• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.64-72
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• 2007

Nationwide occurrence of arsenic in groundwater of Korea was investigated with the data from the groundwater quality monitoring stations. During 2001-2006, As has been quantitatively detected in 3.0 % of the total wells $(5.0{\sim}188{\mu}g/L)$, and its geographical distribution suggests 3 groups: an urbanized and industrialized area (Seoul and its neighbouring province), and two naturally occurring areas (Chungbuk and Gyeongnam provinces). Natural occurrence of As appears to be geologically related with Ogcheon metasedimentary rocks and Cretaceous volcanic rocks. Based on the results of the previous studies in the high As sites, the oxidation of sulfides can be a major control on As concentrations in groundwater in the mineralized and altered zone within the area of Cretaceous volcanic rocks. Desorption process under slightly high pH conditions may also be responsible for high As in groundwater in areas of Ogcheon metasedimentary rocks.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 1983

In the previous studies on Rb-Sr geochronology, Gyeonggi Massif was known as the oldest rock in Korea Peninsula but the detailed sequence of geochronology was not studied yet. In the present study, some of whole rock isochrons considered here can be geochronologically grouped as follows: The ages of leucocratic gneisses at Yangpyeong, and augen and banded gneisses at Anyang show 2200 to 2300 m.y. which may represent the time of the Massif formation or an igneous intrusion. The age of the granite gneiss distributed in Yangpyeong area shows about 1400 m.y., which apparently represents the intrusion time of the gneiss. The age of the extremely altered metamorphic rock shows about 500 m.y., which may represent the time of a Caledonian orogenic event probably with hydrothermal activities. The other episodic ages of 800 to 900 m.y. which was widely observed through the Massif, may represent the ages of Precambrian igneous activities or regional metamorphism in the Massif. It seems to be reasonable that the ages of 120 to 270 m.y. show the times of Mesozoic and Late Palaeozoic Plutonisms in the Massif.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.279-289
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• 1997

Dark to pale green-colored, Cr-bearing sericites from hydrothermal alteration zone of the Narim gold deposit were investigated mineralogically and geochemically. The alteration zone is composed mineralogically of quartz, carbonate minerals and green sericite with minor amounts of chlorite, barite and sulfide minerals (pyrite, sphalerite, galena). The zone is enriched in As (967 to 1520 ppm), Cu (31 to 289 ppm), Ni (1027 to 1205 ppm), Pb (0.20 to 1.24 wt.%) and Zn (1.03 to 1.07 wt. %) compared with fresh rocks such as granitic gneiss, porphyritic biotite granite and basic dyke. The Cr, probably the chromophore element, is highly enriched in the alteration zone (1140 to 1500 ppm), host granitic gneiss (1200 ppm) and porphyritic biotite granite (1200 ppm). Occurrence and grain size of sericite are diverse, but most of the Cr-bearing sericites (150 to $200{\mu}m$ long and 20 to $30{\mu}m$ wide) occur along the boundaries between ore veins and host rocks (especially basic dyke and granitic gneiss). X-ray diffraction data of the sericite show its monoclinic form with unit-cell parameters of $a=5.202{\AA}$, $b=8.994{\AA}$, $c=20.103{\AA}$, ${\beta}=95.746^{\circ}$ and $V=935.83{\AA}^3$, which are similar with the normal 2M1-type muscovite. Representative chemical formula of the sericite is ($K_{1.54}Ca_{0.03}Na_{0.01}$)($Al_{3.42}Mg_{0.38}Cr_{0.14}Fe_{0.06}V_{0.02}$)($Si_{6.69}Al_{1.31}$)$O_{20}(OH)_4$. The Cr content increases with decrease of the octahedral Al content, and ranges from 0.36 to 2.58 wt.%. DTA and TG curves of the sericite show endothermic peaks at $342^{\circ}$ to $510^{\circ}$, $716^{\circ}$ to $853^{\circ}$ and $1021^{\circ}C$, which are due to the expulsion of hydroxyl group. The total weight loss by heating is measured to be about 8.8 wt. %, especially at $730^{\circ}C$. Infrared absorption experiments of the sericite show broad absorption band due to the O-H bond stretching vibration near the $3625cm^{-1}$, coupled with the 825 and $750cm^{-1}$ doublet. The vibration bands related with the H-O-Al and Si-O-Al bonds occur at $1030cm^{-1}$ and 500 to $700cm^{-1}$, respectively. Based on paragonite content of the sericite, the formation temperature of the Narim gold deposit is calculated to be $220{\pm}10^{\circ}C$.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.378-387
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• 2010

