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The SHRIMP zircon U-Pb geochronology and microstructural study of the albite-spodumene pegmatite from the Boam Li deposit in Uljin, South Korea

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Abstract

The Boam Li deposit in Uljin, South Korea, is a hard-rock Li deposit composed of albite-spodumene pegmatite and lepidolite-elbaite greisen. The timing of Li mineralization in the Boam deposit is poorly constrained due to a wide range of the mica K-Ar ages of the greisen from 176 to 127 Ma. We investigated the microstructure, mineral composition, and U-Pb age of zircons separated from the albite-spodumene pegmatite of the Boam Li deposit. Zircons are found as inclusions in spodumene and discrete grains intergrown with secondary albite, muscovite, columbite group mineral (CGM), microlite, and apatite, indicating that the zircon was saturated during the intrusion of pegmatite melt and subsequent greisenization of the Boam deposit. Most zircons have altered porous domains in cores mantled by overgrown rims with contrasting microstructures and chemical compositions. The porous domains in zircon cores contain Ca, Al, and Fe-bearing zircon solid solution, quartz, K-feldspar, muscovite, CGM, and microlite, which indicates pervasive alteration during greisenization. Higher U contents and Zr/Hf ratios of the core than the rim suggest that the melt from which the zircon cores crystallized was U-rich and less evolved. The overgrown rim domain with weak oscillatory zoning occurs in association with albite, muscovite, and apatite. Based on the microstructure and zircon compositions, we suggest that the SHRIMP U-Pb age of the zircons from the pegmatite indicates the timing of greisenization and Li mineralization in the Boam deposit. The zircon core and rim U-Pb isotope data constitute a single discordia line, yielding a weighted mean age of 172.4 ± 1.1 Ma (MSWD = 2.3). The age is consistent with the oldest mica K-Ar age of the lepidolite-elbaite greisen in Uljin.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Il-Hwan Oh for his help in the field survey, sampling, and preparation of the zircon U-Pb analysis. Sarang Choi, Gyuchan Park, Sunghwan Im, Jihyuk Kim, Bongju Kim, and Jiwon Hwang are thanked for their help in field surveys and sampling. We also thank Sin-Ae Lee and Keewook Yi for scientific and technical assistance in using a sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe. This work was supported by the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) commissioned research project “Developing exploration tools for LCT-pegmatite deposits using LA-ICP-MS technique” of the basic research project “Development of precise exploration technology for energy storage minerals (V) existing in Korea and the resources estimation (GP2022-008)”. A part of this research is funded by National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2022R1A2C1011741).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea

    Gyuseung Park & Jung-Woo Park

  2. Research Institute of Oceanography, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea

    Jung-Woo Park

  3. Critical Minerals Research Center, Mineral Resources Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, 34132, Republic of Korea

    Chul-Ho Heo

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Park, G., Park, JW. & Heo, CH. The SHRIMP zircon U-Pb geochronology and microstructural study of the albite-spodumene pegmatite from the Boam Li deposit in Uljin, South Korea. Geosci J 27, 479–489 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-023-0006-9

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