Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea

Eunjeok Au–Ag deposits are situated in the Yeongam district, Cheollanamdo-province, South Korea. They are genetically related to the Bulgugsa magmatic event (ca. 110–60 Ma), caused by the transition in the subduction direction and style of the Izanagi Plate. Three gold- and silver-bearing hydrotherm...

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Main Authors: Chul-Ho Heo, Seong-Yong Kim, Il-Hwan Oh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-10-01
Series:Minerals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/10/1088
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author Chul-Ho Heo
Seong-Yong Kim
Il-Hwan Oh
author_facet Chul-Ho Heo
Seong-Yong Kim
Il-Hwan Oh
author_sort Chul-Ho Heo
collection DOAJ
description Eunjeok Au–Ag deposits are situated in the Yeongam district, Cheollanamdo-province, South Korea. They are genetically related to the Bulgugsa magmatic event (ca. 110–60 Ma), caused by the transition in the subduction direction and style of the Izanagi Plate. Three gold- and silver-bearing hydrothermal veins filled the fractures of the Cretaceous rhyolitic tuff. The major ore minerals were arsenopyrite (31.47–32.20 at.% As), pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite (8.58–10.71 FeS mole%) and galena with minor amounts of electrum (62.77–78.15 at.% Au), native silver, and argentite. Sericitization was dominant in the alteration zone. The various textures of quartz veins (i.e., breccia, crustiform, comb, and vuggy) may indicate the formation of an epithermal environment. The auriferous fluids with the H<sub>2</sub>O–NaCl system have homogenization temperatures and salinities of 204 °C to 314 °C, less than 10 wt.% equiv. NaCl, and experienced mixing (dilution and cooling) events during mineralization. Considering the characteristics of the geologic setting, major fault system, and host rock, the Eunjeok Au–Ag deposit within the Yeongam district tends to share the general geologic characteristics of Haenam–Jindo epithermal mineralization episodes. However, the age of gold–silver mineralization (86.0 Ma) is older than that of Haenam–Jindo epithermal mineralization episodes (<70.3 Ma), implying some differences exist in the genetic sequence of extensional characteristics caused by transcurrent Gwangju–Yeongdong faults.
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spelling doaj.art-8103aa42fd9140dba217a5ce34f68f5e2023-11-22T19:16:38ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2021-10-011110108810.3390/min11101088Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South KoreaChul-Ho Heo0Seong-Yong Kim1Il-Hwan Oh2Mineral Resources Development Research Center, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 34132, KoreaGeo-Technology Policy Research Center, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 34132, KoreaMineral Resources Development Research Center, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 34132, KoreaEunjeok Au–Ag deposits are situated in the Yeongam district, Cheollanamdo-province, South Korea. They are genetically related to the Bulgugsa magmatic event (ca. 110–60 Ma), caused by the transition in the subduction direction and style of the Izanagi Plate. Three gold- and silver-bearing hydrothermal veins filled the fractures of the Cretaceous rhyolitic tuff. The major ore minerals were arsenopyrite (31.47–32.20 at.% As), pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite (8.58–10.71 FeS mole%) and galena with minor amounts of electrum (62.77–78.15 at.% Au), native silver, and argentite. Sericitization was dominant in the alteration zone. The various textures of quartz veins (i.e., breccia, crustiform, comb, and vuggy) may indicate the formation of an epithermal environment. The auriferous fluids with the H<sub>2</sub>O–NaCl system have homogenization temperatures and salinities of 204 °C to 314 °C, less than 10 wt.% equiv. NaCl, and experienced mixing (dilution and cooling) events during mineralization. Considering the characteristics of the geologic setting, major fault system, and host rock, the Eunjeok Au–Ag deposit within the Yeongam district tends to share the general geologic characteristics of Haenam–Jindo epithermal mineralization episodes. However, the age of gold–silver mineralization (86.0 Ma) is older than that of Haenam–Jindo epithermal mineralization episodes (<70.3 Ma), implying some differences exist in the genetic sequence of extensional characteristics caused by transcurrent Gwangju–Yeongdong faults.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/10/1088Eunjeok depositepithermal gold–silverLate Cretaceous magmatism
spellingShingle Chul-Ho Heo
Seong-Yong Kim
Il-Hwan Oh
Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea
Minerals
Eunjeok deposit
epithermal gold–silver
Late Cretaceous magmatism
title Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea
title_full Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea
title_fullStr Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea
title_full_unstemmed Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea
title_short Genetic Environments of the Eunjeok Au–Ag Deposit in the Yeongam District: Implications for Cretaceous Epithermal Au–Ag Mineralization in South Korea
title_sort genetic environments of the eunjeok au ag deposit in the yeongam district implications for cretaceous epithermal au ag mineralization in south korea
topic Eunjeok deposit
epithermal gold–silver
Late Cretaceous magmatism
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/10/1088
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AT ilhwanoh geneticenvironmentsoftheeunjeokauagdepositintheyeongamdistrictimplicationsforcretaceousepithermalauagmineralizationinsouthkorea