• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.1 s.176
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• pp.9-25
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• 2006

Baekun gold-silver deposit is an epithermal quartz vein that is filling the fault zone within Triassic or Jurassic foliated granodiorite. Mineralization is associated with fault-breccia zones and can be divided into two stages. Stage I which can be subdivided early and late depositional stages is main ore mineralization and stage II is barren. Early stage I is associated with wallrock alteration and the formation of sulfides such as arsenopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, marcasite, chalcopyrite, stannite, galena. Late stage I is characterized by Au-Ag mineralization such as electrum, Ag-bearing tetrahedrite, stephanite, boulangerite, pyrargrite, argentite, schirmerite, native silver, Ag-Te-Sn-S system, Ag-Cu-S system, pyrite, chalcopyrite and galena. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinity of stage I range from $171.6^{\circ}C\;to\;360.8^{\circ}C\;and\;from\;0.5\;to\;10.2\;wt.\%\;eq.$ NaCl, respectively. It suggest that ore forming fluids were cooled and diluted with the mixing of meteoric water. Also, Temperature (early stage I: $236\~>380^{\circ}C,\;$ late stage $I: <197\~272^{\circ}C$) and sulfur fugacity (early stage $I:\;10^{-7.8}$ a atm., late stage I: $10^{-14.2}\~10^{-l6}atm$.) deduced mineral assemblages from stage 1 decrease with paragenetic sequence. Sulfur ($2.4\~6.1\%_{\circ}$(early stage $I=3.4\~5.3\%_{\circ},\;late\;stage\;I=2.4\~6.1\%_{\circ}$)), oxygen ($4.5\~8.8\%_{\circ}$(quartz: early stage $I=6.3\~8.8\%_{\circ}$, late stage $I=4.5\~5.6\%_{\circ}$)), hydrogen ($-96\~-70\%_{\circ}$ (quartz: early stage $I=-96\~-70\%_{\circ},\;late\;stage\;f=-78\~-74\%_{\circ},\;calcite:\;late\;stage\;I=-87\~-76\%_{\circ}$)) and carbon ($-6.8\~-4.6\%_{\circ}$ (calcite: late stage I)) isotope compositions indicated that hydrothermal fluids may be magmaticorigin with some degree of mixing of another meteoric water for paragenetic time.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.433-444
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• 1993

Electrum (32~73 atom. % Ag)-sulfide mineralization of the Bodeok mine in the Boseong area was deposited in two stages of mineralogically simple, massive quartz veins that fill the fractures along fault shear zones in Precambrian gneiss. Radiometric dating indicates that mineralization is Late Jurassic age ($155.9{\pm}2.3$ Ma). Fluid inclusion data show that ore mineralization was formed from $H_2O-CO_2$ fluids with variable $CO_2$ contents ($X_{CO_2}=0.0$ to 0.7) and low salinities (0.0 to 7.4 wt. % eq. NaCl) at temperatures between $200^{\circ}$ and $370^{\circ}C$. Evidence of fluid unmixing ($CO_2$ effervescence) indicates pressures up to 1 kbar. Gold-silver deposition occurred later than base-metal sulfide deposition, at temperatures near $250^{\circ}C$ and was probably a result of cooling and decreasing sulfur activity caused by sulfide precipitation and/or $H_2S$ loss (through fluid unmixing). Calculated sulfur isotope compositions of ore fluids (${\delta}^{34}S_{{\Sigma}S}=1.7$ to 3.3‰) indicate an igneous source of sulfur in hydrothermal fluids. Measured and calculated O and H isotope compositions of ore fluids (${\delta}^{18}O_{water}=4.8$ to 7.2‰, ${\delta}D_{water}=-73$ to -76‰) indicate that mesothermal auriferous fluids at Bodeok were likely mixtures of $H_2O-rich$, isotopically evolved meteoric waters and magmatic $H_2O-CO_2$ fluids.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.278-291
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• 2001

