• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.126-138
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• 1997

Serpentinite of the Yesan-Gongju-Cheongyang area has been formed by serpentinization of ultramafic rocks. The ultramafic rock might be composed mainly of oilvine with minor pyroxene and amphibole. Olivine has a considerably restricted chemical compositional ranging from Fo90 to Fo93. Fresh serpentinite containing large amount of oilvine is usually massive in occurrence and dark green to black in color. Serpentine minerals occur not only as major mineral of serpentinite, but also as remnants in the talc ore which was formed from serpentinite. XRD study indicates that antigorie is the most abundant serpentine mineral of the serpentinite. Serpentinite consisting of antigorite usually shows non-pseudomorphic texture, whereas that consisting of lizardite shows pseudomorphic texture. Antigorite is found along the margins or fractures of olivine grains resulting in the formation of network of magnetite which was formed at the time of serpentinization. Lizardite, subordinate constituent mineral of serpentinite, frequently shows pseudomorphic mesh-texture after olivine. The chemical differences between antigorite and lizardite/chrysotile are small, so both minerals are not easily discernible with the electron microprobe. Antigorite occuers as elongate blades, flakes, or plates forming interpenetrating texture to obliterate previous textures. SEM study also shows that most serpentine minerals occur in platy or tabular form rather than in asbestiform. Fractures formed after main serpentinization are observed within the pseudomorphic central olivine grain. Careful observation of the serpentine pseudomorphs gives a great deal of data on the pre-serpentinization nature of the serpentine pseudomorphs gives a great deal of data on the pre-serpentinization nature of the ultramafic rocks. It is inferred that the serpentinization took place after the emplacement of ultramafic body into the relatively wet environment ceased and the cooling intrusive body crossed into the stability field of serpentine. It is inferred that the final pervasive serpentinization took place over a long time, by hydrothermal water supplied through the fracture system produced during emplacement of ultramafic rock.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.267-278
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• 1993

Serpentinite rocks which are composed mainly of olivine, serpentine and clinopyroxene, cropped out in the anorogenic Kyongsang sedimentary basin of South Korea. The serpentinites contain high content of MgO (36.87~41.99%) and 47~67 ppm Co, 1185~2042 ppm Ni and 979~3582 ppm Cr, which are quite similar to those of ultrabasic rocks such as peridotite and dunite. Isotopic compositions of serpentinites range from -95.5 to -105.7‰ in ${\delta}D$ and +1.7 to 7.1‰ in ${\delta}^{18}O$ corresponding to the continental antigorite type. A wide variation of oxygen isotopic values and $H_2O^+$ content of serpentinites reflect the different water/rock ratios during serpentinization processes. Formation temperature of serpentine minerals are estimated to be unusually high temperature of $488{\sim}646^{\circ}C$ by serpentine-magnetite isotopic fractionation, which belong to continental antigorite type. Calculated ${\delta}^{18}O$ value of serpentinized fluid during serpentinization is suggested that the hydrothermal fluid responsible for serpentinization be originated from the magmatic fluid with a minor influx of paleo-meteoric water in this area.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.297-304
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• 2005

Serpentinites in Chungnam area are mainly composed of serpentines. Serpentines of olivine origin consist of pseudomorphs of olivines and show mesh textureen closed with magnetites along the boundaries of serpentine crystals. In some serpentinites, serpentinization is occurred in crystal boundaries and/or cracks of olivines and pyroxenes which are relict minerals of dunite and harzburgite. On the process from olivine to serpentine, Mg ions are greatly decreased and Si ions are greatly increased, and $Fe^{2+}\;and\;Fe^{3+}$ ions are a little decreased. But, on the process from pyroxene to serpentine, Si ions are greatly decreased and Mg ions are greatly increased. Magnetites around the serpentine crystals were formed from the iron which had been left out through this serpentinization process of olivine. Serpentinization from the original rocks such as dunite and harzburgite in Chungnam area was occurred by various waters affected after formation of original rock, and particularly by metamorphic water in the metamorphic conditions ranging from green schist facies to granulite facies through amphibolite facies.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.363-378
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• 1991

Field and microscopic evidence, XRD,EPMA and chemical data suggest that parent rock of talc ore deposits of Yesan district was originated from ultramafic igneous rock. Parent rock can be divided into serpentinized dunite, serpentinized peridotite, metagabbro, amphibolite and hornblende schist. The ore deposits are highly sheared, and show many evidences of hydrothermal alteration and metamorphism at the greenschist and albite-epidote amphibolite facies. The process of steatitization is variable depending upon the composition, and the degree of alteration and metamorphism of the parent rocks. Steatitization can be divided into two processes with or without serpentinization. The parent rocks with serpentinization are serpentinized dunite, serpentinized peridotite and metagabbro, showing the following alteration process; olivine ${\rightarrow}$ serpentine${\rightarrow}$ talc. The rocks without serpentinization are amphibolite and hornblende schist showing the following sequence; hornblende${\rightarrow}$ chlorite${\rightarrow}$ talc. Formation of talc deposits is summarized as following six stages; I) Intrusion of ultramafic rocks, 2) autometamorphism, 3) metamorphism at greenschist and albite-epidote-amphibolite facies, 4) brittle deformation, 5) hydrothermal alteration, 6) purification of low-grade talc by late dyke intrusion.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.305-312
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• 2005

Degrees of serpentinization from the original rocks of Choongnam serpentinites such as dunite and harzburgite are well matched with O'Hanley's textural stages of serpentinites (1996). Colors of chromian spinels in serpentinites are brown and/or red in dunites, and red in harzburgite. Also, colors of chromian spinels changed darker from brown and/or red according to the degree of serpentinization and more darker by steatitization because of increasing Fe ions.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.249-267
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• 2016

