• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.91-103
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• 1980

In spite of the fact that the Okcheon system has been rather intensively studied by many geologists since 1945, it still remains as a controversal problem as to its stratigraphy and geologic age. Present study has mainly focused on the upper members of the Okcheon system, namely the Hwanggangri and the Kunjasan formations so as to clarify the lithology, the depositional environment and the tectonic evolution of the formations. The Kunjasan formation lying unconformably over the Hwanggangri formation which is supposed to be a meta-tillite is interpreted as a metamorphosed calcareous argillaceous and/or arenaceous sediments on contract to the idea postulated by some geologists that it was a derivative of silicified Hwanggangri formation. Lithology of the Kunjasan and the Hwanggangri formation is quite different in that the former is white in color, contains few pebbles, and mostly composed of diopside and detrital quartz, whereas the latter is black to dark in color, contains abundant and variable kinds of pebbles, and composed of more argillacous matrix that has been metamorphosed to hornfels. The Hwanggangri and the Kunjasan formations were deposited in the rather deep sea which has transgressed toward northeast from southwest in the late Precambrian time, and the writer (1970) had formerly designated it as Okcheon Paleogeosyncline. With the beginning of Paleozoic era, Okcheon neogeogyncline was formed to the northeast of the old paleogeogyncline area. The transgression of the sea had proceeded toward southwest in which Cambrian strata were accumulated. During this period the area occupied formerly by the paleogeosyncline was uplifted, so that most of the Hwanggangri and the Kunjasan formations were eroded away except in the area close to the neogeosyncline sea coast. This is the reason why the Hwanggangri and the Kunjasan formations are cropped out presently in the area of the vicinity of contact zone of the paleo- and neogeosyncline zones. The age of the Okcheon system has been reconfirmed to be Precambrian from the view of the facts that 1) the Hanggangri formation, the upper member of the Okcheon system is meta-tillite and correlated to the Precambrian tillite in the Yantze basin in China, 2) the Okcheon system has been moderately metamorphosed while other formations of the same age, if it is Paleozoic or later, have not been metamorphosed, and 3) tectonic history and limited areal distribution of the Hwanggangri and the Kunjasan formations is suggestive of Precambian age.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.201-216
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• 1973

Being believed thus far to be distributed in the wide areas in the vicinity of Seoul, the capital city of Korea, the Yonchon System in its type locality in Yonchon-gun from which the name derived was never previously traced down or correlated to the Precambrian metamorphic complex in Seoul area where the present study was carried out. Due to in accessibility to Yonchon area, the writer also could not trace the system down to the area studied so as to correlate them. The present study endeavored to differentiate general stratigraphy and interprete the structure of the metamorphic complex in the area. In spite of the complexity of structure and rapid changes in lithofacies of the complex, it was succeeded to find out the key bed by which the stratigraphy and structure of the area could be straightened out. The keybeds were the Buchon limestone bed in the western parts of the area; Daisongri quartzite bed cropped out in the southeastern area; Jangrak quartzite bed scattered in the several localities in the northwest, southwest, and eastern parts of the area; and Earn quartzite bed isolated in the eastern part of the area. These keybeds together with the broad regional structure made it possible to differentiated the Precambrian rocks in ascending order into the Kyonggi metamorphic complex, Jangrak group and Chunsung group which are in clinounconformable relation, and the first complex were again separated in ascending order into Buchon, Sihung, and Yangpyong metermorphic groups. Althcugh it has being vaguely called as the Yonchon system thus far, the Kyonggi metamorphic complex have never been studied before. The complex might, however, belong to early to early-middle Precambrian age. The Jangrak and Chunsung group were correlated to the Sangwon system in North Korea by the writer (1972), but it became apparent that the rocks of the groups have different lithology and highly metamorphosd than those of the Sangwon system which has thick sequence of limestone and slightly metamorphosed. Being deposited in the margin of the basin, it is natural that the groups poccess terrestrial sediments rather than limestone, yet no explanation is at hand as to what was the cause of bringing such difference in grade of metamorphism. Thus the writer attempted to correlate the both groups to those of pre-Sangwon and post-Yonchon which might be middle to early-late Precambrian time. Judging from difference in grade of deformation and unconformity between the Kyonggi metamorphic complex, Jangrak group, and Chunsung group, three stages of orogeny were established: the Kyonggi, Jangrak orogenies, and Chunsung disturbance toward younger age. It is rather astonishing to point out that the structure of these Precambrian formations. was not effected by Daebo orogeny of Jurassic age. The post-tectonic block faulting was accompanied by these orogenies, and in consequence NNE and N-S trending faults were originated. These faulting were intermittented and repeated until Daebo orogeny at which granites intruded along these faults. The manifestation of alignment of these faults is indicated by the parallel and straight linear development of valleys and streams in the Kyonggi Massifland.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.369-379
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• 1985

