• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.147-151
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• 1986

K-Ar ages on biotites have been determined from the Proterozoic Buncheon and Hongjesa granitic rocks in comparison with the Rb-Sr whole-rock ages to investigate the ages of metamorphic events. The Rb-Sr whole-rock ages determinations on the Buncheon and Hongjesa granitoid rocks were previously reported as 2,100Ma and 1,700Ma, respectively. K-Ar ages on biotites separated from the studied rock have revealed three different age groups such as 1) 1,200~1,300Ma, 2) 600~700Ma and 3) 300~400Ma. The Rb-Sr whole-rock ages for the granitic rocks represent the time of emplacement, whereas the K-Ar ages on biotites generally indicate the time of metamorphism or alteration. The large discordance in the two age systems may not be explained as indicating the cooling period of the granitic batholiths. The K-Ar ages on biotites from the granitoid rocks might not be simply interpreted as the age of the last phase of metamorphism, since the granitic rocks had been undergone multistages of amphibolite facies-metamorphism in the Precambrian period. During the multistages of intermediate grade metamorphism, $^{40}Ar$-loss could be inevitably taken place as the metamorphic temperatures went up above the blocking temperature of biotite ($300{\pm}50^{\circ}C$). The results of the K-Ar dating on biotites from this study are probably minimum ages or hydrothermal alteration ages.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.17-20
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• 1989

Two rhyolitic rocks were taken at punggog of the Jangseong sheet in the Taebaegsan mineralized area and isotopically dated by K-Ar whole rock method. One is a rhyolite which gives $62.69{\pm}1.15Ma$ and the other is a rhyolitic tuff which gives $51.67{\pm}6.64Ma$, respectively. Generally K-Ar whole rock ages of the volcanic rocks can be assumed to be the formation age of them, if there is no geological criterion of secondary effects. But the two rhyolitic rocks were slightly hydrothermally altered and the age the rhyolitic tuff is a little younger than that of the rhyolite. However, there is no geological criterion to show any big hiatus between them in field, yet. Therefore, the age data would be interpreted, as that the rhyolitic rock mass has been probably extruded at about 60 Ma, a little older than 60 Ma, in the area. The ages of them probably appear to be secondary ages after the alteration. This fact well coincides with the K-Ar whole rock age of quartz-porphyry ($57.25{\pm}0.89Ma$) distributed near the 1st Yeonhwa Pb-Zn mine (Park et al., personal comm.), because the quartz-porphyry look to be a product of hydrothermal alteration of the volcanic rock.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.329-336
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• 2012

In September 2009, a perfectly preserved fossil of a dinosaur egg nest was discovered in the Cretaceous formations of the Aphaedo area in Shinan, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. In order to estimate the age of dinosaur eggshells and the depositional age of the Cretaceous sediments in Aphaedo area, a whole-rock K-Ar dating was carried out on volcanic pebbles showing a sedimentary structure contemporaneous with the Aphaedo strata, acidic tuffs overlaying the strata conformably, and acidic dike rocks intrude to both of them. Volcanic rocks observed in the strata are 3-20 cm in diameter as pebbles found in lenticular conglomerate and pebble bearing mudstone strata. K-Ar whole-rock dating was performed on six different volcanic pebbles which show a sedimentary structure contemporaneous with the dinosaur egg nest contained in the strata, and all samples show Late Cretaceous ages: Cenomanian ($97.6{\pm}1.9$Ma), Coniacian ($87.6{\pm}1.7$ Ma), Santonian ($84.5{\pm}1.7$Ma) or Campanian ($82.5{\pm}1.6$, $77.3{\pm}1.5$, $75.7{\pm}1.5$ Ma). The K-Ar whole-rock age of acidic tuffs overlaying the Cretaceous formation conformably was estimated to be Campanian ($79.2{\pm}1.6$ or $77.3{\pm}1.5$Ma), when the dating was carried out under the same conditions. The acidic dike intruding both Cretaceous formation and acidic tuff showed a K-Ar whole-rock age of $70.9{\pm}1.4$Ma (Campanian). Therefore, the depositional age of the Cretaceous formation in the Aphaedo area and the time when dinosaurs lived in the study area are considered to be 77-83 Ma. Such results indicate that the ages of dinosaur eggshells from Aphaedo area can be correlated with the ages of the Seonso Formation (81Ma) with dinosaur egg nest fossils and the Uhangri Formation (79-81Ma) with dinosaur, pterosaur and web-footed bird tracks.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2001

Geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions and K-Ar ages are analyzed in volcanic rocks from Weno Island, Caroline Islands. Seven Weno lava samples of alkali basalt and basaltic trachyandesite are aphyric or sparsely phyric comprising olivine, plagioclase, and clinopyroxene phenocrysts. Whole-rock geochemical variation of Weno lavas reflects main fractional crystallization of olivine and Cr-spinel phenocrysts. Newly determined K-Ar ages of Weno lavas range from 6.7 to 11.3 Ma (late Miocene), indicating their formation during primary volcanic stage of Chuuk Islands. Trace element compositions of Weno lavas are very similar to those of typical ocean island basalts (OIBs), suggesting their formation during intra-plate mantle plume activity. The plume composition is isotopically very similar to that of Hawaiian hot spot. However, the age span of Chuuk volcanism is longer than that of the other individual volcanoes in the Pacific.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 2013

Based on mineral assemblages, field occurrences, the volcanic rocks distributed in the Geumdang Island area are divided into three types: rhyolite, porphyritic rhyolite and intermediated dyke rock. In a diagram of [TAS (total alkali-silica)], rhyolites and porphyritic rhyolites belong to the rhyolite-dacite field and rhyolite field, respectively. As to the times when the rhyolite and porphyritic rhyolite rocks were formed a whole rock K-Ar age was obtained. These absolute age determinations have revealed that the former (rhyolite) has an age of 76-78 Ma and belongs to the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) and the latter (porphyritic rhyolite) is 71-72 Ma in age and thus belongs to the boundary between the Campanian and Maastrichtian. These geological ages are associated with the igneous activity of the Yuchon Group which occurred vigorously in the southern part of the Korean peninsula during the Late Cretaceous. The various geological ages of volcanic rocks distributed in the southwestern part of the peninsula and of igneous rocks found in the Cretaceous formation which contain a wide variety of minerals indicate that in this area, volcanic activities continued vigorously as a result of the collision of the Eurasian and Pacific Plates between 108-71 Ma.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.513-518
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• 1995

A granite drilling core (-1200 m) obtained near the Majang cave in east part of the Cheju island. The rock is pinksh in color and has miarolitic cavities. It is coarse-grained rock and consists of quartz, plagioclase, alkali feldspar, biotite and magnetite. The rock shows characteristically micrographic texture. The alkali feldspar is subhedral to anhedral and generally interstitial grains and fonns micrographic texture. K/Ar age of alkali feldspar in the core specimen is $58.14{\pm}1.4Ma $ (early Tertiary). The age, rock features and whole rock chemistry of the rock has strong resemblance to micrographic granites, so called "masanite", in southeastern part of the Korean peninsular. The granitic fragments from drilling core (- 920 m) obtained in Jungmun area in south part of the Cheju island consist of quartz, plagioclase, alkali feldspar and biotite. The fragments in the Jungmun area are similar to granitic xenolith near the Cheju city for the absence of micrographic texture and different alkali feldspar.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.618-626
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• 2012

The Cretaceous fossil sites of Seoyuri in Hwasun was designated as the Korean Natural Monument No. 487 in November 2007. It provides important resources for paleoenvironmental studies, including theropod trackways, plant fossils, mudcracks, ripple marks, and horizontal bedding. The Cretaceous sedimentary strata contain a wide variety of volcanic pebbles, 5-40 cm in diameter in the lower portion and are overlain by the Late Cretaceous Hwasun andesite. Whole rock absolute K-Ar age determinations were performed on six volcanic pebbles from the Cretaceous sedimentary strata and on two samples from the overlaying Hwasun andesite. These ages indicate that the rocks belong to the period between the Turonian of the late Cretaceous (91-70 Ma) and the Pliocene age of the early Cenozoic ($63.4{\pm}1.2$ and $62.1{\pm}1.2$ Ma). Thus, the K-Ar ages indicate that the maximum geological age of the dinosaur track-bearing sedimentary deposits is about ca. 70 Ma. Therefore, it suggests that the age is comparable to the formation ages of the dinosaur footprints-bearing deposits in Sado area of Yeosu (71-66Ma).

