• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 1990

Gold-silver deposits of Deogheun and Beopjeon mines are composed of veins emplaced in Jurassic granite batholith. Based on ore structure and ore mineralogy, four distinct stages of mineral deposition are recognized in these ore deposits. Gold and silver minerals in Deogheun and Beopjeon-A ore deposits are precipitated in stage III and stage II, respectively. Mineral constituents of ores from these deposits are pyrite, sphalerite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, galena, tetrahedrite, electrum, quartz and rhodochrosite. Cubanite, argentite and pyrargyrite occur only in Deogheun ore deposits. Ag content of electrum range from 42 to 66 atomic % in both ore deposits. Filling temperature of fluid inclusion from both ore deposits are as follows; stage I, $211-289^{\circ}$ ; stage II, $205-290^{\circ}$ ; stage III, $190-260^{\circ}$ ; stage IV, $136-222^{\circ}$ in Deogheun ore deposits. In Beopjeon-A ore deposits, stage I, $255-305^{\circ}$ ; stage II, $135-222^{\circ}$ ; stage III, $148-256^{\circ}$ ; stage IV, $103-134^{\circ}$. Salinities of fluid inclusions range from 1.6-8.5 wt. % equivalent NaCl in both ore deposits. Sulfur fugacities through stage II and III in Deogheun ore deposits inferred from data of mineral assemblage and fluid inclusion range from $10^{-11.0}-10^{-16.1}$1bars. Fluid pressure estimated from fluid inclusions which reveal boiling evidence range from 30-190 bars during mineralization in Deogheun ore deposits.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.105-117
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• 1996

The Baegjeon Au-Ag and Sb deposits, small of disseminated-type gold deposits are formed as a result of epithermal processes associated a shallow-seated Cretaceous Yeogdun granitoids intrusion. The orebodies are formed by the replacement of carbonate minerals in thin-bedded oolitic limestone beds favorable for mineralization within the upper-most Cambrian Pungchon Limestone Formation. The mineralization can be recognized one stage, ore minerals composed of base metal sulfides, electrum, AgSb-S, Ag-Cu-S, and Sb-S minerals. Gold-bearing minerals consist of electrum and submicroscopic invisible gold in pyrite and arsenopyrite. The composition of electrums ranges from 33.58 to 63.48 atomic % Ag. Fluid inclusion studies reveal that ore fluids were low saline $NaCl-CO_2-H_2O$ system. Temporary fluid mixing and boiling occured in later stage. Fluid inclusion data indicates the homogenization temperatures and salinities of NaCl eqivalent wt% were 176 to $246^{\circ}C$ and from 0.0 to 4.8 wt%, respectively. And $-logfs_2$, of mineralization obtained by thermodynamic considerations as 12.4 to 13.8 atm. The ${\delta}^{34}S_{H_2S}$, values of hydrothermal sulfides were calculated to be 6.8 to 10.2‰ which was of sedimentary origin. The ${\delta}^{18}O_{H_2O}$ and ${\delta}^{13}C_{CO_2}$, range from -3.9 to 9.6‰, from -1.1 to -2.2‰, and ${\delta}D$ range from -89 to -118‰, respectively. The Au deposition during mineralization seems to have occurred as a result of decrease of temperature, $fs_2$, $fo_2$, and pH probably due to oxidation by meteoric water mixing, which destabilized original $Au(HS)^-{_2}$. The mineralization of the Baegjeon deposits is similar to the Carlin-type deposits characterized by sediments-hosted epithermal bedding replacement disseminated gold deposits.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.257-268
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• 1988

