• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.259-273
• /
• 1992

The Seongsan mine is one of the largest dickite deposits in the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula. The main constithent minerals of the ore are dickite and quartz with accessory alunite, kaolinite and sericite. The geology around the Seongsan mine consists mainly of the late Cretaceous felsic volcanic rocks. In the studied area, these rocks make a synclinal structure with an axis of E-W direction plunging to the east. Most of the felsic volcanic rocks have undergone extensive hydrothermal alteration. The hydrothermally altered rocks can be classified into the following zones: Dickite, Dickite-Quartz, Quartz, Sericite, Albite and Chlorite zones, from the center to the margin of the alteration mass. Such zonal arrangement of altered rocks suggests that the country rocks, most of which are upper part of the rhyolite and welded tuff, were altered by strongly acid hydrothermal solutions. It is reasonable to consider that initial gas and solution containing $H_2S$ and other compounds were oxidized near the surface, and formed hydrothermal sulfuric acid solutions. The mineralogical and chemical changes of the altered rocks were investigated using various methods, and chemical composition of fifty-six samples of the altered rocks were obtained by wet chemical analysis and X.R.F. methods. On the basis of these analyses, it was found that some components such as $SiO_2$, $Al_2O_3$, $Fe_2O_3$, CaO, MgO, $K_2O$, $Na_2O$ and $TiO_2$ were mobilized considerably from the original rocks. The formation temperature of the deposits was estimated as higher than $200^{\circ}C$ from fluid inclusion study of samples taken from the Quartz zone. On the basis of the chemical composition data on rocks and minerals and estimated temperatures, the hydrothermal solutions responsible for the formation of the Seongsan dickite deposits were estimated to have the composition: $m_{K^+}=0.003$, $m_{Na^+}=0.097$, $m_{SiO_2(aq.)}=0.008$ and pH=5.0, here "m" represents the molality (mole/kg $H_2O$).

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.307-323
• /
• 2018

The Inseong Au-Ag and base metal deposit, located in Chungchengbuk-do, Korea, consists of series of quartz veins filling fissures. The deposit occurs in Hwanggangri meta-sediment formation, a lime pebble-bearing phyllite, in the Okcheon Supergroup. Abundant ore minerals in the deposit are pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena. The gangue minerals are quartz, calcite and chlorite. Hydrothermal alteration such as chlorization, silicitication, sericitization and carbonitization can be observed around the quartz veins. 4 vein stages can be distinguished based on its paragenetic sequence, vein structure, alteration features and ore minerals. Microthermometry of the fluid inclusion assemblages occur in the veins are conducted to reconstruct a hydrothermal P-T evolution. Fluid inclusions in clean and barren quartz vein in stage 1 have Th of $270{\sim}342^{\circ}C$ and salinity of 1.7~6.4 (NaCl eqiv.) wt%. Euhedral quartz crystal in stage 2 have Th of $108{\sim}350^{\circ}C$ and salinity of 0.5~7.5 wt%. Barren milky quartz vein in stage 3 have Th of $174{\sim}380^{\circ}C$ and salinity of 0.8~7.5 wt%. Calcite vein in stage 4 have Th of $103{\sim}265^{\circ}C$ and salinity of 0.7~6.4 wt%. Calculated paleodepth about 0.5~1.5 km (hydrostatic pressure) indicate epithermal ore-forming condition. Shallow depth but relatively high-T hydrothermal fluids possibly create a steep geothermal gradient, sufficient for base metal precipitation in the Inseong deposit.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.327-339
• /
• 1989

Cassiterite, tantalite, columbite and tantalian rutile are found as accessory minerals in Soonkyoung tin-bearing pegmatites. These minerals occur as finely disseminated specks of up to micro-size in diameter and coarse grain size varying from 0.5-50mm in albite, muscovite and quartz assemblage. Cassiterite geneally shows a moderate to intense pleochroism, having a color brownish yellow to deep reddish brown. The substitution of $Ta^{+5}$, $Nb^{+5}$, $Ti^{+4}$ and Fe* for $Sn^{+4}$ in cassiterite ranges 0.01-0.10 mol%. The zoned cassiterite give a higher Ta/Nb ratios in margin than the ratios in core. This is due to the preferential $Ta^{+5}$ affinity to lower temperature during the crystallization of cassiterite. Tantalite-columbite and tantalian rutile occur in cassitertie with exsolution texture and/or infiltrate into the micro-fissures of cassiterite with micro quartz vein. The compositions of tantalite-columbite show the wide ranges of $Ta_2O_5$ : 14-46 wt.%, $Nb_2O_5$ : 60-28 wt. % and FeO*: 10.15 wt.%. The variation of chemical composition in tantalit-columbite exhibits the decreasing trends of $Mn^{+2}/M^{+2}+Fe^*$ with $Ta^{+5}/Ta^{+5}+Nb^{+5}$ increasing. These trends of vatiations indicate that the Ta/Nb fractionation are enhanced by higher Ta-complex activity in late stage of pegmatite consolidation and lower activity of F in agreements with the F-and Li-micas not to be developed in Soonkyoung tin-bearing pegmatite.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.89-102
• /
• 1982

