• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.223-234
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• 1987

This paper describes the mode of occurrence and mineralogical properties of electrum from the Namseong Gold-Silver deposits, for the purpose of obtaining data on the characteristics of the ore deposits and the behavior of gold and silver during the mineralization. The gangue minerals are quartz, calcite, fluorite. Ore minerals are mainly composed of pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena with minor amount of argentite, electrum, pyrargyrite, native silver and unidenfied mineral(Cu-Fe-Ag-S series). Three stage of mineralization recognized are, from early to later, (I) pyrite-electrum stage (II) sphalerite-chalcopyrite-galena-argentite-electrum stage (III) sulfosalts stage. The filling temperature of fluid inclusions in quartz ranges from $225^{\circ}$ to $335^{\circ}C$. The value of sulfur fugacity estimated by means of electrum-tarnish method ranges from $10^{-11.5}$ to $10^{-14}$ atm. The compositional heterogeneity within a single grain with respect to gold concentration is common in the Namseong electrums Chemical composition of electrum ranges generally between 25~45 atom% Au. Its gold content decreases in late stages of mineralization.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.287-307
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• 1988

The Cheongju gold-silver mine is located at approximately $36^{\circ}28^{\prime}$north latitude and $127^{\circ}31^{\prime}$ east longitude in the Cheongju City of the Chung cheong bug Do, South Korea. Gold-Silver bearing hydrothermal quartz veins, occur in Cheongju Granit of Jurassic age. K-Ar isotope data for sericite in quartz vein indicate that the Au-Ag mineralization took place in early Cretaceous ($97.5{\pm}2.18$ MA. Park, et ai, 1986). Three stage of mineralization recognized anre, from early to later, (I) Sulide stage: pyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite (Hpo), sphalerite, chalcopyrite, electrum and quartz (II) Electrum stage: pyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, electrum and quartz. (III) Silver mineral stage: pyrite, marcasite, pyrrhotite (Mpo), sphalerite, galena, electrum, native silver argentite, fluorite, calcite and quartz. In this paper, mode of occurrences and chemical compositions of electum and native silver have been investigated by means of microscope and EPMA. Electron probe microanalysis shows that an individual grain of electrum is almost homogeneous in composition. Silver content of electrum ranges from 44.7-67.1 atom.%. Gold content of native silver ranges below 0.2 atom. %. Vicker's hardness number (VHN) of electrum and native silver ranges $78.2-81.8kg/mm^{2}$ respectively. The filling temperature of fluid inclusions in quartz ranges from $130-280^{\circ}C$. On the basis of arsenpyrite geothemometer, the equilibrium temperature and sulfur fugacity of the pyrite-arsenopyrite-pyrrhotite(Hpo) assemblage is assumed to be in ange from $300-310^{\circ}C$ and $10^{-10}$ to $10^{-11}$ atm. The estimated ore reserviors on Cheongju mine area are calculated to 8000 T/M, averaing 8.6g/t Au, 27.8 g/t Ag, 1.25% Pb, l.65% Zn.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.367-380
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• 1988

Most of the gold (-silver) vein deposits at Yeongdong District are mainly distributed in the precambrian metamorphic rocks. Based on the Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios, the chemical composition of electrum and the associated sulfides, the gold(-silver) deposits at Yeongdong District may be classified into 4 classes: pyrrhotite - type gold deposits( I), pyrite - type gold deposits (IT A; massive vein), pyrite - type gold deposits (II B; nonmassive vein) and argentite - type gold - silver deposits(III). The chemical study on electrum(including native gold) revealed that Au content (2.8 to 92.4 atomic%) of electrums varies very widely for different classes of deposits. The Au content of electrum associated with pyrrhotite (Class I), ranging from 47.1 to 92.4 atomic% Au, is clearly higher than that associated with pyrite (Classes IIA, IIB and III). In contrast, classes I, II, and III deposits do not show clear differences in Au content of electrum. In general, pyrrhotite - type gold deposits(I) are characterized by features such as simply massive vein morphology, low values in the Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios, the absence or rarity of silver - bearing minerals except electrum, and distinctively simple mineralogy. Although the geological and mineralogical features and vein morphology of pyrite - type gold deposits(IIA)are very similar to those of pyrrhotite - type gold deposits (I), Class II A deposits reveal significant differences in the associated iron sulfide (i. e. pyrite) with electrum and Au content of electrum. The Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios from Class II A deposits are relatively slightly higher than those from Class I deposits. Pyrite - type gold deposits(II B) and argentite - type gold - silver deposits (III) have many common features; complex vein morphology, medium to high values in the Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios and the associated iron sulfide (i. e. pyrite). In contrast to Class II B deposits, Class III deposits have significantly high Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratios. It indicates distinct difference in the abundance of silver minerals (i. e. native silver and argentite). The fluid inclusion analyses and mineralogical data of electrum tarnish method indicate that the gold mineralization of Classes I and II A deposits was deposited at temperatures between $230^{\circ}$ and $370^{\circ}C$, whereas the gold (-silver) mineralization of Classes ITB and ill formed from the temperature range of $150^{\circ}-290^{\circ}C$. Therefore, Classes I and IT A deposits have been formed at higher temperature condition and/or deeper positions than Classes IIB and III.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.85-96
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• 2017

