• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 1987

Muguk gold deposits are composed of quartz veins emplaced along faults in Mesozoic granodiorite. General strikes and dips of the veins are $N15{\sim}20^{\circ}W$ and $70{\sim}80^{\circ}NE$. Associated ore minerals are pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, native silver, argentite, tetrahedrite and electrum. Vein mineral paragenesis is complicated by repeated fracturing, but five distinct depositional stages can be recognized. Electrum grains are associated mainly with sulfide bands formed along both margins of pale pink quartz of stage 3, and with patches of pyrite aggregate of stage 4. Before the close down in 1972, Muguk gold mine yielded more than 8 tons of gold of which major portion was produced from the No.2 vein. No.2 vein, extending about 1,500m laterally, was exploited to a depth of about 750m. In 1984, Young-poong mining company acquired the mining property and began geologic mapping, geochemical and geophysical exploration, diamond drilling and exploration tunnelling around the mine area to seek for other rich gold-bearing quartz veins. As the Samhyungje vein was disclosed to be the most rich vein, exploration works were focussed on the Samhyungje vein. As of August 1987, 22,338m of diamond drilling and 9,652m of exploration tunnelling have been undertaken. Owing to the successful result of exploration, the Muguk mine commenced normal operation on January 1987, treating 5,500 tons of ore per month.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.12
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• pp.4033-4041
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• 2021

To better understand the permeability of uranium sandstone, improve the leaching rate of uranium, and explore the change law of pore structure characteristics and blocking mechanism during leaching, we systematically analyzed the microstructure of acid-leaching uranium sandstone. We investigated the variable rules of pore structure characteristics based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results showed the following: (1) The uranium concentration change followed the exponential law during uranium deposits acid leaching. After 24 h, the uranium leaching rate reached 50%. The uranium leaching slowed gradually over the next 4 days. (2) Combined with the regularity of porosity variation, Stages I and II included chemical plugging controlled by surface reaction. Stage I was the major completion phase of uranium displacement with saturation precipitation of calcium sulfate. Stage II mainly precipitated iron (III) oxide-hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide. Stage III involved physical clogging controlled by diffusion. (3) In the three stages of leaching, the permeability of the leaching solution changed with the pore structure, which first decreased, then increased, and then decreased.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.53-69
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• 2000

To reveal the origin of the Chuncheon nephrite deposit, radiogenic isotopes of Sr and Pb, stable isotopes of 0 and H, and rare earth elements concentrations were analyzed. Such geochemical data were integrated to track the stepwise changes during the various ore formation stages. All the samples from the nephrite deposit have significantly low 0 isotopic ratios compared with the marble from which they had been formed, which reflects the very important role of the crustal circulating water with low 6180 and 6D in every stage of ore formation. There were progressive decrease of 6180 and 6D during the genesis of Chuncheon nephrite deposit. Newly formed minerals during the ore formation reveal disequilibrium with existing minerals in the respect of 0 isotope, which suggests that the ore-forming fluid of circulating water origin was involved with significant water-rock ratios in every step of ore formation process. The ore samples have Sr and Pb isotopic ratios similar to the values of Kyeonggi gneiss complex within which the deposit is located, which also suggests the important role of crustal circulating water in the genesis of the deposit. In conclusion, all the geochemical data support that major portion of the ore-forming fluid of Chuncheon nephrite deposit was derived ultimately from the surface water of meteoric origin. The meteoric water supplied Sr and Pb through leaching the rocks surrounding the ore deposits.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.767-785
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• 2021

World-class magnesite deposits are developed in the Dashiqiao mineralized district of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt in China. This belt extends to the northern side of the Korean Peninsula and hosts major magnesite deposits in the Dancheon region of North Korea. Magnesite ores from the Pailou deposits in the Dashiqiao district is classified into pure magnetite, chlorite-magnetite, chlorite-talc-magnetite, and dolomite groups depending on the constituent minerals. According to the result of petrographic study, magnesite was formed by the alteration of dolomite, and, talc, chlorite, and apatite were produced as late-stage alteration minerals that replaced the magnesite. Fluid inclusions observed in magnesite are a liquid-type inclusion, with a homogenization temperature of 121-250 ℃ and a salinity of 1.7-22.4 wt% NaCl equiv. The chlorite geothermometer, indicating the temperature of hydrothermal alteration, is 137~293 ℃, slightly higher than the homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions, and the pressure is calculated to be less than 3.2 kb. For magnesite mineralization in the study area, the initially formed-dolomite was subjected to replacement by Mg-rich fluid to form a magnesite ore body, and then it was enriched through regional metamorphism and hydrothermal alteration. It seems that altered minerals such as talc were crystallized by Si and Al-rich late-stage hydrothermal fluids. These results are similar to the genetic environments of the Daeheung deposit, a representative magnesite deposit in North Korea, and it is believed that the two deposits went through a similar geological and ore genetic process of magnesite mineralization.

