• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.391-405
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• 2003

The Daebong gold-silver deposit consists of mesothermal massive quartz veins thar are filling the fractures along fault shear (NE, NW) Bones within banded or granitic gneiss of Precambrian Gyeonggi massif. Based on vein mineralogy, ore textures and paragenesis, ore mineralization of this deposits is composed of massive white quartz vein(stage I) which was formed in the same stage by multiple episodes of fracturing and healing, and transparent quartz vein(stage II) which is separated by a major faulting event. Stage I is divided into the 3 substages. Ore minerals of each substages are as follows: 1) early stage I=magnetite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, 2) middle stage I=pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, marcasite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, electrum and 3) late stage I=pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, electrum, argentite, respectively. Ore minerals of the stage II are composed of pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena and electrum. Systematic studies (petrography and microthermometry) of fluid inclusions in stage I and II quartz veins show fluids from contrasting physical-chemical conditions: 1) $H_2O-CO_2-CH_4-NaCl{\pm}N-2$ fluid(early stage I=homogenization temperature: 203∼3$88^{\circ}C$, pressure: 1082∼2092 bar, salinity: 0.6∼13.4 wt.%, middle stage I=homogenization temperature: 215∼28$0^{\circ}C$, salinity: 0.2∼2.8 wt.%) related to the stage I sulfide deposition, 2) $H_2O-NaCl{\pm}CO_2$ fluid (late stage I=homogenization temperature: 205∼2$88^{\circ}C$, pressure: 670 bar, salinity: 4.5∼6.7 wt.%, stage II=homogenization temperature: 201-3$58^{\circ}C$, salinity: 0.4-4.2 wt.%) related to the late stage I and II sulfide deposition. $H_2O-CO_2-CH_4-NaCl{\pm}N_2$ fluid of early stage I is evolved to $H_2O-NaCl{\pm}CO_2$ fluid represented by the $CO_2$ unmixing due to decrease in fluid pressure and is diluted and cooled by the mixing of deep circulated meteoric waters ($H_2O$-NaCl fluid) possibly related to uplift and unloading of the mineralizing suites. $H_2O-NaCl{\pm}CO_2$ fluid of stage II was hotter than that of late stage I and occurred partly unmixing, mainly dilution and cooling for sulfide deposition. Calculated sulfur isotope compositions ({\gamma}^{34}S_{H2S}$) of hydrothermal fluids (3.5∼7.9%o) indicate that ore sulfur was derived from mainly an igneous source and partly sulfur of host rock. Measured and calculated oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions ({\gamma}^{18}O_{H_2O}$, {\gamma}$D) of ore fluids (stage I: 1.1∼9.0$\textperthousand$, -92∼-86{\textperthansand}$, stage II: 0.3{\textperthansand}$, -93{\textperthansand}$) and ribbon-banded structure (graphitic lamination) indicate that mesothermal auriferous fluids of Daebong deposit were two different origin and their evolution. 1) Fluids of this deposit were likely mixtures of $H_2O$-rich, isotopically less evolved meteoric water and magmatic fluids and 2) were likely mixtures of $H_2O$-rich. isotopically heavier $\delta$D meteoric water and magmaticmetamorphic fluids.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.443-453
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• 2010

The Samsung gold-silver deposit consists of quartz veins that fill along the fault zone within Cretaceous shale and sandstone. Mineralization is occurred within fault-breccia zones and can be divided into two stages. Stage I is main ore mineralization and stage II is barren. Stage I is associated with wall-rock alteration minerals(sericite, pyrite, chlorite, quartz), rutile, base-metal sulfides(pyrrhotite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena), and electrum. Stage II occur quartz, calcite and pyrite. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinities of stage I range from 145 to $309^{\circ}C$ and from 0.4 to 12.4 wt.% NaCl, respectively. It suggests that hydrothermal fluids were cooled and diluted with the mixing of meteoric water. The main deposition of base-metal sulfides and electrum occurred as a result of cooling and dilution at temperature between $200^{\circ}C$ and $300^{\circ}C$. Sulfur(9.3~10.8‰) isotope composition indicates that ore sulfur was mainly derived from a magmatic source as well as the host rocks. The calculated oxygen[-2.3~0.9‰(quartz: 0.3‰, 0.9‰, calcite: -2.3‰)] and hydrogen[-86~-76‰(quartz: -86‰, -82‰, calcite: -76‰)] isotope compositions indicate that hydrothermal fluids may be meteoric origin with some degree of mixing of another meteoric water for paragenetic time.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.253-266
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• 1989

The Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag hydrothermal vein type deposits which comprise the Dongil and Dong-cheogogsan mines occur within the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks in the Euiseong Basin of the southern Korean peninsula. The ore mineralization is contained within three stage(I,II and III) quartz and calcite veins. Ore minerals occur as dominant chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, tetrahedrite and Pb, Ag, Sb and Bi-bearing sulfosalts. Stage I ore minerals were deposited between $400^{\circ}C$ and $200^{\circ}C$ from the fluid with moderate salinities(7.0 to 4.5 eq. wt. % NaCl). Evidence of boiling suggests pressure of less than 150 bars during stage I mineralization. This pressure corresponds to maximum depths of 650 m and 1700 m, respectively, assuming lithostatic and hydrostatic loads. The data on mineralogy, temperature and salinity, together with information on the solubility of Cu complex, suggest that Cu deposition is a result of boiling coupled with declining temperature from $350^{\circ}$ to $250^{\circ}C$ or declining log $a_{o_2}$(from -29.8 to -35.9 atm.)and increasing in pH. Pb, Ag, Sb and Bi-bearing sulfosalts were deposited by cooling and dilution at temperature of less than $250^{\circ}C$ from the ore fluid with less than -35.9 atm. of log $a_{o_2}$.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.423-435
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• 2001

The gold-silver vein deposits in the Mugeug mineralized area are emplaced in late Cretaceous biotite granite associated with the pull-apart type Cretaceous Eumseong basin. Mugeug mine in northern part is composed of multiple veins showing relatively high gold fineness and is characterized by sericitization, chloritization and epidotization. The ore-forming fluids were evolved by dilution and cooling mechanisms at relatively high temperature and salinity (=30$0^{\circ}C$,1~9 equiv. wt. % NaCl) and highly-evolved meteoric water ($\delta$$^{18}$ O;-1.2~3.7$\textperthousand$) and gold mineralization associated with sulfides tormed at temperatures between 260 and 22$0^{\circ}C$ and within sulfur fugacity range of 10$^{-11.5}$ ~ 10$^{-13.5}$ atm. In contrast, Geumwang, Geumbong and Taegueg mines show the low fineness values, in southern part are characterized by increasing tendency of simple and/or stockwork veins and by kaolinitization, silicificatitan, carbonatization and smectitization. These droposits formed at relatively low temperature and salinity (<23$0^{\circ}C$, <3 equiv. wt. % NaCl) from ore-forming fluids containing greater amounts of less-evolved meteoric waters ($\delta$$^{18}$ O;-5.5~4.0$\textperthousand$), and silver mineralization representing various gold-and/or silver-bearing minerals formed at temperatures between 200 and 15$0^{\circ}C$ and from sulfur fugacity range of 10$^{-15}$ ~10$^{-18}$ atm These results imply that mineralization in the Mugueg area formed at shallow-crustal level and categorize these deposits as low-sulfidation epithermal type. The genetic differences between the northern and southern parts reflect the evolution of the hydrothermal system due to a different physicochemical environment from heat source area (Mugeug mine) to marginal area (Taegeum mine) in a geothermal field.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.149-164
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• 1988

Electrum-sulfide mineralization of the Samgwang and Sobo mines of the Cheongyang Au-Ag area was deposited in two stages of quartz and calcite veins that fill fault zones in granite gneiss. Radiometric dating indicates that mineralization is Early Cretaceous age (127 Ma). Fluid inclusion and sulfur isotope data show that ore mineralization was deposited at temperatures between $340^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities of 1 to 8 wt. % equiv. NaCl and a ${\delta}^{34}S_{{\sum}S}$ value of 2 to 5 per mil. Evidence of fluid boiling (and $CO_2$ effervescence) indicates a range of pressures from < 200 to $\approx$ 700 bars, corresponding to depths of ${\approx}1.5{\pm}0.3\;km$ in a hydrothermal system which alternated from lithostatic toward hydrostatic conditions. Au-Ag deposition was likely a result of boiling coupled with cooling. Meaured and calculated hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of ore-forming fluids indicate a significant meteoric water component, approaching unexchanged paleometeoric water values. Comparison of these values with those of other Korean Au-Ag deposits reveals a relationship among depth, Au/Ag ratio and degree of water-rock interaction. All investigated Korean Jurassic and Cretaceous gold-silver-bearing deposits have fluids which are dominantly evolved meteoric waters, but only deeper systems (${\geq}1.5\;km$) are exclusively gold-rich.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-131
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• 1992