Gold mineralization of Samjeong and Yongjang gold mines in Uichang area shows characteristics of Bonanza-type gold deposits. Ores are mainly developed along the contact parts between quartz vein and arkosic sandstone beds(Fe-rich bed) in sedimentary rock. Electrum, silver sulfide and sulfate minerals are mainly in the ores. On the other hand, gold mineralization is less developed in cherty rock and andesitic rock than arkosic sandstone. The study highlights characteristics of gold precipitation in the deposit on the basis of numerical modelling of the reactions between the assumed hydrothermal ore fluids with multicomponent heterogeneous equilibrium calculations. Aqueous species, gases and minerals, containing electrum are included in the calculations. The reaction result between hydrothermal ore fluids and arkosic sandstone show that pH increasing in the ore-forming fluid would trigger precipitation of quartz, chlorite, sericite, chalcopyrite, galena, pyrite, electrum, actinolite and feldspar. The numerical modelling also illustrates the drastic increase of pH and desulfidation lead to precipitation of electrum. Ag/Au ratios in the ore vary with pH conditions and subsequently precipitation of silver-bearing sulfides such as acanthite and polybasite. The modelling of the reaction between andesitic rock and ore-forming fluid shows that mineral assemblages of the case are analogous to ones of the reaction between arkosic sandstone and fluid except the latter has little portion of electrum. The abovementioned modelling results suggest that gold-silver mineralization is bounded by host rocks at the study area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.223-234
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• 1988

A large number of gold and/or silver-bearing quartz veins occur in or near Mesozoic granite batholith elongated in a NE-SW direction within the Chungcheong Province. Precambrian schists and gneisses, and Jurassic and Cretaceous granitic rocks serve as hosts for gold and/or silver deposits. On the basis of Ag/Au total production and ore grade ratio, 15 mines may be divided into three major groups: gold-dominant deposits, gold-silver deposits, and silver-dominant deposits. The chemical composition of electrum from skarn deposit (Geodo mine), alaskite-type deposit (Geumjeong mine) and 15 vein deposits was summarized. It was found that the Au content of electrum for vein deposits ranging from 5.2 to 86.5 is lower than that for skarn and alaskite deposits. Among 15 vein deposits, the composition of electrum associated with pyrrhotite is relatively high and has a narrow range of 40.8 to 86.5 atomic % Au, but the Au content of electrum with pyrite is in range of 5.2 to 82.8 atomic %, and is clearly lower than that with pyrrhotite. The grouping of ages for these mines indicates that gold and/or silver mineralizations occurred during two periods in the Mesozoic. Daebo igneous activities are restricted to gold mineralization in the range of 158 to 133 Ma, whereas Bulgugsa igneous activities are related to gold and/or silver mineralization ranging from 108 to 71 Ma. Generally speaking, Jurassic gold-dominant veins have many common characteristics; notably prominent association with pegmatites, simply massive vein morphology, high fineness in the ore concentrates, rarity of silver minerals, and a distinctively simple mineralogy, including sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and/or pyrite. Although individual deposits exhibit widely differing diversity, Cretaceous gold-silver and silver-dominant veins are characterized by features such as complex vein, low to medium fineness in the ore concentrates and abundance of silver minerals including Ag sulfosalts, Ag sulfides, Ag tellurides and native silver.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.103-115
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• 1989

The Tongyoung deposits are epithermal gold and silver bearing quartz-rhodochrosite vein type deposits of late Cretaceous. They occurs in the andesite and tuff breccia member called Gyeongsang basin. Four mineralizations can be distinguished at the mine based on macrostructures. From earlist stage to lastest stage they are: stage I, base-metal quartz vein; stage II, rhodochrosite vein (IIA) and Pb-Zn vein (IIB); stage III, barren quartz vein; stage IV, calcite-ankeritic rhodochrosite veins. Gold and silver mineralizations occur predominantly in the stage I and IIB. Electrum is closely associated with galena, sphalerite and pyrite, and has chemical compositions of 50.98-64.05 atom % Ag. Sphalerite contains 2.09-5.05 mol % FeS and 0.34-2.01 mol % MnS in the stage I, and 2.01-3.41 mol % FeS and 0.21-2.80 mol % MnS in the stage IIB. The FeS and MnS contents are in general correlated, and shows a characteristic zonal arrangement of electrum. It reveals rhat FeS contents of sphalerite which precipitated before electrum, gradually decreases in a grain during its deposition ranging from about 3.3 to 2 mol %. It may be considered from the above data that an increase of $fs_2$ caused by the oxidation of ore forming fluid is more important that the decrease of temperature.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.spc
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• pp.193-206
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• 1986