Several mines in Jeonnam produce the ores of having high SK number of refractoriness. Among those for 5 mines, this paper deals with the relationahip between SK number and mineral composition of the ore, and with the genesis of the deposits. 1. Byok-Song and Chon-Un Mine: Mineral compositions of the ores are chiastolite, chloritoid(monoclinic), kaolinite, sericite, diaspore, corundum, and quartz. The ores having SK number of 36 or 37, consist chiefly of chiastolite and diaspore and a little amount of kaolinite, sericite, corundum, chloritoid, and quartz. The ores having SK number of 33 or 34 consist of chloritoid, sericite, kaolinite, chiastolite, and diaspore. With increasing the amount of chloritoid and sericite, and decreasing the amount of diaspore and chiastolite, the SK number of the ores decreases. The deposit, originally high alumina-bearing shale of Chon-Un San formation, seems to be formed by contact metamorphism(forming of chiastolite), regional metamorphism(forming of monoclinic chloritoid), and hydrothermal replacement(forming of large crystal of diaspore veinlets). 2. Song-Sauk Mine: Mineral compositions of the ores are chiefly pyrophyllite and quartz and a little amount of kaolinite, dickite, diaspore, and pyrite. Many spherical inclusions containing in pyrophyllite deposits, consist chiefly of diaspore and kaolinite, The inclusions have the high SK number of 38. Amount of spherical inclusions is about 5 % to the whole pyrophyllite ores. The SK number of other pyrophyllite ore is less than 32. Quartz and pyrite are chief minerals lowering the SK number of the ore. The deposits have been formed by hydrothermal processes by replacing the siliceous tuff of Mesozoic age. Spherical inclusions consisting of diaspore and kaolinite, show the selective replacement of hydrothermal solutions to the materials of feldspar in tuff. 3. Seung-San Mine: Mineral compositions of the ores are chiefly kaolinite, dickite, diaspore, and quartz. But some part of the mine consists of alunite deposits. The ores having SK number of 35 or higher consist chiefly of kaolinite and diaspore and a little amount of quartz. With increasing the amount of quartz and decresing the amount of diaspore, the SK number of the ore decreases. The deposits have been formed by hydrothermal processes by replacing the siliceous tuff and quartz porphyry. 4. Wan-Do Mine: Mineral compositions of the ores are chiefly pyrophyllite and quartz. But some ore contains a little amount of diaspore, kaolinite, pyrite, and chloritoid. The ores having high SK number of 36 consist chiefly of diaspore and pyrophyllite. Pyrophyllite ore has a SK number of 32 or lower. Amount of quartz and pyrite decreases the SK number of ores in this mine. Rhyolite was replaced by the action of hydrothermal solutions forming the pyrophyllite deposits.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.29-50
• /
• 2003

Physicochemical Properties of acid mine water of the Chonam-ri Creek and the Sagok-ri Creek in the Kwangyang Au-Ag mine area were determined using geochemical approaches. Metal contamination (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) is more serious in the Chonam-ri Creek than in the Sagok-ri Creek. However, the contents of Al and Fe is higher in the Sagok-ri Creek. Such differences between the two creeks probably reflect the abundance and composition of ore minerals. The attenuation processes for acid mine water in both creeks were investigated. In the Chonam-ri Creek, a small retention pond which contains limestone plays an important role in the removal of heavy metals by adsorption or coprecipitation due to increase of pH. The capacity of metal scavenging in this pond depends on the seasonal variation of inflow volume. Reddish yellow precipitates sampled in the Chonam-ri Creek were analyzed by XRD, SEM-EDS, EPMA, and chemical decomposition. The precipitates mainly consist of goethite and are also enriched in Al, Mn, Cu and Zn. This inditates that precipitation of goethite is important for scavenging those trace elements, possibly due to adsorption or coprecipitation. In the Sagok-ri Creek, on the other hand, hydrologic mixing of uncontaminated tributaries results in removal of heavy metals with iron hydroxides precipitation due to the pH increase. The mechanisms proposed for metal attenuation at the confluence between contaminated mine water and uncontaminated tributary water are also explained by the property-property plots.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 1983