Mesothermal gold vein minerals of the Seolhwa mine were deposited in a single stage of massive quartz veins which filled the mainly NE-trending fault shear zones exclusively in the granitoid of the Gyeonggi Massif. The Seolhwa mesothermal gold mineralization is spatially associated with the Jurassic granitoid of 161 Ma. The vein quartz contains three main types of fluid inclusions at 25$^{\circ}$C: 1) low-salinity (< 5 wt.% NaCl), liquid CO$_{2}$-bearing, type IV inclusion; 2) gas-rich (> 70 vol.%), aqueous type II inclusions; 3) aqueous type I inclusions (0${\sim}$15 wt.% NaCl) containing small amounts of CO$_{2}$. The H$_{2}$O-CO$_{2}-CH$_{4}$-N$_{2}$-NaCl inclusions represent immiscible fluids trapped earlier along the solvurs curve at temperatures from 430$^{\circ}$ to 250$^{\circ}$C and pressures of 1 kbars. Detailed fluid inclusion chronologies may suggest a progressive decrease in pressure during the auriferous mineralization. The aqueous inclusion fluids represent either later fluids evelved through extensive fluid unmixing (CO$_{2}-CH$_{4}$ effervescence) from a homogeneous H$_{2}$O-CO$_{2}-CH$_{4}$-N$_{2}$-NaCl fluid due to decreases in temperature and pressure, or the influence of deep circulated meteoric waters possibly related to uplift and unloading of the mineralizing suites. The initial fluids were homogeneous containing H$_{2}$O-CO$_{2}-CH$_{4}$-N$_{2}$-NaCl components and the following properties: the initital temperature of >250$^{\circ}$ to 430$^{\circ}$C, X$_{CO}\;_{2}$ of 0.16 to 0.62, 5 to 14 mole% CH$_{4}$, 0.06 to 0.3 mole% N$_{2}$ and salinities of 0.4 to 4.9 wt.% NaCl. The T-X data for the Seolhwa gold mine may suggest that the Seolhwa auriferous hydrothermal system has been probably originated from adjacent granitic melt which facilitated the CH$_{4}$ formation and resulted in a reduced fluid state evidenced by the predominance of pyrrhotite. The dominance of negative ${\delta}\;^{34}$S values of sulfides (-0.6 to 1.4$%_o$o) are consistent with their deep igneous source.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 1970

Very few articles are available on geologic structure and genesis of Sangdong scheelite-deposits in spite of the fact that the mine is one of the leading tungsten producer in the world. Sangdong scheelite deposits, embedded in Myobong slate of Cambrian age at the southem limb of the Hambaek syncline which strikes $N70{\sim}80^{\circ}W$ and dips $15{\sim}30^{\circ}$ northeast, comprise six parallel veins in coincide with the bedding plane of Myobong formation, namely four footwall veins, a main vein, and a hangingwall vein. Four footwall veins are discontinuous and diminish both directions in short distance and were worked at near surface in old time. Hangingwall vein is emplaced in brecciated zone in contact plane of Myobong slate and overlying Pungchon limestone bed of Cambrian age and has not been worked until recent. The main vein, presently working, continues more than 1,500 m in both strike and dip sides and has a thickness varying 3.5 to 5 m. Characteristic is the distinct zonal arrangement of the main vein along strike side which gives a clue to the genesis of the deposits. The zones symmetrically arranged in both sides from center are, in order of center to both margins, muscovite-biotite-quartz zone, biotite-hornblende-quartz zone and garnet-diopside zone. The zones grade into each other with no boundary, and minable part of the vein streches in the former two zones extending roughly 1,000 m in strike side and over 1,100 m in dip side to which mining is underway at present. The quartz in both muscovite-biotite-quartz and biotite-hornblende-quartz zones is not network type of later intrusion, but the primary constituent of the special type of rock that forms the main vein. The minable zone has been enriched several times by numerous quartz veins along post-mineral fractures in the vein which carry scheelite, molybdenite, bismuthinite, fluorite and other sulfide minerals. These quartz veins varying from few centimeter to few tens of centimeter in width are roughly parallel to the main vein although few of them are diagonal, and distributed in rich zones not beyond the vein into both walls and garnet-diopside zone. Ore grade ranges from 1.5~2.5% $WO_3$ in center zone to less than 0.5% in garnet-diopside zone at margin, biotite-hornblende-quartz zone being inbetween in garde. The grade is, in general, proportional to the content of primary quartz. Judging from regional structure in mid-central parts of South Korea, Hambaek syncline was formed by the disturbance at the end of Triassic period with which bedding thrust and accompanied feather cracks in footwall side were created in Myobong slate and brecciated zone in contact plane between Myobong slate and Pungchon limestone. These fractures acted as a pathway of hot solution from interior which was in turn differentiated in situ to form deposit of the main vein with zonal arrangement. The footwall veins were developed along feather cracks accompanied with the main thrust by intrusion of biotite-hornblende-quartz vein and the hangingwall vein in shear zone along contact plane by replacement. The main vein thus formed was enriched at later stage by hydrothermal solutions now represented by quartz veins. The main mineralization and subsequent hydrothermal enrichments had probably taken place in post-Triassic to pre-Cretaceous periods. The veins were slightly displaced by post-mineral faults which cross diagonally the vein. This hypothesis differs from those done by previous workers who postulated that the deposits were formed by pyrometasomatic to contact replacement of the intercalated thin limestone bed in Myobong slate at the end of Cretaceous period.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.429-441
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• 2010

