• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2009

The Haman mineralized area is located within the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin along the southeastern part of the Korean peninsula. Almost all occurrences in the Haman area are representative of copper-bearing polymetallic hydrothermal vein-type mineralization. Within the area are a number of fissure-filling hydrothermal veins which contain tourmaline, quartz and carbonates with Fe-oxide, base-metal sulfide and sulfosalt minerals. The Gunbuk, Jeilgunbuk and Haman mines are each located on such veins. The ore and gangue mineral paragenesis can be divided into three distinct stages: Stage I, tourmaline + quartz + Fe-Cu ore mineralization; Stage II, quartz + sulfides + sulfosalts + carbonates; Stage III, barren calcite. Equilibrium thermodynamic data combined with mineral paragenesis indicate that copper minerals precipitated mainly within a temperature range of $350^{\circ}C$ to $250^{\circ}C$. During early mineralization at $350^{\circ}C$, significant amounts of copper ($10^3$ to $10^2\;ppm$) could be dissolved in weakly acid NaCl solutions. For late mineralization at $250^{\circ}C$, about $10^0$ to $10^{-1}\;ppm$ copper could be dissolved. Equilibrium thermodynamic interpretation indicates that the copper in the Haman-Gunbuk systems could have been transported as a chloride complex and the copper precipitation occurred as a result of cooling accompanied by changes in the geochemical environments ($fs_2$, $fo_2$, pH, etc.) resulting in decrease of solubility of copper chloride complexes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.75-87
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• 2003

The Haman-Gunbuk mineralized area is located within the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin along the southeastern part of the Korean peninsula. Major ore minerals, magnetite, scheelite, molybdenite and chalcopyrite, together with base-metal sulfides and minor sulfosalts, occur in fissure-filling tourmaline, quartz and carbonates veins contained within Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks anu/or granodiorite (118{\pm}$3.0 Ma). The ore and gangue mineral paragenesis can be divided into three distinct stages: Stage 1, tourmaline+quartz+Fe-Cu ore mineralization; Stage II, quartz+sulfides+sulfosalts+carbonates; Stage 111, barren calcite. Earliest fluids are recorded in stage I and early por-tions of stage II veins as hypersaline (35~70 equiv. wt.% NaCl+KCl) and vapor-rich inclusions which homogenize from ~30$0^{\circ}C$ to $\geq$50$0^{\circ}C$. The high-salinity fluids are complex chloride brines with significant concentrations of sodium, potassium, iron, copper, and sulfur, though sulfide minerals are not associated with the early mineral assemblage produced by this fluid. Later solutions circulated through newly formed fractures and reopened veins, and are recorded as lower-salinity(less than ~20 equiv. wt.% NaCl) fluid inclusions which homogenize primarily from ~200 to 40$0^{\circ}C$. The oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions of fluid in the Haman-Gunbuk hydrothermal system represents a progressive shift from magmatic-hydrothermal dominance during early mineralization stage toward meteoric-hydrothermal dominance during late mineralization stage. The earliest hydrothermal fiuids to circu-late within the granodiorite stock localiring the ore body at Haman-Gunbuk could have exsolved from the crystal-lizing magma and unmixed into hypersaline liquid and $H_2O$-NaCl vapor. As these magmatic fluids moved throughfractures, tourmaline and early Fe, W, Mo, Cu ore mineralization occurred without concomitant deposition of othersulfides and sulfosalts. Later solutions of dominantly meteoric origin progressively formed hypogene copper and base-metal sulfides, and sulfosalt mineralization.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.107-124
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• 1985

More than fifty copper veins are emplaced around late Cretaceous granitoid stock in Haman-Gunbuk district, southernmost part of Korea. These veins cut both late Cretaceous granitoids and hornfels of Jindong formation which is intruded by the granitoids. The paragenesis of veins is nearly the same, consisting of (1) an early vein stage in which most iron oxide minerals, tourmaline and other silitcate minerals were deposited, (2) a calcite and quartz with base·metal sulfide stage and (3) late vein lets of barren calcite stage. Fluid inclusion studies reveal highly systematic trends of salinity and temperature during mineralization. Ore fluids of early vein stage were complex NaCl-KCl rich brines. Salinities of polyphase inclusions in quartz and scapolite in thie stage reached up to 72 wt.% and gradually decreased to 10.5wt. % in closing stage. Homogenization temperatures of inclusions in the beginning of this stage were up to $490^{\circ}C$ and then declined steadly to $290^{\circ}C$ in the late stage. Salinities of fluid inclusions in quartz and calcite of base·metal sulfide stage were 37.4~5.7wt. % and homogenization temperatures range from $373^{\circ}C$ to $170^{\circ}C$. Intermittent boiling of early vein fluid is indicated by fluid inclusions in quartz. Potassic alteration of granodiorite adjacent to early vein seems to be related to early saline vein fluid. Fluid inclusion data of base-metal sulfide stage of this area reveal nearly the same range as those of Koseong copper mining district about 30km apart from this area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.133-170
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• 1973