The geological structures and some of the stratigraphy in the area studied are being thought to be ambiguous and controvertible. The present study intended to clarify these ambiguities by correct interpretation of the geological structures and lithostratigraphy of the area concerned. The so-called "Sambangsan formation", which was designated as an unknown age by the Taebaksan Geological Investigation Corps (1962) and as the mid Cambrian age by T. Kobayashi (1966) and I.S. Kim (1983), has been determined by the present study as the $Hongj{\breve{o}}m$ series of Carbo-Permian age resting unconformably on the Cambro-Ordovician limestone formations. This determination was supported by conodont study concurrently carried out by I.S.Kim. The so-called "Daehari formation", which was renamed by the later study group after the original "Sambangsan formation" distributed in the area from southwest of Sambangsan toward southwest to $Juch{\breve{o}}n$, possesses more or less the same lithlogy as "Sambangsan formation" of the old designation in the eastern of the area, but different lithology in the western localities where Sadong formation, the basal sandstone member of the Kobangsan formation and the green shale member of the Nokam formation are cropped out. The narrow belt of the complex mixture of the $Py{\breve{o}}ngan$ group in-between limestone formations extending over 16km with a width of 500m to 1000m was formed by the faults: the northern boundary with the limestone formations is a fault contact all the way through entire area and the southern boundary is either fault contact in most of the area and unconformity in some other area. The $Hongj{\breve{o}}m$ formation on the Mt. Sambangsan shows rather steeply dipping nearly isoclinal folds which plunges $10^{\circ}$ to $20^{\circ}$ southward. There are also field evidences that the limestone formations distributed in both north and south of the Hongjom formation (erstwhile "Sambangsan formation") along the Sambangsan ridge are the same formations and show the same folding as the $Hongj{\breve{o}}m$ formation. Therefore, these limestone formations should be rezoned in the light of the new structural interpretation although they were differently designated in the previous studies as $Py{\breve{o}}ngchang$ and $Y{\breve{o}}ngw{\breve{o}}l$-type of the Joson Group. The structures developed in the area mostly faults, which acted as one of the guides for the new interpretation of the geology and structure of the area are described and shown on the geologic map.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.73-90
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• 1969

