• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2017

Reddish brown clay-silt sediments covered granitoid weathering crust in the Jangdongri area, Naju, Korea. Mineralogical and geochemical properties of the ~2 m sediment section were investigated. The sediments were composed mainly of quartz (50%) and clay minerals (45%) with minor contents of K-feldspar, goethite, hematite, and gibbsite. The clay minerals were illite, illite-smectite mixed-layers, vermiculite, hydroxy-Al vermiculite, kaolinite, and halloysite. Mineral composition varied little through the section with the minor upward enrichment of plagioclase and chlorite. Abundant illitic clay minerals indicated the remote source of the sediments because clays derived by granite weathering in Korea were dominated by kaolin minerals. A comparison with the mineral composition of Asian dust (Hwangsa) suggested that plagioclase and K-feldspar disappeared by chemical weathering after deposition, resulting in the quartz and clay-rich sediments. Plagioclase and chlorite altered to kaolin and vermiculite, respectively. Goethite and hematite derived by the weathering of iron-bearing minerals stained the sediment to reddish brown color. The mineralogical and geochemical properties of the reddish brown clay-silt sediments were consistent with those of eolian deposits identified in Korea, supporting eolian origin of the Jangdongri sediments, requiring future confirmation including age dating and isotopic analysis.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.66-66
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• 2003

King George island, Antarctica, is mostly covered by ice sheet and glaciers, but the land area is focally exposed for several thousand years after deglaciation. For a mineralogical study of chemical weathering in the polar environment, glacial debris was sampled at the well-developed patterned ground which was formed by long periglaclal process. As fresh equivalents, recently exposed tills were sampled at the base of ice cliff of outlet glaciers and at the melting margin of ice cap together with fresh bedrock samples. Fresh tills are mostly composed of quartz, plagioclase, chlorite, and illite, but those derived from hydrothermal alteration zone contain smectite and illite-smectite. In bedrocks, chlorite was the major clay minerals in most samples with minor illite near hydrothermal alteration zone and interstratified chlorite-smectite in some samples. Smectite closely associated with eolian volcanic glass was assigned to alteration in their source region. Blocks with rough surface due to chemical disintegration showed weathering rinds of several millimeter thick. Comparision between inner fresh and outer altered zones did not show notable change in clay mineralogy except dissolution of calcite and some plagioclase. Most significant weathering was observed in the biotite flakes, eolian volcanic glass, sulfides, and carbonates in the debris. Biotite flakes derived from granodiorite were altered to hydrobiotite and vermiculite of yellow brown color. Minor epitactic kaolinite and gibbsite were formed in the cleaved flakes of weathered biotite. Pyrite was replaced by iron oxides. Calcite was congruently dissolved. Volcanic glass of basaltic andesite composition showed alteration rim of several micrometer thick or completely dissolved leaving mesh of plagioclase laths. In the alteration rim, Si, Na, Mg, and Ca were depleted, whereas Al, Ti, and Fe were relatively enriched. Mineralization of lichen and moss debris is of much interest. They are rich of A3 and Si roughly in the ratio of 2:1 to 3:1 typical of allophane. In some case, Fe and Ti are enriched in addition to Al and Si. Transmission electron microscopy of the samples rich of volcanic glass showed abundant amorphous aluminosilicates, which are interpreted as allophane. Chemical weathering in the King George Island is dominated by the leaching of primary phyllosilicates, carbonates, eolian volcanic glass, and minor sulfides. Authigenesls of clay minerals is less active. Absence of a positive evidence of significant authigenic smectite formation suggests that its contribution to the clay mineralogy of marine sediments are doubtful even near the maritime Antarctica undergoing a more rapid and intenser chemical weathering under more humid and milder climate.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2023

This study analyzed and compared the physicochemical characteristics of topsoil and subsoil of Grade 1 soil from an igneous rock area on the ecological and nature map. The water content and pH of the collected soil samples were measured, and X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction analyses were performed. The results showed that the water content of the topsoil was higher than that of the subsoil, and its pH was more acidic than that of the subsoil. According to the X-ray fluorescence analysis results, sample I9 was closest to kaolinite, while sample I7 was most distant from kaolinite. All other samples were located between samples I7 and I9. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the average content of clay minerals was higher in the topsoil than in the subsoil. The most notable clay minerals produced included illite, vermiculite, kaolinite, chlorite, and gibbsite. The results of this study will be used as a basic data for topsoil restoration to convert subsoil into topsoil.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.161-175
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• 2008

