• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.215-232
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• 2020

The study area of Nokjeonri in Yeongwol belongs to the Taebaeksan Mineralized District. Ca and Mg skarn and related ore mineralization are developed in the Pungchon formation along the contact with the Imog granite. Ca skarn hosted in limestone mostly comprises garnet and pyroxene. Mg skarn developed in dolomite includes olivine and serpentine. Magnetite-hematite and pyrrhotite(±scheelite)-pyritegalena-sphalerite were mineralized during early and late stage, respectively. Garnet compositions are dominated by andradite series in proximal area and grossular series in distal area. Pyroxene compositions correspond to diopside series in majority. These compositional changes indicate that the fluids varied from oxidizing condition to reducing condition due to increased reaction with carbonated wall rocks as the fluids moved from the granite to a distal place. Fe₂O₃ and MgO concentrations of magnetite are higher in Mg skarn than those in Ca skarn, while FeO shows opposite trend. The Zn/Fe ratio of sphalerite increases with distance from the Imog granite. The δ³⁴S values of sulfide minerals are similar to those of the Imog granite, indicating magmatic origin in ore sulfur. Mineralization was established in the order of skarn, oxide and sulfide minerals with decreasing temperature and oxygen fugacity and increasing sulfur fugacity.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.2 s.52
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• pp.115-124
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• 2007

Electrum-sulfide mineralization of the Youngbogari mine area occurred in two stages of massive quartz veins that fill the fractures along the fault/shear zones in the Precambrian gneiss. Ore mineralogy is simple, consisting of arsenopyrite $(31.4{\sim}33.4atom.%As)$, pyrite, sphalerite $(4.1{\sim}17.6mole%FeS)$, galena, chalcopyrite, argentite, and electrum. Electrum $(60.3{\sim}87.6atom.%Ag)$ is associated with galena, chalcopyrite and late sphalerite infilling the fractures in quartz and sulfides. Fluid inclusion data show that ore mineralization was formed from $H_2O-CO_2-CH_4-NaCl$ fluids $(X_{CO2+CH4}=0.0\;to\;0.2)$ with low salinities (0 to 10wt.% eq. NaCl) at temperatures between $200^{\circ}\;and\;370^{\circ}C$. Gold-silver mineralization occurred later than the base-metal sulfide deposition, at temperatures near $250^{\circ}C$ and was probably a result of cooling and decreasing sulfur fugacity caused by sulfide precipitation and/or $H_2S$ loss through fluid unmixing.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.129-139
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• 1999

Hydrothermal gold deposits of the Trabong district in Vietnam occur as single-stage quartz $\pm$ calcite veins (0.3-1.2 m thick) which fill fault fractures in graphite-bearing gneiss and schist of the Chulai Complex and Kham Duc Formation of the Proterozoic age. Ore grades are 1.3 to 92.4 g/ton Au. Ore mineralogy is very simple, consisting mainly of pyrite with minor amounts of base-metal sulfides and electrum. Gold grains occur in two assemblages as follows: (1) early, Fe-rich (7.2-10.4 mole % FeS) sphalerite + electrum (50.4-64.3 atom % Au) assemblage occurring as inclusions in pyrite; (2) late, Fe-poor «4.7 mole % FeS) sphalerite + galena + electrum (47.6-81.7 atom % Au) assemblage occurring along fractures of pyrites. Based on fluid inclusion data and thermochemical considerations of ore mineral assemblages, ore minerals were formed at high temperatures (about $230^{\circ}C$ to $420^{\circ}C$) from $H_{2}O-CO_{2}(-CH_{4})$-NaCI fluids with the sulfur fugacity of about $10^{-6}$ to $10^{-10}$ atm. Fluid inclusion data also indicate that ore mineralization occurred mainly as a result of fluid unmixing accompanying $CO_2$ effervescence. Calculated oxygen and measured hydrogen isotope compositions of mineralizing waters (${\delta}^{18}O_{V-SMOW}$ values = 5.3 to 8.6$\textperthousand$, ${\delta}D_{V-SMOW}$ values = - 60 to - 52$\textperthousand$), along with the sulfur isotope compositions of vein sulfides (${\delta}^{34}S_{CDR}$ values = - 1.2 to 2.8$\textperthousand$) and carbon isotope compositions of inclusion $CO_2$ (${\delta}^{13}C_{PDB}$ values = - 4.7 to - 2.0$\textperthousand$) indicate that the high temperature (mesohypothermal) gold mineralization formed from a magmatic fluid.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.3-18
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• 2019

