• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.323-336
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• 2019

The Mesozoic activity on the Korean Peninsula is mainly represented by the Triassic post-collisional, Jurassic orogenic, and Cretaceous post-orogenic igneous activities. The diversity of mineralization by each geological period came from various geothermal systems derived from the geochemical characteristics of magma with different emplacement depth. The Cretaceous metallic mineralization has been carried out over a wide range of time periods from ca. 115 to 45 Ma (main stage; ca. 100 to 60 Ma) related to post-orogenic igneous activity, and spatial distribution patterns of most metal deposits are concentrated along small granitic stocks. The late Cretaceous metal deposits in the Gyeonggi and Yeongnam massifs are generally distributed along the boundary among the Gongju-Eumseong fault system and the Yeongdong-Gwangju fault system and the Gyeongsang Basin, most of them are in the form of a distal epithermal~mesothermal Au-Ag vein or a transitional mesothermal Zn-Pb-Cu vein. On the other hand, diverse metal commodities in the Taebaeg Basin, the Okcheon metamorphic belt and the Gyeongsang Basin are produced from various deposit types such as skarn, carbonate-replacement, vein, porphyry, breccia pipe, and Carlin type. In the late Cretaceous metallic mineralization, various mineral deposits and commodities were induced not only by the pathway of the hydrothermal solution, but also by the diversity of precipitation environment in the proximity difference of the granitic rocks. The diversity of these types of Cretaceous deposits is fundamentally dependent on the geochemical characteristics such as degree of differentiation and oxidation state of related igneous rocks, and ore-forming fluids generally exhibit the evolutionary characteristics of intermediate- to low-sulfur hydrothermal fluids.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.277-290
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• 1998

The purpose of this research is to investigate the dispersion pattern of gold during skarnization and genesis of gold mineralization in the Sangdong skarn deposits. The Sangdong scheelite orebodies are embedded in the Cambrian Pungchon Limestone and limestone interbedded in the Myobong Slate of the Cambrian age. The tungsten deposits are classified as the Hangingwall Orebody, the Main Orebody and the Footwall Orebody as their stratigraphic locations. Recently, the Sangdong granite of the Cretaceous age (85 Ma) were found by underground exploratory drillings below the orebodies. In geochemisty, the W, Mo, Bi and F concentrations in the granite are significantly higher than those in the Cretaceous granitoids in southern Korea. Highest gold contents are associated with quartz-hornblende skarn in the Main Orebody and pyroxene-hornblende skarn in the Hangingwall Orebody. Also Au contents are closely related to Bi contents. This could be inferred that Au skarns formed from solutions under reduced environment at a temperature of $270^{\circ}C$. According to the multiple regression analysis, the variation of Au contents in the Main Orebody can be explained (87.5%) by Ag, As, Bi, Sb, Pb, Cu. Judging from the mineralogical, chemical and isotope studies, the genetic model of the deposits can be suggested as follows. The primitive Sangdong magma was enriched in W, Mo, Au, Bi and volatiles (metal-carriers such as $H_2O$, $CO_2$ and F). During the upward movement of hydrothermal ore solution, the temperature was decreased, and W deposits were formed at limestone (in the Myobong Slate and Pungchon Limestone). In addition, meteoric water influx gave rise to the retrogressive alterations and maximum solubility of gold, and consequently higher grade of Au mineralization was deposited.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2013