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.107-118
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• 2003

The axial seamount basalts in the P3 segment of the Phoenix Ridge were obtained from dredging and the K-Ar age determination and whole-rock geochemical analyses have been done for understanding their origin. The K-Ar ages for PRS basalts sampled from 1,000m below sea level are 2.6-2.2 Ma and those for PR3 basalts from 800m are 1.6-1.5 Ma. The younger ages towards the crest of the seamount indicate that this submarine volcano has been grown by central eruptions. The youngest age of about 1.5 Ma for PR3 basalts corresponds to the final eruption period of this volcano. The seamount basalts contain small amounts of normative quartz and olivine. They have transitional geochemical nature between alkaline- and subalkaline-series basalts. Trace and rare earth elements compositions of the seamount basalts are very similar to those of ocean island basalts (OIB), and indicate that this seamount has been formed by a hotspot activity, not in association with a seafloor spreading. The melting degree from the source has decreased with time, and finally the volcanic activity has stopped when the basaltic magma reached mild alkaline composition.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.93-113
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• 2008

This study presents petrochemistry and $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ absolute ages of subsurface volcanic rock cores from twenty(20) boreholes in the eastern lowland (altitude loom below) of Jeju Island, Handeong-Jongdal-Udo-Susan-Samdal-Hacheon areas, and discusses topography and volcanism in the area. The subsurface volcanic rock cores are mainly basalts in composition with minor tholeiitic andesites and basaltic trachyandesites. Sequences of intercalated tholeiitic, transitional and alkalic lavas suggest that tholeiitic and transitional to alkalic lavas must have erupted contemporaneously. Especially, occurrences of trachybasalts and basaltic trachyandesites at the bases in the area imply that the volcanism in the area was initiated with slightly differentiated alkaline magma activity. The $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ absolute ages of the subsurface volcanic rock cores range from $526{\pm}23ka\;to\;38{\pm}4Ka$. The lava-forming Hawaiian volcanic activities of the eastern lowland can be divided into five sequences on the basis of sediment distribution, whole rock geochemistry and $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ absolute ages of the subsurface volcanic rock cores; stage I-U$(550{\sim}400Ka)$, stage II$(400{\sim}300Ka)$ and stage III$(300{\sim}200Ka)$ during syn-depositional stage of Seoguipo Formation, and stage IV$(200{\sim}100Ka)$ and stage V(younger than 100Ka) during post-depositional stage. In the eastern lowland of Jeju Island, compositional variations and local occurrences of the subsurface volcanic rocks as well as existences of various intercalated sediment layers (including hydrovolcanogenic clasts) suggest that the volcanism must have continued for long time intermittently and that the land has been progressively glowed from inland to coast by volcanic activities and sedimentation. It reveals that the subsurface volcanic rocks in the eastern lowland of Jeju Island must have erupted during relatively younger than 200Ka of stages IV and V. The results of this study are partly in contrast with those of previous studies. This study stresses the need that previous reported volcanic activities in Jeju Island based on K-Ar ages of volcanic rocks should be carefully reviewed, and that stratigraphic correlation from boreholes should be conducted by quantitative criteria combined with petrography and petrochemstry as well as radiometric studies of volcanic rock cores.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 1998

Volcanic rocks including rhyolitic tuff, rhyolite and welded tuff in the Bupyeong silver mine area form a topographic circular structure known as a resurgent caldera. Granitic rocks are emplaced inside and outside area of the circular structure. K-Ar dating and Nd-Sr isotope studies were carried out to invesitigate the origin and petrogenetic evolution of the rhyolitic and granitic magma in the Bupeong silver mine area. Whole rock K-Ar age ranges from 208 to 131 Ma for rhyolitic rocks. Radiometric ages for the granitic rocks are 167.6 Ma for pink feldspar biotite granite from inside granitic pluton of the circular volcanic body, 178.8 Ma for the Kimpo hornblende biotite granite and 111.8 Ma for the Songdo foliated granite from outside granitic plutons of the volcanic body. The radiometric age data indicates that the volcanic activities which are partly overlapped by granite plutonic activities in the Bupyeong mine area had recorded early Jurassic and early Cretaceous in age. Initial Sr and Nd isotopic ratios of the rhyolitic rocks ($^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$=0.710~0.719 and $^{143}Nd/^{144}Nd$=0.5115~0.5118) are similar to those of granitic rocks ($^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$=0.709~0.716 and $^{143}Nd/^{144}Nd$=0.5115~0.5116) from inside granite stock. This means that similar source materials of felsic magma responsibles for the Bupyeong volcanic rocks and inside plutonic rocks. Based on the Nd and Sr isotopic compositions, rhyolitic and granitic magmas in the Bupyeong area originated from the partial melting of the old continental crust which has Nd model age ranging from 1500 to 2900 Ma. This is analogous to those of the other Jurassic granitoids in South Korea.