The Mugeug gold deposits is consisted of more than fourteen gold and silver-bearing quartz veins emplaced in Mesozoic granodiorite mass. In the Samhyungje vein, one of the representative vein in the mine, six stages of mineralizatidns are recognized: Stage I, deposition of base-metal sulfides and gray quartz; stage II, deposition of base-metal sulfides, electrum and white quartz with pinkish tint; stage m, deposition of base-metal sulfides and dark gray quartz; stage N, deposition of native silver, argentite, Ag-tetrahedrite, polybasite, arsenpolybasite and quartz; stage V, deposition of nearly barren quartz; stage VI, deposition of transparent quartz veinlets with minor pyrite. Ag contents of electrum increase steadily from stage II to stage N; 57.25-61.44 atom. % for stage II, 62.85-69.66 atom. % for stage m, 69.79-74.12 atom. % for stage N. Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions are as follows; stage II, from $194^{\circ}$ to $287^{\circ}C$; stage V, from $137^{\circ}$ to $171^{\circ}C$, stage VI, from $192^{\circ}$ to $232^{\circ}C$. Salinities of fluid inclusions range from 3.7 to 7.9 wt.% equivalent NaCl in stage II and from 0.8 to 4.3 wt.% equivalent Nael in stage V. Ore mineralogy suggest that temperature and sulfur fugacity declined steadily from $290^{\circ}$ to $150^{\circ}C$ and from $10^{-10.5}$ to $10^{-19.0}$atm. through stage II into stage N. Fluid pressure during stage II inferred from data of mineral assemblages and fluid inclusions is 370bar.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.235-246
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• 1996

Placer gold in collected heavy minerals from several localities in Huongkhe area, is consistently very finegrained (${\leq}100$ to $400{\mu}m$). The size and size distribution show somewhat differences at Dongdo and Hoahai : at Dongdo, predominant relatively larger and wide distribution; at Hoahai, characteristic relatively finer and narrow distribution range. The morphology of gold grains is divided into the four groups assumed by the dimension ratio : spherical, subprismoidal, prismoidal, and irregular. The gold grains at Dongdo show wide morphological distribution, whereas, at Hoahai, spherical form is predominant (${\approx}75%$). Three main types of gold are classified based on their chemical composition and mode of occurrence: type I (electrum; fineness=568~931), type II (amalgam; fineness=671~927), and type III (native gold; fineness=923~999). Type I gold contains, relatively high and variable silver contents (${\approx}11$ to 58 atomic % Ag), and has been classified into two subtypes based on their silver contents (type IA, ${\approx}11{\sim}39$ atomic % Ag; type IB, ${\approx}40{\sim}58$ atomic % Ag). However, type I gold would have been generally original compositions of electrum which originated at the provenance deposits. Mercury reacts with gold and silver to form amalgam (type II gold) which has variable Hg contents (1.2~30.5 atomic % Hg). The mercury contents in gold grains at Hoahai (10.9~30.5 atomic % Hg) are higher than those at Dongdo (5.8~21.1 atomic % Hg). The gold grains from the area generally exhibit a high-purity gold (type III) rim. The individual rims on the various grains range from <1 to $80{\mu}m$ in thickness and have silver contents of <10 atomic percent Ag, even though the core compositions range from ${\approx}11$ to 58 atomic percent Ag. The rim of gold most likely is responsible for the commonly cited cases of gold from placer deposits assaying at higher values of fineness than the gold in the corresponding source lode. The gold-rich rim in the Huongkhe area apparently forms by a combination of self-electrorefining and preferential dissolution of silver under oxidizing nature during the weathering and transport process. All data of gold grains in the Huongkhe area suggest that the transport distances and/or time of placer gold at Hoahai are generally farther than those at Dongdo. The mercurian gold bearing provenance deposits at Dongdo and Hoahai would be suggest nearest epithermal gold-silver vein-type.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2010

