• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.89-98
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• 1978

Mineralogy, beneficiation, and processes of titanium ores are reviewed from petrographic viewpoints. The most important titanium minerals are ilmenite ($FeTiO_3$) and rutile ($TiO_2$). Ilmenite will play major role :for raw material, because rutile are rapidly diminishing. Thus, there is a need to develope a successful process for producing high grade Ti02 from ilmenite. Commercial, as well as R and D processes to treat more abundant ilmenite ores fall in three general classess: 1. Iron in ilmenite is partially or completely reduced and separated either physically or chemically. 2. Iron is reduced to ferrous state and chemically leached away from the titanium. 3. Ore is treated to make chlorides either selectively or with subsequent separation and purification of $TiC_4$. Routes and efficiencies of these process technologies are primarily influenced by the particular ore deposit to be mined and secondly by environmental considerations. One deposit parameters which influence ilmenite process technologies are: 1. Complexity of microtextures of ilmenite intergrown with Fe-oxide minerals. 2. Composition of concentrates; ilmenites contain minor amounts of substituted Mg, Mn, and V. These elements plus iron and gangue minerals can cause difficulties to complete reactions, substantial acid consumption, difficulties of removing waste solids, and waste disposal problems. Major contributions to be made by petrologists for process optimization are: characterization and interpretation of compositional and physical changes of raw materials and solids derived from process streams. These informations can play significant role in selecting and improving process steps for titania production.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.285-297
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• 2013

Ilmenite deposits are developed along the Precambrian intercumulated anorthosite body in Jikjeon-Ri, Bukcheon-Myeon, Hadong, Korea. Both detailed geological survey and drilling prospecting data for seven boreholes can be used to do resource estimation with GOCAD S/W. 3D modeling using geostatistics is applied to predict the shape and size of Ti ore bodies. As a result, 5 Ti ore veins occurred along N-S direction and average grade of Ti and ilmenite resources are calculated as 2.98 wt% Ti and 7,494,303 metric tons ilmenite ore reserves (Ti 223,330 t). This 3D modeling will be applied to the whole ilmenite deposits in Hadong-Sancheong area to predict the exact distribution and resources estimations of Ti ores.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2010

Ilmenite ore bodies are deposited within the Precambrian anorthosite body distributed in the Hadonggun and Sancheonggun district, Gyeongsangnamdo. This study tries to identify the occurrence of ilmenite ore body in titanium mine area distributed in Wheolheongri, Okjongmyon, Hadonggun and six mining concession areas (Danseong claim no. 64, 65, 74, 75, 84, 85) in Danseongmyon, Sancheonggun. Wheolheongri ilmenite ore body occurs as vein with about 10~50 m width and 100 m length and shows NNE strike and NW dipping. High grade ore with $TiO_2$ 20 wt% in this area is distributed in intercumulated anorthosite and is sheared and brecciated. Ilmenite occurring in this type is commonly associated with hornbelnde. Ilmenite ore bodies distributed in Danseonggun, Sancheongmyon are deposited in layered anorthosite. They occur as stratiform with variable width from several and several tens meters. Ilmenite which is disseminated in the matrix is sheared and elongated. This type shows generally low grade ($TiO_2$ 1.0~6.0 wt%). The ilmenite ore bodies occur as vein and stratiform, and the former shows higher grade than the latter.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.185-197
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• 2023

