• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 1969

In the Sangdong Mine area, Taebaegsan series (Pre-Cambrian) and Chosun System (Cambro-ordovician) are widely distributed. The Chosun System consists of Yangdug Series (Jangsan Quartzite and Myobong Slate) and The Great Limestone Series (Pungchon Limestone, Shesong Shale, Hwajeol Formation and Dongjeom Quartzite). The mineralized zone containing the main ore body of the Sangdong Mine was developed in the Myobong Slate formation. The result of the field and microscopic study on the mineral paragenesis and it's wall rock alteration in the tungsten ore deposit shows the following features. The orogenic movements of the Post-Chosun System in the Hambaeg Geosyncline are closely related to the tungsten ore deposition in the area, the ore minerals are composed mainly of scheelite, powelite molybdenite and sulfide minerals, and gangue minerals are hornblende, diopside, garnet, quartz, phlogopite, tremolite, biotite, muscovite, fluorite, etc., main ore body was enriched by scheelite bearing quartz vein filling into interstices of formerly mineralized zones, and the minor faults, faults of N $60^{\circ}-70^{\circ}W$, $45^{\circ}-60^{\circ}NE$ and joints, which were formed at the end of the mineralization and the slate. Country rock of the ore body was altered into the following several zones from the outside to the inside; lowgrade recrystalline aureole, silicified sericite zone, and diopside-hornblende zone. Under the microscopic observation of 195 samples taken from throughout ore body can be classified into 10 different groups by their mineral paragenesis as shown in table 2. The garnet-diopside group is primary skarn and it shows gradational change to the groups of later stage by the successive processes of metasomatism. From the stage of quartz-bearing group, the dissemination of scheelite is seen. The crystallization of scheelite in the bed started with the quartz deposition and continued to the last stage when quartz vein intruded into the main ore body. In the field and the under ground investigation a durable limestone bed in thickeness about 20 meters and their remnants in ore body are observed and under microscope calcite remnants are recognized. Hence it is posturated that the ore material moved up through the faults, shear zones or feather cracks and was assimilated with the interbeded limestone, after that the body was affected by the successive differentiated ore solution by gradational increasing in $SiO_2$, $K_2O$ and $H_2O$. Evidently this ore deposit shows the features resulted from pyrometasomatic processes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.221-234
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• 2020

We occur together with telluride minerals. Fluid inclusions in the euhedral quartz crystals are mainly aqueous liquid-rich inclusions, which have salinities about 0.18-2.24 wt% NaCl equivalent. Some quartz vein contains aqueous vapor-rich inclusions as well. Homogenization temperatures of the assemblages of the liquid-rich inclusions are about 141-384 ℃, and the temperatures are lower at the shallower vein samples. In the high Au-Ag grade depth intervals, relatively deeper fluids have relatively higher salinities and homogenization temperatures, while shallower fluids show somewhat wider ranges. These might indicate that the deep Au-Ag bearing hydrothermal fluids at the Moisan area experienced phase separation as well as mixing with meteoric water by decreasing pressure. Au-Ag precipitation in the Moisan deposit is not associated with pyrite, but pyrite include Au-Ag bearing phase as an inclusion, which might possibly be tellurides or electrum. Au/Ag ratios in the Au-Ag bearing phase do not change with different depth.

• 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.28 no.6
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• pp.571-577
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• 1995

Several acid-sulfate clay deposits associated with silicic magmas occur in the Haenam area of the southwestern part of Korea. Geology of the studied area consists of tuffs, granitic rocks, quartz porphyry, rhyolite, andesite and sedimentary rocks. The granitic rocks and quartz porphyry intruded tuffs and sedimentary rocks. The rhyolite and tuffs around the mines have undergone hydrothermally weak or strong alteration. Gold contents with major and trace elements have been determined for a total of sixty-seven specimens of fresh igneous rocks, wall rocks and minerals such as dickite and alunite by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer and inductively coupled plasma. Gold is enriched in the alunite vein and the silicified zone, but is depleted in dickites and hydrothermally altered rocks with dickite of the Seongsan deposit. Gold is especially concentrated near the faults or conjunction area of two faults. High content of gold is shown in the mineral assemblages of alunitequartz- pyrite in the alunite vein and silicic zone of the Seongsan deposit compared with that of minerals and rocks from another deposits distributed in the studied area. Gold content in tuffs and dickites with pyrite is generally low. Gold content in silicified tuff tends to show positive correlations with content of As, Hg and Sb. Variation trends of Cd, Hg and Sb are similar to those of gold content. From the result of gold content variations, gold may be transported and concentrated by mineralizing solutions ascending along the cracks like fault. Therefore, it is important to survey alunite vein and silicified zone at the conjunction of faults, and to analyze pathfinder elements such as As, Hg and Sb for geological and geochemical exploration of gold in the studied deposits.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.407-413
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• 2003

