Gold and Silver Mineralization in the Dongweon Mine

동원광산의 금-은 광화작용

Ore deposits of Dongwon mine are composed of numerous gold and silver veins emplaced in sedimentary rocks of Cambrian Choseon Supergroup and granitoids of Cretaceous age. Ore veins of the mine can be divided into gold and silver veins on the base of vein structure, mineral assemblage and vein trends. Mutual relationships between gold and silver veins are uncertain. Gold veins are simple veins which are composed of base-metal sulfides, and electrum with quartz and ankerite. On the other hand, silver veins are complex veins which reveal three distinct stages of mineral deposition based on vein structure; stage I, deposition of small amounts of oxides and pyrite with quartz; stage II, deposition of base-metal sulfides, small amounts of Ag-bearing minerals, calcite and quartz; stage III, deposition of base metal sulfides, electrum, Ag-sulfosalts, native silver, carbonates and quartz. Homogenization temperature and salinity of fluid inclusion from quartz of gold vein are as follows; $229^{\circ}$ to $283^{\circ}C$, 4.7 to 6.4 wt.% equivalent NaCI. The ore mineralogy suggests that temperature(T) and sulfur fugacity($fs_2$) of the formation of the gold vein and stage III of silver vein are estimated as T ; $294^{\circ}$ to $318^{\circ}C$, $fs_2\;10^{-9.4}$ to $10^{-10.1}$ atm. and T; $240^{\circ}$ to $279^{\circ}C$, $fs_2;10^{-11.1}$ to $10^{-17.3}$ atm. respectively. Pressure condition during gold vein formation estimated from data of ore mineralogy and fluid inclusion range 500 to 750 bar.