The Gubong Au-Ag deposit consists of eight lens-shaped quartz veins. These veins have filled fractures along fault zones within Precambrian metasedimentary rock. This has been one of the largest deposits in Korea, and is geologically a mix of orogenic-type and intrusion-related types. Korea Mining Promotion Corporation drilled into a quartz vein (referred to as the No. 6 vein) with a width of 0.9 m and a grade of 27.9 g/t Au at a depth of -728 ML by drilling (No. 90-12) in the southern site of the deposit, To further investigate the potential redevelopment of the No. 6 vein, another drilling (No. 04-1) was carried out in 2004. In 2004, samples (wallrock, wallrock alteration and quartz vein) were collected from the No. 04-1 drilling core site to study the occurrence and chemical composition of Ti-bearing minerals (ilmenite, rutile). Rutile from mineralized zone at a depth of -275 ML occur minerals including K-feldspar, biotite, quartz, calcite, chlorite, pyrite in wallrock alteration zone. Ilmenite and rutile from ore vein (No. 6 vein) at a depth of -779 ML occur minerals including white mica, chlorite, apatite, zircon, quartz, calcite, pyrrhotite, pyrite in wallrock alteration zone and quartz vein. Based on mineral assemblage, rutile was formed by hydrothermal alteration (chloritization) of Ti-rich biotite in the wallrock. Chemical composition of ilmenite has maximum values of 0.09 wt.% (HfO₂), 0.39 wt.% (V₂O₃) and 0.54 wt.% (BaO). Comparing the chemical composition of rutile at a depth -275 ML and -779 ML, Rutile at a depth of -779 ML is higher contents (WO₃, FeO and BaO) than rutile at a depth of -275 ML. The substitutions of rutile at a depth of -275 ML and -779 ML are as followed : rutile at a depth of -275 ML Ba²⁺ + Al³⁺ + Hf⁴⁺ + (Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺) ↔ 3Ti⁴⁺ + Fe²⁺, 2V⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺ + Al³⁺ + (Fe²⁺, Ba²⁺), Al³⁺ + V⁴⁺+ (Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺ + 2Fe²⁺, rutile at a depth of -779 ML 2 (Fe²⁺, Ba²⁺) + Al³⁺ + (W⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺ + (V⁴⁺, Hf⁴⁺), Fe²⁺ + Al³⁺ + Hf ⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺ + V⁴⁺ + Ba²⁺, respectively. Based on these data and chemical composition of rutiles from orogenic-type deposits, rutiles from Gubong deposit was formed in a relatively oxidizing environment than the rutile from orogenictype deposits (Unsan deposit, Kori Kollo deposit, Big Bell deposit, Meguma gold-bearing quartz vein).

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.407-413
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• 2003

The geology of the Apdong Nb-Ta deposit, is hosted by alkali metasomatites, consist of Upper Proterozoic sedimentary rocks, alkali syenites(Hoamsan intrusive) of Phyonggang Complex(late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic), Jurassic granite and Quaternary basalt. Alkali syenites are distinguished as alkali amphibole-pyroxene syenite, alkali amphibole-biotite syenite, biotite-nepheline syenite, biotite syenite, and quartz-alkali amphibole-pyroxene syenite. Alkali metasomatites are the products of intense post-magnatic metasomatism, and form the Nb-Ta ore bodies as the belt, irregular vein and lenticular types in the southern part of Hoamsan intrusive. The ore mineralization is characterized by the occurrence of pyrochlore, zircon, and small amounts of columbite, fergusonite. magnetite, fluorite, molybdenite, ilmenite, titanite, apatite, and monazite. Pyrochlore is one of the niobium/tantalum oxides and contains substantial amounts of rare earths and radioactive elements. The compositional varieties of pyrochlore can be defined: (1) enriched in tantalum, uranium and cerium, (2) substantially tantalum- and fluorine-poor, and (3) enriched in thorium or barium. The geochemical characteristics, ore textures and mineral occurrences indicate that alkali metasomatism of the mineralizing fluid was the dominant ore-forming process.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.109-122
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• 2011

The major Mo deposits in South Korea were formed during the Jurassic Daebo orogeny, the Late Cretaceous and the Tertiary post-orogenic igneous activities, and are characterized by a variety of genetic types such as pegmatite, greisen, skarn, porphyry and vein types. The Jangsu mine is a pegmatite-style deposit which is genetically related to the Jurassic ilmenite-series two-mica granite with the Mo mineralization age of $159.6{\pm}4.5$ Ma. The Geumseong mine occurs as a skarn/porphyry-style deposit associated with highly fractionated granite. Its age of Mo mineralization within aplitic cupola is about 96.5~l07.5 Ma. The Yeonil mine is a porphyry-style deposit, and the Geumeum mine is a veinlet-style deposit along the fracture zone with their mineralization ages of $58.4{\pm}1.6$ and $54.4{\pm}1.2$ Ma, respectively. The contrasts in the style of Mo mineralization in Korea reflect the different environment of the related magmatism. The Jurassic mineralization, being related to deep-seated granitoids, occurs as a pegmatite-style deposit, whereas the Cretaceous one, being related to subvolcanic granitoids, occurs as skarn/porphyry/vein-type ore deposits. The Tertiary Mo mineralization has a close relationship with the igneous activities associated with the Tertiary basin formation along the east coast, Korean peninsular.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.195-214
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• 2020