The geology of the Apdong Nb-Ta deposit, is hosted by alkali metasomatites, consist of Upper Proterozoic sedimentary rocks, alkali syenites(Hoamsan intrusive) of Phyonggang Complex(late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic), Jurassic granite and Quaternary basalt. Alkali syenites are distinguished as alkali amphibole-pyroxene syenite, alkali amphibole-biotite syenite, biotite-nepheline syenite, biotite syenite, and quartz-alkali amphibole-pyroxene syenite. Alkali metasomatites are the products of intense post-magnatic metasomatism, and form the Nb-Ta ore bodies as the belt, irregular vein and lenticular types in the southern part of Hoamsan intrusive. The ore mineralization is characterized by the occurrence of pyrochlore, zircon, and small amounts of columbite, fergusonite. magnetite, fluorite, molybdenite, ilmenite, titanite, apatite, and monazite. Pyrochlore is one of the niobium/tantalum oxides and contains substantial amounts of rare earths and radioactive elements. The compositional varieties of pyrochlore can be defined: (1) enriched in tantalum, uranium and cerium, (2) substantially tantalum- and fluorine-poor, and (3) enriched in thorium or barium. The geochemical characteristics, ore textures and mineral occurrences indicate that alkali metasomatism of the mineralizing fluid was the dominant ore-forming process.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.115-127
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• 2020

The Unsang gold deposit has been one of the three largest deposits (Daeyudong and Kwangyang) in Korea. The deposit consists of Au-bearing quartz veins filling fractures along fault zones in Precambrian metasedimentary rock and Jurassic Porphyritic granite, which suggests that it might be an orogenic-type. Based on its mineral assemblages and quartz textures, quartz veins are classified into 1)galena-quartz, 2)pyrrhotite-quartz, 3)pyrite-quartz, 4)pegmatic quartz, 5)muscovite-quartz, and 6)simple quartz vein types. The pyrite-quartz vein type we studied shows the following alteration features: sericitization, chloritization, and silicification. The quartz vein contains minerals including white quartz, white mica, chlorite, pyrite, rutile, calcite, monazite, zircon, and apatite. Rutile with euhedral or medium aggregate occur at mafic part from laminated quartz vein. Two types of rutile are distinguishable in BSE image, light rutile is texturally later than dark rutile. Chemical composition of rutile has 89.69~98.71 wt.% (TiO₂), 0.25~7.04 wt.% (WO₃), 0.30~2.56 wt.% (FeO), 0.00~1.71 wt.% (Nb₂O₅), 0.17~0.35 wt.% (HfO₂), 0.00~0.30 wt.% (V₂O₃), 0.00~0.35 wt.% (Cr₂O₃) and 0.04~0.25 wt.% (Al₂O₃), and light rutile are higher WO₃, Nb₂O₅ and FeO compared to the dark rutile. It indicates that dark rutile and light rutile were formed at different stage. The substitution mechanisms of dark rutile and light rutile are suggested as followed : dark rutile [(V³⁺, Cr³⁺) + (Nb⁵⁺, Sb⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺, 4Cr³⁺ (or 2W⁶⁺) ↔ 3Ti⁴⁺ (W⁶⁺ ↔ 2Cr³⁺), V⁴⁺ ↔ Ti⁴⁺], light rutile [2Fe³⁺ + W⁶⁺ ↔ 3Ti⁴⁺, 3Fe²⁺ + W⁶⁺ ↔ Ti⁴⁺ + (V³⁺, Al³⁺, Cr³⁺) +Nb⁵⁺], respectively. While the dark rutile was formed by cations including V³⁺, V⁴⁺, Cr³⁺, Nb⁵⁺, Sb⁵⁺ and W⁶⁺ by regional metamorphism of hostrock, the postdating light rutile was formed by redistribution of cations from predating dark rutile and addition of Fe²⁺ and W⁶⁺ from Au-bearing hydrothermal fluid during ductile shear.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.223-234
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• 2019

