• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2018

Radioactive cesium($^{137}Cs$) can be released into the environment through severe nuclear accidents such as the Chernobyl and Fukushima, The $^{137}Cs$ is one of major monitoring radionuclides due to its chemical toxicity, ${\gamma}$ radiation and long half-life($t_{1/2}=30.2yrs$). It has been known well that illite adsorb selectively and strongly the cesium due to frayed edge sites. The quantity of the FES in the illite could be controlled by weathering processes. Therefore, this study was modified illite samples through artificial weathering in the laboratory to increase sorption efficiency for cesium. Abundant interlayer cations(i.e., K, Ca) were eluted within 1 day, while Si and Al were gradually released from the crystal structure. In addition, broad peaks of XRD indicated the occurrence of chemical weathering. The cesium sorption distribution coefficients increased up to approximately 2 times after the weathering. These results suggested that sorption capacity of illite could be enhanced for cesium through artificial weathering under low temperature.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.18 s.18
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• pp.19-32
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• 2006

The stone pagoda of the Bunhwangsa temple made by piling small brick-shaped stones. The major rock forming stone bricks are andesites with variable genesis. Rock properties of the pagoda roof stone suffer partly including multiple peel-offs, exfoliation, decomposition like onion peels, cracks forming round lines and falling off stone pieces. The stylobates and tabernacles in all the four directions the pagoda are mostly composed of granitic rocks. Those rock properties are heavily contaminated by lichens and mosses with the often marks of inorganic contamination by secondary hydrates that are dark black or yellowish brown. Within the four tabernacles and northern pagoda body situated to relatively high humidity. There are even light gray precipitate looking like stalactites between the northern and western rocks of the body Their major minerals are calcite, gypsum and clays. The stone lion standing in the southeast and northeast side are alkali granite, while that in the southwest and northwest lithic tuff. Total rock properties of the pagoda are 9,708 pieces, among the all properties, fractured blocks are 11.0%, fall out blocks are 6.7% and covered blocks by precipitates are 7.0%, respectively. The pagoda has highly deteriorated the functions of the rock properties due to physical, chemical and biological weathering, therefore, we suggest that this pagoda has need to do long term monitoring and synthetic conservation researches.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.479-488
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• 2014

Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) from disturbance of rocks and soils has been overlooked as a source of exposure that could potentially have a detrimental impact on human health. But, few researches on mineralogical characteristics of NOA occurred in soils have been reported in Korea. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the mineralogical characteristics of NOA occurred in soils at Daero-ri area, Seosan, Chungnam Province, Korea. Sedimentation method was used for particle size separation of the asbestos-containing soils. XRD and PLM analyses were used to characterize mineralogical characteristics and mineral assemblages in soils. SEM-EDS and TEM-EDS analyses were used to characterize mineral morphology and chemical composition. Particle size analyses of the asbestos-containing soils showed they were composed of 26-93% sand, 4-23% silt and 3-70% clay. Soil texture of the soils was mainly sand, sandy loam, sandy clay, and clay. PLM analyses of the soil showed that most of the soil contained asbestiform tremolite and actinolite. The average content of asbestos in the soil was 1.5 wt. %. Therefore, the soil can be classified into asbestos-contaminated soils based on U. S. Environmental Protection Agency classification (content of asbestos in contaminated soil > 1%). Morphologically different types of tremolite such as long fibrous, needle-like, fiber bundle, bladed and prismatic forms co-existed. Prismatic tremolite was dominant in sand fraction and asbestiform tremolite was dominant in silt fraction. This study indicates that the prismatic form of tremolite transform gradually into a fibrous form of tremolite due to soil weathering because tremolite asbestos was mainly existed in silt fraction rather than sand fraction.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.9-21
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• 2002

