• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.395-407
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• 2019

The duplex system has been considered as an important slip-transfer mechanism to evaluate the evolution of orogenic belts. Duplexes are generally found in the hinterland portion of fold-thrust belts and accommodate large amounts of total shortening. Thus, understanding its geometric and kinematic evolution can give information to evaluate the evolution of the entire orogenic belt. Duplexes are recognized as closed-loop thrust traces on map view, indicating higher connectivity than imbricate fans. As originally defined, a duplex is an array of thrust horses which are surrounded by thrust faults including the floor and roof thrusts, and imbricate faults between them. Duplexes can accommodate regional layer-parallel shortening and transfer slip from a floor thrust to a roof thrust. However, an imbricate fault is not the only mean for layer-parallel shortening (LPS) and displacement transfer within duplexes. LPS cleavages and detachment folds can also play the same role. From this aspect, a duplex can be divided into three types; 1) fault duplex, 2) cleavage duplex and 3) fold duplex. Fault duplex can further be subdivided into the Boyer-type duplex, which was firstly designed duplex system in the 1980s that widely applied most of the major fold-thrust belts in the world, and connecting splay duplex, which has different time order in the emplacement of horses from those of the Boyer-type. On the contrary, the cleavage and fold duplexes are newly defined types based on some selected examples. In the Korean Peninsula, the Yeongwol area, the western part of the Taebaeksan Zone of the Okcheon Belt, gives an excellent natural laboratory to study the structural geometry and kinematics of the closed-loops by thrust fault traces in terms of a duplex system. In the previous study, the Yeongwol thrust system was interpreted by alternative duplex models; a Boyer-type hinterland-dipping duplex vs. a combination of major imbricate thrusts and their connecting splays. Although the high angled beds and thrusts as well as different stratigraphic packages within the horses of the Yeongwol duplex system may prefer the later complicate model, currently, we cannot choose one simple answer between the models because of the lack of direct field evidence and time information. Therefore, further researches on the structural field investigations and geochronological analyses in the Yeongwol and adjacent areas should be carried out to test the possibility of applying the fold and cleavage duplex models to the Yeongwol thrust system, and it will eventually provide clues to solve the enigma of formation and its evolution of the Okcheon Belt.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1971

The geotectonics and geomorphic structure of Korea resulted from the Song-rim Disturbance and the Daebo orogenic movements. Afterward this mountainous peninsula underwent several geological changes on a small scale, and it was also claimed that the steady rising of the elevated peneplain of the eastern coast and the submerging of the southwestern coastal area are largely due to the tilted block movement. These views have been generally accepted good in several ways, but they are limited in range or lacking in theoretical integration. The present writer investigated the geology of the Mt. Chi-ri-san and the Honam coal mining area for a geological map in 1965, respectively. The results of these studies convinced the present writer that the conventional views, which were based upon a theory of lateral pressure should be reconsidered in many respects, and more recent studies made it clear that the morphological development in the southwestern area can be better explained by the orogenic movement and rock control. The measurement of submerging speed of the western coastal area (Pak. Y. A., 1969) and a new account on the geology and tectonics of the Mid-central region of South Korea (Kim O.J., 1970) act as an encouragement to a new explanation. The present writer's researches on the extreme southwestern portion of the peninsula show that the steady submerging of this area cannot be attributed to a simple downthrown block phenomenon caused by block movement. It is no more than the result of the differential movement of uplifting in the eastern and western coastal areas and the rising of sea-level in the post-glacial period. This phenomenon could be easily explained by the comparison of the rate of rise in sea-level and amount of heat flow between Korea and other areas in the world. The existance of the erosional planes in the Sobaik-San ranges also provide an evidence of an upheaval in the western coast area. Though the Sobaik-San ranges largely follow the direction of the Sinian system. They consist of the numerous branches, whose trends run more or less differently from their main trend because of the disharmonic folding, are converged into Mt. Sobaik-San and Chupungryung. The undulation of the land is not wholely caused by orogenic movements, where as the present writer confirmed that the diversity of morphological development is the direct reflection of geological conditions such as rocks and processes which constitute the basic elements of geomorphic structure. An east-west directed mountain range which could be named as Hansan mountain range, was claimed to be oriented by the joint control. The geological conditions such as a special erosion and weathering of agglomerate and breccia tuff usually produce pot-hole like submarine features which cause the whirling phenomenon at the southwestern coast channel.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.177-212
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• 1976

The Shap granite encloses well developed quartz veins and veinlets containing molybdenite in association with other ore sulphide minerals. The preliminary study of the geochemical aspects of the granite stock and mineralisation of molybdenite in comparison with the porphyry deposits is carried out; the distribution of major, minor and ore metal elements in wall rocks, altered envelope and veins, and the molybdenum mineralisation, mainly in connexion with hydrothermal alteration are discussed. The molybdenite and other ore mineralisation, especially bismuthinite and chalcopyrite, are spatially closely related to the hydrothermal alteration adjacent to the veinings, and are dominant where the strong orthoclase alteration has taken place. A pattern of alteration and mineralisation can be recognised and forms the basic for the subdivision of the quarry into several distinct zones, which correspond with the sequence of alteration and mineralisation. The veins, veinlets and their alteration haloes can be further subdivided into a series of concentric zones.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.spc
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• pp.207-226
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• 1986

