• Title/Summary/Keyword: epithermal

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Silver in Peru: Present Status and Future Challenge (페루의 은: 현황과 미래의 도전)

  • Acosta, Jorge;Santisteban, Alexander;Huanacuni, Dina;Valencia, Michael;Villarreal, Eder;Heo, Chul-Ho;Lee, Bum Han;Nam, Hyeong-Tae
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.48 no.2
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    • pp.169-175
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    • 2015
  • Silver production in Peru was 118 Moz in 2013, which was $3^{rd}$ ranked in the world. Silver production mines which were ranked from $1^{st}$ to $5^{th}$ in Peru in 2013 were Antamina(16.7 Moz), Uchuchacua(12 Moz), Pallancata(7.6 Moz), Anim$\acute{o}$n(7 Moz), and Arcata(5.4 Moz). Total reported silver resources in Peru is about 7,012 Moz, and resources from the belts of Miocene epithermal deposits and the belts of Miocene skarn, replacement and vein deposits are 4,812 Moz, which corresponds to 69% of total resources. There are 14 ongoing projects which will be developed to the production stage from 2014 to 2019. Through these projects, silver production in Peru is expected to be 148 Moz in 2017.

Lead Isotopic Study on the Dongnam Fe-Mo Skarn Deposit (동남 스카른 광상에 대한 납 동위원소 연구)

  • Chang, Ho Wan;Cheong, Chang Sik;Park, Hee In;Chang, Byung Uck
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.25-31
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    • 1995
  • In Dongnam area, Cretaceous igneous rocks, such as diorite, porphyritic granite, and quartz porphyry intruded Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, such as Myobong slate and Pungchon limestone. The Dongnam Fe-Mo skarn deposits were imposed on the diorite(endoskarn) and the Myobong slate(exoskarn). The ore deposits consist mainly of magnetite and molybdenite with small amounts of sulfides, such as galena, sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite. The igneous rocks show nearly constant $^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb(18.80{\sim}19.06)$ and $^{207}Pb/^{204}Pb(15.71{\sim}15.72)$ ratios. Their $^{207}Pb/^{204}Pb$ ratios higher than the typical ratios of orogene suggest that the igeneous rocks were formed from lower crust(or mantle) - derived magma excessively contaminated by upper crustal materials such as high radiogenic Precambrian basement rocks. The lead isotopic compositions of the igneous rocks, the Pungchon limestone, and the ore minerals show a well defined linear in $^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb$ - $^{207}Pb/^{204}Pb$ plot. The lead isotopic compositions of the igneous rocks are similar to those of magnetite and galena, which were formed at early skarn stage and significantly lower than those of altered quartz porphyry, molybdenites, and pyrite, which were formed at late epithermal alteration stage. Considering the systematic variation of the lead isotopic compositions in the ore minerals according to hydrothermal stages, the variation may be due to a relative variation in surrounding rock(Pungchon limestone) involvement in hydrothermal ore solution leaching the surrounding rock. Therefore, the variation of the lead isotopic compositions in ore minerals can be modeled in terms of the mixing of the leads derived from the igneous rocks as low radiogenic source and the surrounding rock(Pungchon limestone) as high radiogenic source.

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Palaeomagnetism of Cretaceous Rocks in the Ǔisǒng Area, Kyǒngsang Basin, Korea (의성지역 백악기 암석에 대한 고자기 연구)

  • Kim, In-Soo;Lee, Hyun Koo;Yun, Hyesu;Kang, Hee-Cheol
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.403-420
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    • 1993
  • The Cretaceous Kyongsang Basin is known to be composed of several tectonic blocks (or subbasins) with each distinct stratigraphic succession. The study area represents a major part of one of these blocks, i. e. the $\check{U}is\check{o}ng$ block. The area is charaterized by a suite of WNW-trending sinistral strike-slip faults as well as a number of ring faults. A total of 292 independently oriented core samples were drilled from 23 sites, covering virtually all the formations of the Cretaceous $Ky\check{o}ngsang$ Supergroup. Alternating field and thermal demagnetization experiments were conducted to reveal the primary magnetization. Due to the homoclinal nature of the strata in the area, it was not possible to make use of the conventional fold test It is, however, believed that the primary remanent components have been obtained from the majority of the formations, considering the similarity of the palaeomagnetic pole positions with those of contemporary strata of other blocks and the existence of antiparallel reversed remanence. It was found neither any significant difference in magnetic declination on each side of the strike-slip faults nor systematic change of magnetic declination with distance from the fault-line. This does not support such a block rotation hypothesis associated with the strike-slip faulting in the area as alleged by some authors. The samples from the outcrops on or near the fault-lines were severely overprinted by the recent magnetic fields regardless of age and lithology. Epithermal Au-Ag-Cu-Pb-Zn mineralizations are known along some fault lines in the area. It is interpreted that these two facts are closely related with fluid circulations along the fracture zones caused by fault activities. In regard to the age of the strata as deduced from the magnetostratigraphic consideration, the $Ch\check{o}mgok$ formation and the lower strata should be older than Barremian or 124 Ma. The age of volcanics of the $Yuch^{\prime}\check{o}n$ Group sampled in this study should be younger than Campanian or 83 Ma.

