• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.133-156
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• 2013

Natural analogue studies play an important role in the safety case which requires multiple lines of evidence including the safety assessment for the geological disposal of radioactive wastes. In this study, foreign status of natural analogue studies was investigated by summarizing natural analogue results according to the research topics related with repository materials and radionuclide migration and retardation. Main results, issues, and applicability of the foreign natural analogue studies were also analyzed. The results of domestic natural analogue studies were classified into studies using uranium ore bodies, rocks, groundwaters, and archeological artifacts, respectively, and their main results were summarized. There are massive materials for natural analogue studies which have been carried out during last several decades but they have not been actively applied to the safety assessment and safety case development for the radioactive waster disposal. Thus, in this study, applicable methods of natural analogues were summarized and a methodology for improving their applicability was examined. Natural analogue study is apparently necessary to improve and illustrate the reliability of safety assessment for a radioactive waste repository. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a methodology and construct a natural analogue information database for the application of the results from natural analogue studies to safety case development.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.349-360
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• 2016

This study determined mineralogical characteristics and discussed the meaning of mineralogical changes of the lower Choseon Supergrouop in the Weondong area based on the field geological investigation and the drilling core description using X-ray diffraction (XRD) mineral quantification and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observation. 100 samples with depth were collected from the core (250 m long) at a site in the study area. Especially, to investigate the changes from the upper Daegi Formation to the lower Hwajeol Formation, the samples were collected closely with the interval of about 0.3 m at this section. All samples were made into power using mortar for XRD. Mineral quantitative analysis was executed using Relative Intensity Ratio (RIR) method with corundum as an internal standard phase. Calcite, $2M_1$ illite and quartz are main constituents in most of samples. Dolomite and siderite are significantly observed in the Sesong Formation. As the results of quantitative analysis for the major minerals, the upper Daegi Formation is dominated by calcite with over 80%. The Sesong Formation includes high percentage of dolomite and siderite with the intercalation of thin layers containing high calcite and $2M_1$ illite contents. Hwajeol Formation is characterized by the alternation between thin layers of $2M_1$ illite and quartz-dominated layer (IQDL) and calcite-dominated layer (CDL). IQDL is more frequent in the lower part, whereas CDL is more common in the upper part. The boundary between Daegi Formation and the Sesong Formation is distinct, whereas the boundary between the Sesong Formation and the Hwajeol Formation tends to be changed gradually in mineralogy. The result of SEM observation shows that quartz and $2M_1$ illite are detrital, and a significant amount of calcite also shows detrital form with some recrystallized one, indicating that the repeated influx of terrestrial materials had changed the mineralogy of the shallow sea depositional environment in the early Paleozoic era.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 1970

Very few articles are available on geologic structure and genesis of Sangdong scheelite-deposits in spite of the fact that the mine is one of the leading tungsten producer in the world. Sangdong scheelite deposits, embedded in Myobong slate of Cambrian age at the southem limb of the Hambaek syncline which strikes $N70{\sim}80^{\circ}W$ and dips $15{\sim}30^{\circ}$ northeast, comprise six parallel veins in coincide with the bedding plane of Myobong formation, namely four footwall veins, a main vein, and a hangingwall vein. Four footwall veins are discontinuous and diminish both directions in short distance and were worked at near surface in old time. Hangingwall vein is emplaced in brecciated zone in contact plane of Myobong slate and overlying Pungchon limestone bed of Cambrian age and has not been worked until recent. The main vein, presently working, continues more than 1,500 m in both strike and dip sides and has a thickness varying 3.5 to 5 m. Characteristic is the distinct zonal arrangement of the main vein along strike side which gives a clue to the genesis of the deposits. The zones symmetrically arranged in both sides from center are, in order of center to both margins, muscovite-biotite-quartz zone, biotite-hornblende-quartz zone and garnet-diopside zone. The zones grade into each other with no boundary, and minable part of the vein streches in the former two zones extending roughly 1,000 m in strike side and over 1,100 m in dip side to which mining is underway at present. The quartz in both muscovite-biotite-quartz and biotite-hornblende-quartz zones is not network type of later intrusion, but the primary constituent of the special type of rock that forms the main vein. The minable zone has been enriched several times by numerous quartz veins along post-mineral fractures in the vein which carry scheelite, molybdenite, bismuthinite, fluorite and other sulfide minerals. These quartz veins varying from few centimeter to few tens of centimeter in width are roughly parallel to the main vein although few of them are diagonal, and distributed in rich zones not beyond the vein into both walls and garnet-diopside zone. Ore grade ranges from 1.5~2.5% $WO_3$ in center zone to less than 0.5% in garnet-diopside zone at margin, biotite-hornblende-quartz zone being inbetween in garde. The grade is, in general, proportional to the content of primary quartz. Judging from regional structure in mid-central parts of South Korea, Hambaek syncline was formed by the disturbance at the end of Triassic period with which bedding thrust and accompanied feather cracks in footwall side were created in Myobong slate and brecciated zone in contact plane between Myobong slate and Pungchon limestone. These fractures acted as a pathway of hot solution from interior which was in turn differentiated in situ to form deposit of the main vein with zonal arrangement. The footwall veins were developed along feather cracks accompanied with the main thrust by intrusion of biotite-hornblende-quartz vein and the hangingwall vein in shear zone along contact plane by replacement. The main vein thus formed was enriched at later stage by hydrothermal solutions now represented by quartz veins. The main mineralization and subsequent hydrothermal enrichments had probably taken place in post-Triassic to pre-Cretaceous periods. The veins were slightly displaced by post-mineral faults which cross diagonally the vein. This hypothesis differs from those done by previous workers who postulated that the deposits were formed by pyrometasomatic to contact replacement of the intercalated thin limestone bed in Myobong slate at the end of Cretaceous period.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.543-553
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• 2023