The skarn type tungsten deposits in Jechon area are developed in the contact aureole of Jurassic granodiorite and lower Paleozoic limestone beds. The Tong Myeong mine contains scheelitebearing skarns found at and near the contacts between crystalline limestone and hornfels. Although the skarns are heterogeneous, there are clear patterns in the preferred associations and nonassociations of minerals on all scales. The skarn show a zonal arrangement from limestone to hydrothermal vein as follow: wollastonite skarn, clinopyroxene skarn, clinopyroxene-garnet skarn, garnet skarn, and vesuvianite skarn. Scheelite, abundant in all skarn units except wollastonite skarn and also in quartz veins near orebodies, is everywhere strongly correlated with pyrrhotite. It is implied that it was a stable phase throughout the evolution of the zoned skarns, at least in pyrrhotite.forming environments. Deposition of scheelite was probably widely caused by increasing $a_{Ca^{2+}}$ in the fluid, resulting from associated and interrelated reactions: $FeCl_2\;aq+H_2S\;aq{\rightarrow}FeS+2H^{+}+2Cl^-$; and $CaCO_3+2H^+{\rightarrow}Ca^{+2}+H_2CO_3$. The spectral reflection powers of nine sulfide species were studied, for three mineralization stage. The shapes and characteristics of the spectral reflectivity profiles are significant in their control of other optical properties. The characteristics of the Vickers microhardness and the optical symmetry for the minerals studied are discussed. Broad radicle groupings of the sulfides can be made with regard to the reflectivity-microhardness values.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.287-299
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• 2015

The metapsammite distributed in the Yeongam-Gangjin area had been classified into age-unknown Yongamsan Formation, Seologri Formation and age-unknown Seogisan Formation, and these formations are reported as each other different formations. These formations have been renamed Precambrian Galdu or Permian Songjong Formations. In this study, we present detrital zircon SHRIMP U-Pb age data from the metapsammite to examine deposition time and stratigraphy. The analyzed U-Pb zircon ages dominantly reveal Paleoproterozoic ages of ca. 1.87Ga and the youngest detrital grains are constrained by the age of 246-265 Ma. The youngest age indicates late Permian or early Triassic for the deposition time. Therefore, the metapsammite in the Yeongam-Gangjin area is considered to be the upper formation of the late Paleozoic Pyeongan Group which is correlated with the Gohan-Donggo Formations or Nokam Formation of the Samcheock coal field and the Cheonunsan Formation of the Hwasun coal field. The metapsammite of the study area is the late Paleozoic Pyeongan Group by the zircon age rather than Precambrian Galdu and Permian Songjeong Formations are no longer meaningful. Therefore, we propose the upper Paleozoic 'metapelite' and 'metaspammite', or original formation name defined by 1:50,000 geological maps, instead of Galdu and Songjeong Formations.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.507-515
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• 2014

Asbestos is designated as carcinogen minerals. Detoxification of asbestos is being conducted by physical and chemical treatments that lead the formation of non-fibrous mineral particles or phase transitions. Major researches have been performed on mineralogical properties of asbestos and possibilities of detoxification in Korea. More specific studies are needed to prove the form and crystal structure changes during the detoxification of asbestos via heat treatment. Therefore, we studied thermal effects on mineralogical characteristics of chrysotile and asbestiform tremolite using electron microscopy investigation. Electron microscopy investigation showed chrysotile fibers were fully transformed into rod-shaped forsterite at $850^{\circ}C$ in 2 hours, and asbestiform tremolite fibers were converted into non-fibrous diopside at $1050^{\circ}C$ in 2 hours. Fibrous asbestos were converted into rod-shaped minerals, which are non-asbestiform. However, compositions of both minerals were not changed before and after heat treatment. These results indicate that thermal treatment of asbestos completely broke down asbestos structure due to dehydroxylation and recrystallization. Thus, electron microscopy investigation can provide the useful information of shapes, crystal structure, and chemistries of the asbestos for the detoxification.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.381-393
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• 1989

Hydrogeological modelling was performed to evaluate groundwater flow system in Igsan Area. The study area extends over $790km^2$. The geology consists of Jurassic Daebo granite and gneissose granite and Precambrian metamorphic rocks. The capability of pumping yield is the highest in gneissose granite region among them due to comparatively thick weathered zone with thickness ranging from 10m to 25m. The Colorado State University Finite Difference Model was used for the model simulation. The model was divided into 28 rows and 31 columns with variable grid spacing. The model was calibrated under steady-state and unsteady-state conditions. In the steady-state simulation, the model results were compared with measured water table contours in September 1985 with determining hydraulic conductivities and net recharge rates during rainy season. Unsteady state simulation was done to know the aquifer response due to groundwater abstraction. The non- steady state calibration was conducted to determine the distribution and magnitudes of specific yields and discharge/recharge rates during dry season as matching water level altitudes in May 1986. The calibrated model was used to simulate water level vaiation caused by groundwater withdrawal and natural recharge from 1 October, 1985 until 30 September, 1995. The calibrated model can be used to groundwater development schemes on regional groundwater levels, but it cannot be used to simulate local groundwater level change at a specific site.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.3 s.178
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• pp.301-328
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• 2006

