• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.291-305
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• 2015

Microbialites are defined as rocks formed by microbial organisms. After their first appearance around 3.5 billion years ago, microbialites occur in various depositional environments throughout geological periods. Microbial organisms form microbialites by trapping and binding detrital sediments and/or precipitating carbonate cements, resulting in formation of various microstructures and mesostructures. Four major types of microbialites are distinguished based on their mesostructures: stromatolite, thrombolite, dendrolite, and leiolite. In the geological records, occurrences of microbialites are influenced by calcium carbonate saturation of seawater and interaction of microbialites with metazoans. Stromatolites mainly flourished during the Precambrian, and diminished as level of atmospheric carbon dioxide declined. On the other hand, thrombolites, mainly formed by calcified microbes, began to flourish from the Neoproterozoic. As metazoans diversified in the Phanerozoic, proportion of the microbialites within sedimentary record declined. Since then, microbialites only occasionally flourished during the Phanerozoic, such as shortly after mass-extinction events. In the Korean Peninsula, microbialites occur in the Neoproterozoic Sangwon System, the Early Paleozoic Joseon Supergroup, and the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Supergroup, which form different shapes according to their age and depositional environments. By performing detailed studies on these Korean microbialites, it is possible to understand how microbes affected geological records and sedimentary environments, as well as their interaction with other organisms.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.85-96
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• 2018

The Neoproterozoic Gyemyeongsan Formation and the Mesozoic igneous rocks are distributed in the Eoraesan area, Chungju which is located in the northwestern part of Ogcheon metamorphic zone, Korea, and the rare earth element (REE) mineralized zone has been reported in the Gyemyeongsan Formation. We drew up the detailed geological map by the lithofacies classification, and measured the radioactivity values of the constituent rocks to understand the distribution and characteristics of the source rocks of REE ore body in this paper. It indicates that the Neoproterozoic Gyemyeongsan Formation is mainly composed of metapelitic rock, granitic gneiss, iron-bearing quartzite, metaplutonic acidic rock (banded type, fine-grained type, basic-bearing type, coarse-grained type), metavolcanic acidic rock, and the Mesozoic igneous rocks, which intruded it, are divided into pegmatite, biotite granite, gabbro, diorite, basic dyke. The constituent rocks of Gyemyeongsan Formation show a zonal distribution of mainly ENE trend, and the distribution of basic-bearing type of metaplutonic acidic rock (MPAR-B) is very similar to that of the previous researcher's REE ore body. The Mesozoic biotite granite is regionally distributed unlike the result of previous research. The radioactive value of MPAR-B, which has a range of 852~1217 cps (average 1039 cps), shows a maximum value among the constituent rocks. The maximum-density distribution of radioactive value also agrees with the distribution of MPAR-B. It suggests that the MPAR-B could be a source rock of the REE ore body.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.89-112
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• 2012

The Korean Peninsula consists of three Precambrian blocks: Nangrim, Gyeonggi and Yeongnam massifs. Here we revisited previous stratigraphic relationships, largely based on new geochronologic data, and investigated the crustal evolution history of the Precambrian massifs. The Precambrian strata have been usually divided into lower crystalline basements and upper supracrustal rocks. The former has been considered as Archean or Paleoproterozoic in age, whereas the latter as Paleoproterozoic or later. However, both are revealed as the Paleoproterozoic (2.3-1.8 Ga) strata as a whole, and Archean strata are very limited in the Korean Peninsula. These make the previous stratigraphic system wrong and require reconsideration. The oldest age of the basement rocks can be dated as old as Paleoarchean, suggested by the occurrence of ~3.6 Ga inherited zircon. However, most of crust-forming materials were extracted from mantle around ~2.7 Ga, and produced major portions of crust materials at ~2.5 Ga, which make each massif a discrete continental mass. After that, all the massifs belonged to continental margin orogen during the Paleoproterozoic time, and experienced repeated intracrustal differentiation. After the final cratonization occurring at ~1.9-1.8 Ga, they were stabilized as continental platforms. The Nangrim and Gyeonggi massif included local sedimentary deposition as well as igneous activity during Meso-to Neoproterozoic, but the Yeongnam massif remained stable before the development of Paleozoic basin.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.175-184
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• 2012

콩고민주공화국은 아프리카의 중앙에 위치하며, 기반암인 화강암계열의 암석들은 주로 북쪽과 북동쪽에 위치한다. 신원생대부터 중생대까지의 퇴적암들은 주로 콩고분지와 카루분지에 연관하여 발달하며, 중생대에서 현생시기까지의 퇴적암, 퇴적물들은 주로 콩고의 서부와 중앙부에 발달한다. 콩고민주공화국에 발달하는 대부분의 광상은 화강암계열의 관입암과 연관되어 나타나며, 키바라이드대, 루필리안호, 열곡대 등의 영향으로 주로 남쪽과 동쪽에 밀집된다. 남쪽과 동쪽을 포함하여 콩고민주공화국 내에는 다이아몬드, 금, 코발트, 구리, 아연 등 수많은 고부가가치 지하자원 및 카보너타이트와 연관된 희토류 광물들이 풍부하게 부존되어 있다. 콩고민주공화국의 자원개발은 대규모의 국영기업, 국영민간 합작기업, 민간기업, 소규모의 영세채광업자에 의해 이루어지고 있는데, 외국계 광업회사들은 대부분 국영기업들과 제휴 협정을 맺고 자원개발에 참여 중이며, 낙후된 광업 부문 발전 도모를 위해 카빌라 대통령은 관련 법령의 제정 및 개정, 정부간섭 최소화 등 투자촉진 정책을 시행하고 있어 향후 콩고의 광물생산이 크게 증가할 전망이다. 따라서 전략적으로 접근한다면 자원 확보가 유리한 지역으로 판단된다.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.155-165
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• 2016

