• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.639-646
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• 2022

Occurrence of black opaque hydrocarbon (pyrobitumen) in some Cretaceous Jinju sandstones of the Sindong Group, Gyeongsang Basin in Korea is first reported in this study. The pyrobitumen is developed on chlorite pore-lining cement, or impregnated into the outer zone of chlorite cement. Therefore, it seems to have been formed after the precipitation of chlorite cement, indicating the former presence of crude oil. The liquid hydrocarbons migrated into sandstones during moderate burial and these sandstones seem to have acted as a liquid hydrocarbon reservoir. The presence of pyrobitumen in the Jinju Formation indicates that this formation underwent deep burial after liquid hydrocarbon migration. As reservoir temperatures increased further, hydrocarbons were cracked and a solid pyrobitumen residue remained in the reservoir.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 1994

Copper-bearing hydrothermal vein mineralization of the Samsan area was deposited in two stages (I and II) of quartz-calcite-sulfide veins which fill fissures in Cretaceous volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Gyeongsang basin. The major ore minerals, chalcopyrite and sphalerite, together with pyrite, galena, hematite, and minor sulfosalts, occur with epidote and chlorite as gangue minerals in stage I quartz veins. Chlorite geothermometry, fluid inclusion and stable isotope data indicate that copper ore was deposited mainly at temperatures between $330^{\circ}C$ and $280^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities between 12 and 3 equiv. wt % NaCl. Evidence of fluid boiling indicates a range of pressures from ${\leq}100$ to 200 bars bars. Within ore stage I there was an apparent decrease in ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of $H_{2}S$ with paragenetic time, from 8.0 to 2.3 per mil. This pattern was likely achieved through progressive increases in activity of oxygen accompanying boiling and mixing. In the early part of the first stage, the high temperature, high salinity fluids gave way to progressively cooler and more dilute fluids of the late parts in the first stage and of the second stage. There is a systematic decrease in calculated ${\delta}^{18}O_{water}$ values with decreasing temperature in the Samsan hydrothermal system, from values of -86 per mil for early portion of stage I through -5.9 per mil for late portion of stage I to -6.3 per mil for stage II. The ${\delta}D$ values of fluid inclusion waters also decrease with paragenetic time from -76 per mil to -86 per mil. These trends combined with mineral paragenesis and fluid inclusion data are interpreted to indicate progressive cooler, more oxidizing meteoric water inundation of an early exchanged meteoric hydrothermal system.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.83-94
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• 2008

The Pungcheon-myeon, Andong, consists mainly of Precambrian metamorphic rocks, Jurassic igneous rocks, Cretaceous sedimentary rocks (Hasandong, Jinju and Iljik Formations) and Cretaceous igneous rocks (gabbroic rocks, dykes), in which several major faults are developed; Andong fault of ENE trend, which is the boundary fault of the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin and the Precambrian-Jurassic basement (Yeongnam Massif), Namhu fault parallel to it, Maebong fault of NNW direction, bow-shaped Gwangdeok fault of ENE direction which is convex toward SSE direction, and Hahoe fault of NNE direction. This paper is researched the geological structures around these major faults by means of the detailed geometric analysis on beddings, joints, faults and drag folds. As a result, a reverse slip faulting of top-to-the SSE movement accompanied with a regional drag folding is recognized from the arrangement of bedding poles measured around the Gwangdeok and Hahoe faults at its northeastern extension, and a zone of Gwangdeok drag fold of 150-300 m width, which is wider at the central and eastern parts of Gwangdeok fault and narrower at its western part and Hahoe fault, is also defined. It indicates that the Hahoe and Gwangdeok faults are a single fault and their movements are coeval unlike the results of earlier reasearchers. And, In this area are recognized two types of faults [(E)NE${\sim}$EW(fault I), WNW${\sim}$NNW (fault II), trending faults] and four types of joints [EW (I), (N)NW (II), NNE (III), NE (IV) trending joints]. These fractures were formed at least through four different events, named as Dn to Dn+3 phases. (1) Dn phase; the formation of joint (I) (Gwangdeok joint) and the intrusion of acidic dykes of EW trend under the compression of EW direction. (2) Dn+1 phase; the formations of joint (II) (Maebong joint), lens-shaped boudinage of acidic dykes, oblique-slip reverse fault (Fault I-Gwangdeok fault) under the compression of (N)NW direction, and the formation of regional zone of Gwangdeok drag fold accompanying the Gwangdeok faulting. (3) Dn+2 phase; those of joint (III), Fault II (Maebong fault) by dextral strike-slip movement of Maebong joint under the compression of NNE direction, and the extension cutting of Dn+1 structures due to the Maebong faulting. (4) Dn+3 phase; the jointing (IV) and the reactivation of Fault II as oblique-slip type with predominant dextral motion which took place under the compression of NE direction. It also suggests that the Maebong fault is not a tear fault deveolped during thrust tectonics of the Andong and Gwangdeok faults but is a post-fault during different tectonic event.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.5 s.180
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• pp.555-566
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• 2006