The area studied is a southwestern part of Okcheon geosynclinal zone which streches diagonally across the Korean peninsula in the mid-central parts of South Korea, and is bounded by Charyeong mountain chains in the north and by Sobaek mountain chains in the south. The general trend of the zone is of NE-SW direction known as Sinian direction. Okcheon system of pre-Cambrian age occupies southwestern portion of Okcheon geosynclinal zone, and Choseon and Pyeongan systems of Cambrian to Triassic age in northeastern portion of the zone. It was defined by the writer that the former was called "Okcheon Paleogeosynclinal zone" and the latter "Okcheon Neogeosynclinal zone," although T. Kobayashi named them "Metamorphosed Okcheon zone" and "Non-metamorphosed Okcheon zone" respectively and thought that sedimentary formations in both zones were same in origin and of Paleozonic age, and C.M. Son also described that Okchon system was of post-Choseon (Ordovician) and pre-Kyeongsang (Cretaceous) in age. According to the present study two zones are separated by great fault so that the geology in both zones is not only entirely different in origin and age, but also their geolosical structures are discontinuous. Stratigraphy and structure of Okcheon system are clearly established and defined by the writer and its age is definitely pre-Cambrian. It is clarified by present study that the meta-sediments in and at vicinity of Charyeong mountain chains are correlated to Weonnam series of pre-Cambrian age which occupies and continues from northeast to southwest in and at south of Sobaek mountain chains, and both metasediments constitute basement of Okcheon system. Pyeongan, Daedong and Kyeongsang systems were deposited in few narrow intermontain basins in Okcheon paleogeosynclinal zone after it was emerged at the end of Carboniferous period. Granites of Jurassic and Cretaceous ages and volcanics of Cretaceous age are cropped out in the zone. Jurassic granite is aligned generally with the trend of Okcheon geosynclinal zone, whereas Cretaceous granite lacks of trend in distribution. Many isoclinal folds and thrust faults caused by Taebo orogeny at the end of Jurassic period are also parallel with Sinian directieon and dip steeply to northwest. Charyeong, Noryeong, Sobaek, and Deogyu mountain chains are located in areas of anticlinorium, and Kyongsang system in narrow synclinal zones. Folds in Okcheon neogeosynclinal zone are generally of N 70-80W direction but deviate to Sinian direction at the western parts of the zone. This phenomena is interpreted by the fact that the folds were originated by Songrim disturbance at the end of Triassic period and later partly modified by Taebo orogeny. Thrust faults of Taebo orogeny coentinue from Okcheon paleogeosynclinal zone into neogeosynclinal zone, forming imbricated structure as previously described. Strike-slip faults perpendicular to Sinian direction and shear faults diagonally across it by 55 degrees also prevail in neogeosynclinal zone. It is concluded from viewpoints on geology and geological structure that l)Okchon geosyncline had changed its location and affected by numerous disturbances through geologic time, and 2)mountain chains in the area such as Charyeong, Noryeong, Sobaek, and Deogyu were originated as folded mountains. Differing from others, however, Sobaek range was probably formed at the time of Songrim disturbance and modified later by Taebo orogeny. It is cut by Danyang-Jeomchon fault at the vicinity of Joryeong near Munkyeong village and does not continue to southwest beyond the fault, whereas southwestern portion of erstwhile Sobaek range continues to Taebaek rangd northeastward from Deogyusan passing through Sangju, Yecheon, and Andong. From these evidences, the writer has newly defined the erstwhile Sobaek range in such a way that Sobaek range is restricted only to northeastern portion and Deogyu range is named for the southwestern portion of previous Bobaek range.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.219-230
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• 1973

This paper reviews Professor O.J. Kim's work on "The stratigraphy and geologic structure of the Great Limestone Series in South Korea". Although he stated in his paper such as "very few geologists in Korea argue without confident evidences against the age and stratigraphy of the Great Limestone Series which have been rather well established previously in most parts of the regions", he disregarded the Jeongseon type of the Joseon (Chosen) System and modified the Yeongweol and the Pyeongchang types. According to his description, the Jeongseon type is not a different type and it is only due to structural repetition of the Hwajeol and Dumudong Formations of the Duwibong type and its Maggol Limestone. Also, he devided the Sambangsan Formation of the Yeongweol type into the east and west parts along the so-called Jeolgaesan fault, and they are correlated to the Hongjeom Series and Sesong Slate (Seison Slate) of Kobayashi, respectively. Furthermore he established newly Yeongweol type which includes the original Kobayashi's Yeongweol type and the Upper Limestone of the Pyeongchang type. Also, he pointed out that his newly established Yeongweol type is quite correlatable to the Duwibong type. The writer's opinion can be concluded that the Jeongseon type is not simply of structural repetition and structurely the Sambangsan Formation can not be devided into two parts. Also structurely there is no evidence of its correlation to the Sesong Slate as well as his conodont study in his Yeongweol type shows no indication of the correlation. The writer thinks that as to the stratigraphy of the Yeongweol and Jeongseon types of the Joseon System, it should be agreed with the Kobayashi's opinion or should be followed the idea of the very few geologists, he mentioned.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.299-314
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• 1984

