• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.27-43
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• 1976

The flourite in Hwacheon, Hwanggangri and Keumsan district are major fluorite producing areas in Korea. The fluorite deposits of Hwacheon district are wholly fissure filling hydrothermal veins embedded in Precambrian gneiss and schists and Jurassic granites. Also some fluorite deposits are emplaced in felsite whose age is unknown. Emplacement of most fluorite veins of the district are controlled by EW fracture system. Fluorites are generally accompanied to chalcedonic quartz and also kaolinite, montmorillonite, dickite and calcite in parts. Vertical and lateral mineral zonings are not distinct. The fluorite deposits in the Hwanggangri district are wholly embedded in limestone and other calcareous sediments of Paleozoic Yeongweol Group. Most of the fluorite deposits belong to one of two categories which are steeply. dipping veins and gently dipping replacement deposits adjacent to Late Cretaceous(83-90mys) granite bodies. The strikes of fluorite veins of Hwanggangri district mostly occupy the fractures of $N30^{\circ}-40^{\circ}E$ and $N30^{\circ}-40^{\circ}W$ system. Fluorites are accompanied to calcite, milky quartz, chalcedonic quartz, and also montmorillonite, kaolinite in parts. But in some deposits, scheelite, various sulfide minerals and barite are accompanied. Emplacement of fluorite deposits are largely controlled by lithology and structures of this district. In some deposits fluorite veins gradate to scheelite veins and also telescoping of the mineral zones are found in this district. In the Keumsan district, fissure-filled fluorite veins and replacement deposits are mostly emplaced in limestone of Paleozoic Yeongweol Group, late Cretaceous quartz-porphyry, granite and sandstone. Some deposits are emplaced in Precambrian metasediments. Mineralogy and other characteristics of the deposits in this district is similar to those of Hwanggangri district. Fluid inclusion studies reveal the difference of salinities, $CO_2$ contents of ore fluid and temperatures during fluorite mineral deposition in the these districts. In Hwacheon district, ore-fluids were comparatively dilute brine and low $CO_2$ content. Filling temperatures ranges $104^{\circ}C$ to $170^{\circ}C$. In the Chuncheonshinpo mine, most deeply exploited one in this district, salinitles range 0.5-2. 2wt. % NaCl and filling temperatures range from $116^{\circ}C$ to $143^{\circ}C$. In the Hwanggangri district, ore fluids were complex and filling temperature ranges very widly. In the contact metasomatic fluorite deposits, ore fluid were NaCl rich brines with moderate $CO_2$ content and filling temperatures range from $285^{\circ}C$ to above $360^{\circ}C$. Fluids inclusions in tungsten and sulfide minerals bearing fluorite veins show high $CO_2$ content up to 31wt. %. Filling temperature ranges from $101^{\circ}C$ to $310^{\circ}C$. Fluids inclusions In mainly fluorite bearing veins were more dilute brine and low $CO_2$ contents. Filling temperatures range from $95^{\circ}C$ to $312^{\circ}C$. Filling temperature of fluid inclusions of Keumsan district are between $95^{\circ}C$ and $237^{\circ}C$. Data gathered from geologic, mineralogic and fluid inclusion studies reveal that fluorite mineralization in H wacheon district proceeded at low temperature with dilute brine and low $CO_2$ content. In Hwangganri district, fluorite mineralization proceeded by several pulse of chemically distinct ore fluids and formed the mineralogically different type of deposits around cooling granite pluton which emplaced comparatively shallow depth.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.135-144
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• 2005

In the high-Ca limestone zone of the Pungchon Formation of the Lower Chosun Supergroup, cryptocrystalline alterations with reddish brown color occur as fissure-fillings or coatings, which was originated from the upper formation, i. e., the Hwajeol Formation. The precipitates result in degradation and contamination of the high-Ca limestone ore in grade and quality, showing characteristic occurrence and mineral composition typical of suggesting a supergene origin. Chalcedonic quartz, kaolinite, illite, goethite and hematite are constituting a characteristic authigenic mineral assemblage and, in places, smectite is less commonly included in the weathering product. In addition to these authigenic phases, some detrital minerals such as mica and orthoclase constituting relatively coarser grains are also rarely present in the supergene alterations. A rather complex clay facies consisting of kaolinite, illite and smectite in the alterations seems to correspond to the typical clay composition of the reported residual pedogenic soils by limestone weathering. The cryptocrystalline weathering product is partly altered to stilbite, a characteristic hydrothermal zeolite, in places, by the hydrothermal contact of late stage. The time of formation and infiltration of the supergene alterations seems to correspond to the stage just after the epithermal alteration of the Pungchon Limestone, i. e., an early Jurassic age. The supergene alteration, which may imply the stage of uplifting, weathering and erosion of the Chosun Supergroup, appears to have undergone at an oxygen-rich environment in descending water of meteoric origin by means of a chemical leaching and diffusion.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.205-220
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• 2002

