• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.185-197
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• 1995

Tungsten skarns in the Chungju mine which consists mainly of strata-bound type iron ore deposits are found in the vicinity of the contact between the age-unknown Kyemeongsan Formation and granitic rock intrusions of Mesozoic age($134{\pm}2Ma$). Tungsten skarns were formed extensively from alumina and silica-rich schistose rocks by the introduction of calcium and iron from hydrothermal solution. The skarns comprise a metasomatic column and are subdivided into four facies; garnet facies, wollastonite facies, epidote facies and chlorite facies. The skarn process in time-evolutional trend can be divided broadly into the four facies in terms of the paragenetic sequence of calc-silicates and their chemical composition. Skarn and ore minerals were formed in the following sequence; (1) garnet facies, adjacent to biotite granite, containing mainly garnet(>Ad96) and magnetite, (2) wollastonite facies containing mainly wollastonite and garnet(Ad95~60), (3) epidote facies, containing mainly epidote(Ps35~31), quartz, andradite-grossular(Ad63~50), and scheelite, (4) chlorite facies, adjacent to and replacing schist, containing mainly chrolite, muscovite, quartz, calcite, epidote(Ps31~25), hematite and sulfides. The mineral assemblage and mineral compositions. suggest that the chemical potentials of Ca and Fe increased toward the granitic rock, and the component Al, Mg, K, and Si decreased from the host rock to granitic rock. The homogenization temperature and salinity of fluid inclusion in scheelite, quartz and epidote of epidote facies skarn is $300-400^{\circ}C$ and 3-8wt.% eqiv. NaCl, respectively. ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of pyrite and galena associated with chlorite facies skarn is $9.13{\sim}9.51%_{\circ}$ and $5.85{\sim}5.96%_{\circ}$, respectively. The temperature obtained from isotopic com· position of coexisting pyrite-galena is $283{\pm}20^{\circ}C$. Mineral assemblages and fluid inclusion data indicate that skarn formed at low $X_{CO_2}$, approximately 0.01. Temperature of the skarn mineralization are estimated to be in the range of $400^{\circ}C$ to $260^{\circ}C$ and pressure to be 0.5 kbar. The oxygen fugacity($fo_2$) of the skarn mineralization decreased with time. The early skarn facies would have formed at log $fo_2$ values of about -25 to -27, and late skarn facies would have formed at log $fo_2$ values of -28 to -30. The estimated physicochemical condition during skarn formation suggests that the principal causes of scheelite mineralization are reduction of the ore·forming fluid and a decrease in temperature.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.351-363
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• 2012

In order to develop the evaluation techniques for the potential sulfide ore reserves, the relationships between the modal vol.%, grain sizes and textural characteristics of the constituent minerals (e.g., sulfides, oxides and skarn minerals) and the Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) phase differences are examined for the nine rock cores collected from the Gagok Pb-Zn skarn deposit. The Gagok Pb-Zn skarn deposit occurs mainly along the intrusive contact between the Cretaceous granitic rocks and Cambrian Myobong slate and Pungchon limestone. The nine rock cores have been grouped into three showing distinctive SIP phase differences: the highest (Group I), intermediate (Group II) and lowest (Group III). In relation with the modal vol.% of minerals, Group I is characterized by higher pyrrhotite (25-38 vol.%) and amphibole (40-55 vol.%); Group II by intermediate pyrrhotite (7-13 vol.%) and higher garnet (44-68 vol.%); and lower pyrrhotite (1-7 vol.%) and higher pyroxene (24-66 vol.%) stand for Group III. Furthermore, the grains of all the major constituent minerals become smaller from Group I (<5 mm) through Group II (<2.5 mm) to Group III (<1.6 mm). In particular, the pyrrhotite contents and their grain sizes show logarithmic correlation with the SIP phase differences, Although we present here the results solely from nine samples, the systematic interrelations especially for pyrrhotite indicate the potential ability of SIP measurements as a new mine-evaluation technique for the sulfide ore reservoir.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.1 s.176
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• pp.9-25
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• 2006