• 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.21 no.1
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• pp.67-83
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• 2008

The sericite ore deposits formed in the Precambrian granitic rock at the Bonghwa area, Kyungsangbuk-do, South Korea. The geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of sericite occurred in Daehyun and Seonghwang mine were analyzed using petrographic microscope, XRD, EPMA, XRF and ICP. An alteration mechanism was also studied. Sericitization occurred within the granitic rock by hydrothermal alteration. From the careful study on the occurrence and mineral assemblage, four alteration zone were clearly identified. These zones reflect progressive hydrothermal alteration process. All sericites belong to $2M_1$ polytype and their mineralogical and geochemical properties are close to illite. The sericite ores show various colors, but the characteristics of major element compositions and crystal structures are not different. The trace element analysis, however, indicates that the difference in color attribute to the abundance of Cr and Ti: bluish green colored sericite are enriched in Cr and blackish green colored sericite enriched in Ti. The formation of sericite ore deposit in the granitic rocks are closely relate to fracture system such as fault and joint. It is considered that the sericite ore deposits in this area were formed by very simple hydrothermal alteration occurred along the fracture zones in granitic rocks with absence of other hydrothermally altered minerals such as kaolin and pyrophyllite.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.5 s.180
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• pp.567-581
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• 2006

The Au-Ag lode deposits in South Korea are closely associated with the Mesozoic granitoids. Namely, the Jurassic deposits formed in mesozonal environments related to deep-seated granitoids, whereas the Cretaceous ones were developed in porphyry-related environments related to subvolcanic granitoids. The time-space relationships of the Au-Ag lode deposits in South Korea are closely related to the changing plate motions during the Mesozoic. Most of the Jurassic auriferous deposits (about $165{\sim}145$ Ma) show fluid characteristics typical of an orogenic-type gold deposits, and were probably generated in a compressional to transpressional regime caused by an orthogonal to oblique convergence of the Izanagi Plate into the East Asian continental margin. On the other hand, strike-slip faults and caldera-related fractures together with subvolcanic activity are associated with major strike-slip faults reactivated by a northward (oblique) to northwestward (orthogonal) convergence, and probably have played an important role in the formation of the Cretaceous Au-Ag lode deposits (about $110{\sim}45$ Ma) under a continental arc setting. The temporal and spatial distinctions between the two typical Mesozoic deposit styles in South Korea probably reflect a different thermal episodes (i.e., late orogenic and post-orogenic) and ore-forming fluids related to different depths of emplacement of magma due to regional changes in tectonic environment.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.61-75
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• 1987

The Daejang mine is one of the representatives of Cu-Pb-Zn-(Ag) vein deposit related genetically to late Cretaceous granitoid in Korea. Sericite from an alteration halo of the mine yielded a K-Ar date of $95{\pm}3.5Ma$. Based on macrostructures of vein filling, three major mineralization stages (I, II and III) are distinguished by tectonic breaks. Major ore constituents are arsenopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, boulangerite, with small amounts of Ag-bearing tetrahedrite, pyrargyrite, native bismuth, marcasite, siderite, ankerite, gudmundite and calcite. Characteristic feature of each mineralization stage and compositional variation of sphalerite and arsenopyrite are discussed in relation to the genetic environments. The FeS contents of sphalerites are 20.5~14.9 mole % in stage I, 17.9~11.9 mole % in stage IIA, 17.0~9.2 mole % in stage IIB, and 6.9~4.7 mole % in stage III. Their results are indicative of decreasing FeS contents during mineralization process in sphalerite coexisting with sulfur-rich sulfide assemblages, such as monoclinic pyrrhotite and pyrite, and is agreement with the conclusions shown by Scott and Kissin(1973). The composition of arsenopyrite decrease also in As content from stage I to stage III, and the compositional variation correlate with position of the associated minerals in the paragenesis. Temperature and pressure of the mineralization are determined as $250{\sim}430^{\circ}C$ and 4.0~0.3kb respectively, based on the chemistry of the minerals.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2015

