• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.58-70
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• 1992

From the K-Ar age determinations for the clay deposits and their surrounded rocks in southwest Korea, the ages of the ore formation in all clay deposits fall in very narrow range from 78.1 to 81.4 Ma. K-Ar ages of clay deposits are slightly younger than those of the Cretaceous volcanic rocks (Hwangsan Formation, 81.4 to 86.4 Ma) and are slightly older than those of the Cretaceous granitic rocks (77.1 to 81.5 Ma). These results indicate that clay deposits were formed with genetical relation to late Cretaceous felsic magmatism. Weolgagsan granite, which has been previously considered to be Cretaceous, is proved to be formed its age in Jurassic (140.9 and 144.8 Ma). The close relationships of K-Ar ages between the clay deposits and Cretaceous granitic rocks suggest that the clay deposits were formed during the hydrothermal alterations caused by the thermal effects (hydrothermal circulation) of the granitic intrusions rather than by the hydrothermal activities associated with volcanic activities.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 1991

Gusi pyrophyllite deposit is located in the Haenam volcanic field in the southwestern part of the Korea Peninsula. This area is known for the occurrences of pyrophyllite, alunite and dickite. This volcanic field is composed of andesite, rhyolite and pyroclastic rocks of late Cretaceous age The pyroclastic rocks are hydrothermally altered to pyrophyllite and kaolin minerals forming the Gusi deposits. The hydrothermally altered rock can be classified into the following zones on the basis of their mineral assemblages: quartz, pyrophyllite, dickite and illite-smectite zones, from the centre to the margins of the alteration mass. Such mineral assemblages indicate that the country rocks, most of which are the lower Jagguri Tuff, were altered by strongly acidic hydrothermal solutions with high aqueous silica and potassium activity and that the formation temperature of pyrophyllite is higher than $265^{\circ}C$. The mechanism of the hydrothermal alteration is considered to be related to felsic magmatism.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.259-273
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• 1992

The Seongsan mine is one of the largest dickite deposits in the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula. The main constithent minerals of the ore are dickite and quartz with accessory alunite, kaolinite and sericite. The geology around the Seongsan mine consists mainly of the late Cretaceous felsic volcanic rocks. In the studied area, these rocks make a synclinal structure with an axis of E-W direction plunging to the east. Most of the felsic volcanic rocks have undergone extensive hydrothermal alteration. The hydrothermally altered rocks can be classified into the following zones: Dickite, Dickite-Quartz, Quartz, Sericite, Albite and Chlorite zones, from the center to the margin of the alteration mass. Such zonal arrangement of altered rocks suggests that the country rocks, most of which are upper part of the rhyolite and welded tuff, were altered by strongly acid hydrothermal solutions. It is reasonable to consider that initial gas and solution containing $H_2S$ and other compounds were oxidized near the surface, and formed hydrothermal sulfuric acid solutions. The mineralogical and chemical changes of the altered rocks were investigated using various methods, and chemical composition of fifty-six samples of the altered rocks were obtained by wet chemical analysis and X.R.F. methods. On the basis of these analyses, it was found that some components such as $SiO_2$, $Al_2O_3$, $Fe_2O_3$, CaO, MgO, $K_2O$, $Na_2O$ and $TiO_2$ were mobilized considerably from the original rocks. The formation temperature of the deposits was estimated as higher than $200^{\circ}C$ from fluid inclusion study of samples taken from the Quartz zone. On the basis of the chemical composition data on rocks and minerals and estimated temperatures, the hydrothermal solutions responsible for the formation of the Seongsan dickite deposits were estimated to have the composition: $m_{K^+}=0.003$, $m_{Na^+}=0.097$, $m_{SiO_2(aq.)}=0.008$ and pH=5.0, here "m" represents the molality (mole/kg $H_2O$).

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.243-264
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• 1986

This work is a metallogeny on gold-silver deposits in South Korea based on the close examination of the author's own data and a broad review of existing literature available. The metallogenic epochs in Korea are temporarily connected with the history of tectonism and igneous activities, and are identified as the Precambrian, Paleozoic, Jurassic to early Cretaceous, late Cretaceous to early Tertiary, and Quaternary epochs, whereas the metallogenic provinces are spatially associated with some of the felsic to intermediate igneous rocks, lacking mineralization related to basic and ultrabasic rocks. The metallogeny on the gold-silver deposits is mostly related to the granitic rocks intrusives. Epigenetic gold-silver mineralization in South Korea ranges in metallogenic epochs from Precambrian through Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous to Eocene (?), in genetic types from hypothermal through mesothermal and epithermal quartz-sulfide veins to volcanogenic stockworks, with some disseminated types. Reporting on metallic association from gold without silver, gold-silver, silver-gold, silver without gold, and gold or silver as a by-product from other metallic ores. The most representative genetic types and metal associations of gold-silver deposits are hydrothermal quartz veins associated with the Daebo and Bulgugsa granitic magmatism. The most closely associated paragenetic metallic minerals in gold-silver hydrothermal quartz-sulfide vein type deposits are: copper, lead, zinc, pyrite and arsenopyrite. More than 560 gold-silver mines are plotted in the distribution map grouped within the 10 different metallogenic provinces of South Korea. Specific mineralizations with related mineral association in both sulfides and gangues observed selected from 18 Korean and 8 Japanese Au-Ag deposits. The 7 selected individual gold-silver mines representing specific mineralization types are described in this report.