• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.167-185
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• 2014

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages and major element and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions were determined for drill cores (374-3390 m in depth) recovered from three boreholes in the Pohonag basin, southeastern Korea. Shallow-seated volcanic rocks and underlain plutonic rocks were geochemically classified as rhyolite and gabbro-granite, respectively. They showed high-K calc-alkaline trends on the $K_2O-SiO_2$ and AFM diagrams. Zircons from volcanic rocks of borehole PB-1 yielded concordia ages of $66.84{\pm}0.66Ma$ (n=12, MSWD=0.02) and $66.52{\pm}0.55Ma$ (n=12, MSWD=0.46). Zircons from volcanic rocks of borehole PB-2 gave a concordia age of $71.34{\pm}0.85Ma$ (n=11, MSWD=0.79) and a weighted mean $^{206}Pb/^{238}U$ ages of $49.40{\pm}0.37Ma$ (n=11, MSWD=1.9). On the other hand, zircons from plutonic rocks of borehole PB-3 yielded weighted mean $^{206}Pb/^{238}U$ ages of $262.4{\pm}3.6Ma$ (n=21, MSWD=4.5), $252.4{\pm}3.6Ma$ (n=8, MSWD=1.9) and $261.8{\pm}1.5Ma$ (n=31, MSWD=1.3). Detrital zircons from the sedimentary strata overlain the volcanic rocks showed a wide age span from Neoproterozoic to Cenozoic, with the youngest population corresponding to $21.89{\pm}1.1Ma$ (n=15, MSWD=0.04) and $21.68{\pm}1.2Ma$ (n=10, MSWD=19). These dating results indicate that the basement of the Pohang basin is composed of Late Permian plutonic rocks and overlain Late Cretaceous to Eocene volcanic sequences. Miocene sediments were deposited in the uppermost part of the basin, possibly associated with the opening of the East Sea. The Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of the Permian plutonic rocks were comparable with those reported from Permian-Triassic granitoids in the Yeongdeok area, northern Gyeongsang basin. They may have been recycled into parts of the Cretaceous-Paleogene magmatic rocks within the Gyeongsang basin.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.91-103
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• 2009

Slope failure depends upon the climatic features related to related rainfall, structural geology and geomorphological features as well as the variation of the mechanical behaviors of soil constituting a slope. In this paper, among many variables, effects of soil layer thickness on the slope failure process, and variations of matric suction and volumetric water content were observed. When the soil layer is relatively thick, the descending wetting front decreases matric suction and the observed matric suction reaches to "0" value. When the wetting front reaches to the impermeable boundary, the bottom surface of steel soil box, ascending wetting front was observed. This observation can be postulated to be the effects of various sizes of pores. When macro size pores exist, the capillary effects can be reduced and infilling of pore will be limited. The partially filled pores would be filled with water during the ascending of the wetting front, which bounces from the impermeable boundary. This assumption has been assured from the observation of variation of the volumetric water contents at different depth. When the soil layer is thick (thickness = 20 cm), for granular material, erosion is a cause triggering the slope failure. It has been found that the initiation of erosion occurs when the top soil is fully saturated. Meanwhile, when the soil layer is shallow (thickness = 10 cm), slope slides as en mass. The slope failure for this condition occurs when the wetting front reaches to the interface between the soil layer and steel soil box. As the wetting front approaches to the bottom of soil layer, reduction of shear resistance along the boundary and increase of the unit weight due to the infiltration occur and these produce complex effects on the slope failure processes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.281-292
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• 2024

North Korea relies heavily on coal as the primary energy source, playing an important role in all energy demand sectors except for the transportation sector. Approximately half of the total electricity is generated through coal-fired power plants, and coal is used to produce heat and power for all industrial facilities. Furthermore, coal has been a significant contributor to earning foreign currency through long-term exports to China. Nevertheless, since the 1980s, indiscriminate mining activities have led to rapid depletion of coal production in most coal mines. Aging mine facilities, lack of investment in new equipment, shortages of fuel and electricity, difficulties in material supply, and frequent damage from flooding have collectively contributed to a noticeable decline in coal production since the late 1980s. North Korea's coal deposits are distributed in various geological formations from the Proterozoic to the Cenozoic, but the most critical coal-bearing formations are Ripsok and Sadong formations distributed in the Pyeongnam Basin of the Late Paleozoic from Carboniferous to Permian, which are called as Pyeongnam North and South Coal Fields. Over 90% of North Korea's coal is produced in these coal fields. The classification of coal in North Korea differs from the international classification based on coalification (peat, lignite, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, and anthracite). North Korean classification based on industrial aspect is classified into bituminous coal, anthracite, and low-grade coal (Chomuyeontan). Based on the energy factor, it is classified into high-calorie coal, medium calorie coal, and low-calorie coal. In North Korea, the term "Chomuyeontan" refers to a type of coal that is not classified globally and is unique to North Korea. It is a low-grade coal exclusively used in North Korea and is not found or used in any other country worldwide. This article compares North Korea's coal classification and the international coal classification of coal and provides insights into the geological characteristics, reserves, utilization, and research trends of North Korean coal resources. This study could serve as a guide for preparing scientific and industrial agendas related to coal collaboration between North Korea and South Korea.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.449-468
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• 2000

