Skarn Deposits and Related Igneous Rocks: Their Cogeneses at Depths

스카른 광상(鑛床)과 관계화성암(關係火成岩)의 심부동일기원(深部同一起源)

Whether a skarn deposit in carbonate host occurs in contact with certain igneous mass or not has been a general criterion in identifying the igneous rock that genetically relates to the skarn deposit. It is well known, however, that there are many skarn deposits which are not close to any given igneous contact but are far away from the contact. In this paper the reason why such deposits can be formed at a distance from the contact as mentioned is expressed based on the concept that skarn deposits and related igneous rocks are genetically connected at depth where ore-forming fluids emanate from magma and are removed upwards; the movement of ore-forming fluids separated from magma at any depth may have a tendency to infiltrate upward in bulk rather than to diffuse laterally; the paths of magma and cogenetic ore-forming fluids may be identical at lower depths but the latter can be diverted from the former with upward movement so that the positions of the skarn deposits which resulted from the ore-forming fludis at upper levels can be distant from the igneous contacts on a given horizontal section. Statistics indicate that the majority of exoskarns are found at distances up to 800 meters or rarely up to 3,000 meters from igneous contacts and endoskarns up to 600 meters or more. Numerous case studies of skarn deposits in various parts of the world support the above reasoning indicating a general downward convergency of skarn orebodies and related igneous masses with depth. A typical example of this situation is well demonstrated at the Keumseong molybdenum deposit, which is apart from the Jecheon granite on the surface but gets closer to the granite body with depth and finally is intertongued with the granite apophyses in its root zone. Another case for skarn deposit not associated with igneous contact either laterally or vertically but with a deep-seated distal igneous mass is the Sangdong scheelite deposit; 700 meters below the scheelite orebody a blind pluton of muscovite granite, which intruded into the Precambrian crystalline schist, has been recently discovered by deep drilling.