The Yeonhwa (I, II) and Keodo mines, neighboring in the middle part of the Taebaegsan mineral belt, contain three distinct classes of skarn deposits: the zinc-lead skarn at Yeonhwa (I, II), the iron skarn at Keodo south (Jangsan orebodies), and the copper skarn at Keodo north (78 orebodies). The present study characterizes the three classes of skarn deposits mainly in terms of skarn/ore associations examined from chemical compositional point of view, and applies existing quantitative phase diagrams to some pertinent mineral assemblages in these mines. At Yeonhwa I the Wolam I orebody shows a vertical variation in skarn minerals ranging from clinopyroxene/garnet zone on the lower levels through clinopyroxene (without garnet) zone on the intermediate levels, and finally to rhodochrosite veins on the upper levels and surface. Ore minerals, sphalerite and galena, associate most closely with the intermediate clinopyroxene zone. At Keodo, the Jangsan iron skarn hosted in quartz monzodiolite as a typical endoskarn, shows a skarn zoning, from center of orebody to outer side, magnetite zone, magnetite/garnet zone, garnet clinopyroxene zone, and clinopyroxene/epidote/plagioclase zone. The 78 copper skarn in the Hwajeol limestone indicates a zoning, from quartz porphyry side toward limestone side, orthoclase/epidote zone, epidote/clinopyroxene zone, and clinopyroxene/garnet zone; chalcopyrite and other copper sulfides tend to be in clinopyroxene/garnet zone. Mioroprobe analyses of clinopyroxenes and garnets from the various skarn zones mentioned above revealed that the Yeonhwa zinc/lead skarns are characterized by johansenitic clinopyroxene (Hd 25-78, Jo 15-23) and manganoan andraditic garnet (Ad 13-97, Sp 1-24), whereas the Jangsan iron skarn at Keodo by Mn-poor diopsidic clinopyroxene (Di 78-93, Jo 0.2-1.0) and Mn-poor grossularitic grandite (Gr 65-77, Sp 0.5-1.0). The 78 copper skarn at Keodo is characterized by Mn-poor diopsidic-salite (Di 66-91, Jo 0.2-1.1) and Mn-poor andraditic grandite(Ad 40-74, Sp 0.5-1.1). The compositional charateristics of iron, copper, and zinc-lead skarns in the Yeonhwa-Keodo mines are in good correlations with those of the foreign counterparts. Compiling a $T-XCO_2$ phase diagram for the Jangsan endoskarns, a potential upper limit of temperature of the main stage of skarn formation is estimated to be about $530^{\circ}C$, and a lower limit to be $400^{\circ}C$ or below assuming $XCO_2=0.05$ at P total=1kb. Applying a published log $fS_2$-log $fo_2$ diagram to the Keodo 78 and Yeonhwa exoskarns, it is revealed that copper sulfides and zinc-lead sulfides do not co-exist stably below log $fS_2=-4$ and log $fO_2=-23$ at $T=400^{\circ}C$ and ${\times}CO=1$ atm.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.40 no.2 s.183
• /
• pp.141-151
• /
• 2007

This study was focused on iron removal from illite by L-ascorbic and oxalic acids. Iron has been shown as a secondary mineral such as iron oxides and hydroxides in illite ores. It is also known as a primary agent to degrade brightness index of the ores. Methods such as physical separation and chemical leaching with strong inorganic acids have been widely used to remove the iron from the ores. However, these methods are expensive and give rise to environmental problems. In this study, we examined an alternative method using solutions with different set of combination of sulfuric, hydrochloric, L-ascorbic, and oxalic acids. Compared to chemical treatments with only inorganic acids, our results demonstrate that an addition of L-ascorbic acid in inorganic acids results in decreasing both total concentrations of the inorganic acids and time for the treatments. The treatment with 0.15 M L-ascorbic acid and 0.25 M sulfuric acid in solution for 60 min significantly improved the brightness index from 42.4% to 74.4%. This improvement is similar to that of treatment with only 2.5 M sulfuric acid alone for 150 min. Mineralogical and chemical analyses were performed to compare the effect of acid leaching on illite powders. No obvious differences are observed in the mineralogical characteristics and particle size distributions of the samples. These results suggest that the treatment with the addition of L-ascorbic acid in sulfuric acid could effectively remove iron without modifying the physicochemical properties of illite under conditions used in this study.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.275-286
• /
• 2008

