• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.172-178
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• 2001

K-Ar dating system of Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) was installed in 1997 and has been used since then. The system consists of high temperature graphite furnace, gas purification system, and mass spectrometer with data acquisition system. K-Ar age is determined by the measurement of the concentrations of Ar and K through isotope dilution method using $^{38}Ar$ as spike and flame spectroscopy, respectively. The accuracy and reliability for the K-Ar age are checked using the several K-Ar standard materials. Although the exact age determination for young samples of less than 1 Ma is hampered by small fluctuations of sensitivity and mass discrimination, the present system yields the reliable K-Ar age compared to the standard materials of Tertiary and Mesozoic age. The measurements for the SORI93 biotite with the recommended K-Ar age of $92.6\pm$0.6 Ma and Bern4M muscovite of $18.5\pm$0.6 Ma yield the reliable age of $92.1\pm$1.1 Ma and $17.8\pm$0.2 Ma, respectively.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.121-136
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• 2023

Microstructural characterization, identification of mineral assemblages, and K-Ar age dating of fault gouges from five Quaternary fault sites segmented along the northern Yangsan Fault, SE Korea were performed to understand formation condition and multiple activity of faults. The mean and median sizes of particles of bulk gouges vary among the studied faults: 1.75 ㎛ and 1.43 ㎛ for the Danguri Fault, 1.94 ㎛ and 1.79 ㎛ for the Yukjae Fault, 5.57 ㎛ and 4.16 ㎛ for the Yugye Fault, and 5.55 ㎛ and 2.31 ㎛ for the Bogyeongsa Fault. Fault gouges contain abundant secondary minerals, including smectite, chlorite, illite, kaolinite, laumontite, and mordenite, which are found in association with quartz and feldspar. K-Ar dating of the fault gouges (both bulk samples and separate size fractions) yields ages ranging from 59.1 to 18.8 Ma, with bulk ages of 47.6 Ma for the Yukjae Fault, 59.1 Ma for the Ansim Fault, 39.4 Ma for the Yugye Fault, and 22.6 Ma for the Bogyeongsa Fault. The finer fractions generally have younger K-Ar ages compared with the coarser fractions, and the finest fraction (<0.2 ㎛) is the youngest for each fault. Hydrothermal alteration of the gouges is considered to have occurred under low-temperature (100~200℃) conditions during faulting. Microstructural features and clay mineral assemblages of fault gouges and brecciated rocks should be considered when interpreting fault events and reactivation, in addition to age dating of faulting.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2017

We have dated the K-Ar, Ar-Ar and U-Pb ages of the Masan hornblende-biotite granite in the southern Cretaceous Gyeongsang basin to constrain its emplacement age. The ~108 Ma hornblende K-Ar age obtained in the study is similar to the previously reported Rb-Sr age. However, the single grain total fusion $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ dating on hornblende failed to yield statistically meaningful ages because the isotopic system was open during its alteration. Thus the hornblende K-Ar age in the study is also unlikely to be reliable. The single grain total fusion $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ dating on biotite yielded an average age of $75.8{\pm}3.0Ma$. Apart from scattered data in the range of ~45-75 Ma, the average age increased to ~80 Ma. The SHRIMP and LA-MC-ICPMS U-Pb isotopic compositions of zircon from the Masan hornblende-biotite granite yielded its emplacement age as $87.6{\pm}2.7Ma$ and $86.8{\pm}0.4Ma$, respectively. It is thus likely that the ~80 Ma $^{40}Ar/^{39}Ar$ age of biotite might reflect the cooling age of Masan hornblende-biotite granite or the thermal influences from later intense igneous activities in the Gyeongsang basin.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.237-245
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• 2000

This study was for characterizing the engineering geological properties of Moryang Fault, and providing the basic data for tunnel design. Land-sat image analysis, geologic surveys, resistivity prospecting and 3-dimensional analysis for results of resistivity prospecting, core boring, mineralogical identification and chemical analysis for the bedrock, and K-Ar age dating for fault clay were carried out for the study of Moryang Fault which is located at Duckhyunri Sangbukmyun Uljinkun Ulsan metropolis. As a result of the study, it was shown that strike/dip was N20-3$0^{\circ}C$E/70-9$0^{\circ}C$NW, width of fault ranged from 20 to 60m(maximum 80m), and depth was more than 50m. K-Ar age dating results of fault clay were 5,700$\pm$1.129Ma and 1,900$\pm$0.380Ma. Hydraulic fracturing test results showed the principal stress direction similar to the strike of Moryang Fault.

