• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.89-98
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• 1978

Mineralogy, beneficiation, and processes of titanium ores are reviewed from petrographic viewpoints. The most important titanium minerals are ilmenite ($FeTiO_3$) and rutile ($TiO_2$). Ilmenite will play major role :for raw material, because rutile are rapidly diminishing. Thus, there is a need to develope a successful process for producing high grade Ti02 from ilmenite. Commercial, as well as R and D processes to treat more abundant ilmenite ores fall in three general classess: 1. Iron in ilmenite is partially or completely reduced and separated either physically or chemically. 2. Iron is reduced to ferrous state and chemically leached away from the titanium. 3. Ore is treated to make chlorides either selectively or with subsequent separation and purification of $TiC_4$. Routes and efficiencies of these process technologies are primarily influenced by the particular ore deposit to be mined and secondly by environmental considerations. One deposit parameters which influence ilmenite process technologies are: 1. Complexity of microtextures of ilmenite intergrown with Fe-oxide minerals. 2. Composition of concentrates; ilmenites contain minor amounts of substituted Mg, Mn, and V. These elements plus iron and gangue minerals can cause difficulties to complete reactions, substantial acid consumption, difficulties of removing waste solids, and waste disposal problems. Major contributions to be made by petrologists for process optimization are: characterization and interpretation of compositional and physical changes of raw materials and solids derived from process streams. These informations can play significant role in selecting and improving process steps for titania production.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 1993

Gold-silver deposits in the Kwangyang-Seungju area are emplaced along $N4^{\circ}{\sim}10^{\circ}W$ to $N40^{\circ}{\sim}60^{\circ}W$ trending fissures and fault in Pre-cambrian Jirisan gneiss complex or Cretaceous diorite. Mineral constituents of the ore from above deposits are composed mainly of pyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, magnetite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena and minor amount of electrum, tetrahedrite, miargyrite, stannite, covellite and goethite. The gangue minerals are predominantly quartz and calcite. Gold minerals consist mostly of electrum with a 56.19~79.24 wt% Au and closely associated with pyrite, chalcopyrite, miargyrite and galena. K-Ar analysis of the altered sericite from the Beonjeong mine yielded a date of $94.2{\pm}2.4\;Ma$ (Lee, 1992). This indicates a likely genetic tie between ore mineralization and intrusion of the middle Cretaceous diorite ($108{\pm}4\;Ma$). The ${\delta}^{34}S$ values ranged from +1.0 to 8.3‰ with an average of +4.4‰ suggest that the sulfur in the sulfides may be magmatic origin. The temperatures of mineralization by the sulfur isotopic composition with coexisting pyrite-galena and pyrite-chalcopyrite from Beonjeong and Jeungheung mines were $343^{\circ}C$ and $375^{\circ}C$ respectively. This temperature is in reasonable agreement with the homogenization temperature of primary fluid inclusion quartz ($330^{\circ}C$ to $390^{\circ}C$; Park.1989). Four samples of quartz from ore veins have ${\delta}^{18}O$ values of +6.9~+10.6‰ (mean=8.9‰) and three whole rock samples have ${\delta}^{18}O$ values of +7.4~+10.2‰ with an average of 7.4‰. These values are similar with those of the Cretaceous Bulgugsa granite in South Korea (mean=8.3‰; Kim et al. 1991). The calculated ${\delta}^{18}O_{water}$ in the ore-forming fluid using fractionation factors of Bulgugsa et al. (1973) range from -1.3 to -2.3‰. These values suggest that the fluid was dominated by progressive meteoric water inundation through mineralization.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.383-395
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• 2008

To enhance the grade and recovery rate of the gold/silver ores which yield at Philippine Mankayan mine, we studied the characteristics which are the geologic and mineralogical features of gold and silver ore, the liberation by crushing and grinding, the separation by sieving and shaking table. Gold/silver ore is composed of the sulfide minerals like pyrite, sphalerite, galena; and the gangue minerals which is quartz, clay. Gold/silver element are mainly contained in a sulfide minerals like pyrite, sphalerite and galena. To increase the liberation rate of sulfide minerals containing gold/silver element, the gold/silver ore has to be grounded under $100{\mu}m$ very finely because the crystal size of sulfide minerals is distributed from $1{\mu}m$ to $100{\mu}m$. The liberation rate of gold/silver ore increases to 92% when the particle size ($d_{90}$) of ore is grounded below $100{\mu}m$ by jaw crusher $\to$ cone crusher $\to$ rod mill by steps. The grade and recovery of sulfide minerals could not be enhanced by sieving separation because those crystal size is distributed homogeneously below $100{\mu}m$. But, when we separated the sieved ore using shaking table, the gold and silver grade increased to 40 ppm and 140 ppm, respectively. Then the recovery rate of gold reach almost 100% but that of silver is no more that 50%.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2009