We present the results of laboratory measurement of porosity and electrical resistivity for the samples collected near marine hydrothermal deposit to provide fundamental perspective of physical properties for future electromagnetic survey. The rock cores are sampled from the host rock, pumice, hydrothermal altered zone, and chimney. These samples are featured as easily brittle, rough surface with large pores, having components easily solvable in the water. We suggest systematic approach for measuring weights, volumes of core samples to calculate density and porosity. Measurements reveal that the resistivities of black host rock, gray host rock, pumice and chimney are 102, 39, 11, 0.1 ohm-m, respectively, when the core samples are saturated with saline water of $32,000\;{\mu}S$/cm (0.5 ohm-m) at temperature of $2.5^{\circ}C$ and these correspond to the factors of 5 for sea water, 110 for pumice and 390~1020 for host rocks with respect to the resistivity of chimney. We also confirm that resistivity of rock samples saturated with water decrease with temperature linearly over the temperature range of $20{\sim}80^{\circ}C$.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2023

The Naedeokri and Nonggeori granites are early Proterozoic granites of the Taebaek-Sangdong area in the northeastern part of the Yeongnam Massif. In this paper, rare earth elements (REEs) concentrations of the minerals in Naedeokri and Nonggeori granites and Rb-Sr mineral isochron age are reported. Except zircon, the constituent minerals such as mica, feldspar, quartz, and tourmaline show LREE-enriched and HREE-depleted REE patterns with relatively large Eu negative anomaly. However, zircon has geochemical characteristic of LREE- and HREE-enriched REE pattern with large Eu positive anomaly. This pattern suggests that zircon should be hydrothermal zircon due to deuteric hydrothermal alteration. In addition, the Rb-Sr mineral age of Naedeokri granite indicates an age value of 1.814±142(2σ) Ma. The Rb-Sr whole rock age including pervious data of Naedeokri and Nogggeori granite indicates an age value of 1,707±74(2σ) Ma. This value is younger than the Sm-Nd isochron of 1.87 Ga, indicating that the Rb-Sr isotope system may be re-homogenized by hydrothermal alteration during the transition from a magmatic to a hydrothermal system.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.250-262
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• 2008

In order to assess the feasibility of the dipole-dipole electric method to the investigation of metallic ore deposit, both field data simulation and inversion are carried out for several simplified ore deposit models. Our interest is in a vein-type model, because most of the ore deposits (more than 70%) exist in a vein type in Korea. Based on the fact that the width of the vein-type ore deposits ranges from tens of centimeters to 2m, we change the width and the material property of the vein, and we use 40m-electrode spacing for our test. For the vein-type model with too small width, the low resistivity zone is not detected, even though the resistivity of the vein amounts to 1/300 of that of the surrounding rock. Considering a wide electrode interval and cell size used in the inversion, it is natural that the size of the low resistivity zone is overestimated. We also perform field data simulation and inversion for a vein-type model with surrounding hydrothermal alteration zones, which is a typical structure in an epithermal ore deposits. In the model, the material properties are assumed on the basis of resistivity values directly observed in a mine originated from an epithermal ore deposits. From this simulation, we can also note that the high resistivity value of the vein does not affect the results when the width of the vein is narrow. This indicates that our main target should be surrounding hydrothermal alteration zones rather than veins in field survey. From these results, we can summarize that when the vein is placed at the deep part and the difference of resistivity values between the vein and the surrounding rock is not large enough, we cannot detect low resistivity zone and interpret the subsurface structures incorrectly using the electric method performed at the surface. Although this work is a little simple, it can be used as references for field survey design and field data Interpretation. If we perform field data simulation and inversion for a number of models and provide some references, they will be helpful in real field survey and interpretation.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.185-197
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• 2023

