• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.465-475
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• 2022

The seafloor massive sulfide deposits are important mineral resources for base and precious metals, and their ore genesis and metal contents are mainly controlled by wall-rock leaching process and/or magmatic volatile input from the underlying magma chamber. However, the contribution of two different metal sources to the seafloor hydrothermal mineralization significantly varies in diverse geological settings and thus still remains controversial. In this review, mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of SMS deposits from mid-ocean ridges (MORs) and volcanic arcs were investigated to understand the contribution from different metal sources and to suggest future challenges that need to be addressed. As a result, the genetic occurrences of enargite and cubanite, galena and barite indicate the effects of magmatic input and water-rock interaction, respectively. Also, the distributional behaviors of Co, As, and Hg in pyrite and FeS content of sphalerite could be useful empirical indicators to discriminate the significant roles of different metal sources between MOR and Arc settings. To date, as most studies have focused on sulfide samples recovered from the seabed, further studies on magmatic sulfides and sulfate minerals are required to fully understand the genetic history of SMS deposits.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.167-176
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• 2008

Lau basin of the south Pacific, as an active back arc basin, is promising area bearing seafloor massive hydrothermal deposit that is located in a subduction zone between the Pacific ocean plate and Indo-Australian continental plate. We performed multi-beam bathymetry survey in the Lau basin using EM120, to find out high hydrothermal activity Bone. Fonualei Rift and Spreading Center (FRSC) and Mangatolou Triple Junction (MTJ) area were selected for precise site survey through seafloor morphology investigation. The result of surface and deep-tow magnetometer survey showed that Central Anomaly Magnetization High (CAMH) recorded which is associated with active ridge in FRSC-2 and revealed very low magnetic anomalies that can be connected to past or present high hydrothermal activity in MTJ-1 seamount area. Moreover, the physical and chemical tracers of hydrothermal vent flume, i.e., transmission, hydrogen ion concentration (pH), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), methane (CH4) by use of CTD system, showed significant anomalies in those areas. From positive vent flume results, we could conclude that these areas were or are experiencing very active volcanic activities. The acquired chimney and hydrothermal altered bed rock samples gave us confidence of the existence of massive hydrothermal deposit. Even though not to use visual exploration equipment such as ROV, DTSSS, etc., traditional marine geophysical investigation approach might be a truly cost-effective tool for exploring seafloor hydrothermal massive deposit.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.233-247
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• 2012

We have researched the distribution and characteristics of seafloor hydrothermal deposits for the development of economic mineral deposits in the Lau Basin, Tonga since 2009. In this study, we interpreted hydrothermal alteration around TA 26 seamounts of the Tofua volcanic arc using X-ray diffraction analysis for bulk sample and preferred-oriented specimen of clay fraction. We used 2 core samples and several surface samples. Plagioclase and quartz are dominant mineral in the basement rock, whereas kaolin mineral and smectite are superior in marine surface sediments. Especially sulfate and sulfide minerals such as gypsum, barite, sphalerite, and pyrite are predominant in the vent sediments. When we compare the mineral composition between basement rock and sea surface sediments, argillic alteration zone composed of kaolin mineral and smectite could be produced by hydrothermal fluids. Based on the downcore variation of mineral assemblages, most portion of MC08H-06 core could be interpreted as argillic alteration zone composed of kaolin mineral and smectite except top 2 cm area. Various sulfate or sulfide minerals and argillic alteration zone suggest a high probability of massive sulfide deposits in the seafloor of the TA 26 seamount.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2014

We analyzed response patterns of test field data acquired with new small loop electromagnetic (EM) system using three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic modeling code. The size and shape of a conductor was adopted as experimental parameters for EM modeling to understand influencing factors of the response patterns due to a metallic object on the seafloor. Obtaining the responses for four models of difference sizes and shapes through 3D EM modeling, we confirmed that the shape of the object have a more critical factor on the response pattern than size. We also calculated "ppm" values with respect to different altitudes of the sensor and source frequencies. The modeling results show that the consistency of sensor altitude is important and imaginary part of ppm response is more sensitive than real part. We also visualized the contour map of the real and imaginary part of ppm value as a function of frequency and altitude so that we can estimate proper altitude for source frequency band of our survey system. The results of this paper are anticipated to give proper parameters in survey construction for seafloor massive sulfide deposit.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.765-779
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• 2023

The Daum Vent Field (DVF) was newly discovered in the Central Indian Ridge during the hydrothermal expedition by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) in 2021. In this paper, we describe the detailed mineralogy and geochemistry of hydrothermal chimney and mound to understand the nature of hydrothermal mineralization in the DVF. The mineral assemblages (pyrite±sphalerite±chalcopyrite) of dominant sulfides, FeS contents (mostly <20 mole %) of sphalerite, and (Cu+Zn)/Fe values (0.001-0.22) of bulk compositions indicate that the DVF has an strong affinity with basaltic-hosted seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposit along the oceanic ridge. Combined with the predominance of colloform and/or dendritic-textured pyrite and relatively Fe-poor sphalerite in chimneys, the fluid-temperature dependency of trace element systematics (Co, Mn, and Tl) between chimney and mound indicates that the formation of mound was controlled by relatively reducing and high-temperature fluids compared to chimney. The δ³⁴S values (+8.31 to +10.52‰) of pyrite reflect that sulfur and metals were mainly leached from the associated basement rocks (50.6-61.3%) with a contribution from reduced seawater sulfur (38.7-49.4%). This suggests that the fluid-rock interaction, with little effect of magmatic volatile influx, is an important metal source for the sulfide mineralization in the DVF.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.169-181
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• 2014

Korea government has consistently investigated the development of economic mineral deposits in the Tofua volcanic arc, Tonga since 2008 for the secure of sea floor mineral resources. We studied the composition and distribution of minerals formed by hydrothermal activity around TA 25 seamounts of the Tofua volcanic arc, Lau Basin, Tonga, using X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. We used 7 core samples and 9 surface sediment samples. Barite, sphalerite, and clinoclase are present in the most volcanic vent area. Gypsum, smectite, and kaolin mineral are distributed in vent A area, chalcopyrite, pyrite, smectite, and kaolin mineral are in vent B and C area, and gypsum, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and goethite are in vent D area. From the study of clay fraction, smectite and few kaolinite are detected in the most studied area except inner part of caldera, which suggest that argillic alteration are dominant in the volcanic vent areas. Various sulfide or arsenide minerals were found in the hydrothermal vent B, C, and D. The mineralogy and geochemistry suggest higher hydrothermal activities in volcanic vent B, C, and D compared to vent A and inner caldera area. Therefore higher probabilities of massive sulfide deposits may occur in hydrothermal vent B, C, and D.