The Hongseong area of the central-western Korean Peninsula is considered to be a part of collision zone that is tectonically correlated to the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu belt of China. The area includes the elliptical-shaped serpentinized ultramafic bodies, together with mafic rocks. The studied bodies are in contact with the surrounded Neoproterozoic alkali granites at the Baekdong and Wonnojeon bodies and the Paleoproterozoic Yugu gneiss at the Bibong body. The Baekdong body contains the blocks of the Neoproterozoic alkali granites and the Late Paleozoic metabasites. The Bibong body also includes the Neoproterozoic alkali granite blocks. The Mesozoic intrusive rocks are also recognized at the Baekdong, Wonnojeon and Bibong bodies. On the other hand, the Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks are occurred at the Bibong body. The detrital zircon SHRIMP U-Pb ages of the serpentinites at three bodies range variously from Neoarchean to Middle Paleozoic at the Baekdong body, and from Neoarchean to Early Cretaceous at the Wonnojeon and Bibong bodies. Although serpentinization does not generally produce minerals suitable for direct isotopic dating, the youngest Middle Paleozoic age at the Baekdong body and the Early Cretaceous age at the Wonnojeon and Bibong bodies indicate the possible upper age limit for the (re)serpentinization. Especially, the Early Cretaceous serpentinization ages may be related to the widespread Early Cretaceous igneous activity in the central-southern Korean Peninsula. Age results for the serpentinite bodies and the included blocks of the studied serpentinized ultramafic bodies in the Hongseong area, therefore, provide several possible interpretations for the serpentinization ages of the ultramafic rocks as well as the geotectonic implications of serpentinization, requiring more detailed study including other serpentinized ultramafic bodies in the Hongseong area.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.4 s.50
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• pp.325-336
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• 2006

Domestic serpentinite is one of the important industrial minerals utilizing in the iron manufacturing company such as POSCO in Korea. Serpentinite is distributed in the Ulsan Fe deposit, Andong, Hongseong-Cheongyang, and Gapyeong areas. This study tries to interpret the relationship among the formation of carbonate rocks, iron mineralization, and serpentinite alteration throughout the study of field occurrence, mineralogy, and chemical compositions. Serpentine is formed by the break-down of olivine and pyroxene of parent peridotite. The serpentinization is inferred to be formed by the hydrothermal fluid derived from intruded Cretaceous granite and the addition of meteoric water. Variation of major oxides such as $SiO_2,\;Fe_2O_3$, and MgO in serpentinized rocks are controlled by the degree of serpentinization and Fe mineralization. Variation of $Al_2O_3$ and CaO contents of altered rocks is dependent on the amount of the residual minerals such as calcite and homblende, and on the degree of chloritization. The presence of carbonate rocks reported in the sedimentary origin or igneous origin (carbonatite) provided a geological environment to form skarn type Fe deposit regardless of its origin. The geological processes of Ulsan Fe deposits are inferred to be formed as the order of the formation of carbonate rocks ${\to}$ the intrusion of Cretaceous granite ${\to}$ serpentinization ${\to}$ Fe mineralization by the interprelation of field occurrence and mineralogical characteristics.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.261-270
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• 2019

Because the estimation of the tensile strength is very important in any geotechnical project, many attempts have been made to determine. But the immediate determination of the tensile strength is usually difficult owing to well-shaped specimens, time-consuming, expensive and sometimes unreliable. In this study, engineering properties of several ultramafic rock samples were measured to assess the correlations between the Brazilian Tensile Strength (BTS) and degree of serpentinization, physical, dynamic and mechanical characteristics. For this purpose, a comprehensive laboratory testing program was conducted after collecting thirty-two peridotite and fifty-one serpentinite rock samples, taken from central Greece, in accordance with ASTM and ISRM standards. In addition, a representative number of them were subjected to petrographic studies and the obtained results were statistically described and analysed. Simple and multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between the Brazilian Tensile Strength and the other measured properties. Thus, empirical equations were developed and they showed that all of the properties are well correlated with Brazilian Tensile Strength. The curves with the $45^{\circ}$ line (y = x) were extracted for evaluating the validity degree of concluded empirical equations which approved approximately close relationships between Brazilian Tensile Strength and the measured properties.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 1977

Biggest talc deposits of South Korea, localized in Choong-Chung-Nam-do, are known as a products of hydrothermal metamorphism of serpentine. From studying mineral paragenesis and localization, three types of talc mineralization is presumed as follows: 1) Extended talc mineralization from autometamorphism (serpentinization) of ultra-basic igneous rocks, 2) Schistose talc rock as green schist facies of regional metamorphism and 3) Late hydrothermal mineralization and purification of serpentine and pre-existing low grade ores.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.548-557
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• 2001

Ultramafic rocks in the Yesan talc ore deposits area are unknown age plutonic rocks which intruded PreCambrian Yoogoo gneiss, and were intruded by Jurassic biotite granite, and Cretaceous acidic and mafic dykes. The ultramafic rocks consist mainly of serpentinite with some amphibolite and talc ore body. The serpentinites are divided 5 rock types (S1${\sim}$S5) on the basis of the developed degree of serpentine phenocrysts and layerings. It seems that the original rocks of the serpentinites were co-magmatic peridotites (dunite and pyroxene peridotite). Main serpentinization from the original rocks was occurred during amphibolite facies regional metamorphism in Choongnam area which Yoogoo gneiss was affected. Main steatitization from the serpentinites was hydrothermal alteration by ascended hydrothermal fluid through crush zones.