The metamorphosed belt on cherty and andesitic rocks of the Gyeongnam province area has been well known as the most important copper matallogenetic province in Korea and locally has been investigated by several geologists. This report is summarized about geology, occurrence of ore deposits, the study of the present status of mine developments and exploitations and the suggestions of future proposed of copper mine developments and harmoniously and reseonably planning of demands and supply of copper ore. For convenience of study the writer divided the survey region as 4 areas, according to the conditions of mine location. They are (1) Goseong copper area (2) Gunbuk-Haman copper area (3) Masan-Changwon copper area (4) Tongrae-Ilgwang copper area. The geology of the above 4 areas consits of Cretaceous Gyongsang System, which is divided into Silla series, Nakdong Series and Bulguksa Series. The former has intrusive and extrusive andesite and sedimentary formation, and the latter has dioritic and hornblende granite. Ore deposits which is mostly vein types are confined mostly in the andesite and cherty rocks of Silla and Nakdong Series. It is observed slight hydrothermal alteration, i. e. propylitization, chloritization, saussuritization and silicification. It seems that the ore was formed by hydrothermal solution and secondary enrichement. The ore minerals are mainly chalcopyrite and pyrite, with small amounts of malachite, azurite, chalcocite, cuprite, galena, and sphalerite, magnetite, tetrahedrite and etc.. The efficient plan of copper mine developments in surveyed region are as following; (a) Gyeongnam Copper districts are divided in 4 area as mentioned above. (b) Each area would be likely developed as group-working as one unit. For the sufficiently supplying a demand of electric copper, the importations of high grade copper ore in foreign country are invitable at present status of copper mine developments and exploitations.

• 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.22 no.1
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• pp.21-34
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• 1989

Chindong granites are classified into granodiorite, tonalite and quartz-diorite, and Yucheon - Eonyang granites into monzo-granite by the Streckeisen diagram. These granitic rocks of Cretaceous age show trend of calc-alkaline magma, and the magmatic evolution from basic to acidic rocks is consistant with the general crystallization path of the Cretaceous granitic rocks in the Gyeongsang basin. On the basis of petrological and petrochemical data, variation of major elements (K, Na, Ca, Mg) and trace elements (Rb, Sr, Ba) including ore metals (Cu, Pb, Zn) in the Cretaceous granitic rocks were studied in detail in order to investigate geochemical difference of the granitic rocks in relation to mineralization between Cu province and Pb-Zn province in the Gyeongsang basin. There is clear difference in content of the major elements between Chindong granites and Yucheon-Eonyang granites : Chindong granites have low content of K (1.62%) and Na (2.53%), and high content of Ca (3.75%) and Mg (1.42%) whereas Yucheon-Eonyang granites have high content of K (3.56-3.60%), and low content of Ca (0.96-0.26%) and Mg (0.26-0.21%). There is also clear difference in content of trace lithophile elements between Chindong granites and Yucheon-Eonyang, granites : Chindong granites have low content of Rb (86ppm) and Ba (330ppm), and high content of Sr (405ppm) while Yucheon-Eonyang, granites have high content of Rb (144-161ppm) and Ba (983-1030ppm), and low content of Sr (157-136ppm). The lithophile trace elements of Rb and Sr vary with close relationship to major elements of K and Ca, respectively. Therefore, Chindong granites are much easily distinguished from Yucheon-Eonyang granites by using relationship of K with Rb and Ca with Sr : K<3%, Rb<100ppm, Ca<2% and Sr>200ppm for Chindong granites, and K>3%, Rb>100ppm, Ca<2%, and Sr<200ppm for Yucheon-Eonyang granites. There is not clear difference in content of trace ore metals between Chindong granites and Yucheon-Eonyang granites : Chindong granites of the Cu province have low Cu content (15ppm) which is nearly equal to 13-14ppm of Yucheon-Eonyang granites of the Pb-Zn province, and Yucheon-Eonyang granites have Pb content (29-27ppm) which is rather lower than 37ppm of Chindong granites. But Cu is anomalously high in the mineralized part of Chindong granites in Gunbuk-Haman area, and Zn is apparently higher in Yucheon-Eonyang granites (51-37ppm) than in Chindong granites (29ppm). K/Pb ratio is also c1early distinguishable between Chindong granites (<850) and Yucheon-Eonyang granites (>850). Thus, it may be possible to apply geochemical difference of the granites to distinguish whether a Cretaceous granitic body is Cu related rock or Pb-Zn related rock, and whether it belongs to Cu province or Pb-Zn province in the Gyeongsang basin.