• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.325-333
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• 1994

Gold and/or silver mineralization in the southeast province, Korea, occurred in hydrothermal quartz vein that fills fracture zones in Cretaceous volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Gyeongsang basin or granites and Precambrian gneiss. Most of the gold-silver-bearing veins in the province occur in Hapcheon, Suncheon and Haman-Gunbuk area where they are associated with Cretaceous Bulgugsa granites. On the basis of the Ag/Au ratio on amounts produced and ore grades, mode of occurrence, and associated mineral assemblages, hydrothermal Au-Ag deposits in southeast province, Korea, can be classified as follows: pyrite-type gold deposit (Group IIB, Samjeong and Sangchon deposits), antimony-type gold-silver deposit (Group IV, Gisan and Geochang deposits), and antimony-type silver deposit (Group V, Sanggo, Seweon, Seongju and Gahoe deposits). All of the gold-silver deposits in the province are generally characteristics of the gold-silver or silver-dominant type deposit which contains more silver-bearing minerals than those deposits in central Korea. The gold-silver mineralization in the deposits consist of two generation; the early characterized by gold precipitation and the late represented by silver-rich (as silver-bearing sulfosalts minerals) mineralization. All but one deposit (Samjeong deposit) having relatively lower Au content in electrum values between ${\approx}20$ and ${\approx}50$ atomic %. The mineralogical data on electrum-sphalerite and/or arsenopyrite geothermometry and fluid inclusion data indicate that the gold and silver mineralizations were occurred at temperatures of $190{\sim}280^{\circ}C$ and $150{\sim}180^{\circ}C$, respectively. These suggest that the gold-silver mineralization in the province occurred in the lower temperature and pressure conditions as epithermal-type hydrothermal vein deposit.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.spc
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• pp.193-206
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• 1986

A number of auriferous veins occur in the Precambrian metamorphic terrain from Chungju to Mugeug district. These gold (-silver) deposits consist mainly of the fissure-filling quartz veins intruding the Precambrian gneiss or schist and Jurassic or Cretaceous granite. These gold (-silver) deposits can be 'divided into two mineralization epochs, (a) gold-rich veins related to Daebo igneous activity, and (b) gold-silver veins related to Bulgugsa igneous activity. These two groups of ore deposits with different generation can be characterized by the mode of occurrence of ore vein and the ore mineral associations. The auriferous quartz veins of Taechang and Boryeon mines associated with late Jurassic igneous activity are massive in character, and show the simple mineral assemblages and low Ag/Au ratio in the ores, representing a single mineralization system. The ore minerals are predominantly quartz containing minor or trace amonts of pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite and electrum. Electrum is closely associated with pyrrhotite and has chemical compositions from 61.4 to 78.5 atomic % Au. Fluid inclusion data suggest that ore minerals were deposited at temperatures between 238 and $390^{\circ}C$ from $CO_2$-rich fluids. The gold and/or silver-bearing quartz veins of Geumwang mine related to middle Cretaceous igneous activity are characterized by the multistage history, diverse mineral assemblages with high Ag/Au ratio in the ores. The ores of Geumwang mine have two contrasting mineral assemblages (1) pyrite+galena+sphalerite+arsenopyrite+electrum+argentite, representing the higher gold mineralization, and (2) pyrite+chalcopyrite+ galena +sphalerite+ arsenopyrite+silver sulfosalts+ electrum+ native silver+argentite, representing the higher silver mineralization. Electrum is closely associated with pyrite and has chemical compositions from 11.2 to 49.9 atomic % Au. The depositional environment during the higher gold mineralization can be estimated as the range of both temperature and sulfur fugacity, T= $200{\sim}300^{\circ}C$, log f ($S_2$) = $10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-15}$. The higher silver mineralization may be interpreted to have formed a range of falling temperature ($150{\sim}200^{\circ}C$) and low sulfur fugacity($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-15}$). These temperature data are consistent with homogenization temperatures of fluId inclusions in quartz. Thus, the gold veins related to the Daebo igneous activity may be formed by the environment of higher temperature and pressure than the gold-silver veins associated with the Bulgugsa igneous activity.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.252-252
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.178-179
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• 2003

Mesothermal, tellurium-bearing gold-silver vein mineralization of the Yuryang mine was formed in mineralogically complex quartz-sulfide veins that filled the fault fractures in Precambrian gneiss within Gyeonggi Massif. Ore grades average 179 g/ton gold with a gold/silver ratio of 1.5 : 1. Ore mineralization was deposited in single stage. Major ore mineralization can be divided into two mineralization phases with increasing paragenetic time: Fe-sulfide and base-metal mineralization phase $\rightarrow$ telluride mineralization phase. (omitted)

