South Korea

Over fifty pyrophyllite deposits are known in the

southern part of
South korea, with
commercial production concentrated in Haenam rea
of Chollanam-do Province. The tongnae and wondonf
reas of Kyongsangnam-do Province. The pyrophyllite
deposits were mainly formed through hydrothermal
alteration of the late Cretaceous Bulgugsa Granite
Series, a sequence of intermediate and acidic
effusive rocks, particularly andesite and rhyolitic
lavas and tuffs,and of granodiorite, granite porphyry.
Deposits are generally small and irregularly shaped.
Typically a siliceous zone at the top is underlain
successively by zones of alunite and quartz,
pyrophyllite and kaolin, and sulfide minerals. Three
main mineralogical types are recognized: pyrophyllite
with minor quartz, kaolin, and alunite; kaolinpyrophyllite and some diaspore; and pyrophyllitesericite with quartz.

The Wando pyrophyllite mine in kusok- ni on Nohwado island, off the coast of the Haenam district, is
probably the largest mine, with an output of 120,000
tons/year (Benbow 1988). Flow structures in the
underlying rhyolite
facilitated the passage of
hydrothermal solutions which altered the host rock.
Lenticular pyrophyllite bodies, unevenly distributed
in the felsite, consist of a mixture of alunite, kaolin,
and quartz, in places containing diaspore and
disseminated pyrite. Similar mines in the district
include ockmaesan. Hwangsan, and Sungsan.
Mineralogically similar to the Wando mine, the latter

deposit consists of a flat-lying orebody formed by the

hydrothermal alteration of quartz porphyry and tuff.

Corea Del Sur

Ms de cincuenta depsitos pirofilita se conocen

en la parte sur de Corea del Sur, con la produccin
comercial se concentr en Haenam rea de
Chollanam-do Provincia. Los Tongnae y reas
wondonf de Kyongsangnam-do Provincia. Los
depsitos pirofilita se formaron principalmente a
travs de la alteracin hidrotermal de finales del
Cretcico Bulgugsa Serie de granito, una secuencia
de rocas intermedios y acidie efusivas, en
particular andesita y lavas y tobas riolticas y de
granodiorita,
prfido
granito. Depsitos
son
generalmente
pequeos
y
de
forma
irregular. Normalmente una zona silcea en la parte
superior es sustentada sucesivamente por zonas
de alunita y cuarzo, pirofilita y caoln, y minerales
de sulfuro. Tres principales tipos mineralgicos se
reconocen: pirofilita con menores de cuarzo,
caoln, y alunita; caoln-pirofilita y algunos
diaspore; y pirofilita-sericita con cuarzo
La mina pirofilita Wando en kusok- ni en Nohwa-do
isla, frente a la costa de la Distrito Haenam, es
probablemente la mayor mina, con una produccin
de 120.000 toneladas / ao (Benbow 1988).
Estructuras de flujo en la riolita subyacente facilita
el paso de soluciones hidrotermales que alteraron
la roca husped. Pirofilita cuerpos lenticulares,
desigualmente distribuidas en el felsita, consistir

en una mezcla de alunita, caoln, cuarzo y, en

lugares
que
contienen
dispora
y
pirita
diseminada. Minas similares en el distrito incluir
ockmaesan.
Hwangsan,
y
Sungsan.
Mineralgicamente similar al Wando el mo, este
ltimo depsito consiste en un yacimiento-mentira
plana formada por la hidrotermal alteracin de
prfido de cuarzo y toba

Another major producer is the Chunbulsan mine in

the Tongnae district, which has an anual output of
about 7,000 tons/year. The ore is associated with
muscovite, sericite, and kaolinite and was formed
by hydrothermal alteration of andesite. Producers
with rates ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 tons/year
include the Milyang mine in an altered Cretaceous
tuff and andesite, the Ungyong mine in an altered
brecciated andesite, and the imgi mine in altered
trachyte-andesite.
Unfortunately, some deposits contain pyrite and up
to 4% potassium and sodium due to incomplete
alteration. The best quality material is the Green
variety with an SiO2 content of over 70% Al2O3 of
24% and Fe2O3 of less tan 0.5% (Anon 1972;
Cornish. 1983; Sang 1983)

