Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Green-colored Cr-bearing Sericite from Hydrothermal Alteration Zone of the Narim Gold Deposit, Korea

나림 금광상의 열수변질대에서 산출되는 녹색크롬-견운모의 광물학적 및 지구화학적 특징

Dark to pale green-colored, Cr-bearing sericites from hydrothermal alteration zone of the Narim gold deposit were investigated mineralogically and geochemically. The alteration zone is composed mineralogically of quartz, carbonate minerals and green sericite with minor amounts of chlorite, barite and sulfide minerals (pyrite, sphalerite, galena). The zone is enriched in As (967 to 1520 ppm), Cu (31 to 289 ppm), Ni (1027 to 1205 ppm), Pb (0.20 to 1.24 wt.%) and Zn (1.03 to 1.07 wt. %) compared with fresh rocks such as granitic gneiss, porphyritic biotite granite and basic dyke. The Cr, probably the chromophore element, is highly enriched in the alteration zone (1140 to 1500 ppm), host granitic gneiss (1200 ppm) and porphyritic biotite granite (1200 ppm). Occurrence and grain size of sericite are diverse, but most of the Cr-bearing sericites (150 to $200{\mu}m$ long and 20 to $30{\mu}m$ wide) occur along the boundaries between ore veins and host rocks (especially basic dyke and granitic gneiss). X-ray diffraction data of the sericite show its monoclinic form with unit-cell parameters of $a=5.202{\AA}$, $b=8.994{\AA}$, $c=20.103{\AA}$, ${\beta}=95.746^{\circ}$ and $V=935.83{\AA}^3$, which are similar with the normal 2M1-type muscovite. Representative chemical formula of the sericite is ($K_{1.54}Ca_{0.03}Na_{0.01}$)($Al_{3.42}Mg_{0.38}Cr_{0.14}Fe_{0.06}V_{0.02}$)($Si_{6.69}Al_{1.31}$)$O_{20}(OH)_4$. The Cr content increases with decrease of the octahedral Al content, and ranges from 0.36 to 2.58 wt.%. DTA and TG curves of the sericite show endothermic peaks at $342^{\circ}$ to $510^{\circ}$, $716^{\circ}$ to $853^{\circ}$ and $1021^{\circ}C$, which are due to the expulsion of hydroxyl group. The total weight loss by heating is measured to be about 8.8 wt. %, especially at $730^{\circ}C$. Infrared absorption experiments of the sericite show broad absorption band due to the O-H bond stretching vibration near the $3625cm^{-1}$, coupled with the 825 and $750cm^{-1}$ doublet. The vibration bands related with the H-O-Al and Si-O-Al bonds occur at $1030cm^{-1}$ and 500 to $700cm^{-1}$, respectively. Based on paragonite content of the sericite, the formation temperature of the Narim gold deposit is calculated to be $220{\pm}10^{\circ}C$.