The geology of the Samdeok Mo deposit consists of Paleozoic Hwajeonri formation, Kowoonri formation, Suchangri formation, Iwonri formation, Hwanggangri formation, Cretaceous, leucocratic porphyritic granite and granitic porphyry. This deposit consists of three quartz veins that filled NS oriented fractured zones in Suchangri formation. Quartz veins vary from 0.05 m to 0.3 m in thickness and extend to about 400 m in strike length. Quartz veins occur as massive, breccia, and cavity textures. Wallrock alteration has silicification, sericitization, argillitization and chloritization. The mineralogy of the quartz veins consists of quartz, fluorite, white mica, biotite, apatite, monazite, rutile, ilmenite, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, Fe-Mg-Mn oxide and Fe oxide. White mica from Samdeok Mo deposit occurs as fine or coarse grains in quartz vein and hostrock and has four mineral assemblages (I type: quartz, molybdenite, Fe oxide and Fe-Mg-Mn oxide, II type: quartz, Fe oxide and Fe-Mg-Mn oxide, III type: quartz and biotite, and IV type: quartz). The structural formular of white mica from quartz vein is $(K_{0.89-0.60}Na_{0.05-0.00}Ca_{0.01-0.00}Sr_{0.02-0.00})_{0.94-0.62}(Al_{1.54-1.12}Mg_{0.36-0.18}Fe_{0.26-0.09}Mn_{0.04-0.00}Ti_{0.02-0.00}Cr_{0.02-0.00}Zn_{0.01-0.00})_{1.91-1.72}(Si_{3.40-3.11}Al_{0.92-0.60})_{4.00}O_{10}(OH_{1.68-1.42}F_{0.58-0.32})_{2.00}$, but white mica of I type has higher FeO content, and lower $SiO_2$ and MgO contents than white micas of other types. Also, compositional variations in white mica from the Samdeok Mo deposit are caused by phengitic or Tschermark substitution ($(Al^{3+})^{VI}+(Al^{3+})^{IV}{\leftrightarrow}(Fe^{2+}{\text{ or }}Mg^{2+})^{VI}+(Si^{4+})^{IV}$) and direct $(Fe^{3+})^{VI}{\leftrightarrow}(Al^{3+})^{VI}$ substitution.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.183-195
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• 2022

Hydrothermal gold deposits are evidence of intensive fluid flow through fault zones, and the resultant vein structures and textures reflect the fluid redistribution mechanism. This review introduces the suction pump and fault valve models as fluid circulation mechanisms causing hydrothermal gold deposits in the frameworks of the concepts of fault mechanics. The suction pump and fault valve models describe faulting-driven heterogeneous fluid flow and related vein formation mechanisms, accompanied by the cycles of (1) stress accumulation and fluid pressure build-up and (2) seismic rupture and stress/fluid pressure release. The models are available under different geological environments (stress conditions), and the vein structures and textures representing the mechanisms have similarities and differences. The suction pump and fault valve models must help better to interpret the origins of hydrothermal gold deposits in Korea and improve the efficiency of further exploration.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-38
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• 2001

Contrasts in the style of the gold-silver mineralization in geologic and tectonic settings in Korea, together with radiometric age data, reflect the genetically different nature of hydrothermal activities, coinciding with the emplacement age and depth of Mesozoic magmatic activities. It represents a clear distinction between the plutonic settings of the Jurassic Daebo orogeny and the subvolcanic environments of the Cretaceous Bulgugsa igneous activities. During the Daebo igneous activities (about 200-130 Ma) coincident with orogenic time, gold mineralization took place between 197 and 127 Ma. The Jurassic deposits commonly show several characteristics: prominent association with pegmatites, low Ag/Au ratios in the ore-concentrating parts, massive vein morphology and a distinctively simple mineralogy including Fe-rich sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, Au-rich eIectrum. pyrrhotite and/or pyrite. During the Bulgugsa igneous activities (120-60 Ma), the precious-metal deposits are generally characterized by such features as complex vein morphology, medium to high AgiAu ratios in the ore concentrates, and abundance of ore minerals including base-metal sulfides, Ag sulfides, native silver, Ag sulfosalts and Ag tellurides. Vein morphology, mineralogical, fluid inclusion and stable isotope results indicate the diverse genetic natures of hydrothermal systems. The Jurassic Au-dominant deposits were formed at the relatively high temperature (about 300 to 450$^{\circ}$C) and deep-crustal level (>3.0 kb) from the hydrothermal fluids containing more amounts of magmatic waters (3180; 5-10 %0). It can be explained by the dominant ore-depositing mechanisms as CO2 boiling and sulfidation, suggestive of hypo/mesothermal environments. In contrast, mineralization of the Cretaceous Au-Ag type (108-71 Ma) and Agdominant type (98-71 Ma) occurred at relatively low temperature (about 200 to 350$^{\circ}$C) and shallow-crustal level «1.0 kb) from the ore-fonning fluids containing more amounts of less-evolved meteoric waters (15180; -10-5%0). These characteristics of the Cretaceous precious-metal deposits can be attributed to the complexities in the ore-precipitating mechanisms (mixing, boiling, cooling), suggestive of epilmesothermal environments. Therefore, the differences of the emplacement depth between the Daebo and the Bulgugsa igneous activities directly influence the unique temporal and spatial association of the deposit type.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.195-214
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• 2020

