Geochemical study on the naturally originating fluorine distributed in the area of Yongyudo and Sammokdo, Incheon

Abstract

Geochemical study was conducted to elucidate the origin of fluorine (F) distributed in the rocks within the four areas of Yongyudo and Sammokdo, Incheon, which have been used as the source area of land reclamation for the 3rd and 4th stage construction sites of the Incheon International Airport. The main geology of the study area is Triassic biotite granite. Fluorine is contained at high levels in biotite granite, mylonite, and dykes (andesite and, basaltic-andesite). Furthermore, the higher concentrations of fluorine in the biotite granite can be contributed to fluorite. The results of microscopic analyses reveal that the fluorite was mostly observed as small vienlets together with quartz. This features support that fluorite was naturally formed due to the secondary process of hydrothermal fluids. In addition, fluorine was investigated to be highly enriched in a large amount of mica within the veins. In the case of mylonite, a high levels of fluorine was contributed to a large amount of sericite. The sericites contained in the mylointe, differently to those of the biotite granite, filled the micro-fractures of quartz formed as a result of mylonitization and included small cataclastic quartz grains. This indicates that fluorine was naturally enriched due to the alteration of hydrothermal fluids filling fractured zones formed by mylonitization. Consequently, the results of petrological and mineralogical study confirm that the fluorine distributed in the rocks within the Yongyudo and Sammokdo originated naturally. ? 2019 Korean Society of Economic and Environmental Geology. All rights reserved.