of the Central Asian Orogenic belt, Southern Mongolia. We performed a reconnaissance survey in Tsogttsetsii area. Cu mineralization in Tsogttsetsii area is porphyry Cu type related with alkali granite intruded in Permian. Mineralogical and textural properties of the ores and associated minerals were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, thin section petrography, and Scanning electron microscopy-Energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Ore minerals identified in polarizing microscope are magnetite, pyrite and bornite. Propylitic alteration zone occurs broadly in the area where malachite occurrences are shown to be spread intensively in alkali granite area. Quartz, sericite, chlorite and epidote were observed in the alteration zone samples. As results of XRD and SEM-EDS analysis, samples of copper oxides were composed mainly of malachite, cuprite and small amounts of quartz. Average and maximum Cu contents of samples collected from malachite occurrences area are 759 ppm and 6190 ppm, respectively. The characteristics of mineralization in Tsogttsetsii area is similar to Oyu Tolgoi Cu-Au (Mo) deposit and Tsagaan Suvarga Cu-Mo deposit which are 56 km south and 120 km northeast from Tsogttsetsii area, respectively. Characteristics of the study area, such as the geology, tectonic environment, lithology, mineralization, and alterations of the rocks within the survey area, resemble the characteristics of other porphyry deposits. Therefore further exploration including Induced Polarization (IP) survey for identifying subsurface orebody is required.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.513-525
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• 2009

The Buyeong gold-silver deposit consists of quartz veins that fill along the NS fault zone within Cretaceous Goseong formation. Mineralization can be divided into hypogene and supergene stages. Hypogene stage is associated with hydrothermal alteration minerals such as sericite, pyrite, chlorite, epidote and sulfides such as pyrite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena and galenobismutite. Supergene stage is composed of malachite, goethite, chalcocite, and sphalerite oxide. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinities range from 112 to $340^{\circ}C$ and from 0.2 to 7.9 wt.% NaCl, respectively. Sulfur(3.2~3.9‰) isotope composition indicates that ore sulfur was derived from mainly magmatic source as well as partly host rocks. The calculated oxygen(4.3~6.0‰) and hydrogen(-60~-64‰) isotope compositions indicate that hydrothermal fluids may be meteoric origin with some degree of mixing of another meteoric water for paragenetic time.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.85-96
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• 2017

Gold mineralization of Samjeong and Yongjang gold mines in Uichang area shows characteristics of Bonanza-type gold deposits. Ores are mainly developed along the contact parts between quartz vein and arkosic sandstone beds(Fe-rich bed) in sedimentary rock. Electrum, silver sulfide and sulfate minerals are mainly in the ores. On the other hand, gold mineralization is less developed in cherty rock and andesitic rock than arkosic sandstone. The study highlights characteristics of gold precipitation in the deposit on the basis of numerical modelling of the reactions between the assumed hydrothermal ore fluids with multicomponent heterogeneous equilibrium calculations. Aqueous species, gases and minerals, containing electrum are included in the calculations. The reaction result between hydrothermal ore fluids and arkosic sandstone show that pH increasing in the ore-forming fluid would trigger precipitation of quartz, chlorite, sericite, chalcopyrite, galena, pyrite, electrum, actinolite and feldspar. The numerical modelling also illustrates the drastic increase of pH and desulfidation lead to precipitation of electrum. Ag/Au ratios in the ore vary with pH conditions and subsequently precipitation of silver-bearing sulfides such as acanthite and polybasite. The modelling of the reaction between andesitic rock and ore-forming fluid shows that mineral assemblages of the case are analogous to ones of the reaction between arkosic sandstone and fluid except the latter has little portion of electrum. The abovementioned modelling results suggest that gold-silver mineralization is bounded by host rocks at the study area.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.337-348
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• 2009

