• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.311-317
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• 2000

Acid sulfate soil and potential acid sulfate soil material are worldwide in distribution and are problematic in agriculture and environment due to their present and potential acidity developed by the oxidation of sulfides. Most of them are sedimentary origin and a few cases are reported as volcanic or metamorphic origin. We report a potential acid sulfate soil material originated from volcanic activity during Mesozoic. A profile of Bongsan series-weathered nonpyritic andesite-hydrothermally altered pyrite rich andesite was studied with field examination, chemistry, and mineralogy. Once, the pyrite rich andesite was exposed to atmosphere by excavation and leveling works for a residential area and the lay out site had subsequent acidification problem of soil and surface water. The parent material and soil profile of Bongsan series had no signs of presence of pyrite and acid sulfate weathering such as yellow mottles. However, the hydrothermally altered andesite substrata contained significant amount of pyrite showing characteristics of hydrothermal origin such as cubic and pyritohedron morphology and occurrence along cracks.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.115-120
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• 2000

Oxidation of pyrite has caused a serious environmental problem such as the acidification of soil and surface water. The mineralogical change of acid sulfate weathering of hydrothermally altered andesite which contained 11.8% of pyrite and was exposed in atmosphere by lay out works for a residential area and a golf course was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electronmicroscopes. Ferrihydrite, jarosite, and an unidentified water soluble phase were observed as weathering products of the andesite. Under electronmicroscopes, showed aggregate of platy microcrystals; jarosite was platy morphology: water soluble Phase was columnar. Morphology of fresh Pyrite in the andesite changed from pyritrohedron to cubic in its frequency with increasing its particle size. The drainage water was acidic (pH 3.5) and in an equilibrium state with both ferrihydrite and jarosite.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.168-178
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• 1994

Acid sulfate soils occur extensively in Gimhae area where they have been formed from the brackish alluvial sediments along the sea coast and river estuary. The strong acid environment enhances silicate weathering and thus affects the soil clay minerals. The minerals were identified through chemical, X-ray diffraction and thermal methods. The ratio of $SiO_2$ and $Al_2O_3$ in the clay fractions ranged from 3.14 to 3.77, indicating that the distribution of the clay minerals were 1 : 1 and 2 : 1 minerals. Cation exchange capacity in the clay fractions was low due to high contents of 1 : 1 minerals and hydroxy interlayered vermiculite(HIV). The B and C horizon rich in jarosite have large amounts of yellow streaks which reflect high content of $Fe_2O_3$ and $K_2O$. Vermiculite and illite were quantified from thermogravimetry(TG), kaolin minerals from both TG and differential thermal analysis(DTA), and HIV from X-ray diffraction analysis. The dominant clay minerals were kaolin minerals, vermiculite, illite and HIV. HIV considered to be formed, especially, in acid soil environments. The minor minerals were quarts, feldspar, jarosite, pyrite, hematite and goethite. Kaolin minerals were the most abundant clay minerals throughout the acid sulfate soil. Kaolin minerals, however, increased towards the top of horizons throughout the soils and HIV decreased towards the top of horizons in the soil of Gimhae series and Haecheog series. Alteration of HIV to kaolin minerals during weathering of low pH condition in deep soil horizons may explain the high quantities of kaolin minerals and the relatively low quantities of HIV in the soil at top horizons.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.5 s.174
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• pp.547-561
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• 2005

General characteristics of groundwater contamination by As were reviewed with several recent researches, and its occurrence in groundwater of Korea was investigated based on a ffw previous studies and a groundwater quality survey in Nonsan and Geumsan areas. In Bangladesh, which has been known as the most serious arsenic calamity country, about $28\%$ of the shallow groundwaters exceeded the Bangladesh drinking water standard, $50{\mu}g/L$, and it was estimated that about 28 million people were exposed to concentrations greater than the standard. Groundwater was characterized by circum-neutral pH with a moderate to strong reducing conditions. Low concentrations of $SO_4^{2-}$ and $NO_3^-$, and high contents of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and $NH_4^+$ were typical chemical characteristics. Total As concentrations were enriched in the Holocene alluvial aquifers with a dominance of As(III) species. It was generally agreed that reductive dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxides was the main mechanism for the release of As into groundwater coupling with the presence of organic matters and microbial activities as principal factors. A new model has also been suggested to explain how arsenic can naturally contaminate groundwaters far from the ultimate source with transport of As by active tectonic uplift and glaciatiion during Pleistocene, chemical weathering and deposition, and microbial reaction processes. In Korea, it has not been reported to be so serious As contamination, and from the national groundwater quality monitoring survey, only about $1\%$ of grounwaters have concentrations higher than $10{\mu}g/:L.$ However, it was revealed that $19.3\%$ of mineral waters, and $7\%$ of tube-well waters from Nonsan and Geumsan areas contained As concentrations above $10{\mu}g/:L.$. Also, percentages exceeding this value during detailed groundwater quality surveys were $36\%\;and\;22\%$ from Jeonnam and Ulsan areas, respectively, indicating As enrichment possibly by geological factors and local mineralization. Further systematic researches need to proceed in areas potential to As contamination such as mineralized, metasedimentary rock-based, alluvial, and acid sulfate soil areas. Prior to that, it is required to understand various geochemical and microbial processes, and groundwater flow characteristics affecting the behavior of As.