• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.153-171
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• 2018

This study focuses on the investigation of geologic distribution and stratigraphy in the eastern part of Yeongdeok-gun, based on Lidar imaging, detailed field survey, microscopic observations, SHRIMP and LA-MC-ICPMS U-Pb age dating, and a new geological map has been created. The stratigraphy of the study area is composed of the Paleoproterozoic metamorphic rocks consisting of banded gneisses of sedimentary origin and schists ($1841.5{\pm}9.6Ma$) of volcanic origin, Triassic Yeongdeok plutonic rocks ($249.1{\pm}2.3Ma$) and Pinkish granites ($242.4{\pm}2.4Ma$), Jurassic Changpo plutonic rocks ($193.2{\pm}1.9Ma{\sim}188.8{\pm}2.0Ma$) and Fine-grained granites ($192.9{\pm}1.7Ma$), Formations [Gyeongjeongdong Fm, Ullyeonsan Fm. (~108 Ma), Donghwachi Fm.] of the Early Cretaceous Gyeongsang Supergroup and acidic volcanic rocks and dykes erupted and intruded in the Late Cretaceous, Miocene intrusive rhyolitic tuffs ($23.1{\pm}0.2Ma{\sim}22.97{\pm}0.13Ma$) and sedimentary rocks of the Yeonghae basin, and the Quaternary sediments. The Triassic Pinkish granites, Jurassic Changpo plutonic rocks and Fine-grained granites are newly defined plutonic rocks in this study. Miocene intrusive rhyolitic tuffs bounded by the Yangsan Fault, which was first discovered in the north of Pohang city, are believed to play an important role in the understanding of the Miocene volcanic activity and the crustal deformation history on the Korean Peninsula. It is confirmed that The NNE-SSW-striking Yangsan Fault penetrating the central part of the study area and branch faults are predominant in the dextral movement and cutting all strata except the Quaternary sediments.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.185-201
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• 2018

Nuclear power plants(NPP) are constructed and operated to ensure safety against natural disasters and man-made disasters in all processes including site selection, site survey, design, construction, and operation. This paper will introduce a series of efforts conducted in Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. Ltd., to assure the safety of nuclear power plant against earthquakes and other natural hazards. In particular, the present status of the earthquake, fault, and slope safety monitoring system for nuclear power plants is introduced. A earthquake observatory network for the NPP sites has been built up for nuclear safety and providing adequate seismic design standards for NPP sites by monitoring seismicity in and around NPPs since 1999. The Eupcheon Fault Monitoring System, composed of a strainmeter, seismometer, creepmeter, Global Positioning System, and groundwater meter, was installed to assess the safety of the Wolsung Nuclear Power Plant against earthquakes by monitoring the short- and long-term behavioral characteristics of the Eupcheon fault. Through the analysis of measured data, it was verified that the Eupcheon fault is a relatively stable fault that is not affected by earthquakes occurring around the southeastern part of the Korean peninsula. In addition, it was confirmed that the fault monitoring system could be very useful for seismic safety analysis and earthquake prediction study on the fault. K-SLOPE System for systematic slope monitoring was successfully developed for monitoring of the slope at nuclear power plants. Several kinds of monitoring devices including an inclinometer, tiltmeter, tension-wire, and precipitation gauge were installed on the NPP slope. A macro deformation analysis using terrestrial LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) was performed for overall slope deformation evaluation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-38
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• 2001

Contrasts in the style of the gold-silver mineralization in geologic and tectonic settings in Korea, together with radiometric age data, reflect the genetically different nature of hydrothermal activities, coinciding with the emplacement age and depth of Mesozoic magmatic activities. It represents a clear distinction between the plutonic settings of the Jurassic Daebo orogeny and the subvolcanic environments of the Cretaceous Bulgugsa igneous activities. During the Daebo igneous activities (about 200-130 Ma) coincident with orogenic time, gold mineralization took place between 197 and 127 Ma. The Jurassic deposits commonly show several characteristics: prominent association with pegmatites, low Ag/Au ratios in the ore-concentrating parts, massive vein morphology and a distinctively simple mineralogy including Fe-rich sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, Au-rich eIectrum. pyrrhotite and/or pyrite. During the Bulgugsa igneous activities (120-60 Ma), the precious-metal deposits are generally characterized by such features as complex vein morphology, medium to high AgiAu ratios in the ore concentrates, and abundance of ore minerals including base-metal sulfides, Ag sulfides, native silver, Ag sulfosalts and Ag tellurides. Vein morphology, mineralogical, fluid inclusion and stable isotope results indicate the diverse genetic natures of hydrothermal systems. The Jurassic Au-dominant deposits were formed at the relatively high temperature (about 300 to 450$^{\circ}$C) and deep-crustal level (>3.0 kb) from the hydrothermal fluids containing more amounts of magmatic waters (3180; 5-10 %0). It can be explained by the dominant ore-depositing mechanisms as CO2 boiling and sulfidation, suggestive of hypo/mesothermal environments. In contrast, mineralization of the Cretaceous Au-Ag type (108-71 Ma) and Agdominant type (98-71 Ma) occurred at relatively low temperature (about 200 to 350$^{\circ}$C) and shallow-crustal level «1.0 kb) from the ore-fonning fluids containing more amounts of less-evolved meteoric waters (15180; -10-5%0). These characteristics of the Cretaceous precious-metal deposits can be attributed to the complexities in the ore-precipitating mechanisms (mixing, boiling, cooling), suggestive of epilmesothermal environments. Therefore, the differences of the emplacement depth between the Daebo and the Bulgugsa igneous activities directly influence the unique temporal and spatial association of the deposit type.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.67-83
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• 1986