USA

Us pyrophyllite production is concentrated in North

Carolina. The deposits are part of a belt of late
Precambriam volcano-sedimentary rocks in the
Piedmont Plateau, stretching from Petersburg,
Virginia, through North and South Carolina to
Milledgeville, Georgia, a distance of 400 miles. In
North Carolina this is known as the Caroline Slate
Belt, an rea characterized by high-alumina
minerals such as kaolinite, sericite, andalusite
topaz, diaspore, and pyrophyllite.

Otro productor importante es la mina Chunbulsan

en el distrito Tongnae, que tiene una produccin
anual de alrededor de 7.000 toneladas / ao. El
mineral se asocia con la moscovita, sericita, y
caolinita y se form por la alteracin hidrotermal
de andesita. Los productores con tasas que van de
1.000 a 4.000 toneladas / ao incluyen la mina
Milyang en un alterado Toba Cretcico y andesita,
la mina Ungyong en una andesita brecciated
alterada, y la mina imgi en alterado traquitaandesita
Desafortunadamente, algunos depsitos contienen
pirita y hasta 4% de potasio y el sodio debido a la
alteracin incompleta. El material de mejor calidad
es la variedad verde con un SiO2 contenido de ms
del 70% de Al2O3 Fe2O3 24% y menos de
bronceado 0,5% (Anon 1972; Cornish. 1983; Sang
1983)

EE.UU.
Nosotros produccin pirofilita se concentra en
Carolina del Norte. Los depsitos son parte de una
cinturn de finales Precambriam rocas volcanosedimentarias en la meseta de Piedmont, que se
extiende desde Petersburg, Virginia, a travs del
Norte y Carolina del Sur a Milledgeville, Georgia,
una distancia de 400 millas. En Carolina del Norte
esto se conoce como la Caroline Slate Belt, una
zona caracterizada por los minerales de alta
almina como caolinita, sericita, andalucita
topacio, dispora, y pirofilita.

The
major
commercial
concentration
of
pyrophyllite is in the rea extending from
Wadesville, Montgomery County through Moore
County northeastward to northern Granville County
Irregular lenticular bodies of pyrophyllite replace
medium- to fine- grained tuffs and volcanic breccia
which were sheared and mashed during
movement. Genesis by metasomatic replacement
is shown by various stages of alteration, alignment
of the bodies with the strike and dip of cleavage in
the country rock, pseudomorphs after original rock
structures, and the introduction and removal of
elements. As with some shows of gold and copper
in the rea, it is thought that the source of the
mineralizing solution was an igneous magma at

depth, and that the pyrophyllite was formed under

conditions of intermediate temperature and
pressure. According to Stuckey (1967) the
sequence of events was.
(1)Metamorphism of host rocks
(2)Silicification of these rocks by metasomatism
and formation of pyrite
(3)Development of chloritoid
(4)Development of sericite replacing previously
silicified rocks
(5)Development
of
pyrophyllite
replacing
previously silicified and mineralized tuffs and
breccias closely associated
with or
immediately following the formation of
sericite.

La concentracin comercial importante de pirofilita

es en el rea que se extiende desde Wadesville,
Condado de Montgomery a travs del condado de
Moore hacia el noreste hasta el norte
Granville Condado irregulares cuerpos lenticulares
de pirofilita sustituir a medio y fino tobas de grano
y brechas volcnicas que fueron esquilada y pur
durante el movimiento. Gnesis por el reemplazo
metasomtico se muestra por diversas etapas de
alteracin, alineacin de los cuerpos con la huelga
y la inmersin de la escisin en el country rock,
pseudomorfos despus de estructuras de piedra

originales, y la introduccin y extraccin de

elementos. Al igual que con algunos programas de
oro y cobre en el rea, se cree que el fuente de la
solucin de mineralizacin era un magma gneo en
profundidad, y que la
pirofilita se form en condiciones de Temperatura y
presin intermedia. Segn Stuckey (1967) la
secuencia de eventos fue
1) El metamorfismo de rocas anfitrionas
(2) silicificacin de estas rocas por metasomatism
y la formacin de pirita
(3) Desarrollo de cloritoide
(4) Desarrollo de sericita reemplazar rocas
previamente silicificados
(5) Desarrollo de pirofilita reemplazar tobas
previamente silicificados y mineralizadas y brechas
estrechamente asociados con o inmediatamente
despus de la formacin de
Sericita