The soil developed from volcanic ash in Jeju Island, Korea, were classified as typical Andisols. The soils had acidic pH, high water contents, high organic matters and clay-silty textures. The crystalline minerals of the samples were mainly composed of ferromagnesian minerals such as olivine and pyroxene, and iron oxides such as magnetite and hematite derived from basaltic materials. A large amount of gibbsite was found at the subsurface horizon as a secondary product from the migration of excessive aluminum. In addition, our study has shown that considerable amounts of poorly ordered minerals like allophane and ferrihydrite were present in Jeju soils. The contents of $SiO_2$ were lower than those of other soil orders, but $A1_2O_3$ and $Fe_2O_3$ contents were higher. These results are some of the important chemical properties of Andisols. The contents of heavy metals were in the range of $84{\sim}198$ for Zn, $56{\sim}414$ for Ni, $38{\sim}150$ for Co, $132{\sim}1164\;mg\;kg^{-1}$ for Cr, which are higher than the worldwide values in most of the soils. Some soil samples contained relatively high levels of Cr exceeding 1000 mg/kg. Mean reduction capacity of the Jeju soils was $6.53\;mg\;L^{-1}$ reduced Cr(VI), 5.1 times higher than that of the non-volcanic ash soils from inland of Korea. The soil reduction capacity of the inland soils had a good correlation with total carbon content (R = 0.90). However, in spite of 20 times higher total carbon contents in the Jeju soils, there was a week negative correlation between the reduction capacity and the carbon content (R = -0.469), suggesting that the reduction capacity of Jeju soils is not mainly controlled by the carbon content and affected by other soil properties. Correlations of the reduction capacity with major elements showed that Al and Fe were closely connected with the reduction capacity in Jeju soil (R = 0.793; R = 0.626 respectively). Moreover, the amounts of Ni, Co and Cr had considerable correlations with the reduction capacity (R = 0.538; R = 0.647; R = 0.468 respectively). In particular, in relation to the behavior of redox-sensitive Cr, the oxidation of the trivalent chromium to mobile and toxic hexavalent chromium can be restricted by the high reduction capacity in Jeju soil. The factors controlling the reduction capacity in Jeju soils may have a close relation with the andic soil properties explained by the presence of considerable allophane and ferrihydrite in the soils.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.93-107
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• 1998

Because of its stable quantity and quality, groundwater has long been a reliable source of drinking water for domestic users. Rapid economic growth and rising standards of living have in recent years put severe demands on drinking water supplies in Korea. Groundwaters that are currently being used for natural mineral water were hydrochemically evaluated and investigated in order to maintain their quality to satisfy strict health standards. There exist 15 natural mineral water plants in the Okcheon metamorphic belt. Characteristics of groundwaters are different from those of other areas in that electrical conductivity, hardness, contents of Ca, Mg and $HCO_3$are relatively high. The content of major cations is in the order of Ca>Mg, Na>K, whereas that of major anions shows the order of $HCO_3$>$SO_4$>Cl>F. The fact that the Ca-Mg-HCO$_3$type is mostly predominant among water types reflects that dissolution of carbonates that are abundantly present in the metamorphic rocks plays an important part in groundwater chemistry. Representative correlation coefficients between chemical species show Mg-$HCO_3$(0.92), Ca-$HCO_3$(0.88), Ca-Mg(0.80), Ca-Cl(0.78), Mg-$SO_4$(0.78), Ca-$SO_4$(0.71), possibly due to the effect by dissolution of carbonates, gypsum or anhydrite. Determinative coefficients between some chemical species represent a good relationship, especially for EC-(K+Na+Ca), Ca-$HCO_3$, Ca-Mg, indiacting that they are similar in chemical behaviors. According to saturation index, most chemical species are undersaturated with respect to major minerals, except for some silica phases. Groundwater is slightly undersaturated with respect to calcite and dolomite, whereas it is still greatly undersaturated with respect to gypsum, anhydrite and fluorite, Based on the Phase equilibrium in the systems $NA_2$O-$Al_2$$O_3$-$SiO_2$-$H_2$O and $K_2$O-$Al_2$$O_3$-$SiO_2$-$H_2$O, it is clear that groundwater is in equilibrium with kaolinite, evolved from the stability area of gibbsite during water-rock interaction. It is expected that chemical evolution of groundwater continue to proceed with increasing pH by reaction of feldspars, with calcite much less reactive.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.247-259
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• 1998

Groundwater quality of the natural mineral water was investigated in hydrochemical aspects in order to ensure that mineral water meets stringent health standards. There exist 20 mineral water plants in the Daebo granite and 4 mineral water plants in the Bulguksa granite, respectively. Both granite areas show some differences in water chemistry. The pH, EC, hardness, total ionic contents in groundwater of the Daebo granite area are higher relative to those of the Bulguksa granite area. The content of major cations is in the order of Ca>Na>Mg>K, while that of major anions shows the order of $HCO_3>SO_4$>Cl>F. The fact that the $Ca-Na-HCO_3$ type is most predominant among water types may reflect that the dissolution of plagioclase that is most abundant in granitic rocks plays a most important role in groundwater chemistry. Representative correlation coefficients between chemical species are variable depending on geology. In the Daebo granite area, $Ca-HCO_3(0.84),{\;}Mg-HCO_3(0.81),{\;}SiO_2-Cl(0.74),{\;}Na-HCO_3(0.70)$ show relatively good correlationships. In the Bulguksa granite area, fairly good correlationships are found among some components such as K-Mg(0.93), $K-HCO_3(0.92)$, Mg-Cl(0.92), $Cl-HCO_3(0.91)$, and K-F(0.90). According to saturation index, most chemical species are undersaturated with respect to major minerals, except for some silica phases. Groundwater is slightly undersaturated with respect to calcite, whereas it is still greatly undersaturated with respect to dolomite, gypsum and fluorite. Based on the phase equilibrium it is clear that groundwater is mostly in equilibrium with kaolinite and becomes undersaturated with respect to feldspars, evolved from the stability area of gibbsite during water-rock interaction. While the activity of silica increases, there is no remarkable increase in the acivities of alkali ions and pH, which indicates that some amounts of silicic acid dissolved from silica phases as well as feldspars were provided to groundwater. It is concluded that chemical evolution of groundwater in granite aquifers may continue to proceed with increasing pH.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.103-112
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• 2002

