Abstract ▼ AI-Helper

The purpose of this research is to investigate the dispersion pattern of gold during skarnization and genesis of gold mineralization in the Sangdong skarn deposits. The Sangdong scheelite orebodies are embedded in the Cambrian Pungchon Limestone and limestone interbedded in the Myobong Slate of the ...

The purpose of this research is to investigate the dispersion pattern of gold during skarnization and genesis of gold mineralization in the Sangdong skarn deposits. The Sangdong scheelite orebodies are embedded in the Cambrian Pungchon Limestone and limestone interbedded in the Myobong Slate of the Cambrian age. The tungsten deposits are classified as the Hangingwall Orebody, the Main Orebody and the Footwall Orebody as their stratigraphic locations. Recently, the Sangdong granite of the Cretaceous age (85 Ma) were found by underground exploratory drillings below the orebodies. In geochemisty, the W, Mo, Bi and F concentrations in the granite are significantly higher than those in the Cretaceous granitoids in southern Korea. Highest gold contents are associated with quartz-hornblende skarn in the Main Orebody and pyroxene-hornblende skarn in the Hangingwall Orebody. Also Au contents are closely related to Bi contents. This could be inferred that Au skarns formed from solutions under reduced environment at a temperature of $270^{\circ}C$. According to the multiple regression analysis, the variation of Au contents in the Main Orebody can be explained (87.5%) by Ag, As, Bi, Sb, Pb, Cu. Judging from the mineralogical, chemical and isotope studies, the genetic model of the deposits can be suggested as follows. The primitive Sangdong magma was enriched in W, Mo, Au, Bi and volatiles (metal-carriers such as $H_2O$, $CO_2$ and F). During the upward movement of hydrothermal ore solution, the temperature was decreased, and W deposits were formed at limestone (in the Myobong Slate and Pungchon Limestone). In addition, meteoric water influx gave rise to the retrogressive alterations and maximum solubility of gold, and consequently higher grade of Au mineralization was deposited.