• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.117-128
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• 2017

Occurrence characteristics and existing forms of U-Th containing minerals in KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) granite are investigated to understand long-term behavior of radionuclides in granite considered as a candidate rock for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. KURT granite primarily consists of quartz, feldspar and mica. zircon, REE(Rare Earth Element)-containing monazite and bastnaesite are also identified. Besides, secondary minerals such as sericite, microcline and chlorite including quartz vein and calcite vein are observed. These minerals are presumed to be accompanied by a post-hydrothermal process. U-Th containing minerals are mainly observed at the boundaries of quartz, feldspar and mica, mostly less than $30{\mu}m$ in size. Quantitative analysis results using EPMA (Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer) show that 74.2 ~ 96.5% of the U-Th containing minerals consist of $UO_2$ (3.39 ~ 33.19 wt.%), $ThO_2$ (41.61 ~ 50.24 wt.%) and $SiO_2$ (15.43 ~ 18.60 wt.%). Chemical structure of the minerals calculated using EPMA quantitative analysis shows that the U-Th minerals are silicate minerals determined as thorite and uranothorite. The U-Th containing silicate minerals are formed by a magmatic and hydrothermal process. Therefore, KURT granite formed by a magmatic differentiation is accompanied by an alteration and replacement owing to a hydrothermal process. U-Th containing silicate minerals in KURT granite are estimated to be recrystallized by geochemical factors and parameters such as temperature, pressure and pH owing to the hydrothermal process. By repeated dissolution/precipitation during the recrystallization process, U-Th containing silicate minerals such as thorite and uranothorite are formed according to the variation in the concentrated amount of U and Th.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 2002

Margarite, which occurs in the Unkyori Formation of Miwon area, Chungcheongbukdo, South Korea, was investigated using the petrographic microscope, back-scattered electron images (BSEI), and electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) to characterize the alteration textures and mineral chemistries. Most margarite crystals are inhomogeneous, and chlorite was commonly observed to occur at the boundaries parallel to the rim of margarite. Cracks occur across the basal plane of the margarite, and margarite is partly replaced by chlorite along the cracks. In additon, muscovite and biotite are intergrown in margarite and chlorite crystals, suggesting that margarite was partially altered to chlorite as well as to muscovite and biotite. Chemical analysis data show that paragonite solid solution in the margarite is approximately 19.6 mol%, but clintonite solid solution is negligible. Margarite crystals in the Unkyori Formation cut or penetrate other metamorphic minerals In the same thin sections and are oriented randomly without any relationship with the foliation of host rocks, indicating that formed as a secondary mineral after peak metamorphism. Furthermore, it seems that hydrothermal fluids associated with the Mesozoic intrusions developed near the sample are closely related to the margarite formation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.41-54
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• 1993

The Ulsan Fe-W deposit, which can be classified as a calcareous skarn deposit, is represented by ore pipe consisting principally of magnetite and lesser amounts of scheelite with minor sulphides, sulphosaits, arsenides, sulpharsenides, etc. At Ulsan mine, metasomatic processes of skarn growth may be divided broadly into two stages based on the paragenetic sequence of calc-silicate minerals and their chemical composition; early and late skarn stages. Early stage has started with the formation of highly calcic assemblages of wollastonite, diopsidic clinopyroxene and nearly pure grossular, which are followed by the formation of clinopyroxenes with salite to ferrosalite composition and grandite garnets with intermediate composition. Based on these calc-silicate assemblages, the temperatures of early skarn formations have been in the ranges of $550^{\circ}$ to $450^{\circ}$. The calc-silicate assemblages formed during the earlier half period of late skarn stage show the enrichment of notable iron and slight manganese, and the depletion of magnesium; clinopyroxenes are hedenbergitic, and grandite garnets are andraditic. The formation temperatures during this skarn stage are inferred to have been in the range of $430^{\circ}$ to $470^{\circ}C$ at low $X_{CO_2}$ by data from fluid inclusions of late andraditic garnets. The later half period of late skarn stage is characterized by the hydrous alteration of pre-existing minerals and the formation of hydrous silicates. The main iron-tungsten mineralization representing prominent deposition of magnetite immediately followed by minor scheelite impregnation has taken place at the middle of early skarn stage, while complex polymetallic mineralization has proceeded during and after the late skarn stage. Various metals and semimetals of Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Ag, In, Sn, Sb, Te, Pb and Bi have been in various states such as native metal, sulphides, arsenides, sulphosaits, sulpharsenides and tellurides.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.767-785
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• 2021