Major, trace and rare earth elements data of the Cretaceous Jindong granitic rocks were investigated in order to constrain the magma source characteristics and to establish the paleotectonic environment of the southwestern part of the Gyeongsang Basin. Geochemical signatures of the granitic rocks from the study area indicate that all of the rocks have characteristics of calc-alkaline series in the subalkaline field, and progressively shift from metaluminous to peraluminous with differentiation. In the variation diagrams, the overall geochemical features of the granites show systematic variations in major and trace elements. Chondrite normalized REE patterns show generally enriched LREE((La/Yb)c=4.2-12.8) and slight negative to flat Eu anomalies. Rb-Sr isotope data of the Jindong granites show that the whole rock age and Sr initial ratio are $114.6{\pm}9.1Ma$ and 0.70457, respectively. The Sr initial ratio of the Jindong granites is very similar to those of the Creataceous granites from Masan, Kimhae and Busan area($^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr=0.7049-0.707$). These results suggest that the magma have the mantle signature and intruded into the area during the early Cretaceous age. The Jindong granites have higher $Al_{2}O_{3},\;Na_{2}O$, Sr and lower $K_{2}O$, Y concentrations compared with typical calc-alkaline granitic rocks. These adakitic signatures are similar to those of adakitic pluton on Kyushu Island, southwest Japan arc. On the ANK vs. ACNK and tectonic discrimination diagrams, parental magma type of the granites corresponds to I-type, VAG granite. Interpretations of the geochemical characteristics of the granitic rocks favor their emplacement at continental margin during the subduction of Izanagi plate.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.337-350
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• 1995

The Hwacheon-ri mineralized area is located within the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin of the Korean peninsula. The mineralized area includes the Hwacheon, Daeweon, Kuryong and Cheongryong mines. Each of these mines occurs along copper-bearing hydrothermal quartz veins that crosscut late Cretaceous volcanic rocks, although some disseminated ores in host rocks also exist locally. Mineralization can be separated into three distinct stages (I, II, and III) which developed along preexisting fracture zones. Stage I is ore-bearing, whereas stages II and III are barren. The main phase of ore mineralization, stage I, can be classified into three substages (Ia, Ib and Ic) based on ore mineral assemblages and textures. Substage Ia is characterized by pyrite-arsenopyrite-molybdenite-pyrrhotite assemblage and is most common at the Hwacheon deposit. Substage Ib is represented by main precipitation of Cu, Zn, and Pb minerals. Substage Ic is characteristic of hematite occurrence and is shown only at the Kuryong and Cheongryong deposits. Some differences in the ore mineralization at each mine in the area suggest that the evolution of hydrothermal fluids in the area varied in space (both vertically and horizontally) with respect to igneous rocks relating the ore mineralization. Fluid inclusion data show that stage I ore mineralization mainly occurred at temperatures between ${\approx}350^{\circ}$ and ${\approx}200^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities between 9.2 and 0.5 wt.% eq. NaCl. In the waning period of substage Ia, the high temperature and salinity fluid gave way to progressively cooler, more dilute fluids of later substage Ib and Ic (down to $200^{\circ}C$, 0 wt.% NaCl). There is a systematic decrease in the calculated ${\delta}^{18}O_{H2O}$ values with paragenetic time in the Hwacheon-ri hydrothermal system from values of ${\approx}2.7$‰ for substage Ia, through ${\approx}-2.8$‰ for substage Ib, to ${\approx}-9.9$‰ for substage Ic. The ${\delta}D$ values of fluid inclusion water also decrease with decreasing temperature (except for the Daeweon deposit) from -62‰ (substage Ia) to -80‰ (substage Ic and stage III). These trends are interpreted to indicate the progressive cooler, more oxidizing unexchanged meteoric water inundation of an initial hydrothermal system which is composed of highly exchanged meteoric water. Equilibrium thermodynamic interpretation of the mineral assemblages with the variation in amounts of chalcopyrite through the paragenetic time, and the evolution of the Hwacheon-ri hydrothermal fluids indicate that the solubility of copper chloride complexes in the hydrothermal system was mainly controlled by the variation of temperature and $fo_2$ conditions.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.435-443
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• 2017

