• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.743-753
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• 2020

This study analyzed heavy metal concentration, mineral composition, and spectral characteristics of heavy metal contaminated soil samples of cropland and rice field located in downstream of abandoned Okdong coal mine. X-ray fluorescence analysis detected heavy metal elements including cadmium, copper, arsenic, lead, zinc and nickel in the soils. Both cropland and rice field samples were severely contaminated with arsenic showing higher concentration over the concerned standard. The pollution index of cropland samples was higher than that of rice field samples. X-ray powder diffraction analysis identified that the mineral composition of cropland and rice field samples is similar with quartz, calcite, kaolinite, illite, smectite, magnetite and hematite. The range of organic matter content were more widely distributed in cropland samples. The spectral analysis showed that the reflectance spectra and the absorption features of cropland and rice field samples were alike. The absorption features that appeared near 490nm and 900nm were attributed to the ferric iron, and clay minerals such as kaolinite and smectite caused the absorption features at 1410nm, 1910nm and 2200nm. The reflectance of the soil spectral decreased with an increase in organic content. The absorption depths of both types of soil samples decreased with higher organic matter content at 490nm and 1916nm as well as higher heavy metal concentration.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.27-34
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• 2021

In this study, the leaching behavior of vanadium (V) was investigated through CaO roasting and sulfuric acid leaching from domestic V-bearing titanomagnetite (VTM). Changes in the phase according to the amount of CaO added and roasting temperature were analyzed. Regardless of the roasting conditions, perovskite (CaTiO₃) was preferred to form. When the CaO content was increased, the calcium ferrite (CaFeO_x) phase was formed; otherwise, ferrite (Fe₂O₃) was preferred. After CaO was roasted, leaching was performed for 6 h with 1M sulfuric acid at 50℃ and a 10% solid-liquid ratio. Results of leaching revealed that when the roasted product was sintered, V was not sufficiently oxidized, and the leaching efficiency decreased. In addition, when the roasting temperature was low, the leaching efficiency of V decreased due to the influence of unreacted excess CaO. To lower the leaching efficiency of iron and titanium in VTM concentrates, suppressing the formation of CaTiO₃ and CaFeO_x was necessary by minimizing the amount of CaO added. Consequently, a leaching efficiency of 86% V, 4.3% Fe, and 6.5% Ti was obtained when the roasted product of 1150℃ and 10 wt% CaO was leached.

• 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.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.69-83
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• 2023

Forest fires increase the risk of subsequent soil erosion and mass movement in burned areas, even under rainfall conditions below landslide alert thresholds, by destroying plants and vegetation and causing changes to soil properties. These effects of forest fires can alter runoff in burned areas by altering soil composition, component minerals, soil water repellency, soil mass stability, and soil fabric. Heat from forest fires not only burns shallow organic matter and plants but also spreads below the surface, affecting soil constituents including minerals. This study analyzed X-ray diffraction and physical properties of topsoil and subsoil obtained from both burned and non-burned areas to identify the composition and distribution of clay minerals in the soil. Small amounts of mullite, analcite, and hematite were identified in burned soils. Vermiculite and mixed-layer illite/vermiculite (I/V) were found in topsoil samples from burned areas but not in those from non-burned areas. These findings show changes in soil mineral composition caused by forest fires. Expansive clay minerals increase the volume of soil during rainfall, degrading the structural stability of slopes. Clay minerals generated in soil in burned areas are therefore likely to affect the long-term stability of slopes in mountainous areas.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.745-764
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• 2023