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.223-234
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• 1987

This paper describes the mode of occurrence and mineralogical properties of electrum from the Namseong Gold-Silver deposits, for the purpose of obtaining data on the characteristics of the ore deposits and the behavior of gold and silver during the mineralization. The gangue minerals are quartz, calcite, fluorite. Ore minerals are mainly composed of pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena with minor amount of argentite, electrum, pyrargyrite, native silver and unidenfied mineral(Cu-Fe-Ag-S series). Three stage of mineralization recognized are, from early to later, (I) pyrite-electrum stage (II) sphalerite-chalcopyrite-galena-argentite-electrum stage (III) sulfosalts stage. The filling temperature of fluid inclusions in quartz ranges from $225^{\circ}$ to $335^{\circ}C$. The value of sulfur fugacity estimated by means of electrum-tarnish method ranges from $10^{-11.5}$ to $10^{-14}$ atm. The compositional heterogeneity within a single grain with respect to gold concentration is common in the Namseong electrums Chemical composition of electrum ranges generally between 25~45 atom% Au. Its gold content decreases in late stages of mineralization.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.186-188
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• 2003

The Suryun gold-silver mine is one of precious metal occurrences discovered in the Hapcheon mineralized district on which lies the western margin of the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin, Korea. The district hosts deposits that include the early to late Cretaceous (108 ～ 88 Ma) Au-Ag-bearing vein systems (So et al. 1989; Shelton et al. 1990). (omitted)

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.7-14
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• 2003

The precious-meta] mineralization of epithermal type in the Korean Peninsula, which is spread over a broader range of ca. 110 to 60 Ma with a major population between 90 and 70 Ma, mainly occurred along the NE-trending major strike-slip fault systems (i.e., the Gongju and Gwangju ones) that commonly include volcano-tectonic depressions and calderas. The occurrence of epithermal mineralization during Late Cretaceous clearly indicates that the geologic setting of the Korean Peninsula changed to the favorable depth of ore formation with very shallow-crustal environments (〈1.0 kb) accompanied with gold-silver (-base-meta]) mineralization. Epithermal gold-silver deposits in Korea are primarily distinguished as sediment-dominant and volcanic-dominant basins by using criteria of varying alteration, ore and gangue mineralogy deposited by the interaction of different ore-forming fluids with host rocks and meteoric waters. These differences between the central and southern portions are causally linked to the tectonic evolution of the Peninsula during the Cretaceous time. In the Early Cretaceous, the sinistral strike-slip movements due to the oblique subduction of the Izanagi Plate resulted in the Gongju and Gwangju fault systems in the central portion of the Korean Peninsula, which was accompanied with a number of sediment-dominant basins formed along these faults. During the Late Cretaceous, the mode of convergence of the Izanagi Plate changed to northwesteward so that orthogonal convergence occurred with a calc-alkaline volcanism. As results, volcanic-dominant basins were developed in the southern portion of the Peninsula, accompanied with volcano-tectonic depressions and caldera-related fractures. The magmatism and related fractures during Late Cretaceous may play an important role in the formation of geothermal systems. Thus, such fault zones may be favorable environments for veining emplacement that is closely related to the precious-metal mineralization of epithermal type in the Korean Peninsula.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.223-234
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• 1988

A large number of gold and/or silver-bearing quartz veins occur in or near Mesozoic granite batholith elongated in a NE-SW direction within the Chungcheong Province. Precambrian schists and gneisses, and Jurassic and Cretaceous granitic rocks serve as hosts for gold and/or silver deposits. On the basis of Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratio, 15 mines may be divided into three major groups: gold-dominant deposits, gold-silver deposits, and silver-dominant deposits. The chemical composition of electrum from skarn deposit (Geodo mine), alaskite-type deposit (Geumjeong mine) and 15 vein deposits was summarized. It was found that the Au content of electrum for vein deposits ranging from 5.2 to 86.5 is lower than that for skarn and alaskite deposits. Among 15 vein deposits, the composition of electrum associated with pyrrhotite is relatively high and has a narrow range of 40.8 to 86.5 atomic % Au, but the Au content of electrum with pyrite is in range of 5.2 to 82.8 atomic %, and is clearly lower than that with pyrrhotite. The grouping of ages for these mines indicates that gold and/or silver mineralizations occurred during two periods in the Mesozoic. Daebo igneous activities are restricted to gold mineralization in the range of 158 to 133 Ma, whereas Bulgugsa igneous activities are related to gold and/or silver mineralization ranging from 108 to 71 Ma. Generally speaking, Jurassic gold-dominant veins have many common characteristics; notably prominent association with pegmatites, simply massive vein morphology, high fineness in the ore concentrates, rarity of silver minerals, and a distinctively simple mineralogy, including sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and/or pyrite. Although individual deposits exhibit widely differing diversity, Cretaceous gold-silver and silver-dominant veins are characterized by features such as complex vein, low to medium fineness in the ore concentrates and abundance of silver minerals including Ag sulfosalts, Ag sulfides, Ag tellurides and native silver.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.151-165
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• 1991