Despite the ecological importance of potentially phytotoxic $Al_{13}$-tridecamer and its formation in the simulated condition, it was not recognized in the natural soil environment. Here we performed thermodynamic calculations to examine the stability condition of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer based on the solubility of AI in the Bo horizon of Andisols, Jeju Island, dominantly composed of AI-containing solid phases such as $Al(OH)_{3}$, proto-imogolite and/or imogolite. We have found that $Al(OH)_{3}$, proto-imogolite and/or imogolite may control Al solubility in the moderate acid condition. It means that AI total activity of the soil solution equilibrated with these solid phases ranges from $10^{-6}$ ~ $10^{-8}$M in the pH 5 to 7. Calculations based on the thermodynamic data strongly indicate that the formation of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer closely related to the total activity of AI in the system. For example, for the formation of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer of $10^{-5}$M, Al total activity of $3{\times}10^{-3}$M are needed at pH 4, and $2{\times}10^{-5}$M in the pH 5 to 7. Therefore, this research and the thermodynamic consideration suggest strongly that $Al_{13}$-tridecamer should be negligible in natural soils, especially Andisols and Spodosols, These mainly contain $Al(OH)_{3}$, proto-imogolite and/or imogolite, which could prevent the formation of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer by controlling the AI total activity low. It means that the toxicity of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer with the increase of soil acidification may be considered to be definitely low.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.35-52
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• 1973

Red Yellow Soils occur very commonly in Korea and constitute the important upland soils of the country which are either presently being cultivated or are suitable for reclaiming and cultivating. These soils are distributed on rolling, moutain foot slopes, and terraces in the southern and western parts of the central districts of Korea, and are derived from granite, granite gneiss, old alluvium and locally from limestone and shale. This report is a summary of the morphology, physical and chemical characteristics of Red Yellow Soils. The data obtained from detailed soil surveys since 1964 are summarized as follows. 1. Red-Yellows Soils have an A, Bt, C profile. The A horizon is dark colored coarse loamy or fine loamy with the thin layer of organic matter. The B horizon is dominantly strong brown, reddish brown or yellowish red, clayey or fine loamy with clay cutans on the soil peds. The C horizon varies with parent materials, and is coarser texture and has a less developed structure than the Bt horizon. Soil depth, varied with relief and parent materials, is predominantly around 100cm. 2. In the physical characteristics, the clay content of surface soil is 18 to 35 percent, and of subsoil is 30 to 90 percent nearly two times higher than the surface soil. Bulk density is 1.2 to 1.3 in the surface soil and 1.3 to 1.5 in the subsoil. The range of 3-phase is mostly narrow with 45 to 50 percent in solid phase, 30 to 45 percent in liquid one, and 5 to 25 percent in gaseous state in the surface soil; and 50 to 60 solid, 35 to 45 percent liquid and less than 15 percent gaseous in the subsoil. Available soil moisture capacity ranges from 10 to 23 percent in the surface soil, and 5 to 16 percent in the subsoil. 3. Chemically, soil reaction is neutral to alkaline in soils derived from limestone or old fluviomarine deposits, and acid to strong acid in other ones. The organic matter content of surface soil varying considerably with vegetation, erosion and cultivation, ranges from 1.0 to 5.0 percent. The cation exchange capacity is 5 to 40 me/100gr soil and closely related to the content of organic matter, clay and silt. Base saturation is low, on the whole, due to the leaching of extractable cations, but is high in soils derived from limestone with high content of lime and magnesium. 4. Most of these soils mainly contain halloysite (a part of kaolin minerals), vermiculite (weathered mica), and illite, including small amount of chlorite, gibbsite, hematite, quartz and feldspar. 5. Characteristically they are similar to Red Yellow Podzolic Soils and a part of Reddish Brown Lateritic Soils of the United States, and Red Yellow Soils of Japan. According to USDA 7th Approximation, they can be classified as Udu Its or Udalfs, and in FAO classification system to Acrisols, Luvisols, and Nitosols.