Late Cretaceous (90.5 Ma), epithermal gold-silver vein mineralization of the Weolseong and Samchang mines in the Sulcheon area, 60 km southeast of Taejeon, can be separated into two distinct stages (I and II) during which fault-related fissures in Precambrian gneiss and Cretaceous (102 Ma) porphyritic granite were filled. Fluid inclusion and mineralogical data suggest that quartz-sulfide-electrum-argentite-forming stage I evolved from initial high temperatures $({\approx}340^{\circ}C})$ to later lower temperatures $({\approx}140^{\circ}C})$ at shallow depths of about 400 to 700 m. Ore fluid salinities were in the range between 0.2 and 6.6 wt. % eq. NaCl. A simple statistic model for fluid-fluid mixing indicates that the mixing ratio (the volumetric ratio between deep hydrothermal fluids and meteoric water) systematically decreased with time. Gold-silver deposition occurred at temperatures of $230{\pm}40^{\circ}C$ mainly as a result of progressive cooling of ore-forming fluids through mixing with less-evolved meteoric waters. Measured and calculated hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of hydrothermal fluids indicate meteoric water dominance, approaching unexchanged meteoric water values. The geologic, mineralogic, and geochemical data from the Weolseong and Samchang mines are similar to those from other Korean epithermal gold-silver vein deposits.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2008

The Cretaceous Gajok gold-silver deposit within porphyry granite is located nearby the Cretaceous Pungam basin at the northeastern area in Republic of Korea. The Gajok gold-silver deposit is distinctively composed of a multiple-complex hydrothermal veins with comb, crustiform chalcedony quartz and vug textures, implying it was formed relatively shallower depth. The hypogene open-space filling veins could be divided into 5 paragenetic sequences, increasing tendency of Ag-rich electrum and Ag-phases with increasing paragenetic time. Electrum with high gold contents (${\sim}50$ atomic % Au) as well as sphalerite with high FeS contents (${\sim}6$ mole % FeS) are representative ore minerals in the middle stage. The late stage is characterized by silver-phase such like native silver and/or argentite, coexisting with Ag-rich electrum ($10{\sim}30$ atomic % Au) and Fe-poor sphalerite (< 1 mole % FeS). The ore-forming fluids evolution started at relatively high temperature and salinity (${\sim}360^{\circ}C$, ${\sim}7\;wt.%$ eq. NaCl) and were evolved by dilution and mixing mechanisms on the basis of fluid inclusion study. The gold-silver mineralization proceeded from ore-forming fluids containing greater amounts of less-evolved meteoric waters(${\delta}^{18}O$; $-0.6{\sim}-6.7\;%o$). These results imply that gold-silver mineralization of the Cretaceous Gaiok deposit formed at shallow-crustal level and could be categorized into low-sulfidation epithermal type, related to Cretaceous igneous activity.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.435-444
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• 1999