The Samgwang Au-Ag deposit has been one of the largest deposits in Korea. The deposit consists of eight lens-shaped quartz veins which filled fractures along fault zones in Precambrian metasedimentary rock, which feature suggest that it is an orogenic-type deposit. The Ti-bearing minerals occur in wallrock (titanite, ilmenite and rutile) and laminated quartz vein (rutile). They occur minerals including biotite, muscovite, chlorite, white mica, monazite, zircon, apatite in wallrock and white mica, chlorite, arsenopyrite in laminated quartz vein. Chemical composition of titanite has maximum vaules of 3.94 wt.% (Al₂O₃), 0.49 wt.% (FeO), 0.52 wt.% (Nb₂O₅), 0.46 wt.% (Y₂O₃) and 0.43 wt.% (V₂O₅). Titanite with 0.06~0.14 (Fe/Al ratio) and 0.06~0.15 (X_Al (=Al/Al+Fe³⁺+Ti)) corresponds with metamorphic origin and low-Al variety. Chemical composition of ilmenite has maximum values of 0.07 wt.% (ZrO₂), 0.12 wt.% (HfO₂), 0.26 wt.% (Nb₂O₅), 0.04 wt.% (Sb₂O₅), 0.13 wt.% (Ta₂O₅), 2.62 wt.% (As₂O₅), 0.29 wt.% (V₂O₅), 0.12 wt.% (Al₂O₃) and 1.59 wt.% (ZnO). Chemical composition of rutile in wallrock and laminated quartz vein has maximum values of 0.35 wt.%, 0.65 wt.% (HfO₂), 2.52 wt.%, 0.19 wt.% (WO₃), 1.28 wt.%, 1.71 wt.% (Nb₂O₃), 0.03 wt.%, 0.07 wt.% (Sb₂O₃), 0.28 wt.%, 0.21 wt.% (As₂O₅), 0.68 wt.%, 0.70 wt.% (V₂O₃), 0.48 wt.%, 0.59 wt.% (Cr₂O₃), 0.70 wt.%, 1.90 wt.% (Al₂O₃) and 4.76 wt.%, 3.17 wt.% (FeO), respectively. Rutile in laminated quartz vein is higher contents (HfO₂, Nb₂O₃, As₂O₅, Cr₂O₃, Al₂O₃ and FeO) and lower content (WO₃) than rutile in wallrock. The substitutions of rutile in wallrock and laminated quatz vein are as followed : rutile in wallrock [(Fe³⁺, Al³⁺, Cr³⁺) + Hf⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, As⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺) ⟵⟶ 2Ti⁴⁺ + V⁴⁺, 2Fe²⁺ + (Al³⁺, Cr³⁺) + Hf⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, As⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺) ⟵⟶ 2Ti⁴⁺ + 2V⁴⁺], rutile in laminated quartz vein [(Fe³⁺, Al³⁺) + As⁵⁺ ⟵⟶ Ti⁴⁺ + V⁴⁺, (Fe³⁺, Al³⁺) + As⁵⁺ ⟵⟶ Ti⁴⁺ + Hf⁴⁺, 4(Fe³⁺, Al³⁺) ⟵⟶ Ti⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺) + Cr³⁺], respectively. Based on these data, titanite, ilmenite and rutile in wallrock were formed by resolution and reconcentration of cations (W⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺, As⁵⁺, Hf⁴⁺, V⁴⁺, Cr³⁺, Al³⁺, Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺) in minerals of wallrock during regional metamorphism. And then rutile in laminated quartz vein was formed by reconcentration of cations (Nb⁵⁺, As⁵⁺, Hf⁴⁺, Cr³⁺, Al³⁺, Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺) in alteration minerals (white mica, chlorite) and Ti-bearing minerals reaction between hydrothermal fluid originated during ductile shear and Ti-bearing minerals (titanite, ilmenite and rutile) in wallrock.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.87-101
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• 2018

