• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.285-289
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• 2005

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 1994

The Sungsan clay deposits have been formed by the hydrothermal alteration of volcanic and volcanoclastic rocks of the Hwangsan Formation of Cretaceous age. Claystones are mainly composed of dickite, alunite, illitic minerals and tosudite. The mineralogical properties of clay minerals have been studied using X-ray diffraction analysis, electron microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, and infrared absorption analysis. The physicochemical condition for the clay deposits also have been studied by the activity diagrams and mineral assemblages. Dickite, the dominant mineral in clay deposits, occurs generally as massive aggregates. It shows book-structure of well-defined hexagonal plates. Chemistry of dickite agrees with its ideal formula. Peak depth ratios in infrared absorption spectra were used for discrimination between pure and mixture of kaolin minerals. Five hydrothermal alteration zones are divided according to the mineral assemblages. From center to margin, alunite, dickite, illite and albite zones are discernible. Quartz zone occurs as small lenticular form in dickite zone. The formation of dickite and illite zones are promoted by decreasing $a_{k^+}$. An increase in $a_{H_{2}SO_{4}}$ or $a_{K_{2}SO_{4}}$ is required for the formation of alunite zone. Estimated temperature of formation ranges 110-270 $^{\circ}C$

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.437-446
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• 2001

Zoned epidotes formed by the propylitic alteration of the Bobae sericite deposit in western Pusan show complex compositional zoning patterns, such as multiple growth zoning, oscillatory zoning, patchy zoning and irregular zoning. The complex zoned epidote, in general, shows AI-rich cores and Fe-rich rims. Pistacite component (Ps) in the epidote ranges from 18.5 to 74.3 mot.%. Remnant textures in multiple growth zoning indicate that the earlier zone was partially resorbed prior to growth of later one. Multiple growth zoning and oscillatory zoning suggest that hydrothermal system underwent rapid changes and fluctuations in fluid chemistry, redox condition, or temperature.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.409-428
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• 2018

Yeongdong area is located on the border zone between Precambrian Yeongnam massif and central southeastern Ogcheon metamorphic belt, in which Cretaceous Yeongdong sedimentary basin exists. Main geology in this area consists of Precambrian Sobaeksan gneiss complex, Mesozoic igneous and sedimentary rocks and Quaternary alluvial deposits. Above this, age-unknown Ogcheon Supergroup, Paleozoic sedimentary rocks and Tertiary granites also occur in small scale in the northwestern part. This study focuses on the link between the various geology and Rn concentrations in groundwater. For this, twenty wells in alluvial/weathered zone and sixty bedrock aquifer wells were used. Groundwater sampling campaigns were twice run at wet season in August 2015 and dry season in March 2016. Some wells placed in alluvial/weathered part of Precambrian metamorphic rocks and Jurassic granite terrains, as well as Cretaceous porphyry, showed elevated Rn concentrations in groundwater. However, detailed geology showed the distinct feature that these high-Rn groundwaters in metamorphic and granitic terrains are definitely related to proximity of aquifer rocks to Cretaceous porphyry in the study area. The deeper wells placed in bedrock aquifer showed that almost the whole groundwaters in biotite gneiss and schist of Sobaeksan gneiss complex and in Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of Yeongdong basin have low level of Rn concentrations. On the other hand, groundwaters occurring in rock types of granitic gneiss or granite gneiss among Sobaeksan gneiss complex have relatively high Rn concentrations. And also, groundwaters occurring in the border zone between Triassic Cheongsan granites and two-mica granites, and in Jurassic granites neighboring Cretaceous porphyry have relatively high Rn concentrations. Therefore, to get probable and meaningful results for the link between Rn concentrations in groundwater and surrounding geology, quite detailed geology including small-scaled dykes or vein zones should be considered. Furthermore, it is necessary to take account of the spatial proximity of well location to igneous rocks associated with some mineralization/hydrothermal alteration zone rather than in-situ geology itself.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.4 s.173
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• pp.421-434
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• 2005

Abstract Based onthe characteristics of Carlin-type gold deposit in Nevada district, a potential in Korea is evaluated to the Yemi area where is structurally controlled by folds and trust fault. The fault of high angles are combined with a more permeable rocks such as the Yemi breccia and laminated silty limestone. The pattern of enrichment factors for Tl, Sb, As, Ag, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mo and W of limestones in the southern area are geochemically similar with those reported from the Carlin-type Bold deposit. Moreover, the oxygen and carbon isotopes show a hydrothermal alteration is widely developed in this area. According to the result of geophysical interpretation, stable isotope, alteration mineralogy, geochemical study, and geological structure, this mineralized zone may be extended to the M direction, so a detailed systematic exploration is required to identify this alteration zone.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 2012