The Yeongdo Island in Busan City is a remnant of the latest Cretaceous volcano, and consists geologically of andesites, rhyolite tuff, pelitic and psammitic hornfelses, lapilli rhyodacite tuff of the Yucheon Group, felsite and felsite porphyry of the Bulgugsa intrusives, and Holocene sediments in ascending order. The hornfelses are bound to the Taejongdae Formation. The stratigraphic position of the Formation is determined definitely into the Yucheon Group, thus the geologic age is approximately the same with the volcanic rocks of the Group. The sediments had been thermally metamorphosed to make pelitic and psammitic hornfelses of the albite epidote hornfels facies by the effects of active hydrothermal circulation, vaporization, and hybridization of andesitic solution, or of basification of acidic intrusives. Thus, on occasion, those hornfelses are not used to be distinguished from the andesitic rocks in the southeastern part of the Korean peninsula. The paleocurrent direction determined from several cross-beddings of the Taejongdae Formation is suggested to be from southwest to northeast. Orbicular rocks occur in hornfelsed rhyolite tuff, pelitic- and psammitic-hornfelses, and felsite porphyry at a lot of outcrops in the area of southwestern shoreline of the Yeongdo Island. Orbicules in rhyolite tuff and hornfels in the island might have originated from diffusion processes of metasomatic metamorphism carried out by hydrothermal solution rised from the intrusive adamellite which may be emplaced deeply under the Yeongdo volcanics. Those orbicules are due to metasomatic, secondary, and epigenetic origin. Proto-, multi-shelled, and multi-cored orbicules are described in the orbicular tuff. But multi-cored orbicules are not found in the orbicular fornfels. 250 tuff-orbicules numbered sporadically are in $20,000m^2$ area of the locality of orbicular tuff. About 60 hornfels-orbicules occurred sporadically are in $1,700m^2$ area of the locality of orbicular hornfels in the Taejongdae Formation. Orbicules in felsite porphyry might have originated by diffusion reaction between xenoliths and a quiescent zone in felsite porphyry magma. Those are of igneous, primary, and syngenetic origin.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.104-121
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• 1993

Fission track (FT) thermochronological analyses on Mesozoic granites provide new information about cooling and uplift histories in Southeast Korea. Twenty-nine new FT sphene, zircon and apatite ages and seven track length measurements are presented for eleven granite samples. Measured mineral ages against assumed closure temperatures yield cooling rates for each sample. Relatively rapid (7-$15^{\circ}C$/Ma) and simple cooling patterns from the middle Cretaceouss (ca. 90-100 Ma) granites are caused mainly by a high thermal contrast between the intruding magma and country rocks at shallow crustal levels (ca. 1-2.5 km-depths). On the contrary, a slow overall cooling (1-$4^{\circ}C$/Ma) of the Triassic to Jurassic granites (ca. 250-200 Ma), emplaced at deep depths (>>9 km), may mainly depend upon very slow denudation of the overlying crust. The uplift history of the Triassic Yeongdeog Pluton in the Yeongyang Subbasin, west of the Yangsan Fault, is characterized by a relatively rapid uplift (~0.4 mm/a) before the total unroofing of the pluton in the earliest Cretaceous (~140 Ma) followed by a subsidence (~0.2mm/a) during the Hayang Group sedimentation. Stability of original FT zircon ages (156 Ma) and complete erasure of apatite ages suggest a range of 3 to 5.5 km for the basin subsidence. Since 120 Ma up to present, the Yeongyang Subbasin has been slowly uplifted (~0.04 mm/a). The FT age patterns of Jurassic granites both from the northeastern wing of the Ryeongnam Massif and from the northern edge of the Pohang-Kampo Block indicate that the two geologic units have been slowly uplifted with a same mean rate (~0.04 mm/a) since early Cretaceous. Estimates of Cenozoic total uplifts since 100 Ma are different: Ryeongnam Massif (~6 km)=Pohang-Kampo Block (~6 km)>Yeongyang Subbasin(~4 km).