The current status of domestic a agalmatolite mines in South Korea was investigated with a view to establishing a stable supply of agalmatolite and managing its demand. Most mined agalmatolite deposits were formed through hydrothermal alteration of Mesozoic volcanic rocks. The physical characteristics of pyrophyllite, the main constituent mineral of agalmatolite, are as follows: specific gravity 2.65~2.90, hardness 1~2, density 1.60~1.80 g/cm³, refractoriness ≥29, and color white, gray, grayish white, grayish green, yellow, or yellowish green. Among the chemical components of domestic agalmatolite, SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ contents are respectively 58.2~67.2 and 23.1~28.8 wt.% for pyrophyllite, 49.2~72.6 and 16.5~31.0 wt.% for pyrophyllite + dickite, 45.1 and 23.3 wt.% for pyrophyllite + illite, 43.1~82.3 and 11.4~35.8 wt.% for illite, and 37.6~69.0 and 19.6~35.3 wt.% for dickite. Domestic agalmatolite mines are concentrated mainly in the southwest and southeast of the Korean Peninsula, with some occurring in the northeast. Twenty-one mines currently produce agalmatolite in South Korea, with reserves in the order of Jeonnam (45.6%) > Chungbuk (30.8%) > Gyeongnam (13.0%) > Gangwon (4.8%), and Gyeongbuk (4.8%). The top 10 agalmatolite-producing mines are in the order of the Central Resources Mine (37.9%) > Wando Mine (25.6%) > Naju Ceramic Mine (13.4%) > Cheongseok-Sajiwon Mine (5.4%) > Gyeongju Mine (5.0%) > Baekam Mine (5.0%) > Minkyung-Nohwado Mine (3.3%) > Bugok Mine (2.3%) > Jinhae Pylphin Mine (2.2%) > Bohae Mine. Agalmatolite has low thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, thermal deformation, and expansion coefficients, low bulk density, high heat and corrosion resistance, and high sterilization and insecticidal efficiency. Accordingly, it is used in fields such as refractory, ceramic, cement additive, sterilization, and insecticide manufacturing and in filling materials. Its scope of use is expanding to high-tech industries, such as water treatment ceramic membranes, diesel exhaust gas-reduction ceramic filters, glass fibers, and LCD panels.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.590-595
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate form of pollution brought by residual of mine tailing in agricultural land, and get basic information need for environment restoration. Guundong mine was completely restored region by implementation the soil pollution prevention plan. The districts is soils in Guundong mine vicinity the Mahul-ri, Muan-myeon, Miryang city, Gyeongsangnam-do. The nature of soil studied is the Shinra series andesite and mineral deposits which contain brimstone and heavy metals such as gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc. The residual mine tailing and around agricultural land of heavy metals analyzed with 0.1N HCI solubility. The chemical properties of surface soil in upper part around mining area were pH 4.3-4.4, organic matter 19-21 g $kg^{-1}$, available $P_2O_5$ 85 mg $kg^{-1}$, exchangeable Ca 0.21-0.25 $cmol_c\;kg^{-1}$, exchangeable Mg 0.04 $cmol_c\;kg^{-1}$. The pH, exchangeable Ca, and Mg were increased with soil depth. The contents of 0.1N HCl extractable Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Ni in soil (siteI) which influenced by outflow water from mine tailing were 97, 0.6, 197, 0.28 및 0.12 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively. The vertical distribution of heavy metals in soil varied considerably among the metals kind. In case of siteI, The content of Cu, Pb, and Cr in soil was highest at surface soil. However, the content of Cd, Zn, Ni, and Mn was high at middle part of soil profile.