The Daehwa Mo-W deposit is located within the Gyeonggi massif. Quartz and calcite vein mineralization occurred in the Precambrian gneiss and Jurassic granites. Three main types (Type I: liquid-rich $H_2O$ type, Type II: vapor-rich $H_2O$ type, Type III: $CO_2-H_2O$ type) of fluid inclusions were observed and are classified herein based on their phase relations at room temperature. Within ore shoots, type III fluid inclusions have been classified into four subtypes (type IIIa, IIIb, IIIc and IIId) based on their volume percent of aqueous and carbonaceous ($CO_2$) phase at room temperatures combined with their total homogenization behavior and homogenization behavior of $CO_2$ phase. Homogenization temperatures of primary type I fluid inclusions in the quartz range from $374^{\circ}C$ to $161^{\circ}C$ with salinities between 13.6 and 0.5 equiv. wt.% NaCl. Homogenization temperatures of primary type III fluid inclusions in quartz of main generation, are in the range of $303^{\circ}C$ to $251^{\circ}C$. Clathrate melting temperatures of the type III fluid inclusions were 7.3 to $9.5^{\circ}C$, corresponding to salinities of 5.2 to 1.0 equiv. wt. % NaCl. Melting and homogenization temperatures of $CO_2$ phase of type III fluid inclusions were -57.4 to $-56.6^{\circ}C$ and 29.0 to $30.8^{\circ}C$, respectively. Fluid inclusion data indicate a complex geochemical evolution of hydrothermal fluids. The Daehwa early hydrothermal system is characterized by $H_2O-CO_2$-NaCl fluid at about $400^{\circ}C$. The main mineralization occurred by $CO_2$ immiscibility at temperatures of about 300 to $250^{\circ}C$. At the late base-metal mineralization aqueous fluid formed by mixing with cooler and less saline meteoric groundwater.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.245-258
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• 1992

The variations of certain major and trace elements of the Onjong granite mass was studied on the basis of petrological and geochemical characteristics and compared with those of the Eonyang-Yucheon granite masses in order to investigate the geochemical differences of the granitic rocks in relation to mineralization between Pb-Zn ore district and Pb-Zn-Mo-W ore district in Kyeongsang basin. The Onjong granite mass is classified into granodiorite and monzo-granite, and the Eonyang-Yucheon granite masses into monzo-granite by the Streckeisen's diagram. Between both granite masses there are clear differences in contents of certain major elements and lithophile trace elements. The former have high contents of Ca (2.94%), Mg (1.66%) and Sr (365 ppm), and low contents of K (3.52%), Na (3.51%), Rb (116 ppm), Ba (640 ppm) and Li (18.9 ppm), whereas the latter have high contents of K (4.02%), Na (4.28%), Rb (145 ppm), Ba (695 ppm) and Li (19.3 ppm), and low contents of Ca (1.42%), Mg (0.43%) and Sr (161 ppm). Except for Mo, there are not clear differences in chalcophile trace elements between two granite masses: the Onjong granite mass has higher Mo content (7.1 ppm) lnan that (1.7 ppm) of the Eonyang-Yucheon granite masses, but Pb and Zn contents are similar between the Onjong granite mass (Pb=8.7 ppm, Zn=37.1 ppm) and the Eonyang-Yucheon granite masses (Pb=7.8 ppm, Zn=39.8 ppm). Ca and Sr contents of the Onjong granite mass (Ca> 1.5%, Sr> 270 ppm) are higher than those of the Eonyang- Yucheon granite masses (Ca<1.5%, Sr<270ppm), and Rb/Sr, Rb-Rb/Sr and K-Rb/Sr ratios are clearly distinguishable between the Onjong granite mass(Rb/Sr<0.51, Rb-Rb/Sr>250 and K-Rb/Sr>5.2) and the Eonyang- Yucheon granite masses (Rb/Sr>0.51, Rb-Rb/Sr<250 and K-Rb/Sr<5.0). Thus, variations of certain major and trace elements and ratios are applicable as geochemical index to distinguish the types of mineralization of the ore districts related to the Cretaceous granitic rocks in the Kyeongsang basin.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.25-56
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• 1975

