Recrystallization and hydrothermal growth of high U–Th zircon in the Weondong deposit, Korea: Record of post-magmatic alteration

In this study, we investigate zircons with high U and Th contents of 12,000–24,000 and 11,000–40,000 ppm, respectively, from leucocratic granite in the Weondong region of South Korea. Hydrothermally epitaxial growth textures are observed in addition to four distinct textures with different backscattered electron (BSE) intensities within single zircon crystals. We describe the internal textures of the zircon crystals and define the chemical characteristics of each textural domain. The zircon crystals show internally recrystallized and externally crystallized textures, supporting the concept of post-magmatic fluid control. After crystallization of the primary zircon by late magmatism, four types of secondary textures were developed. The type-I domain shows patchy forms within the primary domain due to the structural and chemical recrystallization of self-irradiated zircon by a fluid-dominated diffusion reaction process. The type-II domain is characterized by a pure zircon composition, mineral inclusions (mainly thorite), and micropores due to chemical recrystallization by a coupled dissolution–reprecipitation process during interaction with aqueous fluids. The type-III domain is the purest zircon, is interconnected with type-II, and formed by a second coupled dissolution–reprecipitation process. The type-IV domain is the hydrothermal recrystallization/overgrowth texture formed by the direct crystallization process from fluorine-enriched, zircon-saturated aqueous fluid. These results indicate that the zircon crystals were formed sequentially or intermittently through multi-genetic processes by post-magmatic fluids. Furthermore, we conclude that F-enriched post-magmatic fluid migrated large amounts of zirconium, resulting in the typical overgrowth texture of zircon.