The largest producer is R.T. Vanderbilts Standard

Mineral Co, with an annual output of some 50,000
tons from its operations in Moore County. Most is
sold to the ceramics industry, with some going to
the filler market. Also in Moore County, Glendon
Pyrophyllite produces around 20,000 tons/year for
use as fillers, mainly in joint cement and related
products.
A
small
percentage
goes
into
refractories. In general, the pyrophyllite occurs in

pod-like masses together with local concentrations

of kaolinite and sericite. Chloritoid and pyrite are
abundant in rocks adjacent to the ores, but
andalusite and diaspore are rare or absent. North
of Glendon, high-alumina deposits tend to be
present close to the transition from apilli breccia
and conglomeratic mudstone to an overlying finebedded tuffaceous argillite and lapillite. The
alteration to high-alumina minerals cuts across the
bedding. Sthrike faulting probably controlled the
hydrothermal
fluids; the quartz veins may
represent fault planes that acted as channelways.
It is suggested that these deposits were formed
under slightly different conditions from the others
in North Carolina, perhaps at a lower temperatura
(shallower and/or further from the heat source)
and by less acid solutions (lack of silicification)
(Schmidt, 1985)
To the north Piedmont Minerals Co. Operates the
10,000 tons/year Hillsborough Mine in Granville
County. This exploits an andalusite- pyrophyllitequartz orebody. Selective mining, crushing
screening and blending provides a series of grades
all containing a mixture of the three minerals. The
alumina content ranges from 30 to 50%. Three
main grades are sold to the refractories industry,
and other grades go into the whiteware and
electrical porcelain industries.
Pyrophyllite is produced by Standard Industrial
Minerals from a new mine in the White Mountains,
near Laws, California.
El mayor productor es estndar Mineral Co de RT
Vanderbilt, con una produccin anual de unas 50.000

toneladas de sus operaciones en el condado de

Moore. La mayor parte se vende a la cermica la
industria, con un poco de ir al mercado de
relleno. Tambin en el condado de Moore, Glendon
Pirofilita produce alrededor de 20.000 toneladas / ao
para su uso como material de relleno, sobre todo en el
cemento conjunta y productos relacionados. Un
pequeo porcentaje va en materiales refractarios. En
general, la pirofilita se produce en las masas-pod como
junto con concentraciones locales de caolinita y
sericita. Cloritoide y pirita son abundantes en las rocas
adyacentes a los minerales, pero andalucita y dispora
son raras o ausentes. , Depsitos de alta almina Norte
de Glendon tienden a estar presentes cerca de la
transicin de la brecha apilli y conglomertica lutolita a
un suprayacente fino camas argilita tobceo y
lapillite. La alteracin a los minerales de alta almina
corta a travs de la ropa de cama. Sthrike fallamiento
probablemente controlado los fluidos hidrotermales; las
vetas de cuarzo pueden representar planos de falla que
actuaron como ranuras y. Se sugiere que estos
depsitos se formaron bajo ligeramente diferente
condiciones de los otros en Carolina del Norte, tal vez
en una Temperatura ms baja (Superficial y / o ms
lejos de la fuente de calor) y por soluciones de cido
menos (falta de silicificacin) (Schmidt, 1985)

Al norte de Piamonte Minerales Co. opera el 10.000

toneladas / ao de Minas de Hillsborough en el condado
de Granville. Esto explota un yacimiento de cuarzo
pirofilita andalusite-. Selectivo minera, molienda y
mezcla de deteccin ofrece una serie de grados todos
contienen una mezcla de los tres minerales. El
contenido de almina vara de 30 a 50%. Tres principal
grados se venden a la industria de los materiales
refractarios y otros grados van a la loza, y las industrias
de porcelana elctricos.