The Manjang deposit developed in the Hwajeonri formation of the Okcheon metamorphic belt consists of the Central and Main orebodies of Cu-bearing hydrothermal vein type and the Western orebody of Fe-skarn type. This study focuses on the Cu mineralization of the Central and Main orebodies to compare with the genetic environments of the Western orebody previously studied. The Central orebody produced pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite as major ore minerals with vein texture, while the Main orebody contains pyrite, arsenopyrite, and chalcopyrite as major ore minerals with vein, massive, and brecciated texture. Sphalerite, galena, magnetite, ilmenite, rutile, cassiterite, wolframite, and stannite are also accompanied. Local occurrence of skarn is dominated by grossular and hedenbergite, reflecting the reduced condition of the skarnization. Geothermometries of sphalerite-stannite in the Central orebody and arsenopyrite-pyrite in the Main orebody indicate the formation temperature of $204-263^{\circ}C$ and $383-415^{\circ}C$, respectively. Sulfur fugacity of $10^{-6}-10^{-7}atm$. in the Main orebody decreased toward the Central orebody. Sulfur isotope compositions of sulfide minerals from the Central and Main orebodies are 4.6-7.9‰ and 4.3-7.0‰, respectively, reflecting magmatic origin with slight influence by host rock. Considering ore mineralogy, texture as well as physicochemical conditions, the Main and Central orebodies of hydrothermal Cu mineralization reflect the characteristics of proximal and distal type ore mineralization, respectively, related to hidden igneous rocks, and they were generated under different hydrothermal systems from the Fe-skarn Western orebody.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.105-116
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to provide the information on genesis of obsidian occurring in the southwestern part of Ulleung Island, Korea, and to discuss its implications for volcanic activity through volcanological and mineralogical properties of obsidian. Obsidian occurs locally at the lower part of the Gombawi welded tuff, showing various complex textures and flow banding. Though obsidian is mostly homogeneous, it is closely associated with alkali feldspar phenocrysts, reddish tuff, and greyish trachyte fragments. The obsidian occurs as wavy, lenticular blocks or lamination composed of fragments. Cooling fractures developed on obsidian glass are characterized by perlitic cracks, orbicular or spherical cracks, indicating that obsidian rapidly quenched to form an amorphous silica-rich phase. It is evident that hydration took place preferentially at the outer rim relative to the core of obsidian, forming alteration rinds. The glassy matrix of obsidian includes euhedral alkali feldspars, diopside, biotite, ilmenite, and iron oxides. Microlites in glassy obsidian are composed mainly of alkali feldspars and ilmenite. Quantitative analysis by EPMA on the obsidian glass part shows trachytic composition with high iron content of 3 wt.%. Accordingly, obsidian formed with complex textures under a rapid cooling condition on surface ground, with slight rheomorphism. Such results might be induced by collapse of lava dome or caldera, which produced the block-and-ash flow deposit and the transportation into valley while keeping high temperatures.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.223-234
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• 2019

The geology of the Samdeok Mo deposit consists of Paleozoic Hwajeonri formation, Kowoonri formation, Suchangri formation, Iwonri formation, Hwanggangri formation, Cretaceous, leucocratic porphyritic granite and granitic porphyry. This deposit consists of three quartz veins that filled NS oriented fractured zones in Suchangri formation. Quartz veins vary from 0.05 m to 0.3 m in thickness and extend to about 400 m in strike length. Quartz veins occur as massive, breccia, and cavity textures. Wallrock alteration has silicification, sericitization, argillitization and chloritization. The mineralogy of the quartz veins consists of quartz, fluorite, white mica, biotite, apatite, monazite, rutile, ilmenite, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, Fe-Mg-Mn oxide and Fe oxide. White mica from Samdeok Mo deposit occurs as fine or coarse grains in quartz vein and hostrock and has four mineral assemblages (I type: quartz, molybdenite, Fe oxide and Fe-Mg-Mn oxide, II type: quartz, Fe oxide and Fe-Mg-Mn oxide, III type: quartz and biotite, and IV type: quartz). The structural formular of white mica from quartz vein is $(K_{0.89-0.60}Na_{0.05-0.00}Ca_{0.01-0.00}Sr_{0.02-0.00})_{0.94-0.62}(Al_{1.54-1.12}Mg_{0.36-0.18}Fe_{0.26-0.09}Mn_{0.04-0.00}Ti_{0.02-0.00}Cr_{0.02-0.00}Zn_{0.01-0.00})_{1.91-1.72}(Si_{3.40-3.11}Al_{0.92-0.60})_{4.00}O_{10}(OH_{1.68-1.42}F_{0.58-0.32})_{2.00}$, but white mica of I type has higher FeO content, and lower $SiO_2$ and MgO contents than white micas of other types. Also, compositional variations in white mica from the Samdeok Mo deposit are caused by phengitic or Tschermark substitution ($(Al^{3+})^{VI}+(Al^{3+})^{IV}{\leftrightarrow}(Fe^{2+}{\text{ or }}Mg^{2+})^{VI}+(Si^{4+})^{IV}$) and direct $(Fe^{3+})^{VI}{\leftrightarrow}(Al^{3+})^{VI}$ substitution.