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Characterization of Selenium (Se) Distribution in Soils and Crops at Moi-san, Haenam (해남 모이산 인근 토양 및 농작물의 셀레늄(Se) 분포 특성)

  • Kim, Seon-Ok;Cheon, Se Weon;Park, Gyu-Ryeong;Wang, Sookyun
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.48 no.3
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    • pp.213-219
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    • 2015
  • Samples from soils and crops were collected and analyzed in order to investigate the interactions of selenium among rocks, soils, and crops by hydrothermal alteration near epithermal mines in the region of Mio-san, Haenam. Soil samples included 6 samples each from mountain and farm area and compositional minerals and their contents were analyzed by water content, pH, ICP, XRD, XRF. Crop samples from onion and scallion were analyzed for chemical composition to elucidate the relationship with soils. Results from XRD analysis for soil samples showed that major compositional minerals are qualtz and feldspar, and illite, chlorite, hematite formed by hydrothermal alteration were included on a small scale. The pH ranges of soil samples from mountain and farm were measured at 4.6~4.9 and 5.2~6.7, respectively. The higher pH in farm soils may result from fertilization during agricultural activities. Results from ICP analysis showed that, compared to soil samples from mountain area with no potassium and calcium, significant amount of K and Ca were detected in soil samples from farms which is affected by fertilization. In a similar manner, potassium and calcium were absorbed and detected in crop samples at relatively high concentrations (116.89~169.79 ppm for K and 20.18~32.29 ppm for Ca). While the selenium contents in soil samples ranged from 18.35 ppb to 70.31 ppb which showed no significant difference, high concentrations of selenium were detected in onion (119.48~179.50 ppb) and scallion (146.65 ppb). These difference in enrichment for each element may result from the distinctive adsorption characteristics depending on crops.

The Cenetic Implication of Hydrothermal Alteration of Epithermal Deposits from the Mugeuk Area (무극 지역 천열수 광상 열수변질대의 성인적 의미)

  • 박상준;최선규;이동은
    • Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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    • v.16 no.3
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    • pp.265-280
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    • 2003
  • The Mugeuk mineralized area that associated with the pull-apart type Cretaceous Eumseong basin is composed of several gold-silver vein deposits that are emplaced in late Cretaceous biotite granite. The gold-silver deposits in the area show various hydrothermal alteration zones as well as Au/Ag ratios and ore mineralogy. The Geumbong mine showing relatively high gold fineness is composed of multiple veins and show alteration pattern; vein \longrightarrow phyllic \longrightarrow subphyllic \longrightarrow propylitic \longrightarrow subpropylitic zone. In contrast, The Taegeuk mines show the low fineness values, in far southern part are characterized by increasing tendency of simple and/or stockwork veins. The deposit displays alteration pattern; vein \longrightarrow propylitic \longrightarrow subpropylitic zone. Variations of alteration zone with depth show that phyllic zone are dominant in deeper level and propylitic zone sporadically overlapped by argillic zone are dominant in shallow level. The differences of alteration pattern between the gold-silver deposits are reflect the evolution of the hydrothermal fluids; the ore-forming fluids of the Geumbong mine are at relatively high temperature and salinity and highly-evolved meteoric water, developing phyllic zone, the Taegeuk mine containing greater amounts of less-evolved meteoric waters shows relatively low temperature and salinity in ore-forming fluids, developing propylitic zone. The various physicochemical environment for gold-silver mineralization in the Mugeuk mineralized area is due to proximity from heat source area (Mugeuk mine) to marginal area (Taegeuk mine) in a geothermal field. Therefore, it is suggested that the criteria for project exploration in the area are to focus on the area proximal to heat source and phyllic zone.