Oriented hand samples were collected from Gobangsan Formation and Nogam Formation in the north of Danyang and south of Yeongchun, from Bansong Group in and around Danyang, from Nampo Group in Chungnam Coalfield, from Gyeongsang Supergroup distributed from Waegwan through Daegu to Gyeongsan and from Daegu to Goryong, and from volcanic flows in Jeongog area and Jeju Island to study the paleomagnetism of southern Korea since Permian. Stepwise alternating field and thermal demagnetization experiments were carried out to determine optimum fields and temperatures. Observed mean paleomagnetic directions are as follows: $D=331.5^{\circ}$, $I=25.1^{\circ}$, $a95=12.8^{\circ}$ for Permian, $D=325.6^{\circ}$, $I=46.1^{\circ}$, $a95=11.8^{\circ}$ for Triassic, $D=313.4^{\circ}$, $I=43.1^{\circ}$, $a95=16.0^{\circ}$ for early Jurassic, $D=41.3^{\circ}$, $I=64.6^{\circ}$, $a95=4.5^{\circ}$ for early Cretaceous, $D=28.3^{\circ}$, $I=58.1^{\circ}$, $a95=2.3^{\circ}$ for late Cretaceous, $D=2.0^{\circ}$, $I=55.8^{\circ}$, $a95=6.6^{\circ}$for Quaternary. To describe the tectonic translocation of southern Korean block, northern Eurasian continental block was used as a reference frame. For each age since Permian the expected northern Eurasian field directions in terms of paleolatitude and declination were calculated. The paleolatitudes of Permian ($13.2^{\circ}N$) and early Jurassic ($25.1^{\circ}N$) obtained from the study area are quite different from those of Permian ($66.0^{\circ}N$) and early Jurassic ($68.1^{\circ}N$) which are expected for northern Eurasia. The declinations of Permian ($331.5^{\circ}$) and early Jurassic ($313.4^{\circ}$) are also quite different from those of the Permian ($56.6^{\circ}$) and the early Jurassic ($47.5^{\circ}$) expected for northern Eurasia. The Cretaceous paleolatitude is similar to the expected within error limit, but the declination for the same period is significantly different from that of the expected for the northern Eurasia. From the above evidences it is suggested that the south Korean land mass had moved from low latitude in Permian to north and sutured to northern continental block since early Jurassic. The relative rotations of early Cretaceous($27.4^{\circ}$) and late Cretaceous($10.8^{\circ}$) to northern Eurasian continent reveal that the Korean land mass might be rotated clockwise in two different times, probably in late Early Cretaceous and in Tertiary.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2006

The possibility of oil reserve has been conformed because the oil has been produced by 450 barrel per day in the West Korea Bay basin of the North Korea. There is also possibility of giant oil reserve since it is geographically close to one of the biggest oil fields of Bohai Basin, China. Based on the on-going oil exploration and the present condition of investment, the areas of ongoing oil exploration are three: West Korea Bay B&C prospect explored by Swedish Taurus, the north of West Korea Bay and Anju basin explored by Canadian SOCO, and East Korea Bay explored by Australian Beach Petroleum. However, there is little or no possibility of oil reserve in the rest sea areas of three. Even though oil reserves were discovered in the some parts of land areas such as Kilju and Myungcheon, it was presumed to have no economical efficiency. Geology in West Korea Bay off the North Korea is similar to that in Bohai Bay off China. The basement consists of thick carbonate rock of the Late Proterozoic and Early Paleozoic overlain by Mesozoic ($6,000{\sim}10,000\;m$) and Cenozoic ($4,000{\sim}5,000\;m$) units. Source rocks are Jurassic black shale (3,000 m or more), Cretaceous black shale ($1,000{\sim}2,000\;m$), and pre-Mesozoic carbonates (several thousand meters). Reservoir rocks are Mesozoic-Cenozoic sandstone with high porosity and pre-Mesozoic fractured carbonate rocks. Petroleum raps are of the anticline, fault sealed, buried hill, and stratigraphic types. It absolutely needs to take up a positive attitude, the activation of ocean science and technology exchange, and the joint research and development of modern MT (Marine Technology) considering the state of establishing new international ocean order forcing on building up 200 nautical mile EEZ (exclusive economic zone) among coastal nations. Both South and North Koreas should extend the ocean jurisdiction and contiguity, and MT development dealing with the same sea areas. It is more urgent problem to find a way to have the North Korea participated in, and then to develop ocean management and ocean industry individually.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.53-66
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• 2010