The Sunrise Dam gold deposit is located approximately 850 km ENE of Perth, in the eastern part of the Yilgam Craton, Western Australia. The mine has produced approximately 153 t of Au at an average grade of 4.2 g/t, which stands for the most significant gold discoveries during the last decade in Western Australia. The deposit occurs in the Laverton Tectonic Zone corresponding to the corridor of structural complexity in the Laverton greenstone belt, and characterized by tight folding and thrusting. The mine stratigraphy consists of a complexly deformed and altered volcaniclastic and volcanic rocks. These have been overlain by a turbidite sequence containing generally well-sorted siltstones, sandstones and magnetite-rich shales, which are consistently fining upwards. These sequences have been intruded by quartz diorite, ultramafic dikes, and rhyodacite porphyry (Archean), and lamprophyre dikes (Palaeoproterozoic). These rocks constitute the asymmetric NNE-trending Spartan anticline with north-plunging thrust duplication of the BIF unit. The deposit is located on the western limb of this structure. Transported, fluvial-lacustrine and aeolean sediments lie unconformably over the deposit showing significant variation in relief. Gold mineralization occurs intermittently along a NE-trending corridor of ca. 4.5 km length. The 20 currently defined orebodies are centered on a series of parallel, gently-dipping ($\sim30^{\circ}$) and NESW trending shear zones with a thrust-duplex architecture and high-strain characteristics. The paragenetic sequence of the Sunrise Dam deposit can be divided into five hydrothermal stages ($D_1$, $D_2$, $D_3$, $D_4a$, $D_4b$), which are supported by distinctive features of the mineralogical assemblages. Among them, the D4a stage is the dominant episode of Au deposition, followed by the $D_4b$ stage, which is characterized by more diverse ore mineralogy including base metal sulfides, sulfosalts, and telluride minerals. The $D_4a$ stage contains higher proportions of microscopic free gold (48%) than D4b stage (12%), and pyrite is the principal host for native gold (electrum) followed by tetrahedrite-group minerals in both stages.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.267-278
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• 2013

The East African Rift System(EARS) is known to be hosted epithermal Au-Ag deposits, and the best-known example is Main Ethiopian Rift Valley(MER) related to Quaternary bimodal volcanism. Large horst-graben system during rifting provides open space for emplacement of bimodal magmas and flow channel of geothermal fluids. In recent, large hydrothermally altered zones(Shala, Langano, and Allalobeda) and hot spring related to deeply circulating geothermal water have been increasing their importance due to new discoveries in MER and Danakil depression. The hot springs in Shala and Allalobeda occur as boiling pool and geyser on the surface, whereas some areas didn't observe them due to decreasing ground water table. The host rocks are altered to quartz, kaolinite, illite, smectite, and chlorite due to interaction with rising geothermal water. The hot springs in MER are neutral to slightly alkaline pH(7.88~8.83) and mostly classified into $HCO_3{^-}$ type geothermal water. They are strongly depleted in Au, and Ag, but show a higher Se concentration of up to 26.7 ppm. In contrast, siliceous altered rocks around hot springs are strongly enriched in Pb(up to 33 ppm, Shala), Zn(up to 313 ppm, Shala), Cu(up to 53.1 ppm, Demaegona), and Mn(up to 0.18 wt%t, Shala). In conclusion, anomalous Se in hot spring water, Pb, Zn, Cu, and Mn in siliceous altered rocks, and new discoveries in MER have been increasing potential for epithermal gold mineralization.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.265-280
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• 2003

