• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.237-252
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• 1989

The Inseong gold-silver mine is located 3Km northwest of Suanbo, Choongcheongbugdo, Republic of Korea. The mine occurs in the shear zone formed by tension fractures within the Hwanggangri Formation of the Ogcheon metamorphic belt. Ore minerals found in the gold-silver bearing hydrothermal quartz vein composed mainly of pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, galena and minor amount of chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, stannite, bismuthininte, native bismuth, chalcocite, electrum and tellurian canfieldite(?). The gangue minerals are quartz, calcite, chlorite and rhodochrocite. Wallrock alterations such as chloritization, silicitication, pyritization, carbonitization and sericitization can be observed in or around the quartz vein. According to the paragenetic sequence, quartz vein structure and mineral assemnlages, three different stages of ore formation can be recognized. The physico-chemical environment of ore formation in this deposit shows slight variation from stage to stage, but the condition of main ore deposition can be summarized as follows. Fluid inclusion, S-istope geothermometry and geothermometry based on mineral chemistry by use of arsenopyrite and chlorite show the ore was formed at temperature between 399 and $210^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities of 3.3-5.8 wt.% equivalent NaCl. It indicates that pressure during the mineralization is less than 0.6 Kb corresponding to a depth not greater than 1Km. S-isotope data suggests that thermal fluid may have magmatic origin wit some degree of mixing with meteoric water. In coclusion, the Inseong gold-silver deposit was formed at shallow depth and relatively high-temperature possibly with steep geothermal gradient under xenothermal condition.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.455-464
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• 1993

Some nodules occur in the Milyang pyrophyllite deposit which are hydrothermal alteration products by Late Cretaceous andesitic tuff. These nodules are divided into two types on the basis of mineral assemblages; diaspore and pyrophyllite nodules. The diaspore nodules consist mainly of diaspore, kaolinite, pyrophyllite and pyrite with a small amounts of wavellite and tourmaline. They are light purplish grey in color, ellipsoid in shape and range 1 cm to 15 cm in size. A small or large diffuse band exists in some nodules. The platy coarse-grained diaspore is intergrown with the fine-aggregated kaolinite in the central part of the nodule. It appears that the grain size become fine from center to margin. The pyrophyllite nodules, which have the same shape with diaspore nodules, consist dominantly of pyrophyllite accompanied by small amounts of quartz, kaolinite, svanbergite, wavellite, tourmaline and apatite. Chemical compositions of alteration zones and nodules show that the wall rock alteration involved mainly the removal of large quantities of silica and alkalies and small quantities of Ca, Mg and Fe. The sharp increase in the Al content of the nodules is the result of residual concentration of alumina by the leaching of the mobile components. The pyrophyllite nodules were formed in the fluid saturated with quartz as ${\mu}_{HK_{-1}}$ and ${\mu}_{H_{2}O}$ increase. Under this condition, the pyrophyllite-kaolinite-quartz assemblage was stable. Diaspores formed from pyrophyllites in the fluid undersaturated with quartz as ${\mu}_{H_{2}O}$ increases (decreasing temperature). Under this condition, diaspore-pyrophyllite-kaolinite assemblage become stable. The formation temperature of the nodules on the basis of mineral assemblage is estimated as $275{\sim}340^{\circ}C$.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.103-114
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• 2015

Jinsan gold deposit is a hydrothermal vein type deposit consisting of several fissure filling quartz veins developed within the Changri Formation of the Ogcheon Supergroup in Geumsan, Chungnam. This study is to provide an efficient exploration and development strategies based on the characteristics of the geology, geological structure, core logging, and ore vein occurrence and grade for the four pits (New pit, Main pit, Yanghapan pit and Teugho pit). Quartz veins are mostly developed with the strike of $N10^{\circ}-25^{\circ}W$ and $N5^{\circ}-20^{\circ}E$, and the thickness is in the range of 0.1~0.5 m, sometimes extending to over 1m. Although the quartz veins commonly form massive shape, they sometimes show zonal structure, comb structure as well as brecciated texture. Major ore minerals are pyrite and chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, marcasite, electrum and chalcocite are also accompanied as minor phases. Gray and milky white quartz veins, which are occasionally crosscut by calcite vein, also include fluorite. Ore evaluations for the 22 samples revealed that the samples from the pits generally have very low Au contents, lower than 1 g/t, but some clay samples of drilled core show very high Au concentrations, up to 141 g/t, indicating that Au content is much higher within fault gouges rather than within fresh quartz veins. This may represent that gold might have been reworked and reprecipitated by hydrothermal fluids in association with reactivation of the faults, and thus suggest that ore occurrence in this deposit is very complex and irregular and therefore more precise and systematic exploration is required.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.117-128
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• 2017

