• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.485-497
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• 2019

The Jade Investiture Books in Joseon Dynasty shows diverse facies with various petrographic characteristics to green and white based on color. In lithologically, the green rocks are jade composed of calcite and serpentine, and the white ones are marbles consisting mainly in crystalline calcite. As a result of X-ray diffraction of jade rocks, the more green in color, the more increased intensity of serpentine appears. Therefore, the grade of jade is correlated with contents of serpentine. The Jade Investiture Books owned by the National Palace Museum of Korea are subdivided with 104 (41.3%) books made by only jade rocks, 98 (38.9%) books made by only marbles, and 50 (19.8%) books mixed with jade rocks and marbles. Among the mixed ones, 47 (18.6%) books consisted mainly of the marbles. This result shows the superior marble books occupy more than half of the total books. The Jade Investiture Books made in early Joseon Dynasty are composed of high grade jade. However, the grade of jade had decreased as the kings changed in process of time, and the composition of marble had increased in reverse proportion of jade. The quality of letter pigments, metal accessories and fabrics also had decreased with jade. These trends are reflected in the aspect of society such as weakening royal authority, national power and finance with the course of time. The jade of the books has different mineralogical characteristics from some modern jade produced in Chuncheon nephrite and Buyeo precious serpentine in Korea. Meanwhile, there is ancient literature that described quarries from Namyang in Hwaseong of Gyeonggi province. This area has a wide distribution of gneiss, limestone and limesilicate rocks are interbedded between muscovite schist. The limesilicate rocks contain diopside, which produced serpentine through alteration. It has possibility to make the Jade Investiture Books using these small amounts of jade through mining activity.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.837-843
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• 2010

This research investigated classification of clay activity degree by different clay mineral components. Based on compositions of different clay and oxide minerals within 390 soil series in Korea, 7 soils were selected to analyze for CEC and specific surface area of clay minerals. As a result, soils were mainly composed with Chlorite originated from sandstone, Smectite originated from Andesite porphyry and combination of Allophane and Ferrihydrite originated from volcanic ash, if the ratio of CEC value to clay content (degree of clay activity) was greater than 0.7. If the degree of clay activity was ranged between 0.3 and 0.7, soils were composed mainly with Kaolin originated from anorthite. Soils with this ratio also was composted with combinations of Kaolin, Illite and Vermiculite originated with river deposits. When the degree of the activity was less than 0.3, soils were commonly red-yellowish color and composed with two different minerals. One type of composition was Kaolin originated from granite and granite gneiss and the soils contained Geothite and Hematite. The other type was composited mainly with Illite and Vermiculite minerals originated from granite. These soils contained Gibbsite, Geothite and Hematite. The degree of clay activity was highly related with CEC and specific surface area. The greater degree of the activity displayed greater values of clay CEC and specific surface area. It is not easy to measure actual quantity and compositions of clay minerals, while the degree of clay activity can be measured from routine soil analyses. As a conclusion, the degree of clay activity may be not just a simple but also powerful tool to estimate physical-chemical properties of soils and to evaluate the soil classification in Korean soils.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.213-221
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• 2019

The Wugang banded iron formation (BIF) is located within the Taihua complex at the southern margin of the North China Craton (NCC). In this study, we analyzed major elements and rare-earth elements in iron ores from the Wugang BIF, to study the type of BIFs and their formation mechanism in combination with previously-published data from the literature. We found that the iron ores from the Wugang BIF display two types of banding textures, which can be described as weak banding or no banding. The samples are composed of coarse-grained magnetite, quartz, pyroxene, and amphibole. Based on our geochemical results, mixing of a hydrothermal fluid with sea water led to the precipitation of the Wugang BIF, and there is evidence of crustal contamination. These results, combined with previous literature data, almost all of the iron ores lack Ce anomalies, though some samples show negative Ce anomalies. Our results indicate that the Wugang BIF was formed in a dominantly reducing environment, although the surfaces were relatively oxidized. Geochemical evidence suggests that the Wugang BIF iron ores were formed in a near-shore continental-shelf environment or in a back-arc basin. The BIF is known as interbedded with migmatite, amphibole gneiss, minor quartz and marble, which indicating lack of volcanic materials input. This study, combined with previous results on geochemical interpretation of related wall rock of Wugang BIF, demonstrated that Wugang BIF belongs to Superior-type BIF.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.339-347
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• 2020