The antimony deposits of the Hyundong mine, located in the northeastern part of the Sobaegsan massif, occur as hydrothermal quartz+carbonate veins and stockworks which fill the fault fractures developed in Precambrian metamOlphic rocks (mainly, granitic gneiss). Hydrothermal alteration occurs commonly in the vicinity of mineralized veins and is characterized by sericitization and silicification. A K-Ar age of alteration sericite is 139.2$\pm$ 4.4 Ma, implying the early Cretaceous age of mineralization, possibly in association with intrusion of nearby acidic dikes (mainly, quartz porphyry). The hydrothermal mineralization occurred in five mineralization stages. These are: (I) stage I, characterized by deposition of chalcedonic quartz; (2) stage II, deposition of quartz with base-metal sulfides and stibnite; (3) stage III, deposition of quartz and carbonates (calcite, dolomite, ankerite, rhodochrosite) with various antimony-bearing minerals such as stibnite, polybasite, berthierite, native antimony, gudmundite and ullmannite; (4) stage IV, deposition of calcite with stibnite; and (5) stage V, deposition of barren calcite. Antimony occurs mostly as stibnite within stages II to IV veins, which has various habits including disseminated, veinlets and euhedral coarse crystals. Fluid inclusion studies indicate that hydrothermal mineralization at Hyundong occurred from the fluids with temperature and salinity of $330^{\circ}$C to 120 and 5.3 wI. % equiv. NaCI. The temperature and salinity of ore fluids systematically decreased with elapsed time in the course of mineralization, possibly due to the influx of larger amounts of meteoric groundwater. The deposition of antimony-bearing minerals occurred at low temperatures «$250^{\circ}$C), mainly due to the cooling and dilution of fluids. Based on the evidence of fluid boiling during the early stage II mineralization, the mineralization occurred under low pressure conditions (about 80 bars, corresponding to depths of about 350 m under hydrostatic pressure regime). Thermodynamic considerations of ore . mineral assemblages indicate that antimony deposition also occurred as the results of decreases in temperature and sulfur fugacity of hydrothermal fluids. Calculated sulfur isotope composition of ore fluids ($\delta^{34}S_{\Sigma s}$=5.4 to 7.8$\textperthousand$) indicates an igneous source of sulfur.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2008

The Bongsang gold-silver deposit consists of quartz veins that fill along the fault Bone within Cretaceous andesitic lapilli tuff. Mineralization is occurred within fault-breccia zones and can be divided into two stages. Stage I which can be subdivided into early and late depositional stages is main ore mineralization and stage II is barren. Stage I began with deposition of wall-rock alteration minerals and base-metal sulfides, and was deposited by later native silver, Ag-bearing tetrahedrite, polybasite and base-metal sulfides such like pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinities of stage I range from 137 to $336^{\circ}C$ and from 0.0 to 10.6 wt.% NaCl, respectively. It suggests that ore forming fluids were cooled and diluted with the mixing of meteoric water. Also, temperature and sulfur fugacity deduced mineral assemblages of late stage I are $<210^{\circ}C\;and\;<10^{-15.4}$ atm, respectively. Sulfur(3.4%o) isotope composition indicates that ore sulfur was mainly derived from a magmatic source as well as the host rocks. The calculated oxygen{2.9%o, 10.3%o(quartz: 7.9%o, 8.9%o, calcite: 2.9%o, 10.3%o)}, hydrogen(-75%o) and carbon(-7.0%o, -5.9%o) isotope compositions indicate that hydrothermal fluids may be meteoric origin with some degree of mixing of another meteoric water for paragenetic time.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.233-243
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• 1992

Ore mineralization of the Hwanghak copper deposit in the Ogsan area occurred in three stages of quartz (stage I and II) and calcite (stage III) veining along fissures in Early Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. Ore minerals are pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite (dominant), sphalerite, hematite, galena, and Ag-, Pb-, and Bi-sulfosalts. These were deposited during the first stage at temperatures between $370^{\circ}C$ and < $200^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities between 0.5 and 7.6 equiv. wt. % NaCl. There is evidence of boiling and this suggests pressures of less than 180 bars during the first stage. Equilibrium thermodynamic interpretation accompanying with mineral paragenesis and fluid inclusion data indicates that copper precipitation in the hydrothermal system occurred due to cooling and changing in chemical conditions ($fs_2$, $fo_2$, pH). Gradual temperature decrease from $350^{\circ}$ to $250^{\circ}C$ of ore fluids by boiling and mixing with less-evolved meteoric waters mainly led to copper deposition through destabilization of copper chloride complexes. Sulfur isotope values of sulfide minerals decrease systematically with paragenetic time from calculated ${\delta}^{34}S_{H_2S}$ values of 8.2 to 4.7‰. These values, together with the observed change from sulfide-only to sulfide-hematite assemblages and fluid inclusion data, suggest progressively more oxidizing conditions, with a corresponding increase of the $sulfate/H_2S$ ratio of hydrothermal fluids. Measured and calculated hydrogen and oxygen isotope valutls of ore-forming fluids suggest meteoric water dominance, approaching unexchanged meteoric water values.