• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.359-372
• /
• 2011

TA26 seamount, which is located at south part of Tonga arc, occurs widely hydrothermal plume and is area that sampled hostrock, hydrothermal ore and hydrothermal alteration rock for this study. Hostrocks are basalt and basaltic andesite. Altered rocks by hydrothermal solution consists of plagioclase, pyroxene, pyrite, ilmenite, amorphous silica, barite, smectite, iron sulfates, Fe-Si sulfates and Fe silicates. Gains and losses of major, trace and rare earth elements during wallrock alteration suggest that $K_2O$(+0.04~+0.45 g), $SiO_2$(-6.52~+10.56 g), $H_2O$(-0.03~+6.04 g), $SO_4$(-0.46~+17.54 g), S(-0.46~+13.45 g), total S(-0.51~+16.93 g), Ba(-7.60~+185078.62 g), Sr(-36.18~+3033.08 g), Ag(+54.83 g), Au(+1467.49 g), As(-5.80~+1030.80 g), Cd(+249.78 g), Cu(-100.57~+1357.85 g), Pb(+4.91~+532.65 g), Sb(-0.32~+66.59 g), V(-113.58~+102.94 g) and Zn(-49.56~+14989.92 g) elements are enriched from hydrothermal solution. Therefore, gained(enriched) elements(($K_2O$, $H_2O$, $SO_4$, S, total S, Ba, Sr, Ag, Au, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, V, Zn) represent a potentially tools for exploration of sea-floor hydrothermal deposits from the Tonga arc.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2012

We measured various geochemical parameters, including the grain size, loss on ignition(LOI), total organic carbon(TOC), total nitrogen(TN), total sulfur(TS) and metallic elements, in surface sediment collected from 19 stations in Gamak Bay in April 2010 in order to understand the sedimentary types, the origin of organic matters, and the distribution patterns of alkali(Li, Na, K, Rb) and alkaline earth(Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) elements. The surface sediments were mainly composed of mud. The concentrations of Chlorophyll-a, TOC, TN, TS and LOI in sediment were the highest at the cultivation areas of fish and shellfish in the northern and southern parts of the bay. The redox potential(or oxidation-reduction potential) showed the positive value in the middle part of the bay, indicating that the surface sediment is under oxidized condition. The organic materials in sediment at almost all of stations were characterized by the autochthonous origin. Based on the overall distributions of metallic elements, it appears that the concentrations of alkali and alkaline earth elements except Ba in sediment are mainly influenced by the dilution effect of quartz. The concentrations of Sr and Ba are also dependent on the secondary factors such as the effect of calcium carbonate and the redox potential.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.55 no.5
• /
• pp.465-475
• /
• 2022

The seafloor massive sulfide deposits are important mineral resources for base and precious metals, and their ore genesis and metal contents are mainly controlled by wall-rock leaching process and/or magmatic volatile input from the underlying magma chamber. However, the contribution of two different metal sources to the seafloor hydrothermal mineralization significantly varies in diverse geological settings and thus still remains controversial. In this review, mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of SMS deposits from mid-ocean ridges (MORs) and volcanic arcs were investigated to understand the contribution from different metal sources and to suggest future challenges that need to be addressed. As a result, the genetic occurrences of enargite and cubanite, galena and barite indicate the effects of magmatic input and water-rock interaction, respectively. Also, the distributional behaviors of Co, As, and Hg in pyrite and FeS content of sphalerite could be useful empirical indicators to discriminate the significant roles of different metal sources between MOR and Arc settings. To date, as most studies have focused on sulfide samples recovered from the seabed, further studies on magmatic sulfides and sulfate minerals are required to fully understand the genetic history of SMS deposits.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.235-250
• /
• 2009