We carried out the U-Pb age dating of zircon from basement rocks in the southern part of the Danyang National Geopark. Two migmatitic gneisses composed of biotite±sillimanite±garnet+feldspar+quartz were dated. Leucosomes in the samples were clearly distinguished from their melanosomes. The U-Pb isotopic compositions of zircon from sillimanite- and garnet-bearing migmatitic samples were measured using a secondary ion microprobe, yielding metamorphic ages, 1870±10 Ma (2σ)와 1863±6 Ma (2σ), respectively. 1.87~1.86 Ga metamorphic ages are consistent with those of the Paleoproterozoic low-P and high-T regional metamorphism (1.87~1.85 Ga) in the Yeongnam Massif. The maximum depositional age based upon the apparent 207Pb/206Pb ages of detrital zircon in the samples was estimated as 2.06 Ga, and thus sedimentation age of the protolith of the migmatitic gneisses ranges between 2.06 and 1.87 Ga.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.171-181
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• 2022

The Geochang Au-Ag deposit is located within the Yeongnam Massif. Within the area a number of hydrothermal quartz and calcite veins were formed by narrow open-space filling of parallel and subparallel fractures in the granitic gneiss and/or gneissic granite. Mineral paragenesis can be divided into two stages (stage I, ore-bearing quartz vein; stage II, barren calcite vein) by major tectonic fracturing. Stage I, at which the precipitation of major ore minerals occurred, is further divided into three substages (early, middle and late) with paragenetic time based on minor fractures and discernible mineral assemblages: early, marked by deposition of pyrite with minor pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite; middle, characterized by introduction of electrum and base-metal sulfides with minor sulfosalts; late, marked by hematite with base-metal sulfides. Fluid inclusion data show that stage I ore mineralization was deposited between initial high temperatures (≥380℃ ) and later lower temperatures (≤210℃ ) from H₂O-CO₂-NaCl fluids with salinities between 7.0 to 0.7 equiv. wt. % NaCl of Geochang hydrothermal system. The relationship between salinity and homogenization temperature indicates a complex history of boiling, fluid unmixing (CO₂ effervescence), cooling and dilution via influx of cooler, more dilute meteoric waters over the temperature range ≥380℃ to ≤210℃. Changes in stage I vein mineralogy reflect decreasing temperature and fugacity of sulfur by evolution of the Geochang hydrothermal system with increasing paragenetic time. The Geochang deposit may represents a mesothermal gold-silver deposit.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.28
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• pp.17-34
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• 2022

This study seeks to identify the material characteristics of earthenware excavated from the Bangi-dong Ancient Tomb No. 3 and the articulated stone-mound tomb of the Seokchon-dong ancient tombs in the Songpa region, and analyze the homogeneity and the firing temperature of the materials used at each excavated site. The remains have been studied relatively recently, and the groups of tombs in which they were found demonstrate the transition of ancient Korean burial systems, and at the same time, provide important archaeological data about those in power at the time. The earthenware pottery excavated from the two sites examined in the study were buried at different times, and it is assumed that they were made by procuring weathered soil of similar gneiss, judging from the behavior of the compatible and incompatible elements and the weathering tendency found by examining the main components. In addition, the examination of the mineral composition and microstructure of clay indicates that the earthenware from Seokchon-dong was fired at 950 degrees Celsius or lower at a relatively early stage. On the other hand, the earthenware from Bangi-dong Tomb No. 3 was confirmed to have experienced temperatures below 850 degrees Celsius and above 1,000 degrees Celsius. However, it is difficult to interpret the difference as the result of the changes in firing temperature throughout the eras. It is expected that it will be possible to interpret the changes in earthenware manufacturing techniques by comparing more diverse earthenware potteries and ancient soils.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2023