Pirofilita es producido por Minerales Industriales

estndar de una nueva mina en el blanco Montaas,
cerca de Leyes, California

CANADA
A mine near Foxtrap, 12 miles southwest of St.
Johns, Newfoundland, operated by Newfoundland
Minerals Ltd. Accounts for Canadas entire output
of about 35,000 tons/year of pyrophyllite. This
deposit, like those in North Carolina is contained in
a belt of late Precambrian rocks here termed the
Avalon Zone. The Avalon Peninsula consists of an
elongated northerly trending dome. The core of the
dome consisting largely of pyroclastic and minor
sedimentary rocks of the harbour Main Group, is
intruded by the shallow-level granitoid Holyrood
Pluton and is overlain on both flanks by clastic
sedimentary rocks. Felsic rocks within I or 2
kilometers of the Harbour Main volcanic- Holyrood
Pluton contact contain fracture zones. Near to the
pluton these fracture zones have been altered
though hydrothermal leaching to a fine- grained
assemblage of quartz, muscovite (sericite), and
pyrophyllite ough the depletion of SiO2,alkalies,
calcium, magnesiun and iron (papezink et al,
1976;Papezik and hume 1984 Taylor et al 1979)
Commercial extraction which has been continuous
for more tan 20 year, occurs in the Oval Pit some 3
kilometers southeast of Foxtrap. The deposit
contains
both
low-and
high-grade
lenses,
containing from 12% to 18% Al2O3, and so
selective mining using a 17% Al2O3 cut-off grade

is employed. The entire output is consumed by

American Olean Tile Co, the mine owners parent
Company, at its floor-tile plant near philadelphia
(Papezik and hume 1984)

CANAD
Una mina cerca Foxtrap, a 12 millas al suroeste de
San Juan de Terranova, operado por Terra nova
Minerals Ltd. Cuentas para Caadas produccin
total de alrededor de 35.000 toneladas / ao de
pirofilita. Este depsito, como los de Carolina del
Norte se encuentra en un cinturn de rocas
precmbricas finales aqu denomina Zona de
Avalon. La pennsula de Avalon consta de una
cpula de tendencia norte alargada. El ncleo de la
cpula que consiste gran parte de las rocas
sedimentarias piroclsticos y menores del grupo
principal puerto, es invadido por el granitoide nivel
superficial Holyrood Pluton y est cubierta en
ambos
flancos
por
rocas
sedimentarias
clsticas. Rocas flsicas en I o 2 kilmetros del
puerto principal contacto Volcnica Holyrood
Pluton contiene zonas de fractura. Cerca del plutn
stos zonas de fractura se han alterado aunque
lixiviacin hidrotermal a un grano fino ensamblaje
de cuarzo, muscovita (sericita), y pirofilita ough el
agotamiento de SiO2, lcalis, calcio, hierro y
magnsico (papezink et al, 1976; Papezik y hume
1984 Taylor et al 1979)

Extraccin comercial que ha sido continuo durante

ms moreno 20 aos, se produce en el Oval Pit
unos 3 kilmetros al sureste de Foxtrap. El
depsito contiene tanto bajo y lentes de alta
calidad, que contiene de 12% a 18% de Al2O3, y la
minera de manera selectiva utilizando un Se
emplea ley de corte 17% Al2O3. Toda la
produccin se consume por American Co Azulejos
Olean, la Compaa propietarios de las minas de
los padres, en su planta baja de tejas cerca
philadelphia (Papezik y Hume 1984)