Quartz schist - quartzite is often intercalated in metasedimentary rocks of Ogcheon belt or aligned parallel to the boundary between Yeongnam massif and Ogcheon belt. However, stratigraphic sequence and or geologic age of the rocks has been still variable among authors as Precambrian or Paleozoic. In this study, we carried out SHRIMP U-Pb age data of detrital zircons from Yeongam and Yeongsanpo areas and compared ours with other zircon ages from other areas. The detrital zircons from the studied area show no age younger than 1.8 Ga but yielded clusters at Neoarchean (2.5 Ga) and Paleoproterozoic (1.8 Ga). On the other hand, the age range of zircon U-Pb dating of Paleozoic quartzites yielded from Archean to middle Paleozoic and clusters at Paleoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic. The characteristics of the zircon age range and the dominant age peak might become a key to classify the Proterozoic to Paleozoic quartz schists-quartzites, which ages are still remained under controversy. Based on the statistical results of the zircon ages in this study, quartz schist - quartzite from Yeongam and Yeongsanpo is considered to be deposited during Proterozoic.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.89-101
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• 2010

To constrain the depositional ages of the Gyeongsang sedimeantary formations, SHRIMP U-Pb ages were determined from detrital zircons in three samples: (1) a pebble-bearing sandstone from the lowermost Jinju Formation of the Sindong Group and (2) two conglomerates from the Silla Conglomerate of the Hayang Group. Their concordia ages are $112.4{\pm}1.3(2{\sigma})$ Ma and $110.4{\pm}2.0(2{\sigma})$ Ma respectively. Such ages represent the maximum deposition ages for the lowermost Jinju Formation and Silla Conglomerate, indicating the deposition of the Jinju Formation started from late Aptian and lasted to early Albian, then deposition of the rather thin Chilgok Formation and Silla Conglomerate was followed during the Albian. The age distribution of the analyzed detrital zircons indicates the presence of protoliths, or zircons derived from them, regarding a wide span of igneous activities from Mesozoic to Archean. Among such ages, there are Mesoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic igneous activities, which have not been known or seldom reported from Korean peninsula. These ages further suggest the possible presence of rocks with such ages during the deposition periods or their derivation through a long river system developed into the continents at the time of deposition.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.51-56
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• 2008

The geologic age of the Okcheon metamorphic belt, used to be a longstanding puzzle, has been settled down to Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic with discovery of fossils and isotopic age dating of metavolcanic rocks. As isotopic ages become accumulated, there appeared a controversy over the age of peak metamorphism in the Okcheon metamorphic belt, i.e., a single late Permian-early Triassic metamorphism (CHIME allanite age and U-Pb age of metamorphic zircon), or earlier independent presence of early Permian metamorphism (U-Pb age of allanite within garnet porphyroblast). If we compare the isotopic ages that can represent metamorphism, the data for the latter have much larger error than those of the former with some overlap considering the error limits. It means that, the former, supported by two independent ages, is considered a better representation for the age of metamorphism of the Okcheon metamorphic belt. Therefore, I propose the idea of early Permian metamorphism should better be reserved until conclusive evidence appears. The late Permian-early Triassic metamorphic age suggest that the effect of continental collision influenced much of the middle part of Korean Peninsula, namely, the Imjingang belt, the Gyeonggi massif and the Okcheon belt.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2018

The K-Ar ages of a sericite quartz schist in the lower Jangsan Formation along the Okdong fault zone reported by Yun (1983) have attracted attention again because of their potential to constrain the depositional timing of the Jangsan Formation. The oldest age of $562{\pm}2Ma$ among three reported K-Ar ages in the schist led to the claim that the depositional period of the lowermost Jangsan Formation in the Joseon Supergroup is late Neoproterozoic. Its depositional age is important for understanding the tectonic evolution of the Korean Peninsula including the formation and evolution histories of its sedimentary basins. Thus, the reliability and geological meaning of three K-Ar ages in the original paper (Yun, 1983) were revisited in the review. Quartz grains in the analyzed sample contain a considerable amount of excess Ar, and therefore it is inappropriate to use the ages as a basis for a depositional age constraint of the Jangsan Formation. The timing of mylonitization in the schist is recalculated as ~170 Ma.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.331-342
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• 2013