Mineralogical Characteristics of Hydrothermal Laumontite and Adularia in the Breccia Zone of a Fault, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju and Implications for Fault Activity (경주시 양북면 단층각력대에서 산출하는 로몬타이트와 아듈라리아의 광물학적 특징과 후기 단층활동)

  • Choo, Chang-Oh;Jang, Yun-Deuk;Chang, Chun-Joong
    • Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.23-36
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    • 2012
  • Morphological and mineralogical characteristics of laumontite and adularia in the breccia zone in a fault, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju, Korea suggest that they formed by reaction with hydrothermal alteration related to fault activity. Laumontite commonly occurring in the breccia zone is related to the presence of hydrothermal fluids bearing alkaline elements in the zone. Laumonite is characterized by elongated columnar form with aspect ratio varying 5~10. Laumontite and adularia whose characteristic euhedral forms are indicative of the latest product formed as rapid precipitation from fluids or replacements of Ca-plagioclase. Hydrothermal fluids reacted with intensively fractured granite, typical with high permeability, leached alkaline elements such as Ca, K, allowing laumontite and adularia to be precipitated under neutral to weak alkaline conditions. It is noteworthy that the formation process and genesis of low temperature minerals such as laumontite and adularia are very similar to those formed by wallrock alteration or hydrothermal alteration that occurred in epithermal deposits. Taking into account its characteristic morphology and chemistry, authigenic K-feldspar that commonly forms at low temperature in many fault zones must be adularia.

Occurrence and Genetic Environments of Quartz Veins from the Jukwangri area, Hwawon-myeon, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea (전남 화원면 주광리일대 석영맥의 산상 및 생성환경)

  • Yoo, Bong-Chul;Lee, Hyun-Koo;Choi, Dong-Ho
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.39 no.6 s.181
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    • pp.653-662
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    • 2006
  • Quartz veins from the Jukwangri area of Hwawon-myeon are epithermal quartz veins that are filling the NW or NE-trending faults within Precambrian metasedimentary rocks. Based on their prolongation and ore grades, No. 1 quartz vein can be traced for about 200 m and varies 0.1 to 3 m in thickness. Mineralization of No. 1 quartz vein can be divided into hypogene and supergene stages. Hypogene stage is associated with hydrothermal alteration minerals(phyllic and argillic zones) such as illite, sericite and sulfides such as pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite. chalcopyrite, galena, argentian tetrahedrite. Supergene stage is composed of Fe-Mn oxide, Zn-Fe oxide and Pb oxide. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperature and salinity of hypogene stage range from 187 to $306^{\circ}C$ and ken 0.0 to 6.2 wt.% eq. NaCl, respectively. They suggest that ore forming fluids were progressively cooled and diluted from mixing with meteoric water. Oxygen($-4.1{\sim}4.1%o$) and hydrogen($-107{\sim}-88%o$) isotope com-positions indicated that hydrothermal fluids were derived from meteoric and evolved by progressive mixing with meteoric water during mineralization.

Glass Inclusions in Quartz Phenocrysts of Tuff from Sunshin Au Mining Area, Haenam, Jeonnam. (전남 해남의 순신 금광산 지역에 산출하는 응회질암에 포획된 유리포유물)

  • Lee, Seung-Yeol;Yang, Kyoung-Hee;Jeon, Byung-Geun;Bak, Gil;Koh, Sang-Mo;Seo, Jeong-Ryul
    • The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.337-348
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    • 2009
  • Clear and homogeneous glass inclusions are well preserved at the rim of the quartz phenocrysts of tuff from Sunshin epithermal Au deposit, Haenam, although the host rocks experienced extensive silicification and argillic alteration. Glass inclusion vary in size from $5\;{\mu}m$ to larger than $200\;{\mu}m$ consisting of glass(60~80 vol%) + vapor bubble(15~30 vol%) $\pm$ daughter crystals(<10 vol%). Most of glass inclusions are cubic to rectangular in shape, indicating that the host quartz grew in the stability field of $\beta$-quartz. All the glass inclusions appear to be primary. Glass inclusions are composed of highly evolved high-K calc-alkaline rhyolites, which can represent the final liquidus phase of the magma system. The $Au_2O_3$ concentration (<0.30 wt%) is trivial in the glass, indicating there was no enrichment in the final residual melt. Textural characteristics suggest that magma was water-saturated shortly before or during the eruption. $H_2O$ content of the glass (ca. 2-4 wt%) suggests a water saturation pressure($P_{H2O}$) of about 300-900 bars. This pressure implies a minimum depth of 0.8-2.5 km for the magma chamber.