The Mugeuk mineralized area that associated with the pull-apart type Cretaceous Eumseong basin is composed of several gold-silver vein deposits that are emplaced in late Cretaceous biotite granite. The gold-silver deposits in the area show various hydrothermal alteration zones as well as Au/Ag ratios and ore mineralogy. The Geumbong mine showing relatively high gold fineness is composed of multiple veins and show alteration pattern; vein \longrightarrow phyllic \longrightarrow subphyllic \longrightarrow propylitic \longrightarrow subpropylitic zone. In contrast, The Taegeuk mines show the low fineness values, in far southern part are characterized by increasing tendency of simple and/or stockwork veins. The deposit displays alteration pattern; vein \longrightarrow propylitic \longrightarrow subpropylitic zone. Variations of alteration zone with depth show that phyllic zone are dominant in deeper level and propylitic zone sporadically overlapped by argillic zone are dominant in shallow level. The differences of alteration pattern between the gold-silver deposits are reflect the evolution of the hydrothermal fluids; the ore-forming fluids of the Geumbong mine are at relatively high temperature and salinity and highly-evolved meteoric water, developing phyllic zone, the Taegeuk mine containing greater amounts of less-evolved meteoric waters shows relatively low temperature and salinity in ore-forming fluids, developing propylitic zone. The various physicochemical environment for gold-silver mineralization in the Mugeuk mineralized area is due to proximity from heat source area (Mugeuk mine) to marginal area (Taegeuk mine) in a geothermal field. Therefore, it is suggested that the criteria for project exploration in the area are to focus on the area proximal to heat source and phyllic zone.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.27-43
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• 1976

The flourite in Hwacheon, Hwanggangri and Keumsan district are major fluorite producing areas in Korea. The fluorite deposits of Hwacheon district are wholly fissure filling hydrothermal veins embedded in Precambrian gneiss and schists and Jurassic granites. Also some fluorite deposits are emplaced in felsite whose age is unknown. Emplacement of most fluorite veins of the district are controlled by EW fracture system. Fluorites are generally accompanied to chalcedonic quartz and also kaolinite, montmorillonite, dickite and calcite in parts. Vertical and lateral mineral zonings are not distinct. The fluorite deposits in the Hwanggangri district are wholly embedded in limestone and other calcareous sediments of Paleozoic Yeongweol Group. Most of the fluorite deposits belong to one of two categories which are steeply. dipping veins and gently dipping replacement deposits adjacent to Late Cretaceous(83-90mys) granite bodies. The strikes of fluorite veins of Hwanggangri district mostly occupy the fractures of $N30^{\circ}-40^{\circ}E$ and $N30^{\circ}-40^{\circ}W$ system. Fluorites are accompanied to calcite, milky quartz, chalcedonic quartz, and also montmorillonite, kaolinite in parts. But in some deposits, scheelite, various sulfide minerals and barite are accompanied. Emplacement of fluorite deposits are largely controlled by lithology and structures of this district. In some deposits fluorite veins gradate to scheelite veins and also telescoping of the mineral zones are found in this district. In the Keumsan district, fissure-filled fluorite veins and replacement deposits are mostly emplaced in limestone of Paleozoic Yeongweol Group, late Cretaceous quartz-porphyry, granite and sandstone. Some deposits are emplaced in Precambrian metasediments. Mineralogy and other characteristics of the deposits in this district is similar to those of Hwanggangri district. Fluid inclusion studies reveal the difference of salinities, $CO_2$ contents of ore fluid and temperatures during fluorite mineral deposition in the these districts. In Hwacheon district, ore-fluids were comparatively dilute brine and low $CO_2$ content. Filling temperatures ranges $104^{\circ}C$ to $170^{\circ}C$. In the Chuncheonshinpo mine, most deeply exploited one in this district, salinitles range 0.5-2. 2wt. % NaCl and filling temperatures range from $116^{\circ}C$ to $143^{\circ}C$. In the Hwanggangri district, ore fluids were complex and filling temperature ranges very widly. In the contact metasomatic fluorite deposits, ore fluid were NaCl rich brines with moderate $CO_2$ content and filling temperatures range from $285^{\circ}C$ to above $360^{\circ}C$. Fluids inclusions in tungsten and sulfide minerals bearing fluorite veins show high $CO_2$ content up to 31wt. %. Filling temperature ranges from $101^{\circ}C$ to $310^{\circ}C$. Fluids inclusions In mainly fluorite bearing veins were more dilute brine and low $CO_2$ contents. Filling temperatures range from $95^{\circ}C$ to $312^{\circ}C$. Filling temperature of fluid inclusions of Keumsan district are between $95^{\circ}C$ and $237^{\circ}C$. Data gathered from geologic, mineralogic and fluid inclusion studies reveal that fluorite mineralization in H wacheon district proceeded at low temperature with dilute brine and low $CO_2$ content. In Hwangganri district, fluorite mineralization proceeded by several pulse of chemically distinct ore fluids and formed the mineralogically different type of deposits around cooling granite pluton which emplaced comparatively shallow depth.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.167-175
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• 2009