We report petrologic characteristics including $^{40}Ar-^{39}Ar$ absolute ages of the subsurface lavas recovered from borehole cores in two islets, Marado and Gapado, off the southwestern coast of Jeju in southernmost Korea and discuss on the volcanism in the region. The lavas in Gapado are apparently divided into one unit with bright colored, aphanitic texture and sheet jointed, and another unit with dark colored and massive. The outcrops often show differentially weathered pattern due to textural difference. While, the lavas in Marado have vesicular and glomerporphyric texture, even though each lava flow unit in Marado has slight unique texture with variation of vesicularity and phenocrysts. The chemical composition of rock core samples from Gapa borehole and Mara borehole shows that the lavas from Gapado and Marado are classified into basaltic trachyandesite($SiO_2$ 52.6-53.6 wt%, $Na_2O+K_2O$ 7.3-7.5 wt%) and tholeiitic andesite($SiO_2$ 51.7-52.8 wt%, $Na_2O+K_2O$ 3.6-4.1 wt%), respectively. The measured $^{40}Ar-^{39}Ar$ plateau ages range from $824{\pm}32\;Ka$(MSL -69 m) to $758{\pm}\;Ka$(MSL 19 m) for core samples of Gapa borehole and $259{\pm}168\;Ka$(MSL -26 m) for a core sample of Mara borehole, respectively. The absolute age of Gapado basaltic trachyandesite is well correlated with that of Sanbangsan trachyte(Won et al., 1986). Meanwhile, the age of a sample in Marado has $259{\pm}168\;Ka$(MSL -26 m) with poor plateau age formation and high error range. We report the data in caution but the rock composition and absolute age of Marado tholeiitic andesite are relatively correlated with those of lava units from Duksu and Sangmo-2 boreholes, indicating the volcanism during 260-150 Ka. On the basis of interpretation of occurrences of exposed and subsurface volcanic rocks of the study area, stratigraphic relationship with adjacent borehole cores and the bathymetry chart of surrounding area, it indicates that the lavas in Gapado were formed around 800 Ka during relatively early stage of volcanic activity in Jeju Island. Meanwhile, Marado may have originated around 260-150 Ka during relatively young stage of volcanism in Jeju Island. It is inferred that the volcanisms have originated in land and these islets were individual ancient volcanoes. The apparent topography has been re-shaped by tidal erosion due to transgression.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.441-456
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• 2021

The Cretaceous Duwon Formation was studied on the basis of sedimentologic analysis in order to unravel geologic conditions for the development of the streamflow-dominated alluvial fan under arid to semi-arid climatic conditions. The Duwon Formation unconformably overlies the Paleoproterozoic gneiss (basement). Based on the sedimentologic analysis, the Duwon Formation is interpreted to have been deposited in gravelly braided stream (FA-1) near the basement, laterally transitional to sandy braided stream (FA-2) and floodplain environments (FA-3) with distance (< 7 km) from the basement. Lateral changes in sedimentary facies and the well development of calcrete nodules in FA-3, together with radial paleocurrent directions measured in FA-1, are suggestive of the deposition of the Duwon Formation in streamflow-dominated alluvial fan under arid to semi-arid climatic conditions. Recent analysis of detrital zircon chronology suggests that sediments of the Duwon Formation were derived from the southwestern part of the Korean peninsula, including the western part of Yeongnam Massif and the southwestern part of Okcheon Belt. This implies the alluvial fan where the Duwon Formation accumulated had the large drainage basin. Because the large drainage basin can supply the significant amounts of water and temporarily store the sediments within the basin, watery floodwater carried sediments to the alluvial fan rather than the debris flows. Furthermore, the drainage basin largely composed of coarse-grained metamorphic and igneous rocks produced sand-grade sediments, preventing evolution of floodwater into debris flows. We suggest that combined effects of the large drainage basin and its coarse-grained metamorphic and igneous rocks provided favorable conditions for the development of streamflow-dominated alluvial fan, despite arid to semi-arid climatic conditions during sedimentation.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.3_4
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• pp.103-120
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• 2002

