• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.423-433
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• 2017

Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources and Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration in Myanmar have explored the Kalaymyo chromitite deposit, Myanmar since 2013. It is now necessary to find a geochemical indicator for efficient mineral exploration in the future and building a 3D geological model for this ore deposit. Mantle podiform chromitite is a major type of Cr ore in this region, which is considered to be formed by mantle-melt interaction beneath the mantle-crust boundary of oceanic lithosphere. In this study we measured major element composition of spinels in harzburgite, dunite and chromitite, and examined the hypothesis that spinel Cr#(molar Cr/(Cr+Al)${\times}$100) can be used as a geochemical indicator in exploration for the Kalaymyo chromitite. The results show that there is a clear correlation between spinel Cr# and distribution of chromitite. The spinel Cr# of harzburgite increases with decreasing the distance from the chromitite bodies. The spinel composition is also closely associated with texture and occurrence of spinels. The high Cr# spinels (30-48) are subhedral to euhedral and enclosed by olivine whereas the low Cr# spinels (16-27) are anhedral and commonly associated with pyroxenes. Often the low Cr# spinels show symplectite intergrowths with pyroxenes, indicating their residual nature. These petrological and geochemical results suggest that the high Cr# spinels have resulted from mantle-melt interaction. We suggest that spinel Cr# can be used as a geochemical indicator for Cr ore exploration and as one of critical factors in 3D geological model in the Kalaymyo chromitite deposit.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2023

While numerous previous studies investigated the provenance and tectonic history of the Gyeongsang Supergroup, less are known about other Cretaceous strata in South Korea. This study presents preliminary results from petrographic analysis of the Cretaceous Icheonri Formation distributed in Gijang-gun, Busan. Based on the immature texture and composition of the Icheonri sediments, we interpret that they were derived from weakly denudated Cretaceous arc volcanoes developed along the eastern margin of the Asian continent, with limited weathering and transport. Additionally, the presence of chrome spinel grains in the sediments suggests the existence of ultramafic bodies exposed in their provenance. Further studies will advance our understanding of the tectonic developments in the southeastern Gyeongsang Basin, and facilitate a comprehensive correlation between the Icheonri Formation and the Gyeongsang Supergroup.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2005

Three types of clinopyroxenes in alkali basaltic rocks from Jeju Island can be identified on the basis of geochemical and textural data. Type Ⅰ is Cr-rich diopside in spinel peridotites from the upper mantle. Type Ⅱ is augite in fine-grained pyroxenites which are possibly either magmatic vein or metamorphic segregations owing to anatexis of the upper mantle. The augite of Type Ⅱ contains high Ca and Mg and relatively low Ti. Type Ⅲ is thought to be either cumulates or cognate phenocrysts and can be subdivided into Ⅲa, Ⅲb, and Ⅲc based on their occurrence mode. Clinopyroxenes of Type Ⅰ have the highest Mg# and Si and the lowest Ti, whereas those of Type Ⅲhave lower Mg#와 Si and higher Ti. These geochemical characteristics indicate that (Ti+Al/sup Ⅵ/)/Si and Al/sup Ⅵ//Al/sup Ⅵ/ increase from Type Ⅰ to Type Ⅲ. It is possibly interpreted that Type Ⅰ is of the highest pressure origin and Type Ⅲ of the lowest. Fractionation of high-pressure clinopyroxenes would result in evolved undersaturated alkali-enriched liquids, probably producing the alkali-enriched host basaltic rocks in Jeju Island.