Baekun gold-silver deposit is an epithermal quartz vein that is filling the fault zone within Triassic or Jurassic foliated granodiorite. Mineralization is associated with fault-breccia zones and can be divided into two stages. Stage I which can be subdivided early and late depositional stages is main ore mineralization and stage II is barren. Early stage I is associated with wallrock alteration and the formation of sulfides such as arsenopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, marcasite, chalcopyrite, stannite, galena. Late stage I is characterized by Au-Ag mineralization such as electrum, Ag-bearing tetrahedrite, stephanite, boulangerite, pyrargrite, argentite, schirmerite, native silver, Ag-Te-Sn-S system, Ag-Cu-S system, pyrite, chalcopyrite and galena. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinity of stage I range from $171.6^{\circ}C\;to\;360.8^{\circ}C\;and\;from\;0.5\;to\;10.2\;wt.\%\;eq.$ NaCl, respectively. It suggest that ore forming fluids were cooled and diluted with the mixing of meteoric water. Also, Temperature (early stage I: $236\~>380^{\circ}C,\;$ late stage $I: <197\~272^{\circ}C$) and sulfur fugacity (early stage $I:\;10^{-7.8}$ a atm., late stage I: $10^{-14.2}\~10^{-l6}atm$.) deduced mineral assemblages from stage 1 decrease with paragenetic sequence. Sulfur ($2.4\~6.1\%_{\circ}$(early stage $I=3.4\~5.3\%_{\circ},\;late\;stage\;I=2.4\~6.1\%_{\circ}$)), oxygen ($4.5\~8.8\%_{\circ}$(quartz: early stage $I=6.3\~8.8\%_{\circ}$, late stage $I=4.5\~5.6\%_{\circ}$)), hydrogen ($-96\~-70\%_{\circ}$ (quartz: early stage $I=-96\~-70\%_{\circ},\;late\;stage\;f=-78\~-74\%_{\circ},\;calcite:\;late\;stage\;I=-87\~-76\%_{\circ}$)) and carbon ($-6.8\~-4.6\%_{\circ}$ (calcite: late stage I)) isotope compositions indicated that hydrothermal fluids may be magmaticorigin with some degree of mixing of another meteoric water for paragenetic time.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.435-444
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• 1999

The antimony deposits of the Hyundong mine, located in the northeastern part of the Sobaegsan massif, occur as hydrothermal quartz+carbonate veins and stockworks which fill the fault fractures developed in Precambrian metamOlphic rocks (mainly, granitic gneiss). Hydrothermal alteration occurs commonly in the vicinity of mineralized veins and is characterized by sericitization and silicification. A K-Ar age of alteration sericite is 139.2$\pm$ 4.4 Ma, implying the early Cretaceous age of mineralization, possibly in association with intrusion of nearby acidic dikes (mainly, quartz porphyry). The hydrothermal mineralization occurred in five mineralization stages. These are: (I) stage I, characterized by deposition of chalcedonic quartz; (2) stage II, deposition of quartz with base-metal sulfides and stibnite; (3) stage III, deposition of quartz and carbonates (calcite, dolomite, ankerite, rhodochrosite) with various antimony-bearing minerals such as stibnite, polybasite, berthierite, native antimony, gudmundite and ullmannite; (4) stage IV, deposition of calcite with stibnite; and (5) stage V, deposition of barren calcite. Antimony occurs mostly as stibnite within stages II to IV veins, which has various habits including disseminated, veinlets and euhedral coarse crystals. Fluid inclusion studies indicate that hydrothermal mineralization at Hyundong occurred from the fluids with temperature and salinity of $330^{\circ}$C to 120 and 5.3 wI. % equiv. NaCI. The temperature and salinity of ore fluids systematically decreased with elapsed time in the course of mineralization, possibly due to the influx of larger amounts of meteoric groundwater. The deposition of antimony-bearing minerals occurred at low temperatures «$250^{\circ}$C), mainly due to the cooling and dilution of fluids. Based on the evidence of fluid boiling during the early stage II mineralization, the mineralization occurred under low pressure conditions (about 80 bars, corresponding to depths of about 350 m under hydrostatic pressure regime). Thermodynamic considerations of ore . mineral assemblages indicate that antimony deposition also occurred as the results of decreases in temperature and sulfur fugacity of hydrothermal fluids. Calculated sulfur isotope composition of ore fluids ($\delta^{34}S_{\Sigma s}$=5.4 to 7.8$\textperthousand$) indicates an igneous source of sulfur.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2015

The geology of the Seungryung Zn deposit, located in the Muzu basin, consists of Precambrian leucocratic granitic gneiss, Cretaceous clastic rocks, pyroclastic rocks, and intrusive rocks. The deposit shows a weakly skarnized hydrothermal replacement ore developed along limestone bed in the gneiss. The mineralization can be divided into three stages: the early skarnization producing garnet and pyroxene, the main mineralization in the middle stage precipitating most metallic minerals such as magnetite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, Pb-Ag-Bi-S system minerals, and the late stage for altered or low temperature minerals such as chlorite and marcasite. Pb-Ag-Bi-S system minerals include heyrovskite-eskimoite solid solution, lillianite-gustavite solid solution, and vikingite. Chalcopyrite diseases are quite common in sphalerite showing bead chains and dusting textures. The ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of sulfides minerals are concentrated within the narrow range of 3.4~4.1‰ for pyrite, 3.3~4.3‰ for sphalerite, 4.0~4.3‰ for chalcopyrite, and 2.8‰ for galena, suggesting that most sulfur is of igneous origin. Sulfur isotope geothermometry is calculated to be $346{\sim}431^{\circ}C$, implying that the mineralization occurred at relatively high temperature. FeS contents of sphalerite are relatively high in the range of 6.58~20.16 mole% (avg. 16.58 mole%) with the enrichment of Mn compared to Cd, similarly to representative skarn Pb-Zn deposits in South Korea. On the contrary, sphalerite from Au-Ag deposits in the Seolcheon mineralized zone around the Seungryung deposit is enriched in Cd, showing similar feature like representative epithermal Au-Ag deposits. This suggests that around the related igneous rocks, magnetite and sphalerite were produced at high temperature in the Seungryung deposit, and with decreasing temperature and compositional change of mineralizing fluids, Au-Ag mineralization proceeded in the Seolcheon mineralized zone.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.3 s.172
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• pp.207-219
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• 2005