Clear and homogeneous glass inclusions are well preserved at the rim of the quartz phenocrysts of tuff from Sunshin epithermal Au deposit, Haenam, although the host rocks experienced extensive silicification and argillic alteration. Glass inclusion vary in size from $5\;{\mu}m$ to larger than $200\;{\mu}m$ consisting of glass(60~80 vol%) + vapor bubble(15~30 vol%) $\pm$ daughter crystals(<10 vol%). Most of glass inclusions are cubic to rectangular in shape, indicating that the host quartz grew in the stability field of $\beta$-quartz. All the glass inclusions appear to be primary. Glass inclusions are composed of highly evolved high-K calc-alkaline rhyolites, which can represent the final liquidus phase of the magma system. The $Au_2O_3$ concentration (<0.30 wt%) is trivial in the glass, indicating there was no enrichment in the final residual melt. Textural characteristics suggest that magma was water-saturated shortly before or during the eruption. $H_2O$ content of the glass (ca. 2-4 wt%) suggests a water saturation pressure($P_{H2O}$) of about 300-900 bars. This pressure implies a minimum depth of 0.8-2.5 km for the magma chamber.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.153-163
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• 2013

The Ogcheon Au-Ag deposit consists of two quartz veins that fill the NE or NW-trending fissures in the metasedimentary rocks of unknown age. The quartz veins occur mainly in the massive type with partially breccia and cavity. They can be found along the strike for about minimum 50 m and varied in thickness from 0.1 to 0.3 m. The mineralogy of quartz veins from the Ogcheon deposit is mainly composed of hydrothermal alteration minerals such as pyrite, quartz, sericite, chlorite, clay minerals and sulfides including pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena. Fluid inclusion data from quartz indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinity of mineralization range from 184 to $362^{\circ}C$ and from 0.0 to 6.6 wt.% eq. NaCl, respectively. These suggest that ore forming fluids were progressively cooled and diluted from mixing with meteoric water. Sulfur(${\delta}^{34}S$: 0.4~8.4‰) isotope composition indicates that ore sulfur was derived from mainly magmatic source although there is a partial derivation from the host rocks. The calculated oxygen(${\delta}^{18}O$: 4.9~12.1‰) and hydrogen(${\delta}D$: -92~-74‰) isotope compositions suggest that magmatic and meteoric ore fluids were equally important for the formation of the Ogcheon deposit and then overlapped to some degree with another type of meteoric water during mineralization.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.95-107
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• 2011

The Hwangsan volcanic rocks, hosting the Moisan epithermal Au-Ag deposit arc widely distributed throughout the Seongsan district, and associated with large hydrothermal alteration. They were analyzed as the Moisan and around voleanic rocks, and most of them show dacitic to rhyolitic compositions. Hydrothermal alteration related to epithermal system causes the host rocks to show the geochemical variation due to high mobility of alkali elements. These features can be applied for quantitative estimates of alteration intensity. Alteration intensity of volcanic rocks from the Moisan ranges from subtle to intense, based on AI vs. $Na_2O$ diagram. The pattern that ($CaO+Na_2O$) content decrease with increasing $K_2O$ content results from sericitic alteration, in which hydrothermal fluids continually provide $K^+$ into country rocks but remove $Ca^{2+}$ and $Na^{2+}$ of feldspars within country rocks. The decrease of ($CaO+Na_2O$) with decreasing $K_2O$ in some samples from the Moisan may be caused by advanced argillic alteration that all alkali elements are entirely removed from country rocks by acid hydrothermal fluids. Two alteration trends, based on Al and CCPI alteration indices suggest both sericitic alterations of feldsaprs to illite and sericite+chlorite$^{\circ}{\ae}$pyritc alteration of high Mg and Fe activities. Trace and Rare Earth Elements patterns show the similar geochemical variation related to hydrothermal alteration. Of LIL elements, strong depletion of $Sr^{2+}$, substituting for $Ca^{2+}$ in feldspars, appears to be resulted from removal of $Ca^{2+}$, during replacement of feldspars to alumino-silicates or phyllo silicates minerals by hydrothermal fluids. Relatively low total REEs contents (Moisan: 119-182 ppm; Seongsan: 111-209 ppm) and gently negative slopes suggest that significant mobility of LREEs appear to occur during hydrothermal alteration.