Most fluorite deposits of South Korea are distributed in three metallogenic zones namly as: Hwacheon, Hwangangni and Geumsan metallogenic zones. Fluorite deposits of each zone show The characteristic features owing to the geological setting, the structural patterns and their forming processes. deposits of the Hwacheon metallogenic zone are wholly fissure filling hydrothermal veins emThe bedded in shear fractures of the granite gneiss or schists of Precambrian age or in the cooling fractures of the granite and acidic hypabyssal rocks which are assumed to be a differentiated sister rock of the granite. Localization of most fluorite veins of the region is structurally controlled by NW and EW fracture systems and genetically related to the granite intrusion which ascertained as motivating rock of the fluorite mineralization. Fluorites are in most cases accompanied by quartz, chalcedony mainly and rarely agate, calcite, barite and sulphide base metals in some localities. The deposits of the Hwangangni metallogenic zone were formed at the last stage of hydrothermal polymineralization of W, Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn. The majority of the fluorite ore bodies were originated from replacement in limestone beds of Great Limestone Series or in calcareous interbeds of metasediments, whereas some cavity-filling ore bodies were embedded in phyllites and schists of the Ockcheon system and along the fissures in the replaced beds which were originated by volume decrease. The localization of fluorite deposits in this region is genetically related to the Moongyong granite which has been dated as middle Cretaceous, and controlled structurally by the $N20^{\circ}{\sim}50^{\circ}W$ extension fracture system or axial planes of folds, and by faults of NE direction that acted as paths of ore solution. The deposits of the Geumsan metallogenic zone are seemed to be formed through the similar process as that of Hwangangni metallogenic zone, but characteristic distinctions are in that they are more prevailing fracture filling veins and large number of the deposits are localized in roof-pendants or xenolithes of limestone in granites and porphyries. Igneous rocks that presumably motivated the mineraltzation are middle Cretaceous Geumsan granite and porphyries. Metallogenic epoch of the fluorite mineralization of South Korea are puesumably limited in early-middle Cretaceous. Studies of the fluid inclusions in fluorites of the region reveal that the homogenization temperature of the fluorite deposits are as follows: Hwacheon metallogenic zone : $95^{\circ}C{\sim}165^{\circ}C$; Hwangangni metallogenic zone : $97^{\circ}C{\sim}235^{\circ}C$; Geumsan metallogenic zone : $93^{\circ}C{\sim}236^{\circ}C$. Judging from the above results, the deposits of the Hwancheon region were formed at the epithermal stage, and those in the Hwangangni and Geumsan regions, were deposited at epithermal stage preceded by mesothermal mineralization of small scale in which some sulphide minerals were deposited. The analytical data of minor elements in the fluorites reveal that ore solutions of Hwangangni metallogenic zone seemed to be emanated in more acidic stage of magma differentiation than Hwacheon metallogenic zone did.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.167-184
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• 1980

The granitic plutons associated with Ogcheon geosynclinal zone can be grouped into three different subzones; SE-Subzone for the migmatitic and schistose granites of the southeast margin, 101-181m.y. old; NW-Subzone for those of the northwest margin, 112-163m. y. old; and C-Subzone for those of central part of the zone, 63-183m.y. old. The intrusives in C-Subzone are further subdivided into the older, adamellite to granodiorite (148-183m.y. old) and the younger, perthitic granites (63-106m,y. old). The metallogenic distribution of South Korea suggests that, in the Ogcheon Zone, it is possible to delineate an elongated polymetallogenic province in the general orientation of the zone intimately related with the migmatite and plutonic zones mentioned. Moreover, the mineralization in the province was basically controlled by the patterns of local geology involving country rocks and related igneous bodies, that permit subdivision of the province into the following three parts: Northeast (NE) Province consists dominantly of thick Paleozoic calcareous sediments; Middle (M) Province is characterized by predominant argillaceous and partly calcareous sediments of Precambrian to Late Paleozoic age; and Southwest (SW) Province consisting mainly of volcanic and arenaceous sediments of Mesozoic age. The three different plutonic zones with three different country rock provinces above mentioned make a combination which consists of nine classes. Each class can be assumed to be characterized by specific mineralization type. In order to classify the mineralization types, the present study sampled twenty six ore deposits and mineralized areas in Ogcheon zone as shown figure 2; eight ore deposits from plutonic SE-Subzone, ten from the plutonic NE-Subzone and eight from the plutonic C-Subzone. The characteristics of the classes are as follows: NE-SE is predominant in Au-Ag vein and Sn-migmatite of katazonal occurrence; NE-C is most productive in Pb-Zn and remarkable in Fe contact deposit in mesozone and partly Pb-Zn-Cu skarn in limestone and subordinate in mesozone and partly Pb-Zn pipes; M-SE is considerable in Au-Ag vein and rare elements (Nb, Ta, etc.) of pegmatite; M-C is predominant in F-veins in epizone and Mo-W, Fe, Cu veins occur in replacement type; M-NW is productive in Fe metamorphic and skarn types, partly remarkable in Cu, Pb-Zn contact; SW-SE is barren in mineralization related to Jurassic igneous rocks; SW-C is predominant in alunite and pyrophyllite in tuffs; and SW-NW is scarece in Pb-Zn, Cu, As and Au-Ag veins.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.123-140
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• 2013