The Haman mineralized area is located within the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin along the southeastern part of the Korean peninsula. Almost all occurrences in the Haman area are representative of copper-bearing polymetallic hydrothermal vein-type mineralization. Within the area are a number of fissure-filling hydrothermal veins which contain tourmaline, quartz and carbonates with Fe-oxide, base-metal sulfide and sulfosalt minerals. The Gunbuk, Jeilgunbuk and Haman mines are each located on such veins. The ore and gangue mineral paragenesis can be divided into three distinct stages: Stage I, tourmaline + quartz + Fe-Cu ore mineralization; Stage II, quartz + sulfides + sulfosalts + carbonates; Stage III, barren calcite. Equilibrium thermodynamic data combined with mineral paragenesis indicate that copper minerals precipitated mainly within a temperature range of $350^{\circ}C$ to $250^{\circ}C$. During early mineralization at $350^{\circ}C$, significant amounts of copper ($10^3$ to $10^2\;ppm$) could be dissolved in weakly acid NaCl solutions. For late mineralization at $250^{\circ}C$, about $10^0$ to $10^{-1}\;ppm$ copper could be dissolved. Equilibrium thermodynamic interpretation indicates that the copper in the Haman-Gunbuk systems could have been transported as a chloride complex and the copper precipitation occurred as a result of cooling accompanied by changes in the geochemical environments ($fs_2$, $fo_2$, pH, etc.) resulting in decrease of solubility of copper chloride complexes.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 1992

In this study, a talc flotation was fundamentally carried out with dolomite origin talc ore produced in Dong Yang Talc Mine at Chung-Ju. This ores are mainly composed with talc as a valuable mineral, dolomite as a gangue mineral and other minor minerals of hornblende, tremolite, actinolite, chlorite, calcite, epidote and iron oxide. In order to obtain some of fundamental data for the talc flotation from low grade dolomitic talc tailings which were abandoned -25mm +17 mm size, after the treatment of crude talc ores by screening and hand -picking at the mine, flotation characteristics of the pure talc and dolomite in this ores were first investigated by measuring floatability of the minerals at some experiment conditions. Furthermore, Several times of batch flotations for talc were performed experimentally to recover talc from the low grade dolomitic talc tailings. From the results obtained in this experiment, the conclusions can be summarized as follows ; 1) In the flotation of pure talc, the use of Dowfroth 250 as frother was the most effective in various kinds of frother and the proper addition amount was about 50 mg/${\ulcorner}$(200g/t) at the condition of this experiment. 2) In the flotation of pure talc, the use of kerosene as collector was not adequate, at the addition over 50mg/l of Dowfroth 250. 3) The adequate pH of pulp ranged from pH6 to pH9 in the talc flotation using Dowfroth 250 as frother. 4) The use of Quebracho as depressant for dolomite was not adequate for the recovery of talc, and more selective depressant was required. 5) In the talc flotation on D sample(dolomitic talc tailing), the suitable number of cleaning time was about 3. 6) At this experimental conditions for the talc flotation on D sample, the talc flotation concentrates of 1. 40% CaO and 84.5 whiteness could be recovered with the talc recovery of about 53%.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.137-147
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• 2017

Sericite is a clay mineral that has a wide applications in the industry, depending on its purity. To maintain sericite's purity as high as possible it is necessary to remove its gangue minerals or control their contents prior to use for high value-added products and applications. In this study, the wet beneficiation of sericite by applying selective grinding and sedimentation techniques, were investigated. The ore mineral was composed mainly of sericite, quartz and calcite. Analysis showed that the content of sericite increased along with the particle size decrease, but the contents of impurity minerals as quartz and calcite were tended to decrease relatively with particle size decrease. The results of liberation tests using an attrition scrubber showed that the increase in residence time and slurry density have increased the generation of fine particles in -325 mesh size range. It was observed, however, that the contents of impurities such as quartz and calcite in such fine particles also increased during prolonged scrubbing. In the dispersed form without breaking, the yield of the recovered concentrate was 15.4 wt% and the $K_2O$ content was 9.84 wt%, after the dispersed slurry was allowed to settle for 20 minutes. On the other hand, the concentrate yield was increased to 23.4 wt% after 10 minute attrition scrubbing and 40 minute sedimentation, while its $K_2O$ content was decreased to 9.71 wt%. Most of final products were observed as platelet-shaped particles containing Si, Al and K which are main component of sericite.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2020