In Korea, many open-air upper palaeolithic sites are located at the river valley, particularly exposed in gently rotting terrain along the river course. They are situated at an altitude less trail 30 m above present river bottom, and covered with the blankets of slope deposits of several meters in thickness. The purpose of this research is to eluridate depositional and vegetational environment of the alluvial upper palaeolithic Jangheung-ri sites on the basis of analytical properties of grain size population, chronology, palynology, soil chemistry and clay mineralogy and magnetic susceptibility of the Jangheung-ri Quaternary formations. The lithostratograpy of Jangheung-ri sit is subdivided into 3 layers based on the depositional sequence and radiocarbon ages. From bottom to top, they are composed of slope deposits with lower paleosol layers, young fluvial sand and gravel with backswamp organic muds, and upper paleosol layers. The upper paleosol was formed under rather dry climatic condition between each flooding period. Dessication cracks were prevalent in the soil solum which was filled with secondarily minuted fragments due to pedogenetic process. The soil structure shows typical braided-typed cracks in the root part of cracking texture, and more diversified pattern of crackings downward. The young fluvial sand gravel were formed by rather perennial streams after LGM. The main part of organic muds was particularly formed after 15Ka. Local backswamp were flourished with organic muds and graded suspension materials in the flooding muds were intermittently accumulated in the organic muds until ca. 11Ka. This episode was associated with migration of Nam River toward present course. Organic muds were formed in backswamp or local pond. Abies/Picea-Betula with Ranunculaceae, Compositae, Cyperaceae were prevalent. This period is characterized with B$\Phi$lling, Older Dryas, Allerod, and Younger Dryas (MIS-1). Stone artefacts were found in the lower paleosol layers formed as old as 18Ka-22Ka. Based on the artefacts and landscape settings of the Jangheung-ri site, it is presumed that settlement grounds of old people were buried by frequent floodings of old Nam River, the river-beds of which were heavily fluctuated laterally and river-bed erosions were activated from south to north in Jangheung-ri site until the terminal of LGM9ca 17Ka).

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1987

The distribution of the surface charges in two kinds of peats and their physico-chemical properties have a been studied by means of the potentiometric titration and by ion adsorption in different strength of electrolytes. The organic matter contents were 43.3% and 53.7% in Yeong Yang peat and Peong Tack peat, respectively. Their X-ray diffractograms showed that quartz was dominant in both peats, and illite, kaolinite, hydrated-halloysite and feldspars were contained in a trace. Total acidic group contents was 1.257me/g in Poeng Tack peat that was a little more than of Peong Yang heat were pKa values of Yeong Yang and Poeng Tack peat were 13.1 and 12.65, respectively. The titration curves at different ionic strength of electrolytes crossed at pH 3.9 and 4.4 in Yeong Yang peat, and pH 3.8 and 4.0 in Peong Tack peat. The pH ranges of suspensions when the net surfacecharge of the peats varied from positive to negative value were $pH\;4.55{\sim}5.20\;(NaCl)$ and $pH\;3.95{\sim}5.70\;(CaCl_2)$ in Yeong Fang peat, and $pH\;4.15{\sim}5.40\;(NaCl)$ and $pH\;3.80{\sim}4.15\;(CaCl_2)$ in Peong Tack peat. Therefore it is apparent that the zero point of charge of these peats was about pH 4.0.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.25-31
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• 1996

The wastes ot l~mestone mines have been cause the extrar.ngance of the valuablz m e r a l s and destruction of the environment. Therefore, \\-c tied ta separation of calcite illid clay from the limestone mine wastes by rotntmg screen type separator made by ourselves in order to recyding such us a raw matcriala for cement maimfacture. CaO amtents in the separated coarse products increased from 37.36 wt% to 42+2 wt% at the condition ihat water content in wastes was lzss than 6wt%, the passing time of specimen in &amber was 15 semnds and the rotation speed was 6OLl qm. A process in order lo separate wastes effectively to having wide range aI part~dcs ize was cstablishcd and CaO contents of coarsc products through this process increased to 46.85 wt%. Tbis rcsult is insuEiicient to directly rcusing as a raw malerials for cement. However, it is supposed that coarse products would be able to be reuscd as a raw materials uf cement, if only it rs sclected dolomite in wastes, and really it may be possible in fields Othenvise, undcrsize products(less than 20 mm) would be able to recycling as a raw of cement bccause chcmicrl campasitions of thosc is kept almost constant v&cs on the overall process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.194-205
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• 1999