The Yugeum deposit in Youngduk in Gyungsangbuk-do is emplaced in the Cretaceous granitoids located in the Northeastem Gyeongsang Basin. Gold-bearing quartz veins filling the fracture with a direction of $N19^{\circ}{\sim}38^{\circ}W$ are most abundantly distributed within the Younghae granodiorite body. The formation of quartz veins can be classified into three main stages: barren quartz stage, auriferous quartz vein stage, and finally the extensive sulfide mineralization stage. Various sulfide minerals such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite were precipitated during the hydrothermal gold mineralization process. Gold commonly occurs as fine-grained electrum in sulfides with high Au concentration (up to 93 wt%) compared to Ag. During the early gold mineralization stage, the temperature and pressure of the fluids are in the range of $220{\sim}250^{\circ}C$ and 730~1800 bar, and the oxygen fugacity is between $10^{-27}$ and $10^{-31.7}$ atm. On the other hand, the fluids of the late stage mineralization are characterized by temperature of $290{\sim}350^{\circ}C$ and pressure of 206~472 bar, and the oxygen fugacity is in the range of $10^{-26.3}{\sim}10^{-28.6}$ atm. The sulfur isotope compositions of sulfide minerals are in the range of $0.2{\sim}4.2^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$, while the ${\delta}^{34}SH_2S$ values range from 1.0 to $3.7^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$. The Ag/Au atomic ratios of electrum ranges from 0.15 to 1.10, and Au content is higher than Ag in most electrum. During the main gold mineralization stage at the relatively high temperature condition and with pH from 4.5 to 5.5, the stability of ${AuCl_2}^-$ increased while the stability of ${Au(HS)_2}^-$ decreased. Considering the pressure estimated in this deposit, the temperature of the ore fluid reached higher than $350^{\circ}C$ and ${AuCl_2}^-$ became an important species for the gold transportation. As mineralization proceeded with decreasing temperature and increasing pH and $f_{o2}$, the precipitation of sulfide minerals and accompanying electrum occurred.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.135-147
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• 1983

The copper deposits in Goseong district, Gyeongnam area are fissure filled copper veins emplaced on Cretaceous Goseong formation and andesitic rocks. Occurrence of ore veins and mineral paragenesis suggest a division of the hydrothermal mineralization into three stages: stage 1, deposition of arsenopyrite, pyrite, quartz, chlorite and epidote; stageII, deposition of pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, electrum, pyrargyrite, tetrahedrite, silver sulfosalt minerals, quartz, chlorite, sericite and miner amount of calcite; stage III, formation of barren calcite veins. Filling temperature of fluid inclusions in quartz of stage II, range from 260 to 360 C and salinities from 6.2 to 13.6 weight percent NaCi equivalent.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.507-522
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• 2001

At the Tongyeong mine, quartz, rhodochrosite (kutnahorite), muscovite, illite, pyrite, galena, chalcopyrite. sphalerite, acanthite, and hessite are the principal vein minerals. They were deposited under epithermal conditions in two stages. Ore mineral assemblages and associated gangue phases in stage can be clearly divided into two general associations: an early cycle (band) that appeared with introduction of most of the sulfides and electrum, and a later cycle in which base metal and carbonate-bearing assemblages (mostly rhodochrosite) became dominant. Tellurides and some electrum occur as small rounded grains within subhedral-to euhedral pyrite or anhedral galena in stageII. Sulfide mineralization is zoned from pyrite to galena and sphalerite. We have used computer modeling to simulate formation of four stages of vein genesis. The reaction of a single fluid with andesite host rock at 28$0^{\circ}C$, isobaric cooling of a single fluid from 26$0^{\circ}C$ to 12$0^{\circ}C$, and boiling and mixing of a fluid with both decreasing pressure and temperature were studied using the CHILLER program. Calculations show that the precipitation of alteration minerals is due to fluid-andesite interaction as temperature drops. Speciation calculations confirm that the hydrothermal fluids with moderately high salinities and pH 5.7 (acid), were capable of transporting significant quantities of base metals. The abundance of gold in fluid depends critically on the ratio of total base metals and iron to sulfide in the aqueous phase because gold is transported as an Au(HS)$_2$- complex, which is sensitive to sulfide activity. Modeling results for Tongyeong mineralization show strong influence of shallow hydrogenic processes such as boiling and fluid mixing. The variable handing in stageII mineralization is best explained by maltiple boilings of hydrothermal fluid followed by lateral mixing of the fluid with overlying diluted, steam-heated ground water. The degree of similarity of calculated mineral assemblages and observed electrum composition and field relationships shows the utility of the numerical simulation method in identifying chemical processes that accompany boiling and mixing in Te-bearing Au-Ag system. This has been applied in models to narrow the search area for epithermal ores.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.443-453
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• 2010