Due to the increasing demand for clean energy, the consumption of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is expected to grow steadily. Therefore, stable supply of lithium is becoming an important issue globally. Commercially, most of lithium is produced from the brine and minerals viz., spodumene, although various processes/technologies have been developed to recover lithium from other resources such as low grade ores, clays, seawaters and waste lithium ion batteries. In particular, commercialization of such recycling technologies for end-of-life LIBs being generated from various sources including mobile phones and electric vehicles(EVs), has a great potential. This review presents the commercial processes and also the emerging technologies for exploiting minerals and brines, besides that of newly developed lithium-recovery-processes for the waste LIBs. In addition, the future lithium-supply is discussed from the technical point of view. Amongst the emerging processes being developed for lithium recovery from low-grade ores, focus is mostly on the pyro-cum-hydrometallurgical based approaches, though only a few of such approaches have matured. Because of low recycling rate (<1%) of lithium globally compared to the consumption of lithium ion batteries (56% of lithium produced currently), processing of secondary resources could be foresighted as the grand opportunity. Considering the carbon economy, environment, and energy concerns, the hydrometallurgical process may potentially resolve the issue.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.299-316
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• 2002

The Samkwang gold-silver deposits consist of gold-silver-bearing hydrothermal massive quartz veins which filled the fractures along fault shear (NE, NW) zones within Precambrian banded or granitic gneiss of Gyeonggi massif. Ore mineralization of this deposits occurred within a single stage of quartz vein which was formed by multiple episodes of fracturing and healing. Based on vein mineralogy and paragenesis, massive quartz veins are divided into two main paragenetic stages which are separated by a major faulting event. Main ore mineralization occurred at stage I. Wall-rock alteration from this deposits occur as mainly sericitization, chloritization, silicification and minor amounts of pyritization, carbonitization, propylitization and argillitization. Ore minerals are composed mainly of arsenopyrite (29.21-32.24 As atomic %), pyrite, sphalerite (6.45-13.82 FeS mole %), chalcopyrite, galena with minor amounts of pyrrhotite, marcasite, electmm (39.98-66.82 Au atomic %) and argentite. Systematic studies of fluid inclusions in early quartz veins and microcracks indicate two contrasting physical-chemical conditions: 1). temperature (215-345$^{\circ}$C) and pressure (1296-2022 bar) event with $H_{2}O-CO_{2}-CH_{4}-NaCl$fluids (0.8-6.3 wt. %) related to the early sulfide deposition, 2). temperature (203-441$^{\circ}$C) and pressure (320 bar) event with $H2_{O}$-NaCI $\pm$ $CO_{2}$ fluids (5.7-8.8 wt. %) related to the late sulfide and electrum assemblage. The H20-NaCI $\pm$ $CO_{2}$ fluids represent fluids evolved through fluid unmixing of an $H_{2}O-CO_{2}-CH_{4}-NaCl$fluids due to decreases in fluid pressure and influenced of deepcirculated meteoric waters possibly related to uplift and unloading of the mineralizing suites. Calculated sulfur isotope compositions (${\delta}^{34}S_{fluid}$) of hydrothermal fluids (1.8-4.9$\textperthousand$) indicate that ore sulfur was derived from an igneous source. Measured and calculated oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions (${\delta}^{18}O_{I120}$, ${\delta}D$) of ore fluids (-5.9~10.9$\textperthousand$, -102~-87$\textperthousand$) indicate that mesothermal auriferous fluids at Samkwang gold-silver deposits were likely mixtures of $H_{2}O$-rich, isotopically less evolved meteoric water and magmatic fluids.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.201-213
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• 2003

