• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.194-195
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• 2003

High-pressure amphibolite-facies rocks with serpentinized ultramafic rocks occur in the Gyeonggi Massif. Ultramafic rocks occur as lenses within Precambrian granite gneiss, which showing dominantly tectonic lines of NNE directions as well as east extensional area of the chinese collision belt between south and north China block(\ulcorner). This study regionally makes a comparative study of ultramafic rocks in the western part of the Gyeonggi Massif in Korea. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.323-336
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• 2023

We investigated the nickel potential and genesis of ultramafic rocks in the Yugu area to secure nickel resources in South Korea. The Yugu ultramafic rocks, located in the southwest of the Gyeonggi Massif, are characterized by spinel peridotite and exhibit strong serpentinization along their boundaries. The serpentinization is observed as olivine transformed to antigorite and chrysotile, while pentlandite, the nickel sulfide mineral, altered into millerite and awaruite. Serpentine displays distinct foliation, aligning subparallel to the ultramafic rock boundaries and foliation of Yugu gneiss. This suggests that the uplift of ultramafic rocks resulted in hydrothermal infiltration likely sourced from the Yugu gneiss metamorphism. The Yugu ultramafic rocks are residues after 5~18% partial melting of abyssal peridotite. Enriched light rare earth elements and Eu imply secondary metasomatism. Geochemistry suggests a link between the formation of Yugu ultramafic rock and the Triassic collision of the North and South China continents. The nickel content is around 0.17~0.21%, mainly contained in olivine and serpentine. Hence, in addition to the mineral processing study on the sulfide minerals, focused studies on oxide minerals for enhanced nickel recovery within the Yugu ultramafic rock are strongly suggested.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.323-336
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• 2000

Ultramafic rocks in Choongnam area are mainly serpenitinites which are parent rock of talc and asbestos ore deposits. About 10 $^{\circ}$ NNE-trending parallel serpentinites masses occur as discontineous isolated lenticular intrusive bodies in Precambrian gneiss complex between Hongseong-Kwangcheon line and Onyang-Cheongyang line. The sizes of serpentinites vary from several centimeters to 1 kilometer in width and from several meters to 5 kilometers in length. The serpentinites show high SiO$_2$(39.99wt.% in average), MgO(38.46wt % in average), Cr(>1011ppm), Ni(>1660ppm), and Co(>80ppm). Most serpentinites contain serpentine more than 50%. Some serpentines contain original minerals such as olivine, pyroxene and chromite. Also, serpentinites body may contain a little serpentinized peridotite, and some talc and asbestos ore deposits. The original rocks of the serpentinites interpreted as Alpine type ultramafic rocks, and dunite and/or harzburgite which were originated from slightly depleted upper mantle(30${\sim}$40km deep), and emplaced in the crust through the large fault zones. It seems that main serpentinization from the original rocks was occurred during greenschist and/or amphibolite facies regional metamorphism in Choongnam area.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.627-642
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• 2022

The world's long reliance on fossil fuels (e.g., oil, coal, and natural gas) is severely changing its environment and climate. Energy research has focused on developing hydrogen as the most promising energy carrier and a key technology for sustainable energy development. Hydrogen can be classified as gray, blue, green, and otherwise according to the raw materials and methods used for production and processing. For the development of hydrogen energy, geologists are attempting to identify the mechanism of abiotic hydrogen generation by serpentinization or hydrothermal alteration. Teams in the United States, France, and Australia have researched laboratory-scale hydrogen production through water-rock interactions under various conditions, whereas there has been almost no research on abiotic hydrogen in South Korea. This paper reviews the current state of international research on hydrothermal alteration and offers suggestions for future investigations of abiotic hydrogen production in South Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.131-145
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• 1994