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.1 s.43
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• pp.1-9
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• 2006

Sr isotopic compositions are determined from the syenite of Sancheong area, yielding age of $211{\pm}23(2\sigma)$ Ma and $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ initial ratio of $0.70598{\pm}0.00060$. Such result confirms that Sancheong syenite was emplaced during the Mesozoic around the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. Rather low initial $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratio suggests insignificant influence of old crustal materials. There are strong contrast in rock types of plutonic associations between Sancheong-Macheon area and adjacent Hamyang-Geochang area to the north, i.e. syenite-diorite-gabbro and granite-granodiorite respectively. $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ initial ratios also show distinction between these areas. Such differences suggest regional contrast in tectonic environments between them.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.55-76
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• 1981

Southwestern contact zone of the Boeun granodiorite occurs near the thrust fault between the Ogcheon Group and Majeonri Limestone Formation. Ogcheon Group, metasediments composed of the Munjuri Formation, Changri Formation, and unconformably overlying Hwanggangri Formation, belongs to greenschist facies of regional metamorphism accompanied with deformation of two fold axes, $N10^{\circ}E$ and $N45-65^{\circ}E$ directions. Basic metamorphic rocks occurring in the Changri and Limestone Formations are the meta-basalts and meta-diabases of tholeiitic basalt series. The meta-basalts intruded in the Changri Formation as sills, whereas the meta-diabases in the Changri and Limestone Formations as stocks in appearance. They are considered to have emplaced before the formation of two fold axes and related with the thrust fault, based on the geologic setting of the area. The metamorphic facies are identified to be greenschist facies to epidote-amphibolite facies for the meta-basalt, and epidote-amphibolite facies for the meta-diabases. It is interpreted that such a variety of facies was related from the combination of earlier deuteric alteration and later regional metamorphism. The metasediments in southwestern contact zont of the Boeun granodiorite which is a product of later syntectonic intrusion of middle Jurassic in age, show pyroxene-hornfels facies near the contact and amphibole-horenfels facies away from the contact to the mineral zoning in the contact metamorphic aureole of the Limestone Formation, based on the paragenetic analysis of mineral assemblages. The Limestone in the area appears to be considerably $SiO_2-CaO-MgO-CO_2-H_2O$ can be adopted to evaluate equilibrium conditions of the mineral assemblages in each mineral zone. It is revealed that a temperature gradient was existed accross the contact aureole ranging from the higher igneous side to lower sedimentary side, whereas no clear trend of $XCO_2$ variation appears but high mole fraction. The tremolite diopside-quartz-calcite assemblages occurs in common through the most mineral zones of contact aureole that is in good agreement with the equivalent reaction curve which extends over a wide range of $T-XCO_2$ conditions.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.45-73
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• 1976

This study has been made for the enlargement of a previous work of 1964 which was carried out by an author of this work emphasizing the stratigraphy, micropaleontology, depositional environment, and structural tectonics of the studied area. The stratigraphic sequences of the area are groupped into four units: (1) basement of Pre-Cretaceous, (2) lower sediments of Late Cretaceous, (3) upper sediments of Late Cretaceous and (4) igneous rocks of Late Cretaceous and Tertiary (?). The oldest rocks consisting of schists and gneisses of Pre-Cambrian and schistose granite' of Jurassic age are exposed at the base of this area on which the thick Cretaceous sediments were deposited. These old rocks are unconformably overlain by the lower sedimens of Late Cretaceous composed of three members, an alternation of black shale and tuffaceous sediments, fine tuff and rhyollite flow in ascending order. The oily material was found from the black shales of the alternation m"ember as semi-solid greaselike material, oily order and microscopic granular spherical material and oily stain. The lower sediments are also overlain, in low-angleunconfromity, by the 'upper sediments having three members, an alternation of volcanic conglomerate and andesitic tuff, rhyollitic tuff and andesite flow in the same order. The igneous suit of diabase, diorites, biotite granite, porphyritic granite and porphyries of the latest Cretaceous and small exposure of pitchstone of Tertiary (?) intruded into the pre-existed rocks above mentioned. Considerable amount of ostra- coda microfossils have been chemically extracted from the black shales of the lower sediments and the identification of the fossils suggests that the depositional environment of the sediments were under fresh or brackish water condition. The distribution of the geology and its tectonic data also suggest a combination of dome and basin structures in the area of San-i peninsula and Jin-do as shown in fig. 8. Between these two units an anticlinal structure was constructed. As a result of this study, a seismic survey in a district between U-su-yong and north coast of Jin-do is recommended to determine the underground features.