The Dangdu Pb-Zn deposit is located at approximately 10 km south of Jecheon, Korea. Geology of Dangdu deposit area consists of Pre-cambrian metamorphic rocks, Ordovician sedimentary rocks, Jurassic and Cretaceous igneous rocks. The ore deposit is developed along the fracture trending $N20{\sim}40^{\circ}W$ in Ordovician limestone and is considered to be a skarn type ore deposit. The shape of ore bodies developed in the Dangdu ore deposit can be divided into lens-form(two ore bodies of -30 m level adit and one ore body of -63 m level adit) and pocket-form developed in -30 m level adit. Ore minerals observed in the ore deposits are magnetite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, cosalite, marcasite, hessite, native Bi and bismuthinite. Chemical composition of sphalerite ranges FeS 14.14~18.08 mole%, CdS 0.44~0.70 mole%, MnS 0.52~1.13, 1.53~2.09 mole%. Galena contains a small amount of silver with an average of 0.54 wt.%. An average composition of cosalite is Ag 2.43 wt.%, Bi 44.36 wt.%, Pb 35.05 wt.% which results the chemical formula of cosalite as $Pb_{1.7}Bi_{2.1}Ag_{0.2}S_5$. Skarn minerals consist of epidote, garnet, pyroxene, tremolite, quartz and calcite. The zoning pattern of the ore deposit can be subdivided into epidote-clinopyroxene zone, epidote-clinopyroxene-chlorite zone and epidote-garnet-clinopyroxene zone from the central part of the ore body towards the wall rocks. The chemical composition of garnet shows an increasing trend of grossular from epidote-clinopyroxene zone to epidote-garnet-clinopyroxene zone. Clinopyroxene occurs as a solid solution of diopside and hedenbergite, and the ratio of johannsenite increases from epidote-clinopyroxene zone to epidote-clinopyroxene-chlorite and epidote-garnet-clinopyroxene zones. The mineralization of the ore deposit is considered to be one stage event which can be separated into early skarn mineralization stage, middle ore mineralization stage and late low temperature mineralization stage. The temperature estimation from the low temperature mineralization range from $125{\sim}300^{\circ}C$ which is considered to be representing the temperature of late mineralization.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.179-189
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• 2002