Morphological and mineralogical characteristics of laumontite and adularia in the breccia zone in a fault, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju, Korea suggest that they formed by reaction with hydrothermal alteration related to fault activity. Laumontite commonly occurring in the breccia zone is related to the presence of hydrothermal fluids bearing alkaline elements in the zone. Laumonite is characterized by elongated columnar form with aspect ratio varying 5~10. Laumontite and adularia whose characteristic euhedral forms are indicative of the latest product formed as rapid precipitation from fluids or replacements of Ca-plagioclase. Hydrothermal fluids reacted with intensively fractured granite, typical with high permeability, leached alkaline elements such as Ca, K, allowing laumontite and adularia to be precipitated under neutral to weak alkaline conditions. It is noteworthy that the formation process and genesis of low temperature minerals such as laumontite and adularia are very similar to those formed by wallrock alteration or hydrothermal alteration that occurred in epithermal deposits. Taking into account its characteristic morphology and chemistry, authigenic K-feldspar that commonly forms at low temperature in many fault zones must be adularia.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2021

We report fluid inclusion study results of copper-bearing quartz veins in Zogdor area, which is located within the Gurvansayhan island arc terrane of Southern Mongolia. At the Zogdor area, structurecontrolled copper mineralization is hosted in granodiorite-porphyry, which emplaced in the late Cretaceous formation. Within this granodiorite porphyry, copper-bearing quartz veins are associated with the hydrothermal alteration that includes quartz-epidote-magnetite, and quartz-magnetite in the propylitic zones. The veins are classified into two types, according to their mineral composition, which occur mainly as chalcopyrite, rare amounts of bornite, magnetite, and pyrite. Fluid inclusions in the quartz veins from the quartz-magnetite±chalcopyrite and quartz-epidote-magnetite veins are two-phase aqueous inclusions having bubble sizes of 5-30 vol.%, evident salinities of 2.0-22.6 wt.% NaCl, and homogenization temperatures of 107-270℃. Based on mineral assemblages of the observed veins, along with the geochemical properties and alteration faces of the host rock, fluid inclusion data show that the study area corresponds to propylitic alteration zone in the porphyry Cu related mineralization.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.487-502
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• 2012

This paper is focused on mineral compositions, microstructures and distributional characters of remained grains in the fault rocks collected from a fault developed in Yongdang-ri, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju City, Korea, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscope, laser grain size analysis and fractal dimension analysis methods. The exposed fault core zone is about 1.5 meter thick. On the average, the breccia zone is 1.2 meter and the gouge zone is 20cm thick, respectively. XRD results show that the breccia zone consists predominantly of rock-forming minerals including quartz and feldspar, but the gouge zone consists of abundant clay minerals such as chlorite, illite and kaolinite. Mineral vein, pyrite and altered minerals commonly observed in the fault rock support evidence of fault activity associated with hydrothermal alteration. Fractal dimensions based on box counting, image analysis and laser particle analysis suggest that mineral grains in the fault rock underwent fracturing process as well as abrasion that gave rise to diminution of grains during the fault activity. Fractal dimensions(D-values) calculated by three methods gradually increase from the breccia zone to the gouge zone which has commonly high D-values. There are no noticeable changes in D-values in the gouge zone with trend being constant. It means that the bulk-crushing process of mineral grains in the breccia zone was predominant, whereas abrasion of mineral grains in the gouge zone took place by continuous fault activity. It means that the bulk-crushing process of mineral grains in the breccia zone was predominant, whereas abrasion of mineral grains in the gouge zone took place by continuous fault activity. Mineral compositions in the fault zone and peculiar trends in grain distribution indicate that multiple fault activity had a considerable influence on the evolution of fault zones, together with hydrothermal alteration. Meanwhile, fractal dimension values(D) in the fault rock should be used with caution because there is possibility that different values are unexpectedly obtained depending on the measurement methods available even in the same sample.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.181-189
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• 2003

Diverse microtextures and secondary minerals formed by chemical weathering were observed in the glacial debris of King George Island. Weathering rind was observed in the block of basaltic andesite tuff due to dissolution of calcite producing voids. Eolian volcanic glass altered to mixtrure of allophane-like materials and iron oxyhydroxides at grain edges with relative concentration of Al. Fe, and Ti. Biotite in granodiorite area was transfarmed to vermiculite and interstratified biotite-vermiculite or very rarely to kaolinite and gibbsite. Pyrite in the hydrothermal alteration zone was repalced by iron oxides, resulting in sulfuric acid which locally accelerated alteration of chlorite to expandable clay minerals. Weathering of plagiociase and K-feldspar was negligible. Although glacial debris of the Barton Peninsula has undergone weak chemical weathering with formation of some secondary minerals, massive formation of smectite, abundant in nearby marine sediments, didn't occur.

• 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.