In the Republic of Congo, Banded iron formations (BIFs) occur in two areas: the Chaillu Massif and the Ivindo Basement Complex, which are segments of the Archean Congo craton outcropping in the northwestern and southwestern parts of the country. They show interesting potential with significant mineral resources reaching 2 Bt and grades up to 60% Fe. BIFs consist mostly of oxide-rich facies (hematite/magnetite), but carbonate-rich facies are also highlighted. They are found across the country within the similar geological sequences composed of amphibolites, gneisses and greenschists. The Post-Archean Australian Shale (PAAS)-normalized patterns of BIFs show enrichment in elements such as SiO₂, Fe₂O₃, CaO, P₂O₅, Cr, Cu, Zn, Nb, Hf, U and depletion in TiO₂, Al₂O₃, MgO, Na₂O, K₂O, Sc, Th, Ba, Zr, Rb, Ni, V. REE diagrams show slight light REEs (rare earth elements; LREEs) compared to heavy REEs (HREEs), and positive La and Eu anomalies. The lithological associations, as well as the very high (Eu/Eu^*)_SN ratios> 1.8 shown by the BIFs, suggest that they are related to Algoma-type BIFs. The positive correlations between Zr and TiO₂, Al₂O₃, Hf suggest that the contamination comes mainly from felsic rocks, while the absence of correlations between MgO and Cr, Ni argues for negligeable contributions from mafic sources. Pr/Pr^* vs. Ce/Ce^* diagram indicates that the Congolese BIFs were formed in basins with redox heterogeneity, which varies from suboxic to anoxic and from oxic to anoxic conditions. They were formed through hydrothermal vents in the seawater, with relatively low proportions of detrital inputs derived from igneous sources through continental weathering. Some Congolese BIFs show high contents in Cr, Ni and Cu, which suggest that iron (Fe) and silicon (Si) have been leached through hydrothermal processes associated with submarine volcanism. We discussed their tectonic setting and depositional environment and proposed that they were deposited in extensional back-arc basins, which also recorded hydrothermal vent fluids.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.269-278
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• 2010

We investigated characteristics of the coloring material of Dancheong pigments and hope that this study contributes the revival of traditional Dancheong pigments color. For this purpose, we collected Dancheong fragment samples that fell off naturally from old wooden buildings in Gwangju and Jeonnam and analyzed the natural coloring material by XRD and EDS-SEM analysis method. In white pigments of Dancheong fragments, it is confirmed that gypsum$(CaSO_{4}{\cdot}2H_{2}O)$, quartz$(SiO_{2})$, white lead$(PbCO_{3})$ and calcite$(CaCO_{3})$ which have been used for white pigments since ancient times and $TiO_{2}$ which is common used in modern times. In red pigments of Dancheong fragments, it is confirmed that hematite$(Fe_{2}O_{3})$ and red lead$(Pb_{3}O_{4})$, which have been used for red pigments since ancient times and C.I. pigment orange $13(C_{32}H_{24}C_{12}N_{8}O_{2})$ but there is no cinnabar(HgS) which has been used since B.C. 3000 in China. In yellow pigments of Dancheong fragments, it is confirmed that crocoite$(PbCrO_{4})$ and massicot(PbO). In blue pigments of Dancheong fragments, it is confirmed that sodalite$(Na_{4}BeAlSi_{4}O_{12}Cl)$ and nosean $(Na_{8}Al_{6}Si_{6}O_{24}SO_{4})$ as coloring material of blue pigment and C.I. pigments blue $29(Na_{7}Al_{6}Si_{6}O_{24}S_{3})$ which is used in modern times. In green pigments of Dancheong fragments, it is confirmed that calumetite$(Cu(OHCI)_{2}{\cdot}2H_{2}O)$, escolaite(Cr2O3), dichromium trioxide$(Cr_{2}O_{3})$, emerald green$(C_{2}H_{3}As_{3}Cu_{2}O_{8})$, and C.I. pigments green$(C_{32}H_{16}-XCl_{x}Cu_{8})$ which is used in modern time. In black pigments of Dancheong fragments, Chiness ink(carbon black) is confirmed.

• 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.

