• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.359-370
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• 2009

Arsenic and heavy metals leached out as a result of oxidation of tailings exposed to the surface pose a serious environmental contamination of mine areas. This study investigated how arsenic behavior is controlled by a variety of processes, such as oxidation of sulfides and formation or alteration of secondary minerals, based on mineralogical methods. The study was carried out using the tailing samples obtained from Nakdong mine located in Jeongseongun, Gangwondo. After separating magnetic and non-magnetic minerals using pretreated tailing samples, each mineral sample was classified according to their colors and metallic lusters observed by the stereoscopic microscope. Subsequently, the mineralogical properties were determined using various instrumental analyses, such as x-ray diffractometer (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA). The literature review confirmed that various ore minerals were identified in the Nakdong ore deposits. In this study, however, there were observed a few original ore minerals as well as secondary and/or tertiary minerals newly formed as a result of weathering including oxidation. In particular, we did not recognize pyrrhotite which has been known to originally exist in a large abundance, but peculiarly colloform-type iron (oxy)hydroxides were identified, which indicates most of pyrrhotite has been altered by rapid weathering due to its large reactivity. In addition, a secondary scorodites filling the fissure of weathered primary arsenopyrites were identified, and it is speculated that arsenic is immobilized through such a alteration reaction. Also, we observed tertiary iron (oxy)hydroxides were formed as a result of re-alteration of secondary jarosites, and it suggests that the environment of tailing has been changed to high pH from low pH condition which was initiated and developed by oxidation reactions of diverse primary ore minerals. The environmental change is mainly attributed to interactions between secondary minerals and parental rocks around the mine. As a result, not only was the stability of secondary minerals declined, but tertiary minerals were newly formed. As such a process goes through, arsenic which was immobilized is likely to re-dissolve and disperse into surrounding environments.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.397-416
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• 1992

In the present study, three clay deposits, named the Seongsan, Ogmaesan and Haenam deposits, were investigated. The altered zones are recognized in the hydrothermally altered rocks of the clay deposits from the center of the alteration to the margin: Kaolin, Kaolin-Quartz, Quartz, Sericite and Chlorite zones in the Seongsan deposits; Quartz zone, Alunite zone, Kaolin zone, Sericite zone and Chlorite zone in the Ogmaesan deposits; Quartz zone, Pyrophyllite zone, Sericite zone and Chlorite zone in the Haenam deposits. These zones can be grouped into two types of alteration: Acidic alteration such as Pyrophyllite zone, Alunite zone, Quartz zone, Kaolin zone, Kaolin-Quartz zone and a part of Sericite zone; Propylitic alteration such as Chlorite zone and a part of Sericite zone. All clay deposits belong to high-sulfidation (acid-sulfate) system. The rocks of the acidic alterations are composed of pyrophyllite, alunite, kaolin minerals, sericite, quartz and pyrite. On the basis of bulk chemical compositions, it was found that some components such as $SiO_2$, $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$, FeO, MgO, CaO, $K_2O$ and $Na_2O$ were mobilized considerably from the original rocks. The mobility of these major elements is related to, and controls, mineral assemblages in each altered zone. Polytypes of sericite are determined as $2M_1$ and 1M by X-ray diffraction method. The amount of $2M_1$ is nearly equal to that of 1M in the Seongsan deposits whereas $2M_1$ is less and higher than that of 1M in the Ogmaesan and the Haenam deposits. These facts indicate that formation temperature of sericite is relatively high in the Haenam deposits, moderate in the Seongsan deposits, and low in the Ogmaesan deposits. The ratios of Na/(K+Na) for alunite in the Ogmaesan deposits determined by electron microprobe analyzer (EPMA) are higher than those in the Seongsan deposits. Thus, the alunite of the Ogmaesan deposits must have been formed from the solutions with relatively high aqueous Na/(K+Na) ratios and low pH at a high temperature rather than that of the Seongsan deposits. From all data, it is clarified that alunite is hypogene in origin, and has been formed by oxidation of hydrogen sulfide in the steam-heated environment, and that alunite has been produced by the spectacular solfataric alteration observed at the surface of some present-day hydrothermal systems.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.563-569
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• 2014

Ruby is one of the most favor colored gem, for beautiful red tone, be high in scarcity value. However, rubies with high quality are produced in restricted regions, such as in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Tanzania etc., and they have been gradually exhausted by mining for a long period. Therefore, improving qualities of low level rubies with various treatments is arising an alternative way to obtain better rubies. Gemological and mineralogical properties of the natural ruby from Tanzanian were studied with heat treatments. Those characteristics were compared between only heat and adding flux materials under heating. Tanzanian raw rubies were applied a heat treatment ($1,600^{\circ}C$ for 6 hours). However, chromameter and UV-Vis analyses found that a simple heat treatment is inappropriated for the Tanzanian ruby. Although $Cr^{3+}$ containing for red color in the ruby increased with heat treatment, the ruby displays dark medium red because of Fe in the ruby as a form of $Fe_2O_3$. The low transparency after heat treatment is attributed to the recrystallization of $SiO_2$ which has a low melting point. Chromameter confirmed adding Pb-containing flux under heating greatly improves the clarity and color of Tanzanian rubies with micro-fractures and cavities on the surface. EMPA results show that Pb as an additive fills the cavities and cracks on raw Tanzanian rubies during the heat treatment. As a rewult of it, the quality of the Tanzanian ruby raw dramatically improved. These results indicate that the heat treatment with an additive (Pb in this study) is an effective way to obtain better quality of the Tanzanian ruby. Consequently, this study suggests a suitable method to improve the properties of the Tanzanina ruby. The result of this study would provide useful information to upgrade the qualities of similar gem stones such as corundum and sapphire.