The geology of the Tumbang Mirih area in the Middle Kalimantan, Indonesia comprises Permian to Carboniferous Pinoh Metamorphic Rocks and Cretaceous Sepauk Plutonics of the Sunda Shield, late Eocene Tanjung Formation, Oligocene Malasan Volcanics, Oligocene to early Miocene Sintang Intrusives and Quaternary alluvium. Results of geochemical exploration and geological mapping exposed obviously that large amounts of gold-bearing quartz veins were found in the whole Tumbang Mirih areas. In many places, gold grains were megascopically detectable from panning products of stream sediments and conglomerate as Quaternary sediments. Even though no remnants of quartz veins are revealed in the most of survey area except Taran region, association of fold grains with layers of quartz pebbles and clays which correspond to the horizon of unconformity or previous river bottom indicates that the gold grains were separated from quartz veins. Along rivers often pebbles and clay layers just over or 10 to 20cm above the current waterlevel are recognized. The occurrence of gold in the conglomeratic layer was frequently confirmed during geochemical exploration. Since the conglomeratic layer was old stream sediments of Quaternary, it can be assumed that deposition of golds was controlled by shape of river floor, speed and shape of river flow, and distance from the source rock. Taran area and northern Takaoi area based on the all data are recommended as the promising areas.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.65-80
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• 1994

The Tertiary $Ch{\check{o}}ngja$ basin is located in the southeastern coastal area of the Korean Peninsula. It is a lozenge shaped fault-bounded basin with circa $5{\times}5km$ areal extent, isolated from other Tertiary basins by the Cretaceous Ulsan Formation in-between. The northwestern boundary of the basin is a domino/listric type normal fault trending $N30^{\circ}E$, whereas its southwestern boundary is a dextral strike-slip fault (trending $N20^{\circ}W$) with a lateral offset of more than 1 km. The basin is bounded by the East Sea on the eastern margin. Basin-fills consist of extrusive volcanic rock (Tangsa Andesites) of Early Miocene (16~22 Ma in radiometric age), unconsolidated fluviatile conglomerate (Kangdong Formation) and shallow brackish-water sandstone ($Sinhy{\check{o}}n$ Formation). The latter yields abundant Vicarya-Anadara molluscan fossils of early Middle Miocene age. The Tertiary strata become younger toward the northwestern boundary-fault of the basin, showing a zonal distribution pattern parallel to the fault: the younger sedimentary formations occupy a narrow zone of 2 km width along the northwestern boundary-fault, whereas the older Tangsa Andesites underlie them unconformably in the eastern and southeastern portions of the basin. The strata in the basin, including the Tangsa Andesites, are tilted (about $20^{\circ}$) toward the northwestern boundary-fault Sedimentary strata thicken toward the boundary-fault, forming a wedge shaped half-graben structure. A number of small-scale syndepositional normal growth faults and graben structures are observed in the sedimentary strata. These extensional structures have the same trend as the normal northwestern boundary-fault which we interpret as a pull-apart detachment fault. These characteristics imply persistent extension during the basin evolution, caused by a NW-SE directed tensional force. The $Ch{\check{o}}ngja$ basin is, thus, a kind of syndepositional tectonic basin evolved in a strike-slip (pull-apart) regime. The latter was caused by a dextral simple shear associated with the NNW-SSE opening of the East Sea. In view of the fact that the normal growth faults do not cut through the uppermost portion of the youngest $Sinhy{\check{o}}n$ Formation, it is inferred that the tensional force came to be inactive in the early Middle Miocene. This is coincident in timing with the termination of the East Sea opening (15 Ma).

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.477-486
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• 2012

High-resolution bathymetry and physico-chemical properties of manganese nodules were explored to identify the relationship between morphological features and nodule occurrences in the KR1, one of the Korean contract nodule fields located in the NE Pacific. The high-resolution seabed mapping showed that the southwestern sector of the KR1 (KR1-1) was relatively deeper than the northeastern sector (KR1-2) which is occupied by small-scale seamounts. In terms of nodule occurrence, manganese nodules in the KR1-1 were comparatively larger (2-4 cm) with rough surface (t-type) and discoidal shapes (D-type), while those in the KR1-2 were generally small (<2 cm) with smooth surface (s-type) and irregular shapes (I-type). In addition, the nodules in the KR1-1 had higher contents of Cu, Mn and Ni. Such connections of water depths to nodule appearances and metal contents are commonly observed in the Pacific nodule fields. On the other hand, the nodules in the KR1-2 tend to be controled by morphological features. The seamounts in the KR1-2 might continuously provide rock fragments as new nuclei of manganese nodules. As a result, the nodules could not grow over than 2 cm and showed the shapes of a newbie (i.e., smooth surface and irregular shapes). As a result, our observations indicate that occurrence features of manganese nodules could be subjected to water depths and seabed morphology simultaneously.