• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.270-272
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• 1989

The polymeric species formed on the hydrolysis of Th(IV) from solubility experiments of $ThO_2$ in 0.1M $NaClO_4$ and $Th(OH)_4\;in\;0.5M\;NaClO_4$ were removed by ultrafiltration using 1 nm ultrafilters. The resultant equilibrium concentrations of mono-hydroxy Th(IV) species in solutions between pH 1.5 to 13 were measured by the NAA method. From these data solubility product of thorium dioxide and the stability constants of mono-hydroxy Th(Ⅳ) were determined. The values obtained were log $K_{sp}\;-\;50.76\;{\pm}\;0.08, log\;{\beta}_{1,1}\;12.42\;{\pm}\;0.02,\;log\;{\beta}_{1,2}\;22.46\;{\pm}\;0.15, log\;{\beta}_{1,3}\;34.36\;{\pm}\;0.07,\;log\;{\beta}_{1,4}\;42.58\;{\pm}\;0.08$, which are in good agreement with the values given in the literature. In addition, several dimeric species, $Th_2(OH)_2\;^{6+},\;Th_2(OH)_3\;^{5+} and\;Th_2(OH)_4\;^{4+}$ have been identified.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.289.1-289
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• 2002

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.792-799
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• 2019

The present study aims to investigate the fluorination of thorium oxide ($ThO_2$) by ammonium hydrogen difluoride ($NH_4HF_2$). Fluorination was performed at room temperature by mixing $ThO_2$ and $NH_4HF_2$ at different molar ratios, which was then left to react for 20 days. Next, the mixtures were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) at the intervals of 5, 10, 15, and 20 days, followed by the heating of the mixtures at $450-750^{\circ}C$ with argon gas flow. The characterization of $ThF_4$ was established using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). In this study, ammonium thorium fluoride was synthesized through the fluorination of $ThO_2$ at room temperature. The optimum molar ratio in synthesizing ammonium thorium fluoride was 1.0:5.5 ($ThO_2:NH_4HF_2$) with 5 days reaction time. In addition, the heating of ammonium thorium fluoride at $450^{\circ}C$ was sufficient to produce $ThF_4$. Overall, this study proved that $NH_4HF_2$ is one of the fluorination agents that is capable of synthesizing $ThF_4$.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.78-84
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• 2002

New pyrochlore-type phases($A_2$$B_2$$O_{7}$) were synthesized in the systems: CaO-C$eO_2$-T$iO_2$, CaO-$UO_2$(T$hO_2$)-Z$rO_2$, CaO-$UO_2$(T$hO_2$)-$Gd_2$$O_3$-T$iO_2$-Z$rO_2$, 및 CaO-T$hO_2$-S$nO_2$. The starting materials were pressed with the pressure of 200~400 MPa and sintered at 1500~ 155$0^{\circ}C$ for 4~8 hours in air and at 1300~ 135$0^{\circ}C$ for 5 ~50 hours under oxygen atmosphere. The products were characterized using XRD, SEM/EDS and TEM. In the bulk compositions of CaCe$Ti_2$$O_{7}$, CaTh$Zr_2$$O_{7}$,($Ca_{0.5}$ Gd$Th_{0.5}$)(ZrTi)$O_{7}$) ($Ca_{0.5}$Gd$Th_{0.5}$)(ZrTi)$O_{7}$, ($Ca_{0.5}$G$dU_{0.5}$)(ZrTi)$O_{7}$ and CaTh$Sn_2$$O_{7}$ , pyrochlore was the major phase, together with other oxide phase $of_2$$O_{7}$ fluorite structure. In the samples with target compositions CaU$Zr_2$$O_2$및 $Ca_{0.5}$ G$dU_{0.5}$)$Zr_2$T$iO_{7}$ pyrochlore was not identified, but a fluorite-structured phase was detected. The formation factor as the stable phase depended on crystal chemical characteristics of the actinide and lanthanide elements of the system concerned.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 1997

The shales from the Euiseong area are interbedded along the bedding in Cretaceous Gyeongsang Supergroup, which are composed mainly of quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar and associated with trace amount of biotite, muscovite, chlorite, pyrite, hematite, carbonate and clay minerals. The ratio of $Al_2O_3/Na_2O$ and $K_2O/Na_2O$ in shales from the Shindong Group are ranged from 9.16 to 24.32 and from 1.70 to 5.97, and the Hayang Group ranged from 2.76 to 8.89 and from 0.42 to 2.74, which are negative correlated between $K_2O/Na_2O$ and $Al_2O_3/Na_2O$ against $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$ respectively. Those are suggested that controlled of mineral compositions in shales due to substitution and migration of elements by sedimentation and diagenesis. These shale formation were deposited in basin of terrestrial environments originated from the igneous rocks, and the REE of these rocks are not influenced with diagenesis and hydrothermal alterations on the basis of $Al_2O_3$ versus La, La against Ce, Zr versus Yb, the ratios of La/Ce (0.43 to 0.62) and Th/U (1.11 to 10.71). The narrow range in trace and REE element characteristics as Co/Th (0.63 to 1.92), La/Sc (1.98 to 5.90), Sc/Th (0.58 to 1.30), V/Ni (0.90 to 3.25), Cr/V (0.45 to 1.78), Ni/Co (1.88 to 6.67) and Zr/Hf (30.04~60.87) of these shales argues for inefficient mixing of the simple source lithologies during sedimentation. These rocks also show much variation in $La_N/Yb_N$ (6.90 to 17.02), Th/Yb (4.17 to 13.68) and La/Th (1.98 to 5.90), and their origin is explained by derivation from a mixture of intermediate to acidic igneous rocks.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.491-497
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• 1987