Hydrogeochemical variation and environmental isotope at the some abandoned metal mine (Sanggok, Keumsil, Jangpung and Samdeok) creeks of the Hwanggangri mining district were carried out based upon the physicochemical properties for surface water collected of February in 1998. Hydrogeochemical composition of the all water samples are characterized by the relatively significant enrichment of Ca$^{2}$, alkaline ions, N $O_3$$^{－}$ and Cl$^{－}$ in normal surface water, whereas the surface waters near the mining area are relatively enriched in Ca$^{2+$, Mg$^{2＋}$, heavy metals. HC $O_3$$^{－}$ and S $O_4$$^{2－}$. Surface waters of the mining creek have low pH, high EC and extremely high concentrations of TDS compared with surface water of the non-mining creeks. The range of $\delta$D and $\delta$$^{18}$O values (SMOW) in the waters are shown in －65.0 to－71.2$\textperthousand$ and －9.1 to－10.2$\textperthousand$. The d($\delta$D－$\delta$$^{18}$O) value with those of water samples ranged from 7.3 to 10.9. These $\delta$D and $\delta$$^{18/}$ of the acid mine water are more heavy values than those of surface water. The values have revealed the positive correlation between isotopic compositions and major elements, because those $\delta$D and $\delta$$^{18}$O values increase with increasing TDS. HC $O_3$$^{－}$ , S $O_4$$^{2－}$ and Ca$^{2＋}$ concentration. Using WATEQ4F, saturation index of albite calcite, dolomite and mostly clay minerals in water of the mining area show undersaturated and progressively evolved toward the equilibrium condition due to fresh water mixing, however, surface waters of the non-mining area are nearly saturated and/or supersaturated. Geochemical modeling showed that mostly toxic heavy metals within water in the mining creek may exist largely in the from of metal-sulfate (MS $O_4$$^{2－}$), free metal (M$^{2＋}$/), C $O_3$$^{－}$ and/or OH$^{－}$ complex ions. Based on the geology, water chemistry and environmental istopic data the water compositions from the Sanggok and Keumsil mine creek (consist mainly of Cambro-Ordovician carbonate rocks of the Cho-seon Supergroup) show higher PH, Ca$^{2＋}$, Mg$^{2＋}$ , HC $O_3$$^{－}$ and more heavy $\delta$D and $\delta$$^{18}$O values than those from the Jangpung and Samdeok mine creek (consist of age -unknown metasedimentary rocks of the Ogcheon Supergroup and/or Jurassic grani-toids), but each of these waters represents a similar hydrogeochemical evolution path by the mine water mixing.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.31-42
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• 2006

Drought indices, such as PDSI (palmer Drought Severity Index), SWSI (Surface Water Supply Index) and SPI (Standardized Precipitation Index), have been developed to assess and forecast an intensity of drought. To find the applicability of groundwater level data to a drought assessment, a correlation analysis between SPI and groundwater levels was conducted for each time series at a drought season in 2001. The comparative results between SPI and groundwater levels of shallow wells of three national groundwater monitoring stations, Chungju Gageum, Yangpyung Gaegun, and Yeongju Munjeong, show that these two factors are highly correlated. In case of SPI with a duration of 1 month, cross-correlation coefficients between two factors are 0.843 at Chungju Gageum, 0.825 at Yangpyung Gaegun, and 0.737 at Yeongju Munjeong. The time lag between peak values of two factors is nearly zero in case of SPI with a duration of 1 month, which means that groundwater level fluctuation is similar to SPI values. Moreover, in case of SPI with a duration of 3 month, it is found that groundwater level can be a leading indicator to predict the SPI values I week later. Some of the national groundwater monitoring stations can be designated as DIW (Drought Index Well) based on the detailed survey of site characteristics and also new DIWs need to be drilled to assess and forecast the drought in this country.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.195-206
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• 2004

Paleomagnetic and rock-magnetic investigations have been carried out for the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks in the Poongam (also called Gapcheon) Basin in the eastern South Korea. A total of 128 independently oriented core samples were drilled from 13 sites for this study. The mean direction after bedding correction (D/I=353.1$^{\circ}$/55.6$^{\circ}$, k=21.5, =$$\alpha$_{95}$=10.1$^{\circ}$) is more dispersed than the mean direction before bedding correction (D/I=10.5$^{\circ}$/56.9$^{\circ}$, k=73.9, =$$\alpha$_{95}$=5.3$^{\circ}$), and the stepwise unfolding of the characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) reveals a maximum value of k at 20% unfolding. Secondary authigenic hematite accompanied by altered clays such as chlorite was identified by the electron microscope observations. These results collectively imply that the ChRM is remagnetized due to the formation of the secondary authigenic hematite after tilting of the strata. It is interpreted that the chemical remagnetization was connected to the introduction of mixed magmatic-meteoric fluids, which formed hydrothermal vein deposits near the study area. The paleomagnetic pole position (214.3$^{\circ}$E, 81.6$^{\circ}$N, =$A_{95}$=7.4$^{\circ}$) of the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks calculated from remagnetized directions is close to those of the Late Cretaceous and Tertiary poles of the Korean Peninsula. This Late Cretaceous to Tertiary remagnetization seems to be widespread over the Okcheon Belt because the chemical remagnetization is previously reported to be found in rocks from other Cretaceous small basins (e.g., Eumseong, Gongju and Youngdong basins) along the Okcheon Belt and some Paleozoic strata from the Okcheon unmetamorphosed zone.