동아프리카 열곡대는 아라비아반도와 아프리카 북동부의 경계에서 부채꼴 형태로 남쪽으로 뻗은 대단층 함몰지구대이다. 아프리카 판 내부에 발달한 열곡대의 폭은 35~60 km이며 연장은 약 4,000km로 알려져 있다. 열곡대는 에티오피아에서 남서방향으로 발달하다 에티오피아 남부에서 동, 서 및 남서 열곡대로 나누어진다. 이 열곡대는 제3기초 올리고세(30~35 Ma)부터 에티오피아 북부 아파르 침강대를 중심으로 주 에티오피아 열곡대가 형성되고, 남쪽으로 확장되면서 마이오세에 활성화된다. 서부 열곡대는 동아프리카대지의 가장자리와 빅토리아 호의 서편을 따라 발달하며, 고각의 정단층에 의해 특징되는 전형적인 반지구대이다. 동부 열곡대(주 에티오피아 열곡대와 케냐 열곡대)는 30 Ma 전 화산활동과 지구조활동이 시작되었으나, 서부 열곡대는 Albert 호 북부에서 12 Ma 전에, Tanganyika 열곡에서는 7 Ma 전부터 시작되었다. 서부 열곡대의 남서 방향으로 분기된 남서 열곡대는 DR-콩고 남부와 잠비아의 Tanganyika 호에서부터 남서 방향으로 확장되어 보츠와나 Okavango 열곡대와 연결된다. 주 에티오피아 열곡대(MER)의 화산암류와 관련 퇴적암류는 지열, 소다회, 포타쉬(K), 천열수 금, 벤토나이트, 유황 및 부석자원으로 중요한 관련암으로 역할을 한다. 열곡관련 대표적인 광상으로는 Afar 열곡대에 분포하는 Danakhil K-광상과 Megenta 및 Blackrock 천열수 금광상이다. Danakhil K-광상은 제4기 화산활동과 높은 지열류에 의해 열곡대 내 분포하던 소금 선상지(salt fan)에서 증발작용에 의해 형성된 증발형 K-광상으로서 총 자원량은 약 12.6억톤으로 평가되었다. 이 광상에서는 4종의 K-광물인 실바이트, 카날라이트, 포리하라이트, 카이나이트가 산출한다. 아파르 침강대 내 분포하는 대표적인 천열수 금광상은 텐다호 지구대에 위치하는 Megenta 및 Blackrock 광상이다. 제4기에 EMR에서 산성의 과알칼리 화산활동에 의해 열수활동이 초래되어 현재까지도 활동하여 지열대가 형성되고, 저유황형금 광상들이 형성되었다. Megenta 저유황형 금 광상은 2009년 발견되었으며, 현재 영국의 Startex International사에 의해 탐사가 진행 중이다. 지금까지의 탐사 결과 옥수질 규화 변질암 분포지에서 5개의 광체가 분포하며, 그중 Hyena 광체에서는 규화 변질된 열수각력암에서 최고 16.75 g/t의 금 품위가 보고되었다. 동아프리카 열곡대의 서편인 부룬디에 분포하는 Gakara REE 광상은 카보너타이트 유형의 REE 광상이다. 이 광상은 $400km^2$ 면적 내 수 cm부터 수 m까지의 폭을 가지는 맥상 또는 망상세맥상의 광체를 형성한다. 주로 조립의 바스트너사이트와 모나자이트로 구성된다. 바스트너사이트의 형성시기는 $587{\pm}4Ma$인 신원생대로 알려져 있으며, 이 지역에 분포하는 카보너타이트와 알칼리암들이 신원생대에서 신생대까지의 광범위한 연대를 보이는 것은 동일한 구조선을 따라서 일어나는 반복되는 열곡활동으로 해석된다. 또한 REE, U, 인회석 자원의 관련암체로 생각되는 알카리 조면암(네펠린-조면암 포함)과 카보너타이트는 동아프리카 열곡대의 남동부 끝자락인 말라위와 모잠비크에 우세하게 분포한다.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.391-409
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• 2013

The Hongseong area of the southwestern Gyeonggi massif is considered to be part of suture zone that is tectonically correlated with the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu belt of China in terms of the preservation of collisional evidences during Triassic in age. The Wolhyeonri complex, preserved at the center of the Hongseong area, consists mainly of Neoproterozoic orthogneisses and Middle Paleozoic intermediate- to high-grade metamorphic schists, orthogneisses and mafic metavolcanics. The area includes various Middle to Late Triassic intrusives (e.g. dyke or stock). They are mainly monzonite and aplite with small intrusions of monzodiorit, syenite and diorite in composition. The SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages yield 237 Ma to 222 Ma. The geochemistry of the studied Triassic intrusives show similar subuction- or arc-type signatures having Ta-Nb troughs, depletion of P and Ti, and enrichment of LILEs (large ion lithophile elements). In addition, the Triassic plutons in the Hongseong area, including those from this study, mostly possess high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic tectonic affinity. These results could be tectonically correlated to the post-collisional magmatic event following the Triassic collision between the North and South China blocks in China. Therefore, the Triassic plutons in the Hongseong area offer an important insight into the Triassic geodynamic history of the NE Asian region.