In the Baekdong-Hongseong area, the southwestern part of the Gyeonggi Massif in Korea, ultramafic rocks occur as lenses within Precambrian granitic gneiss. At Baekdong area, ultramafic lens contains metabasite boudin which had undergone at least three stages of metamorphisms. The mineral assemblage on the first stage, Garnet+Sodic Augite+Hornblende+Plagioclase+Titanite, is recognized from the inclusions in garnet. The second stage is represented by the assemblage in matrix, Garnet+ Augite+Hornblende+Plagioclase, while the third stage is identified by the Hornblende+Plagjoclase $\pm$ Garnet assemblage in the symplectite formed around garnet. The P-T conditions of the first and the third stages are $690-780^{\circ}C$, 11.8-15.9 kb and $490-610^{\circ}C$, 4.0-6.3 kb, respectively. These data indicate that metabasite in Baekdong area had experienced a retrouade P-T path from the eclogite(EG) - high-pressure granulite (HG)-amphibolite (AM) transitional facies to the AM through HG-AM transitional facies. The core and rim of garnet in country granitic gneiss give $605-815^{\circ}C$, 10.7-16.0 kb and $575-680^{\circ}C$, 5.4-7.0 kb, respectively, indicating that the retrograde P-T path of granitic gneiss is similar to that of metabasite. Trace element data reveals that the tectonic setting of metabasite is island uc. The general geology, the metamorphic evolution, the mineral chemistry and the tectonic setting of Baekdong area indicate that the Baekdong-Hongseong area in Korea is a possible extension of the Sulu collision Belt in China. On the other hand, the Sm-Nd whole rock-garnet isochron ages of metabasites are 268.7-297.9 Ma which are older than the ages of UHP metamorphism (208-245 Ma) in the Dabie-Sulu Collision Belt. The older metamorphic ages suggest that collision between Sino-Korea and Yangtz plates may have occurred earlier in Korean Peninsula than China.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2015

In order to outline the kinematics and movement history of a new Quaternary fault, Jingwan Fault in Dangjin, West Korea, we analyzed the geometry of the fault zone composed of a few gouge zones, and made ESR dating for fault gouge materials. The $N55^{\circ}E$ striking Jingwan Fault is a normal fault and exhibits a gradual change in dip (gentle in the lower part, steep in the upper part), indicating a listric fault. As for the fault gouge zone, its thickness varies and reaches 2~3 cm in the lower part or between basement rocks, and 20~30 cm in the middle-upper part or between the basement and Quaternary deposit. It is observed in the latter case that more than three gouge zones develop with different colors, and branch out and re-merge, or they are partly superimposed, indicating different movement episodes. The cumulative displacement is estimated to be about 10 m using the geological cross-sections, from which it is inferred that the total length of fault may be about 2.5 km on the basis of the empirical relation between cumulative displacement and fault length. Therefore, a more study would be needed to verify the entire fault length. The results of ESR dating for three gouge samples at different spots along the fault yields ages of $651{\pm}47$, $649{\pm}96$, and $436{\pm}66ka$, indicating at least two movement episodes. Slickenlines observed on the fault planes indicate a pure dip slip (normal faulting), which suggests that the ENE-WSW trending Jingwan Fault was presumably moved under a NNW-SSE extensional environment.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.179-190
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• 2004

Precambrian metamorphic rocks of Yeongyang-Uljin area, which is located in the eastern part of Sobaegsan Massif, Korea, are composed of Pyeonghae, Giseong, Wonnam Formations and Hada leuco granite gneisses. These show a zonal distribution of WNW-ESE trend, and are intruded by Mesozoic igneous rocks and are unconformably overlain by Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. This study clarifies the deformation history of Precambrian metamorphic rocks after the formation of gneissosity or schistosity on the basis of the geometric and kinematic features and the forming sequence of multi-deformed rock structures, and suggests that the geological structures of this area experienced at least four phases of deformation i.e. ductile shear deformation, one deformation before that, at least two deformations after that. (1) The first phase of deformation formed regional foliations and WNW-trending isoclinal folds with subhorizontal axes and steep axial planes dipping to the north. (2) The second phase of deformation occurred by dextral ductile shear deformation of top-to-the east movement, forming stretching lineations of E-W trend, S-C mylonitic structure foliations, and Z-shaped asymmetric folds. (3) The third phase deformation formed I-W trending open- or kink-type recumbent folds with subhorizontal axes and gently dipping axial planes. (4) The fourth phase deformation took place under compression of NNW-SSE direction, forming ENE-WSW trending symmetric open upright folds and asymmetric conjugate kink folds with subhorizontal axes, and conjugate faults thrusting to the both NNW and SSE with drag folds related to it. These four phases of deformation are closely connected with the orientation of regional foliation in the Yeongyang-Uljin area. 1st deformation produced regional foliation striking WNW and steeply dipping to the north, 2nd deformation locally change the strike of regional foliation into N-S direction, and 3rd and 4th deformations locally change dip-angle and dip-direction of regional foliation.