Soil contaminants measured and managed in Korea include those of geologic origin such as arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, mercury, and fluoride. This study identifies the distribution of these contaminants using GIS modeling to analyze the spatial probability of soil contamination originating from geology. The modeling found that cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and mercury often exceed the regulated standard by <1%. Concentrations of arsenic and zinc greatly exceeded the standard in the vicinity of mines and industrial complexes: mining and industry seemed to have substantial effects on the concentrations of these metals. Although fluoride was sampled at the lowest number of points, its frequency of exceeding the standard was the highest. No obvious source of artificial contamination has been identified, and fluoride's distribution characteristics showed continuity over a wide area, suggesting a strong correlation between geological characteristics and fluoride concentration. The highest frequencies of fluoride exceeding the standard were in Jurassic granite (40.00%) and Precambrian banded gneiss (34.12%). As these rocks contributed to the formation of soil through their weathering, high fluoride concentrations can be expected in soil in areas where these rocks are distributed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.201-215
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• 2023

In the stone-lined tombs from Cheongyang Rokpyeong-ri site, several stone-lined tombs corresponding to the Three Kingdoms Period, Unified Silla Period and Goryeo Dynasty were excavated. In this study, the stone properties of petrological, mineralogical and geochemical characteristics from 15 stone-lined tombs were analyzed, the rock species and occupation rate were reviewed, also the provenance area was interpreted. There are five types of rocks used as members of the tombs, including black sandstone, greywacke, slate, conglomerate and gneiss. As a result of magnetic susceptibilities, the rocks of the tombs and presumed provenance are all shown in the same range, and the similarity between the tombs and the source area is high in geochemical behavior characteristics. The stone properties of the tombs are the same as the presumed provenance rocks and is distributed within a 500m around the bedrock of the tombs in the excavation site, so it seems that self-sufficiency was possible on the site without a special procurement system. These stones are interpreted to have been constructed through some trimming without any special technique, but some stone tombs have been confirmed to used homogeneous black sandstone at the bottom of the tombs, so it is believed that there were artificial selection of stones.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.689-699
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• 2022

The Ssangjeon tungsten deposit is located within the Yeongnam Massif. Within the area a number of hydrothermal quartz veins were formed by narrow open-space filling of parallel and subparallel fractures in the metasedimentary rocks as Wonnam formation, Buncheon granite gneiss, amphibolite and/or pegmatite. Mineral paragenesis can be divided into two stages (stage I, ore-bearing quartz vein; stage II, barren quartz vein) by major tectonic fracturing. Stage I, at which the precipitation of major ore minerals occurred, is further divided into three substages (early, middle and late) with paragenetic time based on minor fractures and discernible mineral assemblages: early, marked by deposition of arsenopyrite with pyrite; middle, characterized by introduction of wolframite and scheelite with Ti-Fe-bearing oxides and base-metal sulfides; late, marked by Bi-sulfides. Fluid inclusion data show that stage I ore mineralization was deposited between initial high temperatures (≥370℃) and later lower temperatures (≈170℃) from H₂O-CO₂-NaCl fluids with salinities between 18.5 to 0.2 equiv. wt. % NaCl of Ssangjeon hydrothermal system. The relationship between salinity and homogenization temperature indicates a complex history of boiling, fluid unmixing (CO₂ effervescence), cooling and dilution via influx of cooler, more dilute meteoric waters over the temperature range ≥370℃ to ≈170℃. Changes in stage I vein mineralogy reflect decreasing temperature and fugacity of sulfur by evolution of the Ssangjeon hydrothermal system with increasing paragenetic time.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.4C
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• pp.205-212
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• 2008

In this research, the effect of rock mass weathering on the side shear resistance of drilled shaft socketed into igneous-metamorphic rock was investigated. For that, 23 cast-in-place concrete piles with diameters varying from 400mm to 1,500mm were constructed at four different sites, and the static axial load tests were performed to examine the resistant behavior of the piles. A comprehensive field/laboratory testing program at the field test site was also performed to describe the in situ rock mass conditions quantitatively. The side shear resistance of rock socketed piles was found to have no intimate correlation with the compressive strength of the intact rock. However, the global rock mass strength, which was calculated by the Hoek and Brown criteria, was found to closely correlate to the side shear resistance. The ground investigation data regarding the rock mass conditions (e.g. $E_m$, $E_{ur}$, $p_{lm}$, RMR, RQD, j) were also found to be highly correlated with the side shear resistance, showing the coefficients of correlation greater than 0.75 in most cases. Additionally, the applicability of existing methods for the side shear resistance of weathered granite-gneiss was verified by comparison with the field test data. The existing methods which consider the effect of rock mass condition were modified and/or extended for weathered rock mass where mass factor j is lower than 0.15, and RQD is below 50%.