In this study, rare earth elements (REE) leaching from a refractory REE ore containing goethite as a major gangue mineral was conducted, introducing a two-stage method of chemical decomposition-acid leaching. At the chemical decomposition step, using one of alkaline agent, NaOH, the ore was decomposed, changing NaOH concentration from 20 to 50 wt% at 10% (w/w) of pulp density and the maximum temperature achieved without boiling at each NaOH concentration. With increasing NaOH concentration, light REE (Ce, La and Nd) and iron were concentrated in the solid phase which is the decomposed product, while aluminum (Al) and phosphorus (P) were removed to the liquid phase, and their concentrations in the solid phase were down to 0.96 and 0.17%, respectively. In addition, through XRD analysis, it was found that the crystallinity of goethite was considerably decreased. At the acid leaching step, the product decomposed by 50 wt% NaOH was leached at 3.0 M HCl and 80 ℃ for 3 hr, then the REE leaching efficiency was above 94% (Ce 80%), and the leaching efficiencies of Al and P were decreased to 12 and 0%, respectively. Therefore, in terms of both REE leaching efficiency and impurity removal, those decomposition and leaching conditions were chosen as optimum processing methods of the investigated material. In terms of REE leaching mechanism, because REE and iron leaching efficiencies showed the positive correlation each other, so it can be concluded that decreasing crystallinity of goethite affect the improvement of REE leaching.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2022

In this study, mechanical grinding using a planetary ball mill was performed under various conditions to evaluate its effect on the crystal structure of vanadium titanium magnetite (VTM) ore from the Kwain Mine in South Korea. The crystal structure of the activated product was also evaluated. Magnetite and ilmenite were identified as the main types of VTM ore used in the Kwain Mine, and the main types of gangue minerals were iron-based silicate minerals. According to the mechanical activation results, the crystallinity and crystal size decreased as the size of the grinding media (balls) decreased, and the amorphization of the sample/ball filling was significant as the amount of the sample was reduced. In addition, as the grinding speed and time increased, the crystal structure significantly changed, proving that these two parameters had a greater effect on the crystal structure than the ball size and sample/ball filling ratio.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 1994

Copper-bearing hydrothermal vein mineralization of the Samsan area was deposited in two stages (I and II) of quartz-calcite-sulfide veins which fill fissures in Cretaceous volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Gyeongsang basin. The major ore minerals, chalcopyrite and sphalerite, together with pyrite, galena, hematite, and minor sulfosalts, occur with epidote and chlorite as gangue minerals in stage I quartz veins. Chlorite geothermometry, fluid inclusion and stable isotope data indicate that copper ore was deposited mainly at temperatures between $330^{\circ}C$ and $280^{\circ}C$ from fluids with salinities between 12 and 3 equiv. wt % NaCl. Evidence of fluid boiling indicates a range of pressures from ${\leq}100$ to 200 bars bars. Within ore stage I there was an apparent decrease in ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of $H_{2}S$ with paragenetic time, from 8.0 to 2.3 per mil. This pattern was likely achieved through progressive increases in activity of oxygen accompanying boiling and mixing. In the early part of the first stage, the high temperature, high salinity fluids gave way to progressively cooler and more dilute fluids of the late parts in the first stage and of the second stage. There is a systematic decrease in calculated ${\delta}^{18}O_{water}$ values with decreasing temperature in the Samsan hydrothermal system, from values of -86 per mil for early portion of stage I through -5.9 per mil for late portion of stage I to -6.3 per mil for stage II. The ${\delta}D$ values of fluid inclusion waters also decrease with paragenetic time from -76 per mil to -86 per mil. These trends combined with mineral paragenesis and fluid inclusion data are interpreted to indicate progressive cooler, more oxidizing meteoric water inundation of an early exchanged meteoric hydrothermal system.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.2 s.171
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• pp.101-111
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• 2005

The objectives of this study we to assess the extent and degree of environmental contamination and to draw general conclusions on the fate of toxic elements derived from mining activities in Korea. 인t abandoned mines with four base-metal mines and four Au-Ag mines were selected and the results of environmental surveys in those areas were discussed. In the base-metal mining areas, the Sambo Pb-Zn-barite, the Shinyemi Pb-Zn-Fe, the Geodo Cu-Fe and the Shiheung Cu-Pb-Zn mine, significant levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in mine dump soils developed over mine waste materials, tailings and slag. Furthermore, agricultural soils, stream sediments and stream water near the mines were severely contaminated by the metals mainly due to the continuing dispersion downstream and downslope from the sites, which was controlled by the feature of geography, prevailing wind directions and the distance from the mine. In e Au-Ag mining areas, the Kubong, the Samkwang, the Keumwang and the Kilkok mines, elevated levels of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in tailings and mine dump soils. These levels may have caused increased concentrations of those elements in stream sediments and waters due to direct dis-charge downstream from tailings and mine dumps. In the Au-Ag mines, As would be the most characteristic contaminant in the nearby environment. Arsenic and heavy metals were found to be mainly associated with sulfide gangue minerals, and mobility of these metals would be enhanced by the effect of oxidation. According to sequential extraction of metals in soils, most heavy metals were identified as non-residual chemical forms, and those are very susceptible to the change of ambient conditions of a nearby environment. As application of pollution index (PI), giving data on multi-element contamination in soils, over 1.0 value of the PI was found in soils sampled at and around the mining areas.