• 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 the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.405-414
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• 2001

Jecheon granite can be divided into two types; porphyritic granite (K-feldspar megacryst bearing) and medium-grained biotite granite. Porphyritic granite, host body of feldspar deposits, is 8${\sim}$11 km in diameter and about 80 $km^{2}$ in area. It mainly contains K-feldspar, plagioclase, biotite and quartz, and magnetite, zircon, sphene and apatite are accessary minerals. Enclosed minerals in K-feldspar megacryst with 3${\sim}$10 cm in diameter are hornblende, plagioclase, quartz, magnetite, apatite, sphene and zircon. Mafic enclaves mainly consisting of hornblende, plagioclase and quartz are frequently observed in porphrytic granite. Medium-grained biotite granite consists of K-feldspar, plagioclase, biotite and hornblende as main, and hematite, muscovite, apatite and zircon as accessary minerals. Core and rim An contents of plagioclase from porphyritic granite, medium biotite granite, K-feldspar megacryst, and mafic enclave are 36 and 21, 40 and 32, 37 and 32, and 43 and 36, respectively. $X_{Fe}$ values of hornblende are 0.57 at biotite granite, 0.51 at K-feldspar mehacryst and 0.45 at mafic enclave. $X_{Fe}$ values of biotite and hornblende are homogeneous without chemical zonation. K-feldspar megacryst shows end member of pure composition with exsolved thin lamellar pure albites. Characteristics of mineral compositions and petrography indicate porphyritic granite is igneous origin and medium-grained biotite granite comes from the same source of magma; biotite granite is initiated to solidly and from residual melt porphyritic granite can be formed. Possibly K-feldspar megacrysts are formde under H$_{2}$O undersaturation condition and near K-feldspar solidus curve temperature; growth rate is faster than nucleation rate. Mafic enclaves are thought to be mingled mafic magma in felsic magma, which is formed from compositional stratigraphy. Estimated equilibrium temperature and pressure for medium-grained biotite granite are about $800^{\circ}C$ and 4.83${\sim}$5.27 Kb, respectively.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.185-197
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• 1995

Tungsten skarns in the Chungju mine which consists mainly of strata-bound type iron ore deposits are found in the vicinity of the contact between the age-unknown Kyemeongsan Formation and granitic rock intrusions of Mesozoic age($134{\pm}2Ma$). Tungsten skarns were formed extensively from alumina and silica-rich schistose rocks by the introduction of calcium and iron from hydrothermal solution. The skarns comprise a metasomatic column and are subdivided into four facies; garnet facies, wollastonite facies, epidote facies and chlorite facies. The skarn process in time-evolutional trend can be divided broadly into the four facies in terms of the paragenetic sequence of calc-silicates and their chemical composition. Skarn and ore minerals were formed in the following sequence; (1) garnet facies, adjacent to biotite granite, containing mainly garnet(>Ad96) and magnetite, (2) wollastonite facies containing mainly wollastonite and garnet(Ad95~60), (3) epidote facies, containing mainly epidote(Ps35~31), quartz, andradite-grossular(Ad63~50), and scheelite, (4) chlorite facies, adjacent to and replacing schist, containing mainly chrolite, muscovite, quartz, calcite, epidote(Ps31~25), hematite and sulfides. The mineral assemblage and mineral compositions. suggest that the chemical potentials of Ca and Fe increased toward the granitic rock, and the component Al, Mg, K, and Si decreased from the host rock to granitic rock. The homogenization temperature and salinity of fluid inclusion in scheelite, quartz and epidote of epidote facies skarn is $300-400^{\circ}C$ and 3-8wt.% eqiv. NaCl, respectively. ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of pyrite and galena associated with chlorite facies skarn is $9.13{\sim}9.51%_{\circ}$ and $5.85{\sim}5.96%_{\circ}$, respectively. The temperature obtained from isotopic com· position of coexisting pyrite-galena is $283{\pm}20^{\circ}C$. Mineral assemblages and fluid inclusion data indicate that skarn formed at low $X_{CO_2}$, approximately 0.01. Temperature of the skarn mineralization are estimated to be in the range of $400^{\circ}C$ to $260^{\circ}C$ and pressure to be 0.5 kbar. The oxygen fugacity($fo_2$) of the skarn mineralization decreased with time. The early skarn facies would have formed at log $fo_2$ values of about -25 to -27, and late skarn facies would have formed at log $fo_2$ values of -28 to -30. The estimated physicochemical condition during skarn formation suggests that the principal causes of scheelite mineralization are reduction of the ore·forming fluid and a decrease in temperature.