World-class magnesite deposits are developed in the Dashiqiao mineralized district of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt in China. This belt extends to the northern side of the Korean Peninsula and hosts major magnesite deposits in the Dancheon region of North Korea. Magnesite ores from the Pailou deposits in the Dashiqiao district is classified into pure magnetite, chlorite-magnetite, chlorite-talc-magnetite, and dolomite groups depending on the constituent minerals. According to the result of petrographic study, magnesite was formed by the alteration of dolomite, and, talc, chlorite, and apatite were produced as late-stage alteration minerals that replaced the magnesite. Fluid inclusions observed in magnesite are a liquid-type inclusion, with a homogenization temperature of 121-250 ℃ and a salinity of 1.7-22.4 wt% NaCl equiv. The chlorite geothermometer, indicating the temperature of hydrothermal alteration, is 137~293 ℃, slightly higher than the homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions, and the pressure is calculated to be less than 3.2 kb. For magnesite mineralization in the study area, the initially formed-dolomite was subjected to replacement by Mg-rich fluid to form a magnesite ore body, and then it was enriched through regional metamorphism and hydrothermal alteration. It seems that altered minerals such as talc were crystallized by Si and Al-rich late-stage hydrothermal fluids. These results are similar to the genetic environments of the Daeheung deposit, a representative magnesite deposit in North Korea, and it is believed that the two deposits went through a similar geological and ore genetic process of magnesite mineralization.

• 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.17 no.1
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• pp.17-34
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• 1984

The Ordovician limestone and dolomite was mineralized by the intrusion of quartz porphyry to form hydrothermal ore deposit along the fault shear zone, which trends $N30^{\circ}-40^{\circ}W$ dipping $60^{\circ}-70^{\circ}SW$. The primary manganese carbonates in the upper part of the deposit were oxidized to form supergene manganese ore deposits. The quartz porphyry is plotted mainly in granite region of the triangular diagram of normative composition. The granite phase contains more copper and lead, but less zinc, nickel and chromium than the granodiorite phase which occupies the northwestern part of the quartz porphyry. The content of copper, lead, zinc, nickel and chromium in the quartz porphyry is lower compared with the granitic rocks from the copper province in the Gyeongsang basin. But the granitic rocks from the lead-zinc province has lower content of copper and nickel than the quartz porphyry. The primary distribution pattern of trace elements in the country rock of limestone and dolomite has close relation with the hydrothermal mineralization, showing anomalous or high content near the fault shear zone. The secondary distribution pattern of trace elements in soils shows close relation with the solubility of the carbonates of the elements under weathering condition.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2009

The aim of this study is to investigate the relations among each white stone and their characteristics through the chemical and mineralogical analysis of them excavated from around some kilns in archaeological sites. Moreover it was intended to infer the function of kilns. Nine white stones were chosen from three different archaeological sites, the each name of which is Sanyang-ri, Youngdu-ri and Gwangdae-ri in Chungcheongnam-do. In the mineralogical characteristics of thin section, eight stones containing calcite are altered and recrystallized by metasomatism and hydrothermal process, and Calcites, major component minerals of limestone, were identified by the analysis of XRD. On the basis of this result, we can infer the stones to be classified into limestone groups. One the other hand, research revealed that one of the white stones was a white pelitic stone composed of quartz, microcline and muscovite. In the analysis of chemical composition, except for the white pelitic stone eight stones are mainly composed of CaO which is major component of Calcite. Besides, as a results of correlation analysis by using a chemical compositions of major and minor elements in white stones, little did each archaeological site have the relativity. In conclusion, each archaeological site was estimated that they would use a limestone ores extracted from different deposits, and there is a high possibility that the function of these kilns is to produce quicklime.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.181-193
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• 2017