The Daehung and Pyeongan talc mines are located in the Yoogoo area, Chungcheongnam-Do. These deposits occur as the complex vein type in the ultramafic rocks which intruded Precambrian gneiss. The talc ore formed from sepentinitt: originated from ultramafic rocks but some of those from hornblende gneiss. The talcification processes were considered here on the basis of the mineral assemblages, paragenesis, and geochemistry. It appears that there are five processes in talcification ; serpentine$\rightarrow$talc, phlogopite$\rightarrow$chlorite$\rightarrow$talc, phlogopite$\rightarrow$talc, hornblende$\rightarrow$chlorite$\rightarrow$talc, and hornblende$\rightarrow$talc. Among them, the most dominant alteration path is serpentine to talc in these deposits. EPMA data suggest that there might be interstratified minerals were in between parent mineral and talc such as serpentine and talc, and phlogopite and talc. It can be found that tremolite exists in between the inner and outer most part of talcified serpentinite blocks coated with phlogopite. Some of tremolites has been altered to talc. The quartz veins and carbonate minerals were found in the talc ore zone. It indicates that the hydrothermal solution played an important role in talcification. The hydrothermal alteration occured after sepentinization. Ore zones can be divided into two zones; talc-serpentine zone preserving a pseudormorph of olivine (mesh texture) and talc-phlogopite zone showing talcification from phlogopite directly or through chlorite. It can be concluded that the formation of major talc ore body was due to talcification of serpentinite and phlogopite by hydrothermal solution. A nature of hydrothermal solution was relatively pure water at the beginning of serpentinization, and was getting richer in silica composition. There was a large amount influx of K and AI with hydrothermal solution in the later stage, and increased $P_{CO_{2}}$ also. It suggests that phlogopite formed in later stages as a secondary mineral. So, the major part of the talc ore body was formed from one parents rocks, serpentinite originated from ultramafic rocks, by hydrothermal solutions at several times.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 1996

The precious serpentine, referring to a rare and highly valuable gem variety of serpentine group minerals, is found to occur in serpentinite from Booyo Gren Jade Mine which is located in Oesan-myun, Booyo-gun of Chungchungnam-do. Geommological properties of the precious serpentine have been investigated by use of polarizing microscope, specific gravity balance, refractometer, hardness pencils, X-ray diffractometer, XRF, ICP-MS analyser, and infrared absorption spectroscope.The precious serpentine from Booyo is colored deep green with oily luster and semi-transparent. It is highly tough and Mohs's scale of hardness is measured to be 5-6. Specific gravity is determined to be 2.67, and a single refractive index ND=1.56 is observed by a spot method, using sodium light source. X-ray powder diffraction data is represented by the reflection lines at 7.40(100), 4.64(25), 3.68(68), 2.757(69), 2.530(49), 2.549(32), and 1.710(21${\AA}$), which compares very well with that of antigorite of serpentine group minerals. The major chemical compositions of the precious serpentine group minerals. The major chemical compositions of the precious serpentine are SiO2 42.49%, MgO 39.08%, Fe2O3 3.85%, and H2O 11.87%. Besides, trace elements such as Cr(2188), Ni(1110ppm), Co(58ppm), and Ta (108ppm) are relatively spectrum shows peaks at 3670, 1190, 1070, 980 and 610cm-1. Strong absorption at 3670cm-1 is due to OH stretching, and 1190, 1070 and 980cm-1 due to SiO stretching. The absorption 610cm-1 is formed by alteration of pre-existing ultramafic rock, namely peridotite, with an introduction of fluid with very little content of CO2, under 400$^{\circ}C$ environment. Magnetite inclusions, finely disseminated in the precious serpentine, may be a result of Fe precipitation, during serpentinization of olivine-bearing country rock.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.349-358
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• 2000

Compressional and shear wave velocities (Vp and Vs) and densities have been measured for serpentinite, amphibolite, amphibole and biotite schist, and gneiss from western part of Chungnam Province at room temperature. Ranges of the density are 2.6${\sim}$2.86g/cm$^3$ for serpentinite, 2.25${\sim}$2.81g/cm$^3$ for talc, and 2.74${\sim}$3.07g/cm$^3$ for metamorphic rocks. Of these rocks, talc shows wider ranges than serpentinite and amphibolites due to its metamorphic process from serpentinite. Values of Vp and Vs are 5719${\sim}$6062m/s and 2898${\sim}$3351m/s for serpentinites, 4019${\sim}$5478m/s and 2241/${\sim}$2976m/s for talc, 5375${\sim}$6372m/s and 3042${\sim}$3625m/s for amphibolite, 5290${\sim}$5499m/s and 2968${\sim}$3137m/s for schist, and 4788m/s and 2804m/s for gneiss, respectively. Velocity of P wave increases 1.47 times faster than S wave with increase of density. The results of seismic velocity measurement show anisotropy, higher velocity across than along the schistocity of rocks, especially in metamorphic rocks. This fact indicates that there were regional metamorphism related with tectonic forces. Values of seismic velocity increase with increasing pressure from 20 MPa to 70 MPa, especially in metamorphic rocks. Overall recalculated Vp and Vs values suggest that the serpentinite indicates for upper mantle in the respects of seismic characteristics, in spite of high degree of serpentinization. In addition, those of the amphibolite do for low crust, and gneiss and schist for upper crust.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.395-415
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• 2001