Environmental elements such as B, Br, and Sr in groundwater from Bukahn-myeon, Yeongcheon, Gyeongbuk Province, were investigated in order to know their origin with emphasis on hydrochemistry. pH ranges from 7.37 to 8.39. B content is 0.41${\sim}$4.62 mg/L with an average 1.74 mg/L and Br content is 0${\sim}$3.24 mg/L with an average 2.22 mg/L, and Sr content is 0.93${\sim}$8.64 mg/L with an average 2.76 mg/L. The water types plotted by the Piper diagram are different but mostly $Ca-HCO_3$. Some constituents contributing to EC are Na, $SO_4$, Cl with high determinative coefficients($R^2$) of 0.85, 0.70, 0.90, respectively. The coefficients($R^2$) of Cl to Na, K, $SO_4$ are 0.54, 0.68, 0.53, respectively. It should be noted that there are high cocfficients($R^2$) of B-Sr and $Sr-SO_4$ with 0.65, 0.64, respectively. The Cl/Br ratios are 5.21${\sim}$30.70 due to significant depletion of Cl. The $SO_4/Cl$ ratios are 1.32${\sim}$27.24 with an average of 5.92, ascribed to abundant introduction of $SO_4$ or significant depletion of Cl. Chemical speciation calculated shows that B exists mostly as $H_3BO_3$ with less $H_2BO^-_3$ and Br exists as only $Br^-$. Sr exists mostly as $Sr^2$ with less $SO_4$. Saturation index represents that goundwater is supersaturated with respect to barite, kaolinite, illite, K-mica, and smectite while it is slightly undersaturated with respect to silica, gypsum, anhydrite, talc, chrysotile, feldspar, kaolinite, illite, K-mica, and smectite. The saturation index of celestine is -2.23${\sim}$-0.13 indicating more Sr can be incorporated into groundwater. Groundwater is still much undersaturated to halite. It is likely that the origin of S and Sr was related to the Yucheon volcanic rocks. Br might be originated from the local geological features with introduction of anthropogenic matters.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.38 no.2 s.171
• /
• pp.101-111
• /
• 2005

The objectives of this study we to assess the extent and degree of environmental contamination and to draw general conclusions on the fate of toxic elements derived from mining activities in Korea. 인t abandoned mines with four base-metal mines and four Au-Ag mines were selected and the results of environmental surveys in those areas were discussed. In the base-metal mining areas, the Sambo Pb-Zn-barite, the Shinyemi Pb-Zn-Fe, the Geodo Cu-Fe and the Shiheung Cu-Pb-Zn mine, significant levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in mine dump soils developed over mine waste materials, tailings and slag. Furthermore, agricultural soils, stream sediments and stream water near the mines were severely contaminated by the metals mainly due to the continuing dispersion downstream and downslope from the sites, which was controlled by the feature of geography, prevailing wind directions and the distance from the mine. In e Au-Ag mining areas, the Kubong, the Samkwang, the Keumwang and the Kilkok mines, elevated levels of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in tailings and mine dump soils. These levels may have caused increased concentrations of those elements in stream sediments and waters due to direct dis-charge downstream from tailings and mine dumps. In the Au-Ag mines, As would be the most characteristic contaminant in the nearby environment. Arsenic and heavy metals were found to be mainly associated with sulfide gangue minerals, and mobility of these metals would be enhanced by the effect of oxidation. According to sequential extraction of metals in soils, most heavy metals were identified as non-residual chemical forms, and those are very susceptible to the change of ambient conditions of a nearby environment. As application of pollution index (PI), giving data on multi-element contamination in soils, over 1.0 value of the PI was found in soils sampled at and around the mining areas.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.169-181
• /
• 2014

Korea government has consistently investigated the development of economic mineral deposits in the Tofua volcanic arc, Tonga since 2008 for the secure of sea floor mineral resources. We studied the composition and distribution of minerals formed by hydrothermal activity around TA 25 seamounts of the Tofua volcanic arc, Lau Basin, Tonga, using X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. We used 7 core samples and 9 surface sediment samples. Barite, sphalerite, and clinoclase are present in the most volcanic vent area. Gypsum, smectite, and kaolin mineral are distributed in vent A area, chalcopyrite, pyrite, smectite, and kaolin mineral are in vent B and C area, and gypsum, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and goethite are in vent D area. From the study of clay fraction, smectite and few kaolinite are detected in the most studied area except inner part of caldera, which suggest that argillic alteration are dominant in the volcanic vent areas. Various sulfide or arsenide minerals were found in the hydrothermal vent B, C, and D. The mineralogy and geochemistry suggest higher hydrothermal activities in volcanic vent B, C, and D compared to vent A and inner caldera area. Therefore higher probabilities of massive sulfide deposits may occur in hydrothermal vent B, C, and D.