The physical and chemical characteristics of soils in a small watershed were investigated and the effect of geology and land use on soil quality were examined by using multivariate statistical methods, principal components analysis and discriminant analysis. The soil developed from andesite had finer texture and higher contents of water extractable inorganic components, clay, and mafic minerals than the soil developed from granite. It is considered that the accumulation of salts in the farmland soils indicated by electrical conductivity, contents of cations and anions and pH was caused by fertilizer input during cultivation. The low contents of organic matter in the farmland soils was due to the enhanced oxidation of organic matter by tillage and by the harvest of crops. The contents of inorganic components are increased as following order: upland > orchard > paddy field > forest. The high contents of water soluble $SO_4\;^{2-}$ of paddy soils is due to the oxidation of sulfides mineral formed during the flooding period during the air-dry and extraction. The results of principal components analysis show the difference of soil quality was controlled by geology and land use. PCI indicate the input of fertilizer, mineral weathering and ion exchange reaction by application of nitrogenous fertilizers. The results of two discriminant analyses using water extractable inorganic components and their ratios by land use were also clearly classified by discriminant function 1 and 2. In discriminant analysis by components, discriminant function 1 indicated the effect of fertilizer application and increased as following order: upland > orchard > paddy field > forest soil. The investigated and predicted data for land use from discriminant analysis showed similar results. The discriminant analysis can be used as a useful method certifying the change of land use.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 1996

Sulfate reduction and the precipitation of metal sulfides may have great potential to improve water quality of mine effluents in wetland treatment systems. Laboratory experiments using sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and limestone to treat effluents from the abandoned Dalsung tungsten-copper mine show that encouraging results, that have been attributed to sulfate reduction. Fe, Al, Cd, Cu and Zn are reduced to below detection limits with $99{\sim}100%$ metal removal rates, Mn is reduced by at least 90% to below 8.0 mg/l, and the pH is raised from 5.12 to 7.60 after 53 days of experiments. In the staged design, laboratory experiments are initiated to determine what would be reasonable substrate materials for remediation of the mine effluents. A substrate mixture containing 70% oak compost and 30% mushroom compost maintains $0.03{\sim}0.04mM$ of lactate, which provides good condition for the SRB granule. A downflow SRB wetland system is proposed as follows : 1) The lower part of the treatment system consists with a 25 cm thick layer of high quality (above 95% of $CaCO_3$) of limestone; 2) The geotextile (geonet) is recommended to be spread on the limestone bed to prevent clogging the limestones with the substrates; 3) The mixture of substrates with 70% oak and 30% spent mushroom composts, and SRB granules overlain on top of the geonet with 25 cm height. The sizes of the passive treatment systems are calculated according to metal loading and permeability criteria : 1) $220m^3$ ($15{\times}15{\times}1m$) for -1 level effluents; 2) $28m^3$ ($5.3{\times}5.3{\times}1m$) for -2 level; and 3) $2700m^3$ ($52{\times}52{\times}1m$) for the -3 level. The -3 level system needs to be broken down into 5 to 15 cells.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.137-148
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• 2010