The gold-silver deposits in the Casado district were formed in the sheeted and stockwork quartz veins which fill the fault fractures in volcanic rocks. K-Ar dating of alteration sericite (about 70 Ma) indicates a Late Cretaceous age for ore mineralization. These veins are composed of quartz, adularia, carbonate, and minor of pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, Ag-sulfosalts (argentite, pearceite, Ag-As-Sb-S system), and electrum. These veins are characterized by chalcedonic, comb, crustiform and feathery textures. Based on the hydrothermally altered mineral assemblages, regional alteration zoning associated with mineralization in the Gasado district is defined as four zones; advanced argillic (kaolin mineral-alunite-quartz), argillic (kaolin mineral-quartz), phyllic (quartz-sericite-pyrite) and propylitic (chlorite-carbonate-quartz-feldspar-pyroxene) zone. Phyllic and propylitic zones is distributed over the study area. However, advanced argillic zone is restricted to the shallow surface of the Lighthouse vein. Compositions of electrum ranges from 14.6 to 53.7 atomic % Au, and the depositional condition for mineralization are estimated in terms of both temperature and sulfur fugacity: T=245。$~285^{\circ}C$, logf $s_2$=$10^{-10}$ ~ $10^{-12}$ Fluid inclusion and stable isotope data show that the auriferous fluids were mixed with cool and dilute (158。~253$^{\circ}C$ and 0.9~3.4 equiv. wt. % NaCl) meteoric water ($\delta^{18}$ $O_{water}$=-10.1~8.0$\textperthousand$, $\delta$D=-68~64$\textperthousand$). These results harmonize with the hot-spring type of the low-sulfidation epithermal deposit model, and strongly suggest that Au-Ag mineralization in the Gasado district was formed in low-sulfidation alteration type environment at near paleo-surface.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.83-96
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• 1991

Haenam pyrophyllite deposit occurred in the rhyolitic tuff of late Cretaceous age is located in the northern part of Haenam-gun, Jeonranam-do. The ore of the Haenam deposit is predominantly composed of pyrophyllite and illite accompanying such clay minerals as kaolinite, chlorite, and smectite. Pyrophyllite ore at the center of altered mass is often associated with kaolin minerals and high temperature minerals such as corundum, andalusite, and diaspore. On the basis of mineral assemblage the Haenam deposit can be devided into three alteration zones from the center to the margin of the deposit; the pyrophyllite zone, kaolinite zone, and illite zone. All alteration zones are associated with appreciable amounts of chalcedonic quartz. Those mineral assemblages indicate that hydrothermal solution which produced the Haenam deposit is strongly acidic solution with high silica and hydrogen activity and low $SO_4{^{2-}}$ activity. Discriminant analysis shows that $Na_2O$, $K_2O$, and $Al_2O$, of major elements are discriminant elements which classify alteration zones, while in case of trace elements Cr, Ni, and Sr turned out to be discriminant elements in this deposit. According to the mineral assemblage and illite geothermometry, pyrophyllite ore is considered to have been formed at about $240-290^{\circ}C$. K-Ar isotopic age for illite from this deposit indicates that it was formed at much the same age of later stage volcanics in the area, suggesting that the hydrothermal alteration of these deposits is associated with later volcanism of the area.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.171-185
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• 2000

Siliceous mudstones are embedded on a large scale in the Tertiary formations of Pohang area. Some useful zeolites such as NsP, (Na, TMA)P, analcime and hydroxysodalite were synthesized from the siliceous mudstones by treating with the variety of solution, i.e ., NaOH, NaOH+NaCl, NaOH, NaOH+$NaAlO_2$and NaOH+TMAOH at the low-temperature hydrothermal system ranging 60~12$0^{\circ}C$. Major precursor of zeolites is found as opal-CT in the zeolite-forming reaction. Smectite, which is included in considerable amounts in the mudstone, appears to play a major role of Al-source in the zeolite synthesis. In comparison, chalcedonic quartz and mica are rather insoluble in alkaline solution, and thus, these are observed as major impurities in the reaction products. An addition of $NaAlO_2$to NaOH solution is effective for eliminating these impurities in the reaction procedure, through these are partly dissolved when elevating the reaction temperature, concentration, and time. Phase change from NaP to hydroxysodalite takes place at the NaOH concentrations of 3.0~4.0 M, and the reaction is not sensitive to the temperature shift. NaP is more stable at lower NaOH concentration and higher activity of $Na_{+}$ whereas analcime is sensitive to the temperature change and stable at higher than $100^{\circ}C$ and 2.0~4.0 M in NaOH concentration. For the pure NaP synthesis without any other products, the treatment of mudstones with 1:1 solution of NaOH and $NaAlO _2$ turns out to be quite effective. NaP was successfully synthesized together with analcime at $100^{\circ}C$ as well as lower concentrations of NaOH+NaCl solution. In addition, the organic type, (Na, TMA)P was formed together with smectite in the 1:1 solution of NaOH and TMAOH.

• 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.