• Journal of the speleological society of Korea
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.17-28
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• 1995

THE K-AR METHOD of age determination is commonly used to date rocks from Pleistocene volcanoes in Japan (e.g. Kaneoka et al. 1980, Itaya et al. 1984, Shimizu et al. 1988, Itaya et al. 1989). However. there are still many problems with K-Ar dating of the young volcanic rocks, as reviewed by Itaya and Nagao (1988).(omitted)

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.645-654
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• 2020

We present the K-Ar age dating results of <0.1㎛ fraction of the selected fault rocks from the Yangsan fault in the Yeonghae area. Based on the mineralogical characterization, the <0.1㎛ fractions were mostly composed of 1Md illite polytype, or I-S interstratified mineral, which should be formed by fault activation. Therefore, we determined the timings of fault activation events by analyzing K-Ar age-dating for the <0.1㎛ fractions. Accordingly, the activation timings of Yangsan Fault in the Yeonghae area were determined as 45.5±1.1 Ma, 50.9±1.2 Ma, 58.2±1.3 Ma, 60.8±1.4 Ma, 65.3±1.6 Ma, 66.8±1.5 Ma, 67.1±1.5 Ma, and 75.1±1.7 Ma. These results indicate that at least 5-times of major fault events occurred in the Yangsan fault from late Mesozoic to Cenozoic Era. In the outcrop, age dating results tend to be younger age from the location of the oldest sample(75.1±1.7 Ma) toward to the both sides. From the results, it suggests that the fault activation extends from the location of oldest age saple to both sides. This geochronological research of the multiple fault activation ages for the Yangsan Fault will provide crucial information for establishing the tectonic evolution model in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2016

Here we firstly present that a timing of reactivated event of Yangsan fault, the major fault in the southeastern Korean Peninsula, by using combined approaches of the optimized illite-polytype quantification, the K-Ar age-dating, and the recently developed illite-age-analysis (IAA) approach for the fault clays from Sangcheon-ri area of Yangsan main fault line. Two chronological record of brittle fault-activation event at about 41.5~43.5 and 50.7 Ma were determined from 3 fault gouges suggesting a crucial reactivation time-scheme. Furthermore, the regional processes that drive tectonics to form and reactivate the Yangsan fault may be explained from the chronological analysis for additional sites along the Yangsan fault.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2014

Recently developed illite-age-analysis (IAA) approach has been applied to determine the multiple events for the Singal and Wangsukcheon faults in the Chugaryeong fault belt, Korea. Fault reactivated events during Late Cretaceous to Paleogene events($69.2{\pm}0.3$ Ma and $27.2{\pm}0.5$ Ma) for the Singal fault and of $75.4{\pm}0.8$ Ma for the Wangsukcheon fault were determined by combined approach of the optimized illite-polytype quantification and the K-Ar age-dating of clay fractions separated from the fault clays. These absolute geochronological determinations of the multiple tectonic events recorded in the Chugaryeong fault belt are crucial to establish the tectonic evolution of the Korean Peninsula since Late Cretaceous.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2012

The 1M and $2M_1$ stacking sequences are the most frequently encountered in the illite species among the possible 6 polytypes. The $1M_d$, derived from the 1M polytype which exhibits a variable degree of disorder in the stacking sequence, is also observed in illite samples. In this paper, the author introduces and reviews the theoretical background of the quantitative analysis method of illite polytypes, and considers the possibility to determine the fault age and its reactivation age using K/Ar age-dating based on the quantification of illite polytypes in the fault system. For the increase of the accuracy and precision of the illite age analysis method, the occurrence, identification, and mineralogical characterization of illite polytypes should be defined in detail. The broadening effect of (hkl) reflections, due to disordering of 1M polytype and the presence of I/S minerals with expandability, are also considered as the main parameters controlling the quantification of illite polytypes using the WILDFIRE(C)simulation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.449-457
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• 2019

We present the K-Ar age-dating results of the bulk and the less than $0.1{\mu}m$ fraction of the fault gouges collected from some major faults in the Gyeongsang basin. We try to determine the timings of fault activation based on the mineralogical characteristics, and to interpret the spatio-temporal variability of the major fault events during the Cenozoic Era by considering together with the previous results. We propose at least the 3-times of major fault events at about 50 Ma, and just after 30 Ma and 20 Ma in the Gyeongsang basin, which were inferred from the combined approach of the K-Ar ages and the clay mineralogy of the bulk fault gouges and the <$0.1{\mu}m$ fractions. The fault activation timings of the Yangsan fault tend to be younger in the northern part than in the southern part. In particular, the inferred fault events just after 30 Ma and 20 Ma are mainly detected in the Ocheon fault and the related faults, and the fault in the Gyeongju area. The fault activation timings of the major faults can be revised accurately by using illite-age-analysis(IAA) method. These geochronological determinations of the multiple events of the major faults in the Gyeongsang basin are crucial to establish the tectonic evolution in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula during the Cenozoic Era.