The Ordovician Chongson Limestone deposited in the carbonate ramp to the rimmed shelf shows diverse diagenetic features. The marine diagenetic feature appears as isopachous cements surrounding ooids and peloids. Meteoric diagenetic features are recrystallized finely and coarsely crystalline calcite, evaporite casts filled with calcite, and isopachous sparry calcite surrounding ooid grains. Shallow burial diagenetic features include wispy seam, microstylolite, and dissolution seam whereas deep burial features include stylolite, burial cements. blocky calcite with twin lamellae, and poikilotopic calcite. Dolomites consist of very finely to finely crystalline mosaic dolomite formed as supratidal dolomite, disseminated dolomite of diverse origin, patchy dolomite formed from bioturbated mottles, and saddle dolomite of burial origin. Silicified features include calcite-replacing quartz and fracture-filling megaquartz. Burial cements characterized by poikilotopic texture show ${\delta}^{18}$O value of -10.4 %$_o$ PDB, ${\delta}^{13}$C value of -1.0%$_o$ PDB and 504ppm Sr, 3643ppm Fe, and 152ppm Mn concentrations. Finely and coarsely crystalline limestones show similar ${\delta}^{18}$O and ${\delta}^{13}$C value to those of burial cements; however, they show lower Sr and higher Fe and Mn concentrations than burial cements. This suggests that very finely and coarsely crystalline limestones were recrystallized in freshwater and then they were readjusted geochemically in the burial setting whereas the burial cements were formed in relatively high temperature and low water/rock ratio conditions. Very finely and finely crystalline mosaic dolomites with ${\delta}^{18}$O value of -8.2%$_o$ PDB, ${\delta}^{13}$C value of -1.9 %$_o$ PDB, and 213ppm Sr, 3654ppm Fe, and 114ppm Mn concentrations, respectively are interpreted to have been formed penecontemporaneously in supratidal flat and then recrystallized in the low water/rock ratio burial environment. Geochemical data suggest that the low water/rock ratio burial environment was the dominant diagenetic setting in the Chongson Limestone. The Chongson Limestone has experienced marine and meteoric diagenesis during early diagenesis. With deposition of Haengmae and Hoedongri formations part of the Chongson Limestone was buried beneath these formations and it experienced shallow burial diagenesis. During the Devonian the Chongson Limestone was tectonically deformed and subaerially exposed. During the Carboniferous to the Permian about 3.3km thick Pyongan Supergroup was deposited on the Chongson Limestone and the Chongson Limestone was in deep burial depths and stylolite, burial cements, blocky calcite and saddle dolomite were formed. After this burial event the Chongson Limestone was subaerially exposed during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic by three periods of tectonic disturbance including Songnim, Daebo and Bulguksa disturbance. Since the Bulguksa disturbance during Cretaceous and early Tertiary the Chongson Limestone has been subaerially exposed.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.469-484
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• 2022

The Janggun Pb-Zn deposit has been known one of the four largest deposits (Yeonhwa, Shinyemi, Uljin) in South Korea. The geology of this deposit consists of Precambrian Weonnam formation, Yulri group, Paleozoic Jangsan formation, Dueumri formation, Janggum limestone formation, Dongsugok formation, Jaesan formation and Mesozoic Dongwhachi formation and Chungyang granite. This Pb-Zn deposit is hydrothermal replacement deposit in Paleozoic Janggum limestone formation. The wallrock alteration that is remarkably recognized with Pb-Zn mineralization at this deposit consists of mainly rhodochrositization and dolomitization with minor of pyritization, sericitization and chloritization. Wallrock alteration is divided into the five zones (Pb-Zn orebody -> rhodochrosite zone -> dolomite zone -> dolomitic limestone zone -> limestone or dolomitic marble) from orebody to wallrock. The white mica from wallrock alteration occurs as fine or medium aggregate associated with Ca-dolomite, Ferroan ankerite, sideroplesite, rutile, apatite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, galena, quartz, chlorite and calcite. The structural formular of white mica from wallrock alteration is (K_0.77-0.62Na_0.03-0.00Ca_0.03-0.00Ba_0.00Sr_0.01)_0.82-0.64(Al_1.72-1.48Mg_0.48-0.20Fe_0.04-0.01Mn_0.03-0.00Ti_0.01-0.00Cr_{0.00As0.01-0.00}Co_0.03-0.00Zn_0.03-0.00Pb_0.05-0.00Ni_0.01-0.00)_2.07-1.92 (Si_3.43-3.33Al_0.67-0.57)_4.00O₁₀(OH_1.94-1.80F_0.20-0.06)_2.00. It indicated that white mica from wallrock alteration has less K, Na and Ca, and more Si than theoretical dioctahedral micas. The white micas from wallrock alteration of Janggun Pb-Zn deposit, Yeonhwa 1 Pb-Zn deposit and Baekjeon Au-Ag deposit, and limestone of Gumoonso area correspond to muscovite and phengite and white mica from wallrock alteration of Dunjeon Au-Ag deposit corresponds to muscovite. Compositional variations in white mica from wallrock alteration of these deposits and limeston of Gumoonso area are caused by mainly phengitic or Tschermark substitution mechanism (Janggun Pb-Zn deposit), mainly phengitic or Tschermark substitution and partly illitic substitution mechanism (Yeonhwa 1 Pb-Zn deposit, Dunjeon Au-Ag deposit and Baekjeon Au-Ag deposit), and mainly phengitic or Tschermark substitution and partly illitic substitution or Na⁺ <-> K⁺ substitution mechanism (Gumoonso area).