In the Singok area, western part of Chungcheongnam-Do, two ultramafic ma~ses, Singok mass and Kaewol mass, occur as isolated lenticular bodies in the Precambrian Kyeonggi gneiss complex. The masses extend for several hundred meter to NNE direction, parallel to the main fault line of this area. The rocks are dunite and harzburgite, but partially and absolutely serpentinized. They dominantly show porphyroclastic and recrystallized textures with equigranular-mosaic and protogranular textures. In spite of differences among the alteration and metamorphism, the ultramafic masses are characterized by varying amounts of high fosteritic olivine ($Fo_{0.88-0.93}$), magnesian pyroxene ($En_{0.93-0.97}$), and tremolitic to tschermakitic hornblende with minor spinel, serpentine, chlorite, calcite, magnetite, phlogopite and talc. It is compared with adjacent gneiss complex containing amphibole, biotite, plagioclase, alkali-feldspar and quartz. Geochemically, these rocks show high magnesium number (Mg>90.38), and transitional element (Ni=595-2480, Cr==IOlO-4400, Co=36-120 ppm), low alkali element ($Na_{2}O$<0.3, $K_{2}O$<0.11, $Al_{2}O_3$<2.95 wt%) and depleted incompatible element contents, which is compared with adjacent rocks (Mg < 83.69, $Na_{2}O$=1.02-3.42 wt%, $K_{2}O$=O.67-5.65 wt%, $Al_{2}O_3$=9.15-16.86 wt%, Ni < 435 ppm, Cr < 1440 ppm, Co<59 ppm, enriched incompatible element contents). Overall characteristics of ultramafic rocks from the Singok and Kaewol masses are similar to the those of adjacent ultramafic bodies in Chungnam with worldwide orogenic related Alpine type ultramalic rocks. Calculated geothermometries suggest that the ultramafic rocks have experienced metamorphism in the condition ranging from the greenschist facies to granulite facies.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

Chrysotile is well known as a fibrous mineral in serpentinite by the previous studies in S. Korea. Previous studies in other countries showed that antigorite also occurred as asbestiform and harmful to humans. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate types and characteristics of fibrous serpentine minerals occurred in serpentinite in Hongseong, Chungnam and Gapyeong, Gyeonggi in S. Korea. XRD, SEM-EDS, PLM and EPMA mapping analyses were used to examine the occurrence and formation mechanism of serpentine minerals. Serpentinization partially occurred in amphibole-schist and calc-schist at two study sites, Hongseong, Chungnam and Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, respectively. Both chrysotile and antigorite occurred as a fibrous mineral at Hongseong site, but chrysotile occurred as a fibrous mineral at Gapyeong site. Based on PLM analysis with dispersion staining, the chrysotile was observed horizontally magenta and vertically blue colors. The antigorite appeared as horizontally gold to golden magenta and vertically blue magenta colors under central stop dispersion staining objective(DSO). PLM and SEM analyses showed the fibrous minerals were formed from plate form of serpentine minerals or by hydrothermal alternation of primary minerals. The EPMA mapping showed that Mg contents in chrysotile is relatively higher than that in antigorite while Si and O contents in antigorite is higher than them in chrysotile. However, more studies are necessary to know the exact variation in chemical composition of chrysotile and antigorite. These results indicate that even though asbestiform antigorite found associated with asbestos chrysotile in serpentinites, the fibrous antigorite can be distinguished from chrysotile by different dispersion staining colors.