The Au-Ag deposits of the Euiseong area occurred in quartz veins which filled fissures in Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks. These ore veins can be classified in two types of deposits based on metallic mineral assemblages as follow: a pyrite type gold-silver deposit (Hoedong mine), characterized by Cu sulfides with Au-Ag alloy, and a Sb-rich silver deposit (Keumdongdo mine), characterized by base metal with Ag-bearing sulfosalts. Mineralogic and fluid inclusion evidences suggest that the ore minerals of these deposits was deposited from initial high temperatures (near $350^{\circ}C$) to later lower temperatures ($200^{\circ}C$) with moderate salinity fluids ranging from 5.8 to 3.8 eq. wt. % NaCl. The gold-silver mineralization of the Hoedong mine occurred at temperatures between 300 and $200^{\circ}C$ from fluids with log $f_{s_2}$ of -10 ~ -16 atm. The antimony - silver mineralization of the Keumdongdo mine were deposited at the higher temperatures (350 to $250^{\circ}C$) and $f_{S_2}$ (-10 ~ -13 atm) than gold mineralization of the Hoedong mine. The calculated log f02 of fluids at $250^{\circ}C$ in two deposits are -32 to -34 atm and -36.5 to -38.5 atm, respectively. Boiling evidences indicate that the ore mineralization of the Hoedong mine occurred at more shallow depth (0.5km) than that (1km) of the Keumdongdo mine. The above differences of depositional environments between two deposits caused the compositional changes of ore minerals such as electrum and sphalerite.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.367-380
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• 1988

Most of the gold (-silver) vein deposits at Yeongdong District are mainly distributed in the precambrian metamorphic rocks. Based on the Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios, the chemical composition of electrum and the associated sulfides, the gold(-silver) deposits at Yeongdong District may be classified into 4 classes: pyrrhotite - type gold deposits( I), pyrite - type gold deposits (IT A; massive vein), pyrite - type gold deposits (II B; nonmassive vein) and argentite - type gold - silver deposits(III). The chemical study on electrum(including native gold) revealed that Au content (2.8 to 92.4 atomic%) of electrums varies very widely for different classes of deposits. The Au content of electrum associated with pyrrhotite (Class I), ranging from 47.1 to 92.4 atomic% Au, is clearly higher than that associated with pyrite (Classes IIA, IIB and III). In contrast, classes I, II, and III deposits do not show clear differences in Au content of electrum. In general, pyrrhotite - type gold deposits(I) are characterized by features such as simply massive vein morphology, low values in the Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios, the absence or rarity of silver - bearing minerals except electrum, and distinctively simple mineralogy. Although the geological and mineralogical features and vein morphology of pyrite - type gold deposits(IIA)are very similar to those of pyrrhotite - type gold deposits (I), Class II A deposits reveal significant differences in the associated iron sulfide (i. e. pyrite) with electrum and Au content of electrum. The Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios from Class II A deposits are relatively slightly higher than those from Class I deposits. Pyrite - type gold deposits(II B) and argentite - type gold - silver deposits (III) have many common features; complex vein morphology, medium to high values in the Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios and the associated iron sulfide (i. e. pyrite). In contrast to Class II B deposits, Class III deposits have significantly high Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios. It indicates distinct difference in the abundance of silver minerals (i. e. native silver and argentite). The fluid inclusion analyses and mineralogical data of electrum tarnish method indicate that the gold mineralization of Classes I and II A deposits was deposited at temperatures between $230^{\circ}$ and $370^{\circ}C$, whereas the gold (-silver) mineralization of Classes ITB and ill formed from the temperature range of $150^{\circ}-290^{\circ}C$. Therefore, Classes I and IT A deposits have been formed at higher temperature condition and/or deeper positions than Classes IIB and III.