The Gubong Au-Ag deposit consists of eight lens-shaped quartz veins. These veins have filled fractures along fault zones within Precambrian metasedimentary rock. This has been one of the largest deposits in Korea, and is geologically a mix of orogenic-type and intrusion-related types. Korea Mining Promotion Corporation drilled into a quartz vein (referred to as the No. 6 vein) with a width of 0.9 m and a grade of 27.9 g/t Au at a depth of -728 ML by drilling (No. 90-12) in the southern site of the deposit, To further investigate the potential redevelopment of the No. 6 vein, another drilling (No. 04-1) was carried out in 2004. In 2004, samples (wallrock, wallrock alteration and quartz vein) were collected from the No. 04-1 drilling core site to study the occurrence and chemical composition of Ti-bearing minerals (ilmenite, rutile). Rutile from mineralized zone at a depth of -275 ML occur minerals including K-feldspar, biotite, quartz, calcite, chlorite, pyrite in wallrock alteration zone. Ilmenite and rutile from ore vein (No. 6 vein) at a depth of -779 ML occur minerals including white mica, chlorite, apatite, zircon, quartz, calcite, pyrrhotite, pyrite in wallrock alteration zone and quartz vein. Based on mineral assemblage, rutile was formed by hydrothermal alteration (chloritization) of Ti-rich biotite in the wallrock. Chemical composition of ilmenite has maximum values of 0.09 wt.% (HfO₂), 0.39 wt.% (V₂O₃) and 0.54 wt.% (BaO). Comparing the chemical composition of rutile at a depth -275 ML and -779 ML, Rutile at a depth of -779 ML is higher contents (WO₃, FeO and BaO) than rutile at a depth of -275 ML. The substitutions of rutile at a depth of -275 ML and -779 ML are as followed : rutile at a depth of -275 ML Ba²⁺ + Al³⁺ + Hf⁴⁺ + (Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺) ↔ 3Ti⁴⁺ + Fe²⁺, 2V⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺ + Al³⁺ + (Fe²⁺, Ba²⁺), Al³⁺ + V⁴⁺+ (Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺ + 2Fe²⁺, rutile at a depth of -779 ML 2 (Fe²⁺, Ba²⁺) + Al³⁺ + (W⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺ + (V⁴⁺, Hf⁴⁺), Fe²⁺ + Al³⁺ + Hf ⁴⁺ + (W⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺) ↔ 2Ti⁴⁺ + V⁴⁺ + Ba²⁺, respectively. Based on these data and chemical composition of rutiles from orogenic-type deposits, rutiles from Gubong deposit was formed in a relatively oxidizing environment than the rutile from orogenictype deposits (Unsan deposit, Kori Kollo deposit, Big Bell deposit, Meguma gold-bearing quartz vein).

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.273-288
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• 2011

Chon-Ashuu copper mining claim area is located, in terms of the geotectonic setting, in the northern part of the suture line which is bounded with the marginal part of Issik-kul micro-continent on the southern part of North Tien-Shan terrane. The geological blocks of Chon-Ashuu districts belong to the southern tip of Kazakhstan orocline. The rock formation of this area are composed of the continental crust or/and arc collage and the paleo-continental fragments-accretionary wedge complex of pre-Altaid orogenic materials. ASI(Alumina Saturation Index) of Paleozoic plutonic rocks in Chon-Ashuu area belong to the peraluminous and metaluminous rocks which were generated from fractional crystallization of Island and volcanic arc crusts in syn-post collisional plate. The geology of the ChonAshuu area consists of upper Proterozoic and Paleozoic rock formations. According to Harker variation diagrams for Chon-Ashuu arenaceous sedimentary rocks, the silty sandstone of Chon-Ashuu area showing the mineralogical immaturity were derived from Island arc or the marginal environments of active continent in Cambro-Carboniferous period. Numerous intrusive rocks of Chon-Ashuu area are distributed along north east trending tectonic structures and are bounded on four sides by the conjugate pattern. The most common type of the plutonic rocks are granodiorite and monzodiorite. According to the molecular normative An-Ab-Or composition (Barker, 1979), the plutonic rocks in Chon-Ashuu area are classified into tonalite - trondhjemite - granodiorite (TTG) series which are an aggregation of rocks which is the country rock of copper mineralization, that are formed by melting of hydrous mafic crust at high pressure.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.537-549
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• 2007

The characteristics of the mineralization and geology in the northern Mt. Taebaek mining district are found to be similar with those reported from Nevada district where the Carlin-type gold deposit occurs characteristically as repeated metallic ore deposits in space and time. Though two spots of hs and several spots of Sb anomalies were recognized in the Yeongweol area, they have no relationship with any metalliferous mineralization. On the other hand, two spots of As anomaly in the Jeongseon area have shown to be related with metalliferous ore deposits (mainly Ag-Au), and they are closely associated with Sb anomaly. Some elements of altered limestones in the study such as Au, Ag, As, Sb, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Mo area are closely associated together, and are more enriched in the Jeongseon area than in the Yeongweol area. In particular, Sb and As which may reflect the occurrence of the Carlin-type gold deposit are highly enriched. However, the base metals such af Zn and Pb are highly variable according to samples. The patterns of the enrichment factor for Sb and As, as well as those for Ag and Au, are very similar with those reported from the Carlin-type gold deposits in Nevada. These similarities in elemental distribution may imply that hydrothermal ore mineralization in the study areas was possibly originated from a fluid with the characteristics of the Carlin-type gold mineralization found in Nevada, China, and Indonesia. However, the pattern of base metals and Mo are different. This may result from different chemistry and/or mineralogy of host rock in the study areas.