• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.149-164
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• 1988

Electrum-sulfide mineralization of the Samgwang and Sobo mines of the Cheongyang Au-Ag area was deposited in two stages of quartz and calcite veins that fill fault zones in granite gneiss. Radiometric dating indicates that mineralization is Early Cretaceous age (127 Ma). Fluid inclusion and sulfur isotope data show that ore mineralization was deposited at temperatures between $340^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities of 1 to 8 wt. % equiv. NaCl and a ${\delta}^{34}S_{{\sum}S}$ value of 2 to 5 per mil. Evidence of fluid boiling (and $CO_2$ effervescence) indicates a range of pressures from < 200 to $\approx$ 700 bars, corresponding to depths of ${\approx}1.5{\pm}0.3\;km$ in a hydrothermal system which alternated from lithostatic toward hydrostatic conditions. Au-Ag deposition was likely a result of boiling coupled with cooling. Meaured and calculated hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of ore-forming fluids indicate a significant meteoric water component, approaching unexchanged paleometeoric water values. Comparison of these values with those of other Korean Au-Ag deposits reveals a relationship among depth, Au/Ag ratio and degree of water-rock interaction. All investigated Korean Jurassic and Cretaceous gold-silver-bearing deposits have fluids which are dominantly evolved meteoric waters, but only deeper systems (${\geq}1.5\;km$) are exclusively gold-rich.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 1989

Electrum-galena-sphalerite mineralization of the Yangpyeong-Weonju Au-Ag area was deposited in three stages of quartz and calcite veins which fill fault breccia zones. Fluid inclusion and stable isotope data show that ore mineralization was deposited at temperatures between $260^{\circ}C$ and $180^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities between 8.9 and 2.9 equivalent weight percent NaCl. Evidence of boiling indicates pressures of <50 bars, corresponding to depths of 220 to 550 m, respectively, assuming lithostatic and hydrostatic loads. Au-Ag deposition was likely a result of bolling coupled with cooling. Within stages I and II there is an apparent increase in ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of $H_2S$ with paragenetic time ; early -1.4~2.7‰ to later 6.6-9.2‰. The progressively heavier $H_2S$ values can be generated through isotopic re-equilibration in the ore fluid following removal of $H_2S$ by boiling or precipitation of sulfides. Measured and calculated hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of ore-forming fluids suggest meteoric water dominance, approaching unexchanged meteoric water values. Comparison of these values with those of other Korean Au-Ag deposits reveals a relationship between depth and degree of water-rock interaction. All investigated Korean Jurassic and Cretaceous gold-silver-bearing deposits have fluids which are dominantly evolved, meteoric water, but on1y deeper systems (${\geq}1.25km$) are exclusively gold-rich.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.211-220
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• 2002

The Xiaoxinancha Cu-Au deposit in the Jilin province, located in NNE 800 km of Beijing, is hosted by diorite. The ore mineralization of Xiaoxinancha Cu-Au deposit show a stockwork occurrence that is concentrated on the potassic and phyllic alteration zones. The Xiaoxinancha Cu-Au deposit in the south is being mined with its reserves grading 0.8% Cu, 3.64 g/t Au and 16.8 g/t Ag and in the north, grading 0.63% Cu, 3.80 g/t Au and 6.8 glt Ag. The alteration assemblage occurs as a supergene blanket over deposit. Hydrothermal alteration at the Xiaoxinancha Cu-Au deposit is centered about the stock and was extensively related to the emplacement of the stock. Early hydrothermal alteration was dominantly potassic and followed by propylitic alteration. Chalcocite, often associated with hematite, account for the ore-grade copper, while chalcopyrite, bornite, quartz, epidote, chlorite and calcite constitute the typical gangue assemblage. Other minor opaque phases include pyrite, marcasite, native gold, electrum, hessite, hedleyite, volynskite, galenobismutite, covellite and goethite. Fluid inclusion data indicate that the formation of this porphyry copper deposit is thought to be a result of cooling followed by mixing with dilute and cooler meteoric water with time. In stage II vein, early boiling occurred at 497$^{\circ}$C was succeeded by the occurrence of halite-bearing type III fluid inclusion with homogenization temperature as much as 100$^{\circ}$C lower. The salinities of type 1II fluid inclusion in stage II vein are 54.3 to 66.9 wt.% NaCI + KCI equiv. at 383$^{\circ}$ to 495$^{\circ}$C, indicating the formation depth less than 1 km. Type I cupriferous fluids in stage III vein have the homogenization temperatures and salinity of 168$^{\circ}$ to 365$^{\circ}$C and 1.1 to 9.0 wt.% NaCI equiv. These fluid inclusions in stage III veins were trapped in quartz veins containing highly fractured breccia, indicating the predominance of boiling evidence. This corresponds to hydrostatic pressure of 50 to 80 bars. The $\delta$$^{34}S$ value of sulfide minerals increase slightly with paragenetic time and yield calculated $\delta$$^{34}S_{H2S}$ values of 0.8 to 3.7$\textperthousand$. There is no mineralogical evidence that fugacity of oxygen decreased, and it is thought that the oxygen fugacity of the mineralizing fluids have been buffered through reaction with magnetite. We interpreted the range of the calculated $\delta$$^{34}S_{H2S}$ values for sulfides to represent the incorporation of sulfur from two sources into the Xiaoxinancha Cu-Au hydrothermal fluids: (1) an isotopically light source with a $\delta$$^{34}S$ value of I to 2$\textperthousand$, probably a Mesozoic granitoid related to the ore mineralization. We can infer from the fact that diorite as the host rock in the Xiaoxinancha Cu-Au deposit area intruded plagiogranite; (2) an isotopically heavier source with a $\delta$$^{34}S$ value of > 4.0$\textperthousand$, probably the local porphyry.