An investigative study of enrichment reduction impact on the neutron flux in the in-core flux-trap facility of MTR research reactors

  • Xoubi, Ned;Darda, Sharif Abu;Soliman, Abdelfattah Y.;Abulfaraj, Tareq
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.52 no.3
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    • pp.469-476
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    • 2020
  • Research reactors in-core experimental facilities are designed to provide the highest steady state flux for user's irradiation requirements. However, fuel conversion from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) driven by the ongoing effort to diminish proliferation risk, will impact reactor physics parameters. Preserving the reactor capability to produce the needed flux to perform its intended research functions, determines the conversion feasibility. This study investigates the neutron flux in the central experimental facility of two material test reactors (MTR), the IAEA generic10 MW benchmark reactor and the 22 MW s Egyptian Test and Research Reactor (ETRR-2). A 3D full core model with three uranium enrichment of 93%, 45%, and 20% was constructed utilizing the OpenMC particle transport Monte Carlo code. Neutronics calculations were performed for fresh fuel, the beginning of life cycle (BOL) and end of life cycle (EOL) for each of the three enrichments for both the IAEA 10 MW generic reactor and core 1/98 of the ETRR-2 reactor. Criticality calculations of the effective multiplication factor (Keff) were executed for each of the twelve cases; results show a reasonable agreement with published benchmark values for both reactors. The thermal, epithermal and fast neutron fluxes were tallied across the core, utilizing the mesh tally capability of the code and are presented here. The axial flux in the central experimental facility was tallied at 1 cm intervals, for each of the cases; results for IAEA 10 MW show a maximum reduction of 14.32% in the thermal flux of LEU to that of the HEU, at EOL. The reduction of the thermal flux for fresh fuel was between 5.81% and 9.62%, with an average drop of 8.1%. At the BOL the thermal flux showed a larger reduction range of 6.92%-13.58% with an average drop of 10.73%. Furthermore, the fission reaction rate was calculated, results showed an increase in the peak fission rate of the LEU case compared to the HEU case. Results for the ETRR-2 reactor show an average increase of 62.31% in the thermal flux of LEU to that of the HEU due to the effect of spectrum hardening. The fission rate density increased with enrichment, resulting in 34% maximum increase in the HEU case compared to the LEU case at the assemblies surrounding the flux trap.

Ore Minerals and Genetic Environments of Quartz Veins from the Hwawon Area, Haenam, Korea (전남 화원일대의 석영맥에서 산출되는 광석광물과 이의 생성환경)

  • Yoo, Bong-Chul;Oh, Jin-Yong;Kang, Heung-Suk;Lee, Hyun-Koo
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.39 no.5 s.180
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    • pp.583-595
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    • 2006
  • Quartz veins from the Hwawon area are an epithermal quartz vein that is filling the fault zone within Precambrian metasedimentary rocks and Jurassic granite. Mineralization can be divided into hypogene and supergene stages. Hypogene stage is associated with hydrothermal alteration minerals(propylitic and argillic zones) such as epidote, chlorite, illite, sericite and sulfides such as pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, bornite, cubanite, argentian tetrahedrite, Pb-Ag-S system and Pb-Te-S system. Supergene stage is composed of Fe-Mn oxide, Zn-Fe oxide and Pb oxide. Fluid inclusion data indicate that homogenization temperatures and salinity of hypogene stage range from $291.2^{\circ}C$ to $397.3^{\circ}C$ and from 0.0 to 9.3 wt.% eq. NaCl, respectively. It suggests that ore forming fluids were cooled and diluted with the mixing of meteoric water. Oxygen($-0.7{\sim}3.5%_{\circ}$(white quartz: $-0.7{\sim}3.5%_{\circ}$, transparent quartz: $2.4%_{\circ}$)) and hydrogen($-70{\sim}55%_{\circ}$(white quartz: $-70{\sim}55%_{\circ}$, transparent quartz: $-62%_{\circ}$)) isotopic composition indicates that hydrothermal fluids were derived from magmatic and evolved by mixing with meteoric water during mineralization.