• Title/Summary/Keyword: major minerals

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Morphology and Trace Element Distribution in Pyrite: Implications for the Exploration of Pb-Zn Deposit (황철석내 미량원소 분포 및 형태: 연-아연 광상의 탐사에 대한 적용)

  • Bong Chul Yoo
    • Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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    • v.37 no.3
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    • pp.139-153
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    • 2024
  • Recently, resources-rich advanced countries are putting more effort into mineral resource exploration as mineral resource depletion worsens along with deepening resource nationalism regarding mineral resources. Therefore, one of the methods used to explore mineral resources is to explore through the chemical composition of mineral. Pyrite, which is formed throughout the mineralization process and regardless of the mineral commodity type, is widely used as major geochemical indicator in mineral deposit exploration using content and list of trace elements in the pyrite. In this paper, the author aims to report on indicator elements that can be used when exploring lead-zinc orebody by studying the occurrence and chemical composition of pyrites from wallrock, wallrock alteration and lead-zinc orebody in the Janggun lead-zinc deposit. This deposit is hydrothermal replacement deposit formed by reaction of lead and zinc-bearing hydrothermal fluid and Paleozoic Janggum limestone formation. The wallrock alteration that is remarkably recognized with Pb-Zn mineralization at this hydrothermal replacement orebody consists of mainly rhodochrositization with minor of dolomitization, pyritization, sericitization and chloritization. Pyrite, which is occurred from wallrock, wallrock alteration, and lead-zinc orebody, is classified into three types (Py I type, Py II type, and Py III type) based on the texture, occurrence and paragenetic relationship. Pyrite on the basis of paragenetic sequence are as followed : Py I type (wallrock and wallrock alteration) → Py II type (wallrock alteration and Pb-Zn orebody) → Py III type (wallrock alteration and Pb-Zn orebody). Trace elements with a large content change in pyrite by all types are Mn, As, Ag, Sb and Pb elements, but trace elements with a small content change in pyrite are Zn, Cu, Cd, Se, Te, Co, Ni, Au, In and Sn elements. The substitution of these elements in all pyrite types is as followed: Fe2+↔Co2+ substitution (Py I type), 3Fe2+↔Ag1++(Mn2++Ni2++As2+)+(As3++Sb3+) substitution (Py II type) and 3Fe2+↔Ag1++(Mn2++As2++Pb2+)+(Mn3++As3++Sb3+), S1-↔(As1-+Sb1-) substitution (Py III type). This means that Mn, As, Sb, Ag and Pb elements were enriched during evolution of hydrothermal fluid. Therefore, based on the above research results, pyrite is a useful mineral for exploration of lead-zinc orebody. And when exploring lead-zinc orebody with similar geological conditions, lead-zinc orebody is explored through the enrichment of as indicator elements.

Element Dispersion and Wallrock Alteration from Samgwang Deposit (삼광광상의 모암변질과 원소분산)

  • Yoo, Bong-Chul;Lee, Gil-Jae;Lee, Jong-Kil;Ji, Eun-Kyung;Lee, Hyun-Koo
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.42 no.3
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    • pp.177-193
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    • 2009
  • The Samgwang deposit consists of eight massive mesothermal quartz veins that filled NE and NW-striking fractures along fault zones in Precambrian granitic gneiss of the Gyeonggi massif. The mineralogy and paragenesis of the veins allow two separate discrete mineralization episodes(stage I=quartz and calcite stage, stage II-calcite stage) to be recognized, temporally separated by a major faulting event. The ore minerals are contained within quartz and calcite associated with fracturing and healing of veins that occurred during both mineralization episodes. The hydrothermal alteration of stage I is sericitization, chloritization, carbonitization, pyritization, silicification and argillization. Sericitic zone occurs near and at quartz vein and include mainly sericite, quartz, and minor illite, carbonates and chlorite. Chloritic zone occurs far from quartz vein and is composed of mainly chlorite, quartz and minor sericite, carbonates and epidote. Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios of sericite and chlorite range 0.45 to 0.50(0.48$\pm$0.02) and 0.74 to 0.81(0.77$\pm$0.03), and belong to muscovite-petzite series and brunsvigite, respectiveIy. Calculated $Al_{IV}$-FE/(FE+Mg) diagrams of sericite and chlorite suggest that this can be a reliable indicator of alteration temperature in Au-Ag deposits. Calculated activities of chlorite end member are $a3(Fe_5Al_2Si_3O_{10}(OH)_6$=0.0275${\sim}$0.0413, $a2(Mg_5Al_2Si_3O_{10}(OH)_6$=1.18E-10${\sim}$7.79E-7, $a1(Mg_6Si_4O_{10}(OH)_6$=4.92E-10${\sim}$9.29E-7. It suggest that chlorite from the Samgwang deposit is iron-rich chlorite formed due to decreasing temperature from high temperature(T>450$^{\circ}C$). Calculated ${\alpha}Na^+$, ${\alpha}K^+$, ${\alpha}Ca^{2+}$, ${\alpha}Mg^{2+}$ and pH values during wallrock alteration are 0.0476($400^{\circ}C$), 0.0863($350^{\circ}C$), 0.0154($400^{\circ}C$), 0.0231($350^{\circ}C$), 2.42E-11($400^{\circ}C$), 7.07E-10($350^{\circ}C$), 1.59E-12($400^{\circ}C$), 1.77E-11($350^{\circ}C$), 5.4${\sim}$6.4($400^{\circ}C$), 5.3${\sim}$5.7($350^{\circ}C$)respectively. Gain elements(enrichment elements) during wallrock alteration are $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3(T)$,CaO, MnO, MgO, As, Ag, Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, W, V, Br, Cs, Rb, Sc, Bi, Nb, Sb, Se, Sn and Lu. Elements(Ag, As, Zn, Sc, Sb, Rb, S, $CO_2$) represents a potential tools for exploration in mesothermal and epithermal gold-silver deposits.