Australia
Australian pyrophyllite production comes from a
mine near Pambula. 12 miles northwest of Eden. A
port on the southeast coast of New South Wales.
The mine is operated by Commercial Minerals Ltd.
The deposit lies in the central part of the ancient
Eden Rifi Zone which contains the Upper Devonian
Boyd Volcanic Complex of agglomerate, basalt,
intrusive and extrusive rhyolite, and intercalated
sedimentary rocks
Within this complex a north-striking sequence of
flowbanded rhyolite and volcanic breccias and
pyroclastics that dips 40 eastwards contains a
pyrohyllite-bearing belt. The latter strikes northwest,
dips vertically, and was formed through the
hydrothermal alteration of the host rock by ascending
acidic lavas. A zonal sequence of alteration has been
formed with a central core of almost pure pyrophyllite,
and local zones enriched in diaspore and cookeite (a
high-lithium chlorite). This is surrounded by imperfectly
segregated zones of chalcedonic and sericitic

pyrophyllite, which grade into unaltered rock (Nichol,

1983). The alteration process involved the selective
mobilization of alkalies, which migrated laterally
forming a zone rich in sericite; alumina and silica-rich
residues reacted with components of the solution to
form pure pyrophyllite. Host rock and structure
controlled the formation of the orebodies, which tend to
be lenticular (Cornish, 1981 and 1983)

Proved reserves are put at 10 million tons, with inferred

reserves of 30 to 50 million tons. Exploitation in three
quarries the Bottom, Middle, and Top-is by standard
open- pit methods. Various grades are produced.
Chalce-donic pyrophyllite ( typically 14% Al2O3, <0.5
K2O) is used in the refractory industry; chloritic
pyrophyllite (25% Al2O3 0.5% K2O) in filler
applications; sericitic pyrophyllite (20% Al2O3, 3% K2O)
in ceramics; and chalcedonic and sericitic pyrophyllite
(18%Al2O3,< 0.7%K2O) in tunnel- Kiln furniture (Anon,
1986)

Australia
Produccin pirofilita australiana proviene de una mina
cerca de Pambula. 12 millas al noroeste del Edn. Un
puerto en la costa sureste de Nueva Gales del Sur. La
mina es operado por Commercial Minerals Ltd. El
depsito se encuentra en la parte central de la antiguo
Eden Zona Rifi que contiene el Complejo Devnico
Superior Boyd Volcnica de aglomerado, basalto, riolita
intrusiva y extrusivas y sedimentaria intercalado rocas

Dentro de este complejo una secuencia norte-llamativo

de riolita flowbanded y volcnica brechas y piroclastos
que se sumerge 40 hacia el este contiene un cinturn
pyrohyllite agobiante.Las ltimas huelgas noroeste,
salsas verticalmente, y se form a travs de la
hidrotermal alteracin de la roca husped ascendiendo
lavas cidas. Una secuencia zonal de alteracin tiene
ha formado con un ncleo central de pirofilita casi puro,
y zonas locales enriquecidos en diaspore y cookeite (un
clorito de
alta litio). Este
est
rodeado
por
imperfectamente zonas segregadas de pirofilita
chalcedonic y serictica, que de grado en inalterado
roca (Nichol, 1983). El proceso de alteracin implic la
movilizacin selectiva de lcalis, el que se traslad
lateralmente
formando
una
zona
rica
en
sericita; almina y rico en slice residuos de reaccionar
con los componentes de la solucin para formar
pirofilita pura. Anfitrin de rock y la estructura control
la formacin de los cuerpos minerales, que tienden a
ser lenticular (Cornish, 1981 y 1983)
Las reservas probadas se estiman en 10 millones de
toneladas, con reservas inferidas de 30 a 50 millones
toneladas. Explotacin en tres canteras - la parte
inferior, medio y superior, es por apertura estndar
mtodos de pozo. Se producen varios grados. -Chalce
Donic pirofilita (tpicamente 14% Al2O3, <0,5 K2O) se
utiliza en la industria refractaria; pirofilita clortica (25%
Al2O3 0,5% K2O) en aplicaciones de relleno; pirofilita
serictica (20% Al2O3, 3% K2O) en cermica;
y calcedonia y pirofilita serictica (18% Al2O3, <0,7%
K2O) en Kiln tunnel- muebles (Anon, 1986)