$ThO_2-Tm_2O_3$ (TDT) solid solutions containing 1,3,5,8,10, and 15 mol% $Tm_2O_3$ were synthesized from spectroscopically pure $ThO_2$ and $Tm_2O_3$ polycrystalline powders. The TDT solid solutions were indentified to the fluorite structure by the X-ray powder technique. The values of the lattice parameter were decreased with increasing amount of $Tm_2O_3$ incorporated. But, there was no linearity for the samples containing 8, 10, and 15 mol% $Tm_2O_3$. It was concluded that these samples became incomplete solid solutions. From the intensity analyses of X-ray diffraction patterns, the residual factor was found below 0.13 even for the 15 mol% TDT system. lt was confirmed from the DTA and TGA analyses that any phase transitions did not occur under the experimental condition executed. Comparing the pycnometric density with the lattice parameter obtained from XRD, it was suggested that the predominant defect model be an oxygen vacancy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.241.2-241
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• 2002

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.300.2-300
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• 2002

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.10
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• pp.3725-3731
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• 2023

Thorium dioxide (ThO₂)-silicon carbide (SiC) composite fuel pellets were fabricated via the spark plasma-sintering (SPS) method to investigate the role of the addition of SiC in enhancing the thermal conductivity of ThO₂ fuel. SiC particles with an average size of 1㎛ in 10 and 15 vol% were used to manufacture the composite pellets. The changes in the composites' densification, microstructure and thermal conductivity were explored by comparing them with pure ThO₂ pellets. The structural and microstructural characterization of the composite pellets has revealed that SPS could manufacture high-quality composite pellets without having any reaction products or intermetallic. The density measurement by the Archimedes principles and the grain size from the electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis has indicated that the composites have higher densities and smaller grain sizes than the pellets without SiC addition. Finally, thermal conductivity as a function of temperature has revealed that sintered ThO₂-SiC composites showed an increase of up to 56% in thermal conductivity compared to pristine ThO₂ pellets.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.643-659
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• 2012

The Chungju Fe-REE deposit is located in the Kyemyeongsan Formation of the Ogcheon Group. The Kyemyeongsan Formation includes meta-volcanic rocks and pegmatite hosted REE deposit which show different kind of REE-containing minerals. The meta-volcanic rocks hosted REE deposits' main REE minerals are allanite, zircon, apatite, and sphene, whereas the pegmatite hosted REE deposits is mainly composed of fergusonite, and karnasurtite, zircon, thorite. The meta-volcanic rock hosted major REE mineral is allanite as the form of aggregation and contains 23.89-29.19 wt% TREO (Total Rare Earth Oxide), 4.71-9.92 wt% $La_2O_3$, 11.30-14.33 wt% $Ce_2O_3$, 0.11-0.29 wt% $Y_2O_3$, 0.15-0.94 wt% $ThO_2$, as a formula of (Ca, Y, REE, Th)$_{2.095}$(Mg, Al, Ti, Mn, $Fe^{3+})_{2.770}(SiO_4)_{2.975}(OH)$. Accompanying REE in a coupled substitution for $Ca^{2+}$ (M1 site) and $Al^{3+}-Fe^{2+}$ (M2 site) leads to a large chemical variety. Due to the allanite's high contents of Fe, it belongs to Ferrialanite. The pegmatite hosted deposit's domi-nant REE mineral is fergusonite as prismatic or subhedral grains associated with zircon, fluorite and karnasurtite. Geochemical composition of the fergusonite($YNbO_4$) suggests substitution of Y-REE and Y-Th in A-site, and Nb-Ta-Ti in B-site, furthermore the proportion of $Y_2O_3$ and $Nb_2O_5$ is oddly 1:1.5 comparing to the ideal ratio 1:1 and Nb is higher than Y, also A-site Y actively substitutes with REE. Karnasurtite in pegmatite variously ranges 9.16-22.88 wt% $Ce_2O_3$, 2.15-9.16 wt% and $La_2O_3$, 0.44-10.8 wt% $ThO_2$, as a calculated formula (Y, REE, Th, K, Na, Ca)$_{1.478}(Ti, Nb)_{1.304}$(Mg, Al, Mn, $Fe^{3+})_{0.988}$(Si, P)$_{1.431}O_7(OH)_4{\cdot}3H_2O$. Firstly the 870-860 Ma is the initial age of the supercontinent Rhodinia dispersal and subsequent A-1 type volcanism, which contains Fe, REE, and HFS(High Field Strength elements; Nb, Zr, Y etc.) elements in Fe-rich meta-volcanic rocks dominant Kyemyeongsan Formation, might mineralized allanite. Another synthesis is that regional metamorphism at late Paleozoic 300-280 Ma(Cho et al., 2002) might cause allanite mineralization. Also pegmatite REE mineralization highly related to the granite intrusion over the Chungju area in Jurassic(190 Ma; Koh et al., 2012). Otherwise above all, A-1 type volcanism at the same time of the Kyemyeongsan Formation development, regional metamorphism and pegmatite, might have caused REE mineralization. Although REE ore bodies display a close spatial association, each ore bodies display temporal distinction, different mineral assemblage and environment of ore formation.