Mn-Fe phosphate mineral complexes included within the pegmatite are observed at Jurassic Cheolwon two-mica granite in Gyeonggi Massif, South Korea. The genetic evolution between the Cheolwon two-mica granite and pegmatite, and various trend of Mn-Fe phosphate minerals is made by later magmatic, hydrothermal, and weathering process based on mineralogical, geochemical analysis. The Cheolwon two-mica granite is identified as S-type granite, considering its chemical composition (metaluminous ~ peraluminous), post-collisional environment, low magnetic susceptibility, and existence of biotite and muscovite. The K-Ar age (ca. 153 Ma) of pegmatite is well coincident with age of the Cheolwon two-mica granite ($151{\pm}4Ma$). It indicates that these two rocks are originated from the same magma. Pegmatite indicates the LCT geochemical signature, and was classified as muscovite-rare element class / Li subclass / beryl type / beryl-columbite-phosphate subtype pegmatite. The triplite $\{(Fe^{2+}{_{0.4}},Mn_{1.6})(PO_4)(F_{0.9})\}$ is dominant phosphates in later magmatic stage which partly altered to leucophosphite $\{KFe^{3+}{_2}(PO_4)_2OH{\cdot}2H_2O\}$ and jahnsite $\{(Fe^{3+}{_{0.7}},Mn_{2.3})(PO_4)_2OH{\cdot}4H_2O\}$ by hydrothermal alteration. In particular, near fractures, the triplite has been separatelty replaced by the phosphosiderite ($Fe^{3+}PO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$) and Mn-oxide minerals during weathering stage.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.79-93
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• 1979

Twenty five samples of the scheelite-powellite series from twelve Korean tungsten deposits of various geologic settings were studied mineralogically and geochemically. Variations in the trace-element contents of the scheelite minerals are considered in relation to geologic settings and mineralogic properties. Scheelites from ore deposits developed in similar geologic settings and under similar physicochemical conditions are characterized by specific combinations of trace elements.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.02a
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• pp.29-48
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• 2001

일반적인 폐수처리 시 여러 광물들이 사용되는 데 예를 들면, 수산화칼슘 및 탄산나트륨은 중화제, 점토는 응집제, 알룸(alum) 및 염화철은 인 제거제로 사용되고 있다. 산성광산배수인 경우에는 알칼리성의 중화제로 석회 (CaO), 석회석 (CaCO$_3$), 가성소다 (NaOH), 탄산나트륨 (NaCO$_3$) 등이 사용된다. 그러나, 설비비 및 유지비가 많이 들어 몇 십년 동안 계속해서 침출되는 산성광산배수를 처리하기에는 문제가 있다. 산성광산배수 (Acid Mine Drainage, AMD)는 pH가 6.0 미만이고 총산도 (totalacidity)가 총알카리도 (total alkalinity)를 초과하는 물로서 노천광이 가행되었던 지역, 가행중이거나 휴광 또는 폐광된 광산에서 유출된다. 또한 도로사면 절개부나 지하철 터널에서도 황철석(pyrite)이나 백철석 (marcasite)을 함유하는 층이 공기 중에 노출되면 산성수가 침출되어 나오기도 한다. 산성광산배수에 의한 하천수의 오염이 매우 극심하여 때로는 미생물마저도 그 속에 살 수 없게 된다. 산성광산배수에 의해 오염된 하천수의 오염범위는 산성수의 양, 농도, 하천에 유입되는 산성수의 분포, 상류에서 흘러드는 오염되지 않은 물의 양, 지류에서 유입되는 물의 양에 따라 좌우된다. 산성광산배수 오염이 문제시되고 있는 나라는 미국을 포함하여 호주, 일본, 한국, 러시아, 남아연방 등이다. 산성광산배수는 환원환경에서 생성된 석탄층 및 접촉교대 또는 열수에 의해 생성된 금속광이 공기 및 물에 노출되어 생성되는 자연적인 현상이다. 그러나 국지적인 지역에서 인간이 이 광상들을 환경영향을 고려하지 않고 대규모로 개발할 때 인간 생활에 심각한 영향을 미치는 것이다. 광산산성배수를 처리하기 위해 상기와 같이 여러 기술이 도입 적용되었으며 일부 기술들은 현재도 사용되고 있다. 각 기술마다 일장일단이 있으므로 경비의 과다, 유지 및 관리에 대한 지속성 여부, 공간의 확보 여부, 지역적 특수성에 맞춰 가장 적합한 방법을 채택하여야 하며 꾸준히 채택한 기술의 개량 및 새로운 기술의 첨가가 요구되고 있다. 따라서, 산성광산배수 오염지대에 대해 획일적으로 같은 처리방법을 채택하여 사용하는 것보다 각 지역 또는 광산산성폐수가 유출되어 나오는 광산폐기물의 특성 등을 고려하여 거기에 맞는 기술들을 복합적으로 또는 단독으로 사용하되 처리방법 채택 시 신중을 기할 것이 요망된다.