The Hanae deposit is located within the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin. The Cu-bearing hydrothermal quartz vein formed by narrow open-space filling along fracture in the sedimentary rocks as Jindong Formation. The Hanae Cu-bearing hydrothermal deposit shows a paragenetic sequence of pyrrhotite-pyrite $\rightarrow$ pyrite-chalcopyrite-sphalerite(${\pm}$Bi-bearing tellurides) $\rightarrow$ Ag-bearing telluride mineralization $\rightarrow$ secondary mineralization. Fluid inclusion data indicate that the Hanae Cu-bearing hydrothermal mineralization occurred from dominantly aqueous fluids at temperatures of $400^{\circ}C-200^{\circ}C$. Equilibrium thermodynamic interpretation of the mineral paragenesis and assemblages combined with fluid inclusion data indicate that early main Cu-bearing ore mineralization in the vein starts at about $350^{\circ}C$ which corresponds to sulfur fugacity from about $10^{-9.2}$ to $10^{-8.7}bar$ with oxygen fugacity of about $10^{-32.1}$ to $10^{-29.8}bar$. Late main Cu-bearing ore mineralization in the vein occurs at about $250^{\circ}C$ which corresponds to sulfur fugacity from about $10^{-13.5}$ to $10^{-11.7}bar$ with oxygen fugacity of about $10^{-38.4}$ to $10^{-35.2}bar$. The late Ag-bearing telluride mineralization in the Hanae hydrothermal system occurs at about $200^{\circ}C$ which corresponds to minium Tellirium fugacity value of about $10^{-18}bar$ with sulfur fugacity of about $10^{-14.0}$ to $10^{-10.9}bar$.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.493-502
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• 2011

We study the deep structure of Korean Peninsula by estimating Moho depth and crustal thickness from using land and oceanic topography and free-air gravity anomaly data. Based on Airy-Heiskanen isostatic hypothesis, the correlated components between the terrain gravity effects and free-air gravity anomalies by wavenumber correlation analysis(WCA) are extracted to estimate the gravity effects that will be resulted from isostatic compensation for the area. With the resulting compensated gravity estimates, Moho depth that is a subsurface between the crust and mantle is estimated by the inversion in an iterative method with the constraints of 20 seismic depth estimates by the receiver function analysis, to minimize the uncertainty of non-uniqueness. Consequently, the average of the resulting crustal thickness estimate of Korean Peninsula is 32.15 km and the standard deviation is 3.12 km. Moho depth of South Korea estimated from this study is compared with the ones from the previous studies, showing they are approximately consistent. And the aspects of Moho undulation from the respective study are in common deep along Taebaek Mountains and Sobaek Mountains and low depth in Gyeongsang Basin relatively. Also, it is discussed that the terrain decorrelated free-air gravity anomalies inferring from the intracrustal characteristics of the crust are compared to the heat flow distributions of South Korea. The low-frequency components of terrain decorrelated Free-air gravity anomalies are highly correlated with the heat flow data, especially in the area of Gyeongsang basin where high heat flow causes to decrease the density of the rocks in the lower crust resulting in lowering the Moho depth by compensation. This result confirms that the high heat sources in this area coming from the upper mantle by Kim et al. (2008).