Occurrence characteristics and existing forms of U-Th containing minerals in KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) granite are investigated to understand long-term behavior of radionuclides in granite considered as a candidate rock for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. KURT granite primarily consists of quartz, feldspar and mica. zircon, REE(Rare Earth Element)-containing monazite and bastnaesite are also identified. Besides, secondary minerals such as sericite, microcline and chlorite including quartz vein and calcite vein are observed. These minerals are presumed to be accompanied by a post-hydrothermal process. U-Th containing minerals are mainly observed at the boundaries of quartz, feldspar and mica, mostly less than $30{\mu}m$ in size. Quantitative analysis results using EPMA (Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer) show that 74.2 ~ 96.5% of the U-Th containing minerals consist of $UO_2$ (3.39 ~ 33.19 wt.%), $ThO_2$ (41.61 ~ 50.24 wt.%) and $SiO_2$ (15.43 ~ 18.60 wt.%). Chemical structure of the minerals calculated using EPMA quantitative analysis shows that the U-Th minerals are silicate minerals determined as thorite and uranothorite. The U-Th containing silicate minerals are formed by a magmatic and hydrothermal process. Therefore, KURT granite formed by a magmatic differentiation is accompanied by an alteration and replacement owing to a hydrothermal process. U-Th containing silicate minerals in KURT granite are estimated to be recrystallized by geochemical factors and parameters such as temperature, pressure and pH owing to the hydrothermal process. By repeated dissolution/precipitation during the recrystallization process, U-Th containing silicate minerals such as thorite and uranothorite are formed according to the variation in the concentrated amount of U and Th.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.463-474
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• 2011

The Haenam epithermal mineralized zone is located in the southwestern part of South Korea, and hosts low sulfidation epithermal Au-Ag deposit (Eunsan-Moisan) and clay quarries (Okmaesan, Seongsan, and Chunsan). Epithermal deposits and accompanying hydrothermal alteration related to Cretaceous volcanism caused large zoned assemblages of hydrothermal alteration minerals. Advanced argillic-altered rocks with mineral assemblages of alunite-quartz, alunite-dickite-quartz, and dickite-kaolinite-quartz exposed on the Okmaesan, Seongsan, and Chunsan area. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), with three visible and near infrared bands, six shortwave infrared bands, and five thermal infrared bands, was used to identify advanced argillic-altered rocks within the Haenam epithermal mineralized zone. The distinct spectral features of hydrothermal minerals allow discrimination of advanced argillic-altered rocks from non-altered rocks within the study area. Because alunite, dickite, and kaolinite, consisting of advanced argillic-altered rocks within the study area are characterized by Al-O-H-bearing minerals, these acid hydrothermal minerals have a strong absorption feature at $2.20{\mu}m$. The band combination and band ratio transformation cause increasing differences of DN values between advanced argillic-altered rock and non-altered rock. The alunite and dickite-kaolinite of advanced argillic-altered rocks from the Okmaesan, Seongsan, and Chunsan have average DN values of 1.523 and 1.737, respectively. These values are much higher than those (1.211 and 1.308, respectively) of non-altered area. ASTER images can remotely provide the distribution of hydrothermal minerals on the surface. In this way good relation between ASTER spectra analysis and field data suggests that ASTER spectral analysis can be useful tool in the initial steps of mineral exploration.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 1993

