• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.323-336
• /
• 2023

We investigated the nickel potential and genesis of ultramafic rocks in the Yugu area to secure nickel resources in South Korea. The Yugu ultramafic rocks, located in the southwest of the Gyeonggi Massif, are characterized by spinel peridotite and exhibit strong serpentinization along their boundaries. The serpentinization is observed as olivine transformed to antigorite and chrysotile, while pentlandite, the nickel sulfide mineral, altered into millerite and awaruite. Serpentine displays distinct foliation, aligning subparallel to the ultramafic rock boundaries and foliation of Yugu gneiss. This suggests that the uplift of ultramafic rocks resulted in hydrothermal infiltration likely sourced from the Yugu gneiss metamorphism. The Yugu ultramafic rocks are residues after 5~18% partial melting of abyssal peridotite. Enriched light rare earth elements and Eu imply secondary metasomatism. Geochemistry suggests a link between the formation of Yugu ultramafic rock and the Triassic collision of the North and South China continents. The nickel content is around 0.17~0.21%, mainly contained in olivine and serpentine. Hence, in addition to the mineral processing study on the sulfide minerals, focused studies on oxide minerals for enhanced nickel recovery within the Yugu ultramafic rock are strongly suggested.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.229-248
• /
• 2024

This investigated the hydrogeochemical and isotopic characteristics of geothermal waters, groundwaters, and surface waters in Dongrae-gu, Busan, South Korea, in order to determine the origins of the salinity components in the geothermal waters, and their formation mechanisms and heat sources The geothermal waters are Na-Cl-type, distinct from surrounding groundwaters (Na-HCO₃^- and, Ca-HCO₃^- (SO₄, Cl)-type) and surface waters (Ca-HCO₃(SO₄, Cl)-type). This indicates the geothermal waters formed at depth as compared with the groundwaters. δ¹⁸O and δD values of the geothermal waters are relatively depleted as compared with the groundwaters, due to altitude effects and deep circulation of the geothermal waters. Helium and neon isotope ratios (³ He/⁴He and, ⁴He/²⁰Ne) of the geothermal waters plot on a single mixing line between mantle (³He = 3.76~4.01%) and crust (⁴He = 95.99~96.24 %), indirectly suggesting that the heat source is due to the decay of radioactive elements in rocks. The geothermal reservoir temperatures were calculated using the silica-enthalpy and Giggenbach models, yielding values of 82~130℃, and the depth of the geothermal reservoir is estimated to be 1.7~2.9 km below the surface. The correlation between Cl/Na and Cl/HCO₃ for the Dongrae geothermal waters requires the input of salty water. The supply of saline composition is interpreted due to the dissolution of residual paleo-seawater.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.635-649
• /
• 2007