The Samgwang Au-Ag deposit has been one of the largest deposits in Korea. The deposit consists of eight lens-shaped quartz veins which filled fractures along fault zones in Precambrian metasedimentary rock, which feature suggest that it is an orogenic-type deposit. The Ti-bearing minerals occur in wallrock (titanite, ilmenite and rutile) and laminated quartz vein (rutile). They occur minerals including biotite, muscovite, chlorite, white mica, monazite, zircon, apatite in wallrock and white mica, chlorite, arsenopyrite in laminated quartz vein. Chemical composition of titanite has maximum vaules of 3.94 wt.% (Al₂O₃), 0.49 wt.% (FeO), 0.52 wt.% (Nb₂O₅), 0.46 wt.% (Y₂O₃) and 0.43 wt.% (V₂O₅). Titanite with 0.06~0.14 (Fe/Al ratio) and 0.06~0.15 (X_Al (=Al/Al+Fe³⁺+Ti)) corresponds with metamorphic origin and low-Al variety. Chemical composition of ilmenite has maximum values of 0.07 wt.% (ZrO₂), 0.12 wt.% (HfO₂), 0.26 wt.% (Nb₂O₅), 0.04 wt.% (Sb₂O₅), 0.13 wt.% (Ta₂O₅), 2.62 wt.% (As₂O₅), 0.29 wt.% (V₂O₅), 0.12 wt.% (Al₂O₃) and 1.59 wt.% (ZnO). Chemical composition of rutile in wallrock and laminated quartz vein has maximum values of 0.35 wt.%, 0.65 wt.% (HfO₂), 2.52 wt.%, 0.19 wt.% (WO₃), 1.28 wt.%, 1.71 wt.% (Nb₂O₃), 0.03 wt.%, 0.07 wt.% (Sb₂O₃), 0.28 wt.%, 0.21 wt.% (As₂O₅), 0.68 wt.%, 0.70 wt.% (V₂O₃), 0.48 wt.%, 0.59 wt.% (Cr₂O₃), 0.70 wt.%, 1.90 wt.% (Al₂O₃) and 4.76 wt.%, 3.17 wt.% (FeO), respectively. Rutile in laminated quartz vein is higher contents (HfO₂, Nb₂O₃, As₂O₅, Cr₂O₃, Al₂O₃ and FeO) and lower content (WO₃) than rutile in wallrock. The substitutions of rutile in wallrock and laminated quatz vein are as followed : rutile in wallrock [(Fe³⁺, Al³⁺, Cr³⁺) + Hf⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, As⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺) ⟵⟶ 2Ti⁴⁺ + V⁴⁺, 2Fe²⁺ + (Al³⁺, Cr³⁺) + Hf⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, As⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺) ⟵⟶ 2Ti⁴⁺ + 2V⁴⁺], rutile in laminated quartz vein [(Fe³⁺, Al³⁺) + As⁵⁺ ⟵⟶ Ti⁴⁺ + V⁴⁺, (Fe³⁺, Al³⁺) + As⁵⁺ ⟵⟶ Ti⁴⁺ + Hf⁴⁺, 4(Fe³⁺, Al³⁺) ⟵⟶ Ti⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺) + Cr³⁺], respectively. Based on these data, titanite, ilmenite and rutile in wallrock were formed by resolution and reconcentration of cations (W⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺, As⁵⁺, Hf⁴⁺, V⁴⁺, Cr³⁺, Al³⁺, Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺) in minerals of wallrock during regional metamorphism. And then rutile in laminated quartz vein was formed by reconcentration of cations (Nb⁵⁺, As⁵⁺, Hf⁴⁺, Cr³⁺, Al³⁺, Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺) in alteration minerals (white mica, chlorite) and Ti-bearing minerals reaction between hydrothermal fluid originated during ductile shear and Ti-bearing minerals (titanite, ilmenite and rutile) in wallrock.