The Geology of the Shizhuyuan W-Sn-Bi-Mo deposits, situated 16 Ian southeast of Chengzhou City, Hunan Province, China, consist of Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks, Devonian carbonate rocks, Jurassic granitic rocks, Cretaceous granite porphyry and ultramafic dykes. The Shizhuyuan polymetallic deposits were associated with medium- to coarse-grained biotite granite of stage I. According to occurrences of ore body, ore minerals and assemblages, they might be classified into three stages such as skarn, greisen and hydrothernlal stages. The skarn is mainly calcic skarn, which develops around the Qianlishan granite, and consists of garnet, pyroxene, vesuvianite, wollastonite, amphibolite, fluorite, epidote, calcite, scheelite, wolframite, bismuthinite, molybdenite, cassiterite, native bismuth, unidetified Bi- Te-S system mineral, magnetite, and hematite. The greisen was related to residual fluid of medium- to coarse-grained biotite granite, and is classified into planar and vein types. It is composed of quartz, feldspar, muscovite, chlorite, tourmaline, topaz, apatite, beryl, scheelite, wolframite, bismuthinite, molybdenite, cassiterite, native bismuth, unknown uranium mineral, unknown REE mineral, pyrite, magnetite, and chalcopyrite with minor hematite. The hydrothermal stage was related to Cretaceous porphyry, and consist of quartz, pyrite and chalcopyrite. Scheelite shows a zonal texture, and higher MoO) content as 9.17% in central part. Wolframite is WO); 71.20 to 77.37 wt.%, FeO; 9.37 to 18.40 wt.%, MnO; 8.17 to 15.31 wt.% and CaO; 0.01 to 4.82 wt.%. FeO contents of cassiterite are 0.49 to 4.75 wt.%, and show higher contents (4.]7 to 4.75 wt.%) in skarn stage (Stage I). Te and Se contents of native bismuth range from 0.00 to 1.06 wt.% and from 0.00 to 0.57 wt.%, respectively. Unidentified Bi-Te-S system mineral is Bi; 78.62 to 80.75 wt.%, Te; 12.26 to 14.76 wt.%, Cu; 0.00 to 0.42 wt.%, S; 5.68 to 6.84 wt.%, Se; 0.44 to 0.78 wt.%.

• 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.20 no.3
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• pp.179-196
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• 1987

Various skarn ore deposits of Pb-Zn, Fe-Cu, W-Mo and others are widely distributed in the study area which consists mainly of Cambro Ordovician calcareous rocks. The ore deposits are all in close association with specific types of granitic rocks of mid-late Cretaceous age according to the kinds of ores: Fe-Cu deposit with granodiorite-quartz monzodiorite, Pb-Zn deposit with granite-granodiorite, W-Mo deposit with granite, and Mn deposit with quartz porphyry. The granitic rock of Fe-Cu deposit has lower content in K and higher in Ca than those of Pb-Zn deposits. On the contrary, the granitic rock of W-Mo deposit has much higher content in K and lower in Ca in comparison to those of Pb-Zn deposits. However, the granitic rock of Mn deposit shows similar variation to those of Pb-Zn deposits. Lithophile trace elements of Sr and Rb tend to vary in close relation with major elements of K and Ca, respectively. In good contrast, chalcophile elements of Cu, Pb, Zn, Wand Mo are enriched in the granitic rocks of their ore deposits, and other trace elements of Ni and Co show a trend to vary in relation with Mg, Fe and Cu, which have the same replacement index (0.14) as Ni and Co. Average K/Rb and Ca/Sr ratios of the granitic rocks range nearly within 300~150 and 150~40, respectively, and the distribution pattern of the ratios is different according to the kind of ore deposits: Fe-Cu deposit is plotted toward K-Rb poor region whereas Pb-Zn and W-Mo deposits toward K-Rb rich region. In contrast, Fe-Cu and Fe deposits are plotted toward Ca-Sr rich region whereas Pb-Zn deposit toward Ca-Sr poor region. The variation trend of chemical elements of the mid-late Cretaceous granitic rocks in the study area is similar to that of the Cretaceous granitic rocks in the Gyeongsang Basin. Therefore, this geochemical result may be applicable to determining what kinds of ore deposits a Cretaceous granitic rock is favourable for, and whether it is productive or non-productive for systematic geochemical exploration works.