Extensive base-metal and/or gold bearing ore mineralizations occur in the Pacitan mineralized district of the south western portions in the East Java, Indonesia. Metallic ore bodies in the Pacitan mineralized district are classified into two major types: 1) skarn type replacement ore bodies, 2) fissure filling hydrothermal ore bodies. Skarn type replacement ore bodies are developed typically along bedding planes of limestone as wall rock around the quartz porphyry and are composed mineralogically of skarn minerals, magnetite, and base metal sulfides. Hydrothermal ore bodies differ mineralogically in relation to distance from the quartz porphyry as source igneous rock. Hydrothermal ore bodies in the district are porphyry style Cu-Zn-bearing stockworks as proximal ore mineralization and Pb-Zn(-Au)-bearing fissure filling hydrothermal veins as distal ore mineralization. Sulfur isotope compositions in the sulfides from skarn and hydrothermal ore bodies range from 6.7 to 8.2‰ and from 0.1 to 7.9‰, respectively. The calculated ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of $H_2S$ in skarn-forming and hydrothermal fluids are 0.9 to 7.1‰ (5.6-7.1‰ for skarn-hosted sulfides and 0.9-6.8‰ for sulfides from hydrothermal deposits). The change from skarn to hydrothermal mineralization would have resulted in increased $SO_4/H_2S$ ratios and corresponding decreases in ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of $H_2S$. The calculated ${\delta}^{18}O$ water values are: skarn magnetite, 9.6 and 9.7‰; skarn quartz, 6.3-9.6‰; skarn calcite, 4.7 and 5.8‰; stockwork quartz, 3.0-7.7‰; stockwork calcite, 1.2 and 2.0‰; vein quartz, -3.9 - 6.7‰. The calculated ${\delta}^{18}O_{water}$ values decrease progressively with variety of deposit types (from skarn through stockwork to vein), increasing paragenetic time and decreasing temperature. This indicates the progressively increasing involvement of isotopically less-evolved meteoric waters in the Pacitan hydrothermal system. The ranges of ${\delta}D_{water}$ values are from -65 to -88‰: skarn, -67 to -84‰; stockwork, -65 and -76‰; vein, -66 to -88‰. The isotopic compositions of fluids in the Pacitan hydrothermal system show a progressive shift from magmatic hydrothermal dominance in the skarn and early hydrothermal ore mineralization periods toward meteoric hydrothermal dominance in the late ore mineralization periods.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.541-549
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• 2014

The annual borate production in Turkey is about 3 million tons, which occupies approximately 61 percent of total annual world production. Turkey has five boron deposits including Bigadic, Emet, Kestelek, Kirka, and Sultancayir. At present, Bigadic, Emet, and Kirka deposits are operating. Kirka boron deposit is distributed within volcanoclatic sedimentary group as mainly layered, rarely brecciated and massive types. Major borate is borax associated with colemanite and ulexite. They show a horizontal symmetrical zonation from Na borate (borax) in the center of deposit to Na-Ca borate (ulexite) and Ca-borate (colemanite) in margin. Bigadic boron deposit is known as the largest colemanite deposit in the world. This deposit occurs as two borate bearing horizons in Miocene volcanoclastic sedimentary group. Thickness ranges from several meters to 100 meter with a length of several hundreds meters. Borate ore bodies which are mainly composed of colemanite and ulexite are alternated with claystone, mudstone, tuff and layered limestone as lenticular shape. Sultancayir boron deposit is mainly distributed within gray limestone. Main borate minerals of this deposit are pandermite and ulexite. Pandermite and ulexite occur as colloform aggregate and small veinlet, respectively. Turkish boron deposits are evaporite deposit which were formed in Miocene playa-lake environment. Boron was supplied to the deposits by the volcanic and hydrothermal activities.