The Myoungbong mine located in Boseong-gun, Jellanamdo consists of Au-Ag bearing quartz veins which filled the fissures of Bulguksa granitic rocks of Cretaceous. The tailings obtained from the Myungbong mine were used to investigate the effects of various processes, such as oxidation of primary sulfides and formation(alteration) of secondary and/or tertiary minerals, on arsenic immobilization in tailings. This study was conducted via both mineralogical and chemical methods. Mineralogical methods used included gravity and magnetic separation, ultrasonic cleaning, and instrumental analyses(X-ray diffractometry, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and electron probe microanalyzer) and aqua regia extraction technique for soils was applied to determine the elemental concentrations in the tailings. Iron (oxy)hydroxides formed as a result of oxidation of tailings were identified as three specific forms. The first form filled in rims and fissures of primary pyrites. The second one precipitated and coated the surfaces of gangue minerals and the final form was altered into yukonites. Initially, large amounts of acid-generating minerals, such as pyrite and arsenopyrite, might make the rapid progress of oxidation reactions, and lots of secondary minerals including iron (oxy)hydroxides and scorodite were formed. The rate of pH decrease in tailings diminished, in addition, as the exposure time of tailings to oxidation environments was prolonged and the acid-generating minerals were depleted. Rather, it is speculated that the pH of tailings increased, as the contribution of pH neutralization reactions by calcite contained in surrounding parental rocks became larger. The stability of secondary minerals, such as scorodite, were deteriorated due to the increase in pH, and finally arsenic might be leached out. Subsequently, calcimn and arsenic ions dissociated from calcites and scorodites were locally concentrated, and yukonite could be grown tertiarily. It is confirmed that this tertiary yukonite which is one of arsenate minerals and contains arsenic in high level plays a crucial role in immobilizing arsenic in tailings. In addition to immobilization of arsenic in yukonites, the results indicate that a huge amount of iron (oxy)hydroxides formed by weathering of pyrite which is one of typical primary minerals in tailings can strongly control arsenic behavior as well. Consequently, this study elucidates that through a sequence of various processes, arsenic which was leached out as a result of weathering of primary minerals, such as arsenopyrite, and/or redissolved from secondary minerals, such as scorodite, might be immobilized by various sorption reactions including adsorption, coprecipiation, and absorption.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.115-139
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• 1984

The Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag hydrothermal vein-type deposits which comprise the Sambong mine occur within calc-alkaline volcanics of the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin. The ore mineralization took place through three distinct stages of quartz (I and II stages) and calcite veins (III stage) which fill the pre-existing fault breccia zones. These stages were separated in time by tectonic fracturing and brecciation events. The reflection variations of one mineral depending on mineralization sequence are considered to be resulted from variation in its chemical composition due to different physico-chemical conditions in the hydrothermal system. The reflection power of sphalerite increases with the content of Fe substituted for Zn. Reflectances of the sphalerite grain are lower on (111) than on (100) surface. The spectral profiles depend on the internal reflection color. Sphalerite, showing green, yellow and reddish brown internal reflection, have the highest reflection power at $544m{\mu}$ (green), $593m{\mu}$ (yellow) and $615m{\mu}$ (red) wavelength, respectively. Chalcopyrite is recognized as biaxial negative from the reflectivity data of randomly oriented grains measured at the most sensitivity at $544m{\mu}$. The microindentation hardness against the Fe content (wt. %) for the sphalerite increases to 8.05% Fe and then decreases toward 9.5% Fe content. Vickers hardness of the sphalerite is considerably higher on surface of (100) than on (111). The relationship between Vickers hardness and crystal orientation of the galena was determined to be $VHN_{(111)}$ > $VHN_{(210)}$ > $VHN_{(100)}$. The softer sulfides have the wider variation of the diagonal length in the indentation. Diagonal length in the indentation is pyrite

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.131-150
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• 1991

The Weolseong diatreme was temporally and spatially related to the intrusion of the Gadaeri granite, and was -mineralized by meteoric aqueous fluids. In the Nokdong As-Zn deposit, pyrite, aresenopyrite and sphalerite are the most abundant sulfide minerals. They are associated with minor amount of magnetite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and cassiterite, and trace amounts of Pb-Sb-Bi-Ag sulphosalts. The AsZn ore probably occurred at about $350^{\circ}C$ according to fluid inclusion and compositional data estimated from the arsenic content of arsenopyrite and iron content of sphalerite intergrown with pyrrhotite + chalcopyrite + cubanite. Heating studies of fluid inclusions in quartz indicate a temperature range between 180 and $360^{\circ}C$, and freezing data indicate a salinity range from 0.8 to 4.1 eq.wt % NaCl. The coexisting assemblage pyrite + pyrrhotite + arsenopyrite suggests that $H_2S$ was the dominate reduced sulfur species, and defines fluid parameter thus: $10^{-34.5}$ < ${\alpha}_{S_2}$ < $10^{-33}$, $10^{-11}$ < $f_{S_2}$ < $10^{-8}$, -2.4 < ${\alpha}_{S_2}$ < -1.6 atm and pH= 5.2 (sericte stable) at $300^{\circ}C$. The sulfur isotope values ranged from 1.8 to 5.5% and indicate that the sulfur in the sulfides is of magmatic in origin. The carbon isotope values range from -7.8 to -11.6%, and the oxygen isotope values from the carbonates in mineralized wall rock range from 2 to 11.4%. The oxygen isotope compositions of water coexisting with calcite require an input of meteoric water. The geochemical data indicate that the ore-forming fluid probably was generated by a variety of mechanisms, including deep circulation of meteoric water driven by magmatic heat, with possible input of magniatic water and ore component.