• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.36 no.6
• /
• pp.511-525
• /
• 2003

The Okcheon Group in the southwestern part of the Okcheon Metamorphic Belt is subdivided into two distinct tectonostratigraphic units: the Boeun unit in the south and the Pibanryeong unit in the north. The Boeun unit consists of petites, psammites, carbonaceous petites, limestones and pebble-bearing quartzites. The Pibanryeong unit is composed of petites, well-sorted fine-grained psammites, carbonaceous psammites and quartzites. In order to outlining stratigraphy and depositional environments of the Okcheon Group, detailed stratigraphic sections were measured in three locations; one section(Gosan section) of the Boeun unit and two sections(Sorungjae and Hwangryeongzae sections) of the Pibanryeong unit. The Gosan section of the Boeun unit is interpreted to be deposited in the shallow marine environments, whereas the Sorungjae and Hwangryeonaiae sections of the Pibanryeong unit appear to be deposited in slope and deep basin environments. This result indicates rapid subsidence between deposition of the Boeun and Pibanryeong units in sedimentary environment. The trace of sedimentological environments in the Hwasan area was investigated by geochemical analysis of 109 metapelitic and psammitic rock samples. Distinct chemical variations of politic and psammitic rocks from the Boeun and Pibanryeong units in the study area are evident from plots of major elements and $A1_2O_3$/$SiO_2$ versus Basicity Index($Fe_2O_3{＋}MgO$)/($SiO_2{＋}K_2O{＋}Na_2O$). The rocks show a progressive chemical trend from the Boeun unit to the Pibanryeong unit on these diagrams. They in the southern sector of the Boeun unit display lower values and a comparatively wide range of $A1_2O_3$/$SiO_2$ and Basicity Index, as compared with those from the northern sector of the Boeun and Pibanryeong units. The southern sector of the Pibanryeong unit including narrow staurolite-bearing zone is characterized by values that are transitional between the Boeun and Pibanryeong units. These data, combined with depositional environment progressively deepened towards the northwest, support a half-graben model for the Okcheon basin, as proposed by Cluzel et al.(1990)