The adsorption property and ability of domestic zeolites for some heavy metal ions (Ag, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Mn), which may cause a serious environmental problem in industrial wastewater, were evaluated on ore unit through a series of adsorption experiments together with careful examinations of mineral composition and properties of the zeolites. Though the adsorption behavior basically took place in the form of a cation exchange reaction, the higher CEC value does not necessarily to imply the higher adsorption capacity for a specific heavy metal. A general trend of the adsorption selectivity for heavy metals in the zeolites is determined to be as follow: $Ag\geq$Pb>Cr,Cu$\geq$Zn>Mn, but the adsorption properties of heavy metal ions somewhat depend on the species and composition of zeolite. Clinoptilolite tends to adsorb selectively Cu in case of Cr and Cu, whereas heulandite prefers Cr to Cu. A dominant adsorption selectivity of the zeolite ores for Ag and Pb is generally conspicuous regardless of their zeolite species and composition. The zeolite ores exhibit a preferential adsorption especially for $Ag^{+}$ so as not to regenerate when treated with $Na^{+}$ . In the adsorption capacity for heavy meta ions, the zeolites differ in great depending on their species: ferrierite>clinoptilolite>heulandite. Considering the CEC value of mordenite, the mordenite-rich ore appears to be similar to the clinoptilolite ore in the adsorption capacity. The adsorption capacity for heavy metals is not positively proportional to the CEC values of the zeolites measured by the exchange reaction with ammonium ion. In addition, the adsorption capacity roughly tends to depend on the zeolite contents, i.e., the grade of zeolite ore, but the trend is not consistent at all in some ores. These may be caused by the adsorption selectivity for some specific heavy metals, the presence of possible stacking micro-faults and natural cations such as K hardly to exchange in the zeolite. Considering the economic availability and functional effectiveness as natural zeolite resources, clinoptilolite ores could be applicable to utilize the domestic zeolites for the removal of heavy metals.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2012

페루 남동부 지역에 위치한 꾸스코 동-금을 포함한 다중금속 광상 지역의 지질은 고생대 페름기-중생대 삼첩기 변성퇴적암인 미투(Mitu)층군과 이를 관입한 동시기 관입암으로 구성되어 있다. 조사지역은 페름기-삼첩기 관입암과 관련된 U-W-Sn-Mo, Au-Cu-Pb-Zn, REE 광화작용과 관련된 금속광화 대로 알려져 있다. 특히 해당 관입암은 대자율 측정 결과 S-type, 티탄철석계열과 관련이 있는 것으로 보인다. 꾸스코 지역은 깔까 북쪽과 시꾸아니 부근에 주요 광화대가 발달하고 있다. 조사대상 광상은 아줄 동, 올미오 동, 빅토리아 금, 빠딴자 동, 나우챠피-초차까나 동, 체카 금광상이다. 아줄 광상의 모암은 안산암질암이며 광석광물로는 반동석 및 황동석이 산출하며, 동은 7.81~15.3%의 범위를 가지고 평균 10.7%이다. 올미오 광상의 모암은 흑색편암이며 엽리를 따라 산화동이 충진되어 있고, 동은 0.61~2.60%의 범위를 가지고 평균 1.74%이다. 빅토리아 광상의 모암은 변성퇴적암이며, 석영맥 충진형 광상으로 금함량은 < 0.1 g/t, 은함량은 < 0.1~< 0.3 g/t이다. 빠딴자 광상에서는 이암 또는 실트암의 층리를 따라 충진하고 있는 산화동이 산출하며, 동은 3.74~9.21%의 범위를 보이며 평균 6.21%이다. 나우챠피-초차까나 광상은 적색사암의 층리를 교대충진하고 있는 산화동 광체이며, 동은 1.62~10.5%의 범위를 가지며 평균 6.39%이다. 체카 광상은 모암인 규암이 각력화작용을 받은 부분에서 금이 산출되고 있는 것으로 보고되어있으나 분석결과 금이 탐지되지는 않았다.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2016