The geology of the talc ore deposits in the Chungju area consists of the Kyemyeongsan Formation, the Munjuri Formation, the Daehyangsan Quartzite, the Hyangsanni Dolomite, and the basic rocks of the Ogcheon belt. The talc ore occurs in the Hyangsanni Dolomite near the Daehyangsan Quartzite The mineral assemblages in the Hyangsanni Dolomite are \circled1calcite-tremolite-talc-quartz, \circled2calcite-talc-quartz, \circled3tremolite-calcite-dolomite, and \circled4calcite-dolomite-phlogopite-chlorite. Talc has almost the ideal composition($X_{Mg}$=Mg/(Fe+Mg)=0.98). Talc was formed in siliceous dolomite by the medium-pressure type regional metamorphism. The evidences for contact metamorphism and/or hydrothermal reaction are not clear. The metamorphic grade of the Hyangsanni Dolomite and its adjacent pelitic or basic rocks near the deposits corresponds to epidote-amphibolite facies or greenschist facies based on the, mineral assemblages of \circled1hornblendebiotite-muscovite-epidote-quartz \circled2biotite-chlorite-quartz, and \circled3hornblende-actinolite-plagioclasequartz. The formation of the talc deposits were caused by the following reactions due to greenschist facies metamorphism of siliceous-dolomitic rocks in the Hyansanni Dolomite. (I) 3 dolomite+4 quartz+$H_2O$= talc+ 3 calcite +3 $CO_2$; (11) 3 tremolite+ 2 $H_2O$+ 6 $CO_2$= 5 talc+ 6 calcite + 4 quartz. The minimum temperature of the talc-tremolite-quartz assemblage is about $434^{\circ}C$ from calcite thermometry and the carbon dioxide mole fraction in metamorphic fulid($X_{$CO_2$}$) is about 0.1 at assumed pressure, 3 kbar.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.491-504
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• 2016

Jinwon Au-Ag deposit is located in the Uijin gun which is southeast 300 km from Seoul. The deposit area consists of mainly Precambrian Hongjesa granite, which occurs as porphyroblastic texture, medium grain and composed of quartz, feldspar and mica. This deposit consists of four parallel hydrothermal quartz veins that fill NE oriented fractures in Precambrian Hongjesa granite. The grade of quartz veins contain from 3.0 to 21.4 g/t (average 6.4 g/t) gold and from 5.0 to 252.0 g/t (average 117.9 g/t) silver, respectively. They vary from 0.2 m to 0.6 m (average 0.3 m) in thickness and extend to about 200 m in strike length. Quartz veins occur as massive, network, cavity, breccia, crustiform, comb and zonal textures. Wallrock alteration has silicification, sericitization, pyritization and argillitization. The mineralogy of the quartz veins consists of quartz, arsenopyrite, cassiterite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, electrum, tetrahedrite, canfieldite, argentite, Ag-Sb-S mineral, Mn-Fe-O mineral, Pb-O mineral and Pb-P-Cl-O mineral(chloro-pyromorphite). Chemical compositions of minerals from this deposit are as followed; Fe/Fe+Mg of sericite is from 0.32 to 0.71, As content of arsenopyrite ranges from 27.91 to 30.33 atomic %, FeS content of sphalerite range from 9.77 to 16.76 mole %, Ag content of electrum is from 29.42 to 37.41 atomic % and Ag content of tetrahedrite range from 32.17 to 36.53 wt.%, respectively. Baased on mineralogy and chemical compositions of minerals from Jinwon Au-Ag deposit, deposition of minerals was caused by a change in temperature, oxygen fugacity($fO_2$) and sulfur fugacity($fS_2$) from the near neutral hydrothermal fluid evolved by reaction with wallrock.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.397-416
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• 1992