The Sambo gold deposit located nearby the Cretaceous Hampyeong basin is composed of gold quartz fine vein(the Jija vein) within Cretaceous rhyolite showing $N10{\sim}20W$ trends as well as $N5{\sim}10E$ trending quartz veins(the Pungja, Gwangsan and Pungjaji veins) in Precambrian gneiss. The gold vein typically displays the intermittent and irregular fine veins within rhyolite. Electrum is disseminated in wallrock along the fine cracks as well as coexists with hematite replacing pyrite. Ore-forming fluids from the mineralized vein($H_2O/-NaCl$ system, Th; $340{\sim}200^{\circ}C$, Salinity <2.7 eq. wt.% NaCl) and NE-trending veins($H_2O-NaCl/-CO_2$ system, Th; $400{\sim}190^{\circ}C$, salinity <7.9 eq. wt.% NaCl) are featured by dissimilar physicochemical conditions but their fluid evolution trends(boiling and mixing) are similar with each other. Gold veins of the Sambo deposit filled along NNW-trending tension crack are related to pull-apart basin evolution. Selective gold mineralization of the deposit reflect to dissimilarity between two ore-forming fluid sources. Consequently, gold veining of the Sambo deposit formed at shallow-crustal level and could be categorized into epithermal-type gold deposit related to tensional fractures filling triggered by Cretaceous geodynamics.

• Mineral and Industry
• /
• v.26
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2013

In this study, an accelerated carbonation process was applied to stabilize hazardous heavy metals of industrial solid waste incineration (ISWI) bottom ash and fly ash, and to reduce $CO_2$ emissions. The most commonly used method to stabilize heavy metals is accelerated carbonation using a high water-to-solid ratio including oxidation and carbonation reactions as well as neutralization of the pH, dissolution, and precipitation and sorption. This process has been recognized as having a significant effect on the leaching of heavy metals in alkaline materials such as ISWI ash. The accelerated carbonation process with $CO_2$ absorption was investigated to confirm the leaching behavior of heavy metals contained in ISWI ash including fly and bottom ash. Only the temperature of the chamber at atmospheric pressure was varied and the $CO_2$ concentration was kept constant at 99% while the water-to-solid ratio (L/S) was set at 0.3 and $3.0dm^3/kg$. In the result, the concentration of leached heavy metals and pH value decreased with increasing carbonation reaction time whereas the bottom ash showed no effect. The mechanism of heavy metal-stabilization is supported by two findings during the carbonation reaction. First, the carbonation reaction is sufficient to decrease the pH and to form an insoluble heavy metal-material that contributes to a reduction of the leaching. Second, the adsorbent compound in the bottom ash controls the leaching of heavy metals; the calcite formed by the carbonation reaction has high affinity of heavy metals. In addition, approximately 5 kg/ton and 27 kg/ton $CO_2$ were sequestrated in ISWI bottom ash and fly ash after the carbonation reaction, respectively.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.102-108
• /
• 1992

The natural (Ca, Mg)-buserite has been identified from the manganese oxideores of the Janggun mine, Korea, which have been formed by supergene weathering of sedimentary-metamorphic rhodochrosite. It occurs together with rancieite forming one very fine-grained buserite-rancieite flake. This (Ca, Mg)-buserite-rancieite occurs as microcystalline flaky crystals. It precipitated around the fine-grained takanelite aggregate. Electron microprobe analyses give the formula ($Ca_{.08}Mg_{.07}Mn_{.05}^{2+})Mn_{.89}^{4+}O_2{\cdot}1.46H_2O$ for (Ca, Mg)-buserite. The dehydration experiments by relative humidity control and heating as well as rehydration experiment by relative humidity control show that (Ca, Mg)-buserite dehydrates completely at 90$^{\circ}C$ and rehydrates up to 27% of the original state. The dehydration at 26% RH (corresponding to heating to about 40$^{\circ}C$) is characterized by thedecrease in the decrease in the intensity of 9.86${\AA}$ peak with slight shifting to 9.60${\AA}$. It is due to the loss of weakly bound water molecules in the interlayer. The dehydration from 40$^{\circ}C$ to 90$^{\circ}C$ is characterized by the gradual shifting of 001 peak from 9.6${\AA}$ to 7.42${\AA}$. It is due to the loss of weakly bound water molecules in the interlayer.