Tsogttsetsii area, an intrusive complex associated with Cu porphyry mineralization, is located in the Gurvansaikhan island arc terrane of the Central Asian Orogenic belt, Southern Mongolia. We performed a reconnaissance survey in Tsogttsetsii area. Cu mineralization in Tsogttsetsii area is porphyry Cu type related with alkali granite intruded in Permian. Mineralogical and textural properties of the ores and associated minerals were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, thin section petrography, and Scanning electron microscopy-Energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Ore minerals identified in polarizing microscope are magnetite, pyrite and bornite. Propylitic alteration zone occurs broadly in the area where malachite occurrences are shown to be spread intensively in alkali granite area. Quartz, sericite, chlorite and epidote were observed in the alteration zone samples. As results of XRD and SEM-EDS analysis, samples of copper oxides were composed mainly of malachite, cuprite and small amounts of quartz. Average and maximum Cu contents of samples collected from malachite occurrences area are 759 ppm and 6190 ppm, respectively. The characteristics of mineralization in Tsogttsetsii area is similar to Oyu Tolgoi Cu-Au (Mo) deposit and Tsagaan Suvarga Cu-Mo deposit which are 56 km south and 120 km northeast from Tsogttsetsii area, respectively. Characteristics of the study area, such as the geology, tectonic environment, lithology, mineralization, and alterations of the rocks within the survey area, resemble the characteristics of other porphyry deposits. Therefore further exploration including Induced Polarization (IP) survey for identifying subsurface orebody is required.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.79-92
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• 1992

The Sarisan clay deposits of hydrothermal origin are found in the intensely weathered wto-mica granite in Yeoju area. The major clay minerals of the Sarisan mine are illite and montmorillonite with minor disordered kaolinite, vermiculite, and some interstratified mineral. Clay minerals were studied using various methods including X-ray diffraction, infrared absorption spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and thermal and chemical analyses. Illites occur as discrete illite or highly illitic interstratified mineral. They are of 1M and $2M_1$ polytypes and characterized by a low lattice charge (1.768-0.926 per unit formula), low $K^+$ content (0.741-0.902 per unit formula), and high Si/Al ratio (1.154-1.293) as compared with muscovite. Montmorillonites are highly negative charged and occasionally random-interstratified as I/S with 80-98% smectite. Hydrothermal alteration is more important than later weathering alteration for the formation of illite and montmorillonite clay minerals. The hydrothermal alteration took place through two stages; the formation of illite in the early stage and the formation of montmorillonite in the late stage. Disordered kaolinite and vermiculite are the weathering products of plagioclase and biotite, respectively.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.221-233
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• 2004

Mineralogical characteristics and genesis of phlogopite in the talc deposits of the chungnam area were studied. Mica is one of the major impurity of talc ores in the study area. Talc-related micas show typical phlogopite composition, whereas talc-unrelated micas show wide compositional variations between biotite and phlogopite. Phlogopite mainly occurs in the black-wall type zone, especially in the nodular talc ores near the outer part of talc ore bodies. Interleaving textures of phlogopite and chlorite are easily observed under the optical microscope and back-scattered electron images. Interleaving textures of phlogopite and talc are observed also. Examination of the phlogopite by transmission electron microscope reveals that 14 $\AA$ layers of chlorite are randomly interlayered within the 10 $\AA$ layers of phlogopite, which suggests that the genesis of phlogopite is closely related to chlorite. Considering the occurrence and mineralogical characteristics of phlogopite, and the possible origin of K for the formation of phlogopite, phlogopite of the study area was formed by interaction between talc ore body and hydrothermal solution containing sufficient K at the late stage of talc formation. K might be introduced from the granitic gneiss at the contact zone between the talc ore body and the granitic gneiss under favorable structural condition for the potash metasomatism.