A number of auriferous veins occur in the Precambrian metamorphic terrain from Chungju to Mugeug district. These gold (-silver) deposits consist mainly of the fissure-filling quartz veins intruding the Precambrian gneiss or schist and Jurassic or Cretaceous granite. These gold (-silver) deposits can be 'divided into two mineralization epochs, (a) gold-rich veins related to Daebo igneous activity, and (b) gold-silver veins related to Bulgugsa igneous activity. These two groups of ore deposits with different generation can be characterized by the mode of occurrence of ore vein and the ore mineral associations. The auriferous quartz veins of Taechang and Boryeon mines associated with late Jurassic igneous activity are massive in character, and show the simple mineral assemblages and low Ag/Au ratio in the ores, representing a single mineralization system. The ore minerals are predominantly quartz containing minor or trace amonts of pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite and electrum. Electrum is closely associated with pyrrhotite and has chemical compositions from 61.4 to 78.5 atomic % Au. Fluid inclusion data suggest that ore minerals were deposited at temperatures between 238 and $390^{\circ}C$ from $CO_2$-rich fluids. The gold and/or silver-bearing quartz veins of Geumwang mine related to middle Cretaceous igneous activity are characterized by the multistage history, diverse mineral assemblages with high Ag/Au ratio in the ores. The ores of Geumwang mine have two contrasting mineral assemblages (1) pyrite+galena+sphalerite+arsenopyrite+electrum+argentite, representing the higher gold mineralization, and (2) pyrite+chalcopyrite+ galena +sphalerite+ arsenopyrite+silver sulfosalts+ electrum+ native silver+argentite, representing the higher silver mineralization. Electrum is closely associated with pyrite and has chemical compositions from 11.2 to 49.9 atomic % Au. The depositional environment during the higher gold mineralization can be estimated as the range of both temperature and sulfur fugacity, T= $200{\sim}300^{\circ}C$, log f ($S_2$) = $10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-15}$. The higher silver mineralization may be interpreted to have formed a range of falling temperature ($150{\sim}200^{\circ}C$) and low sulfur fugacity($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-15}$). These temperature data are consistent with homogenization temperatures of fluId inclusions in quartz. Thus, the gold veins related to the Daebo igneous activity may be formed by the environment of higher temperature and pressure than the gold-silver veins associated with the Bulgugsa igneous activity.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2000.04b
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• pp.257-257
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• 2000

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.107-129
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• 1991

The Yonghwa gold-silver deposits are emplaced along $N15^{\circ}{\sim}25^{\circ}W$ trending fissures in middle Cretaceous porphyritic granite or Precambrian Sobaegsan gneiss complex. The results of paragenetic studies suggest that vein filling can be subdivided into four identifiable stages; state I: the main sulfide stage, characterized by base-metal sulfide minerals, iron oxides and minor electrum, stage II: electrum stage, stage III: electrum and silver-bearing sulfosalts stage, stage IV: post ore stage of carbonates and quartz. The ore mineralogy suggests that depositional temperature of the formation of the gold and silver minerals are estimated as 200 to $250^{\circ}C$ and 140 to $180^{\circ}C$, respectively. Sulfur fugacity of the formation of the gold and silver minerals are estimated as $10^{-14.0}$ to $10^{-12.2}$ atm and $10^{-18.5}$ to $10^{-17.2}$ atm, respectively. A consideration of the pressure regime during ore deposition bases on the fluid inclusion evidence of boiling suggests lithostatic pressure of less than 180 bars. This range of pressure indicate that vein system lay at depth of 700m below the surface at the time during mineralization. Salinities of ore-bearing fluids range from 0.4 to 6.9 wt.% equivalent NaCl. The sulfur and carbon isotopic data reveal that these elements were probably derived from a deep-seated source. The ${\delta}^{18}O$ of the hydrothermal fluid was determined from ${\delta}^{18}O$ values of quartz and calcite. Oxygen and hydrogen isotopic studies reveal that meteoric water dominate over ore-bearing fluid.

• 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.