Geochemical Evolution of Hydrothermal Fluids at the Daejang Cu–Zn–Pb Vein Deposit, Korea |
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| Authors: | Sang Hoon CHOI |
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| Institution: | Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chung-buk National University, Cheongju 361–763, Korea [e-mail: ] |
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| Abstract: | Abstract: The Daejang mine is located within the Cretaceous Gyeongsang basin. Mineral paragenesis can be divided into four stages (stages I, II, III and IV) by major tectonic fracturing. Stages I, III and IV are economically barren. Stage II, at which the precipitation of major ore minerals occurred, is further divided into three substages with paragenetic time based on minor fractures and discernible mineral assemblages: substage IIa, marked by deposition of quartz and Fe–sulfides; substage IIb, by introduction of base-metal sulfides within carbonates and some quartz; substage IIc, by quartz and carbonates with various sulfosalts. Fluid inclusion data indicate a complex geochemical evolution of hydrothermal fluids. Both CO2–rich and H2O–rich fluids were trapped in fluid inclusions at stage I and substage IIa. It is suggested that a compositionally heterogeneous fluid was formed by fluid boiling and CO2 immiscibility at temperatures of about 400° to 300°C. Composite lodes of base-metal sul–fides, carbonates and quartz at substage IIb were deposited in open spaces created by fracturing. The fracturing event prompted rapid decreases in pressure and temperature of residual fluids and resulted in retrograde fluid boiling at about 200 bars and 300°–250°C during substage IIb. The progressive loss of CO2 by CO2 effervescence and retrograde boiling from substage IIa and IIb fluids resulted in pH increase and related increase in carbonate activity, causing deposition of abundant carbonates. The change in pH also caused the decrease of stability of hydrogen sulfide with Cu, Zn and Pb chloride complexes (as main transporting agents at Daejang) and resulted in the pricipitation of base-metal minerals. Deposition of Ag– and Sb-bearing sul–fides and sulfosalts of substage IIc occurred at temperatures of about 250° to 150°C from a dominantly aqueous fluid with low salinity (down to 3. 0 equiv. wt % NaCl). At this substage, aqueous fluid formed by mixing with cooler and less saline meteoric groundwater. There is a systematic decrease in caculated δ18Owater values with the mineralization stage (and decreasing temperature) in the Daejang hydrothermal system, from values of about 11% for stage I, through about 4% for stages II and III, to about –3 per mil for stage IV. The result of stable isotope and fluid inclusion studies are interpreted to indicate progressive less evolved and/or unexchanged meteoric water influx of an early hydrothermal system formed by highly evolved meteoric waters. |
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| Keywords: | Daejang hydrothermal fluid inclusions stable isotopes Cu–chloride solubility Korea |
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