In the present study, three clay deposits, named the Seongsan, Ogmaesan and Haenam deposits, were investigated. The altered zones are recognized in the hydrothermally altered rocks of the clay deposits from the center of the alteration to the margin: Kaolin, Kaolin-Quartz, Quartz, Sericite and Chlorite zones in the Seongsan deposits; Quartz zone, Alunite zone, Kaolin zone, Sericite zone and Chlorite zone in the Ogmaesan deposits; Quartz zone, Pyrophyllite zone, Sericite zone and Chlorite zone in the Haenam deposits. These zones can be grouped into two types of alteration: Acidic alteration such as Pyrophyllite zone, Alunite zone, Quartz zone, Kaolin zone, Kaolin-Quartz zone and a part of Sericite zone; Propylitic alteration such as Chlorite zone and a part of Sericite zone. All clay deposits belong to high-sulfidation (acid-sulfate) system. The rocks of the acidic alterations are composed of pyrophyllite, alunite, kaolin minerals, sericite, quartz and pyrite. On the basis of bulk chemical compositions, it was found that some components such as $SiO_2$, $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$, FeO, MgO, CaO, $K_2O$ and $Na_2O$ were mobilized considerably from the original rocks. The mobility of these major elements is related to, and controls, mineral assemblages in each altered zone. Polytypes of sericite are determined as $2M_1$ and 1M by X-ray diffraction method. The amount of $2M_1$ is nearly equal to that of 1M in the Seongsan deposits whereas $2M_1$ is less and higher than that of 1M in the Ogmaesan and the Haenam deposits. These facts indicate that formation temperature of sericite is relatively high in the Haenam deposits, moderate in the Seongsan deposits, and low in the Ogmaesan deposits. The ratios of Na/(K+Na) for alunite in the Ogmaesan deposits determined by electron microprobe analyzer (EPMA) are higher than those in the Seongsan deposits. Thus, the alunite of the Ogmaesan deposits must have been formed from the solutions with relatively high aqueous Na/(K+Na) ratios and low pH at a high temperature rather than that of the Seongsan deposits. From all data, it is clarified that alunite is hypogene in origin, and has been formed by oxidation of hydrogen sulfide in the steam-heated environment, and that alunite has been produced by the spectacular solfataric alteration observed at the surface of some present-day hydrothermal systems.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 1988

The Cretaceous Jinsan gold-bearing hydrothermal veins occur within the Late Proterozoic to Mid Ordovician metasedimentary rocks, intruded by Early Cretaceous pink-feldspar granite($142{\pm}2.0m.y.$). Electrum-galena-sphalerite mineralization was deposited in three stages of quartz and calcite veins. Quartz sulfide-bearing stage I and II evolved from initial high temperatures (near $360^{\circ}C$)to later lower temperatures(near $220^{\circ}C$)from lower salinity fluids(1.0 to 3.2 wt.% NaCl eq.). Fluid inclusion data from the post ore carbonate stage reflects much cooler($110^{\circ}$ to $180^{\circ}C$). Evidence of boiling indicates pressure of<85 bars, corresponding to depths of 400m to 1050m assuming lithostatic and hydrostatic loads. Au-deposition was likely a result of boiling, coupled with declining temperatures. The ${\delta}^{34}S$ $H_2S$ values calculated for sulfides are consistent with an igneous source of sulfur with a ${\delta}^{34}S_{{\Sigma}S}$ value near 4.0‰.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 1991

High quality quartz crystals are grown in 0.5N NaOH + LiOH solution on the seed crystal at $370-395^{\circ}C$ and $1200-1300kg/cm^2$ condition. Growth rates are determined by the crystal thickness grown on the seed crystals with Z(0001) and X($11\bar{2}0$) direction. Relatively high growth rate of Z(0001) direction gradually changes as the temperaure difference (${\Delta}$ Ti) between growth and dissolution zones from 25 to $10^{\circ}C$. The X axis direction is affeced by ${\Delta}$ Ti, and +X($11\bar{2}0$) direction shows a high growth rate than -X($\bar{1}\bar{1}20$) direction. According to the variation with kinds of solutions used, the crystal growth that in NaOH solution is found to be slower than that in $Na_2CO_3$ solution. However, for the case in the NaOH solution mixed with LiOH, it shows a favorable growth rate in terms of grown crystal quality.