The Samsung gold-silver deposit consists of quartz veins that fill along the fault zone within Cretaceous shale and sandstone. Mineralization is occurred within fault-breccia zones and can be divided into two stages. Stage I is main ore mineralization and stage II is barren. Stage I is associated with wall-rock alteration minerals(sericite, pyrite, chlorite, quartz), rutile, base-metal sulfides(pyrrhotite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena), and electrum. Stage II occur quartz, calcite and pyrite. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinities of stage I range from 145 to $309^{\circ}C$ and from 0.4 to 12.4 wt.% NaCl, respectively. It suggests that hydrothermal fluids were cooled and diluted with the mixing of meteoric water. The main deposition of base-metal sulfides and electrum occurred as a result of cooling and dilution at temperature between $200^{\circ}C$ and $300^{\circ}C$. Sulfur(9.3~10.8‰) isotope composition indicates that ore sulfur was mainly derived from a magmatic source as well as the host rocks. The calculated oxygen[-2.3~0.9‰(quartz: 0.3‰, 0.9‰, calcite: -2.3‰)] and hydrogen[-86~-76‰(quartz: -86‰, -82‰, calcite: -76‰)] isotope compositions indicate that hydrothermal fluids may be meteoric origin with some degree of mixing of another meteoric water for paragenetic time.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.119-136
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• 2002

Contrasts in the style of the gold-silver mineralization in geologic and tectonic settings in Korea, together with radiometric age data, reflect the genetically different nature of hydrothermal activities, coinciding with the emplacement age and depth of Mesozoic magmatic activities. It represents a clear distinction between the plutonic settings of the Jurassic Daebo orogeny and the subvolcanic environments of the Cretaceous Bulgugsa igneous activities. During the Daebo igneous activities (c.a. 200-150 (?) Ma) coincident with orogenic time, gold mineralization took place between c.a. 195 and 135 (127 ?) Ma. The Jurassic Au deposits commonly show several characteristics; prominent association with pegmatites, low Ag/hu ratios in the ore-concentrating parts, massive vein morphology and a distinctively simple mineralogy including Fe-rich sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, Au-rich electrum, pyrrhotite and/or pyrite. During the Bulgugsa igneous activities $(110\~50Ma)$, the precious-metal deposits are generally characterized by such features as complex vein morphology, medium to high AE/AU ratios in the ore concentrates, and diversity of ore minerals including base-metal sulfides, pyrite, arsenopyrite, Ag-rich electrum and native silver nth Ag sulfides, Ag-Sb-As sulfosalts and Ag tellurides. Vein morphology, mineralogical, fluid inclusion and stable isotope results indicate the diverse genetic natures of hydrothermal systems in Korea. The Jurassic Au-dominant deposits (orogenic type) were formed at the relatively high temperature $(about\;300^{\circ}\;to\;450^{\circ}C)$ and deep-crustal level $(4.0{\pm}1.5\;kb)$ from the hydrothermal fluids containing more amounts of magmatic waters $(\delta\;^{18}O_{H2O}\;5\~10\%_{\circ})$. It can. It can be explained by the dominant ore-depositing mechanisms as $CO_2$ boiling and sulfidation, suggestive of hypo- to mesothermal environments. In contrast, the Cretaceous Au-dominant $(l13\~68\;Ma),\;Au-Ag \;(108\~47\;Ma)$ and Ag-dominant $(103\~45\;Ma)$ deposits, which correspond to volcanic-plutonic-related type, occurred at relatively low temperature $(about\;200^{\circ}\;to\;350^{\circ}C)$ and shallow-crustal level $(1.0\{pm}0.5\;kb)$ from the ore-forming fluids containing more amounts of less-evolved meteoric waters$(\delta\;^{18}O_{H2O}\;-10\~5\%_{\circ})$. These characteristics of the Cretaceous precious-metal deposits can be attributed to the complexities in the ore-precipitating mechanisms (mixing, boiling, cooling), suggestive of epi- to mesothermal environments. Therefore, the differences of the emplacement depth between the Daebo and the Bulgugsa igneous activities directly influence the unique temporal and spatial association of the deposit styles.