The geology of Sepola district in Mali is consisted of Birrimian group with metasedimentary rocks of lower Proterozoic and volcanoclastics, and later intrusive igneous rocks. Ore diposit in this district has the characteristics of vein- and disseminated-type gold deposit which was formed by infilling the secondary fracture zones related to the large-scale fault zone of NW direction within Birrimian group. It is confirmed as promising that Barani district has the gold grade of 0.53${\sim}$9.21 g/t with the extension of 1.3 km and width of 1 to 20.1 m. The ore mineralogy is simple with electrum, pyrite and galena. Fineness of gold grain ranges from 848 to 915(average 891) indicating mesothermal to hypothermal environment. Fluid inclusions are classified as liquid-rich type I. gas-rich type II and liquid-$CO_2$ bearing type III. Primary and pseudosecondary inclusions homogenize from 236 to 393$^{\circ}C$ with salinity of 0.0 to 8.6 wt% NaCl. Secondary inclusions homogenize from 103 to 184$^{\circ}C$ with salinity of 0.7 to 8.6 wt.%. From the relationship between homogeniztion temperature and salinity, it may be thought that auriferous fluid experienced dilution and cooling through inflow of meteoric water after fluid unmixing derived from pressure decrease in the temperature range of 400 to 250$^{\circ}C$. From the massive occurrence of quartz vein, simple mineralogy with paucity of sulfide, and presence of liquid-$CO_2$ bearing with high homogenization temperature, it is thought that gold mineralization in Sepola district correspods to the mesothermal to hypothermal ore deposit.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.561-573
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• 1999

Mesothermal gold deposits of the Heungdeok, Daewon and Ilsaeng mines in the Youngdong area occur in fault shear zones in Precambrian metamorphic rocks of central Sobaegsan Massif, Korea, and formed in single stage of massive quartz veins (0.3 to 3 m thick). Ore mineralogy is simple, consisting dominantly of pyrrhotite, sphalerite and galena with subordinate pyrite, chalcopyrite, electrum, tetrahedrite and native bismuth. Fluid inclusion data indicate that hydrothermal mineralization occurred at high temperatures (>240$^{\circ}$ to 400$^{\circ}$C) from $H_{2}O-CO_{2}(-CH_{4})$-NaCI fluids with salinities less than 12 wt. % equiv. NaC!. Fluid inclusions in vein quartz comprise two main types. These are, in decreasing order of abundance, type I (aqueous liquid-rich) and type II (carbonic). Volumetric proportion of the carbonic phase in type II inclusions varies widely in a single quartz grain. Estimated $CH_4$ contents in the carbonic phase of type II inclusions are 2 to 20 mole %. Relationship between homogenization temperature and salinity of fluid inclusions suggests a complex history of fluid evolution, comprising the early fluid's unmixing accompanying $CO_2$ effervescence and later cooling. Estimated pressures of vein filling are at least 2 kbars. The ore mineralization formed from a magmatic fluid with the ${\delta}^{34}S_{{\Sigma}S}$, ${\delta}^{18}O_{water}$ and ${\delta}D_{water}$ values of -2.1 to 2.2$\textperthousand$, 4.7 to 9.3$\textperthousand$ and -63 to -79$\textperthousand$, respectively. This study validates the application of a magmatic model for the genesis of mesothermal gold deposits in Youngdong area.