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2005

Cretaceous granitic rocks in the Waryongsan area occur as a stock and show compositional changes with altitude. They include mafic microgranular enclaves (MME) with various sizes and types. The MMEs present clear evidence of magma mingling such as supercooling zone, mantling texture and back veining. The granitic rocks are divided into porphyritic granite, porphyritic granodiorite and fined-grained granite by their petrographic characteristics and modal compositions. The MMEs are discriminated to quartzdioritie, quartzmonzodiorite and tonalite. They have varying areal proportions in each granitic rock-type: 10∼l5% in the porphyritic granite, about 50% in the porphyritic granodiorite, and about 20% in the fined-grained granite. SiO₂ contents shows compositional change of 61.2∼72.0wt.%. Mean SiO₂ contents have 61.7wt.% in the porphyritic granodiorite, 68.6wt.% in the porphyritic granite. and 71.9wt.% in the fined-grained granite, respectively. Major oxide contents of the granitic rocks linearly vary with SiO₂ contents from the porphyiritic granodiorite to the fine-grained granite on Harker diagrams. Linear compositional variations seem to have been caused by differential degrees of mingling between mafic magma and host granite. Where larger amount of mafic magma was injected into the host granitic magma, the two magmas reached to thermal equilibrium more quickly and eventually chemical mixing occurred to produce the composition of the porphyritic granodiorite. On the other hand. less amount of injected mafic magma would have been responsible for mechanical mixing to produce the compositions of the porphyritic granite and the fined-grained granite. Therefore, it is considered that the granitic rocks in the Waryongsan area experienced magmas mingling resulting from the injection of more mafic magma into differentiating granitic magma, and that the compositional changes of the granitic rocks were ascribed to the degree of mingling between the two magmas.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 2011

Clay mineral assemblages of core PC25A collected from the northern part of the Aleutian Basin in the Bering Sea were examined in order to investigate changes in sediment provenances and transport pathways. Ages of core PC25A were determined by both Last Appearance Datum of radiolaria (L. nipponica sakaii; $48.6{\pm}2\; ka$) and age control points obtained by the correlations of $a^{\ast},\; b^{\ast}$, and laminated sediment layers with the adjacent core PC23A, whose ages are well constrained. The corebottom age of core PC25A was calculated to be about 57,600 yr ago and core-top might be missing during coring execution. Average contents of smectite, illite, kaolinite, and chlorite during the last glacial period are 11% (5~24%), 47% (36~58%), 13% (9~19%), and 29% (21~40%), respectively. Clay mineral assemblages of the last glacial period are characterized by higher illite and lower smectite contents than those of core MC24 representing the modern values. Illite-rich clay sediments during the warm Early Holocene were transported from the northern part of Alaska continent (Province 1) through the ice-melt waters. During the deglacial period (B${\phi}$lling-All${\phi}$rod) of MIS 2, clay-sized particles seemed to be also transported by ice-melt waters mainly from Province 2 and Province 3 located farther south than Province 1. Higher smectite content during the Last Glacial Maximum is attributed to increased amounts of clay particles from the adjacent Alaska Peninsula (Province 4). From the early to the middle MIS 3, illite and smectite contents decreased, whereas chlorite content increased. With the low sea level standing during MIS 3 the supply of clay sediments from Province 2 and Province 3 was most likely intensified. Changes in clay mineral assemblages of core PC25A located in the northern part of the Aleutian Basin in the Bering Sea are closely related to the change of surface current system caused by sea level variation during the last glacial period.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.169-181
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• 2014

Korea government has consistently investigated the development of economic mineral deposits in the Tofua volcanic arc, Tonga since 2008 for the secure of sea floor mineral resources. We studied the composition and distribution of minerals formed by hydrothermal activity around TA 25 seamounts of the Tofua volcanic arc, Lau Basin, Tonga, using X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. We used 7 core samples and 9 surface sediment samples. Barite, sphalerite, and clinoclase are present in the most volcanic vent area. Gypsum, smectite, and kaolin mineral are distributed in vent A area, chalcopyrite, pyrite, smectite, and kaolin mineral are in vent B and C area, and gypsum, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and goethite are in vent D area. From the study of clay fraction, smectite and few kaolinite are detected in the most studied area except inner part of caldera, which suggest that argillic alteration are dominant in the volcanic vent areas. Various sulfide or arsenide minerals were found in the hydrothermal vent B, C, and D. The mineralogy and geochemistry suggest higher hydrothermal activities in volcanic vent B, C, and D compared to vent A and inner caldera area. Therefore higher probabilities of massive sulfide deposits may occur in hydrothermal vent B, C, and D.