Geochemical composition, stable isotopes $({\delta}^{18}O,\;{\delta}D,\;{\delta}^{34}S)$ and noble gases(He, Ne and Ar) of nine hot spring water and three groundwater for five hot springs(Jukam, Hwasun, Dokog, Jirisan, Beunsan) from the Honam area were analyzed to investigate the hydrogeochemical characteristics and the hydrogeochemical evolution of the hot spring waters, and to interpret the source of sulfur, helium and argon dissolved in the hot spring waters. The hot spring waters show low water temperature ranging from 23.0 to $30.5^{\circ}C$ and alkaline characteristics of pH 7.67 to 9.98. Electrical conductivity of hot spring waters is $153{\sim}746{\mu}S/cm$. Groundwaters in this area were characterized by the acidic to neutral pH range$(5.85{\sim}7.21)$, the wide electrical conductivity range $(44{\sim}165{\mu}S/cm)$. The geochemical compositions of hot spring and groundwaters can be divided into three water types: (1) $Na-HCO_3$ water type, (2) Na-Cl water type and (3) $Ca-HCO_3$ water type. The hot spring water of $Ca-HCO_3$ water type in early stage have been evolved through $Ca(Na)-HCO_3$ water type into $Na-HCO_3$ type in final stage. In particular, Jurim alkaline(pH 9.98) hot spring water plotted at the end point of $Na-HCO_3$ type in the Piper diagram is likely to arrive into the final stage in geochemical evolution process. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic data of the hot spring water samples indicate that the hot spring waters originated from the local meteoric water showing latitude and altitude effects. The ${\delta}^{34}S$ value for sulfate of the hot spring waters varies widely from 0.5 to $25.9%o$. The sulfur source of most hot spring waters in this area is igneous origin. However, The ${\delta}^{34}S$ also indicates the sulfur of JR1 hot water is originated from marine sulfur which might be derived ken ancient seawater sulfates. The $^3He/^4He\;and\;^4He/^{20}Ne$ ratios of the hot spring waters range from $0.0143{\times}10^{-6}\;to\;0.407{\times}10^{-6}\;and\;6.49{\sim}584{\times}10^{-6}$, respectively. The hot spring waters are plotted on the mixing line between air and crustal components. It means that the He gas in the hot spring waters was mainly originated from crustal sources. However, the JR1 hot spring water show a little mixing ratio of the helium gas of mantle source. The $^{40}Ar/^{36}Ar$ ratios of hot spring water are in the range from $292.3{\times}10^{-6}\;to\;304.1{\times}10^{-6}$, implying the atmospheric argon source.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.179-198
• /
• 2013

The Boziguoer A-type granitoids in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, belong to the northern margin of the Tarim platform as well as the neighboring EW-oriented alkaline intrusive rocks. The rocks comprise an aegirine or arfvedsonite quartz alkali feldspar syenite, an aegirine or arfvedsonite alkali feldspar granite, and a biotite alkali feldspar syenite. The major rock-forming minerals are albite, K-feldspar, quartz, arfvedsonite, aegirine, and siderophyllite. The accessory minerals are mainly zircon, pyrochlore, thorite, fluorite, monazite, bastnaesite, xenotime, and astrophyllite. The chemical composition of the alkaline granitoids show that $SiO_2$ varies from 64.55% to 72.29% with a mean value of 67.32%, $Na_2O+K_2O$ is high (9.85~11.87%) with a mean of 11.14%, $K_2O$ is 2.39%~5.47% (mean = 4.73%), the $K_2O/Na_2O$ ratios are 0.31~0.96, $Al_2O_3$ ranges from 12.58% to 15.44%, and total $FeO^T$ is between 2.35% and 5.65%. CaO, MgO, MnO, and $TiO_2$ are low. The REE content is high and the total ${\sum}REE$ is $(263{\sim}1219){\times}10^{-6}$ (mean = $776{\times}10^{-6}$), showing LREE enrichment HREE depletion with strong negative Eu anomalies. In addition, the chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the alkaline granitoids belong to the "seagull" pattern of the right-type. The Zr content is $(113{\sim}1246){\times}10^{-6}$ (mean = $594{\times}10^{-6}$), Zr+Nb+Ce+Y is between $(478{\sim}2203){\times}10^{-6}$ with a mean of $1362{\times}10^{-6}$. Furthermore, the alkaline granitoids have high HFSE (Ga, Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf) content and low LILE (Ba, K, and Sr) content. The Nb/Ta ratio varies from 7.23 to 32.59 (mean = 16.59) and the Zr/Hf ratio is 16.69~58.04 (mean = 36.80). The zircons are depleted in LREE and enriched in HREE. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the zircons are of the "seagull" pattern of the left-inclined type with strong negative Eu anomaly and without a Ce anomaly. The Boziguoer A-type granitoids share similar features with A1-type granites. The average temperature of the granitic magma was estimated at $832{\sim}839^{\circ}C$. The Boziguoer A-type granitoids show crust-mantle mixing and may have formed in an anorogenic intraplate tectonic setting under high-temperature, anhydrous, and low oxygen fugacity conditions.