• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.127-140
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• 2011

Research achievement of Korean geographers on karst studies was evaluated based on the number of publications for the past fifty years, which were divided into four main periods, including beginning, youth, growth, and maturity stages. The descriptive statistics of research papers published in major geography journals were computed and these articles were classified according to their main subjects and study areas. The role of moisture is particularly important in Karst geomorphology compared to the other geomorphological fields. The morphology, landscape, and formation processes of tropical and temperate karst are different from each other, and the regional and altitudinal characteristics of karst environments are significantly diverse. Thus, it is likely that the detailed records of climatic changes are preserved in the northeast Asian karst landform. Since karst geomorphology can be a major cause of natural hazards, such as collapsed surfaces or subsidence, which are associated with anthropogenic activities, including underground-water pumping and land use, education and training of physical geographers, specializing on monsoon effects, distributions of limestone, and soil characteristics, are critical issues to foster the capacity of disaster management in the nation. Moreover, knowing that the unique and spectacular landscape of karst geomorphology is a valuable, natural resource of tourism and has aesthetic values on its own, contributions of geographers to the introduction, conservation, research, and development of karst environment should be emphasized.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.1 s.182
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• pp.1-14
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• 2007

The Guemseong mine is located near the southern margin of the Jurassic Jecheon granitoids collectively with the Cambro-Ordovician mixed dolostone-limestone series of the Yeongweol Group, Choseon Supergroup. Here, two spatially distinct types of skarn formation have been observed. The upper transitional skarn is the calcic Mo skarn which has the mineral assemblage of $garnet+hedenbergite+epidote{\pm}wollastonite{\pm}magnetite{\pm}hematite{\pm}amphibole{\pm}chlorite{\pm}vesuvianite$ within the calcite marble. On the other hand, the lower proximal skarn occurs as a discordant magnesian Fe skarn at the contact of Mo-bearing aplitic cupolas with unidirectional solidification texture(UST) within the dolomitic marble. The magnesian Fe skarn has the mineral assemlage $olivine+diopside+magnetite+tremolite+serpentine+talc+chlorite{\pm}phlogopite$. The formation of two different types of skarn and ore mineralization in Geumseong mine have been attributed to multistage and complex metasomatic replacements that ultimately resulted in silicate-oxide-sulfide sequence of metasomatism. An early prograde stage with anhydrous skarn minerals such as olivine, clinopyroxene and/or garnet with magnetite, formed from high temperature (about $500^{\circ}\;to\;400^{\circ}C$) at an environmental condition of low $CO_2$ fugacity ($XCO_2<0.1$) and 0.5 kbar. The later retrograde stage with hydrous silicates such as amphibole, serpentine, phlogopite, epidote and chlorite with molybdenite or hematite, termed from relatively lower temperature (about $400^{\circ}\;to\;300^{\circ}C$).

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.325-340
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• 2017

The Seongdo Pb-Zn deposit, located in the northwestern part of the Ogcheon Metamorphic Belt, consists of skarn ore replacing limestone within the Hwajeonri Formation of Ogcheon Group and hydrothermal vein ore filling the fracture of host rock. Skarn minerals comprise mostly hedenbergitic pyroxene, garnet displaying oscillatory zonal texture composed of grossular and andradite, and a small amount of wollastonite, tremolite, and epidote, indicating reducing condition of formation. Ore minerals of skarn ore include sphalerite and galena with a small amount of pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite. In hydrothermal vein ore, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite occur with a small amount of galena, native Bi, and stannite. Chemical compositions of sphalerite vary from 17.4 mole% FeS in average for dark grey sphalerite, 3.6 mole% for reddish brown sphalerite in skarn ore, and to 10.3 mole% FeS in hydrothermal vein ore. In comparison with representative metallic deposits in South Korea on the FeS-MnS-CdS diagram, skarn and hydrothermal vein ore plot close to the field of Pb-Zn deposits and Au-Ag deposits, respectively. Arsenic contents of arsenopyrite in hydrothermal vein ore decrease from 31.93~33.00 at.% in early stage to 29.58~30.21 at.% in middle stage, and their corresponding mineralizing temperature and sulfur fugacity are $441{\sim}490^{\circ}C$, $10^{-6}{\sim}10^{-4.5}atm$. and $330{\sim}364^{\circ}C$, <$10^{-8}atm$. respectively. Phase equilibrium temperatures calculated from Fe and Zn contents for coexisting sphalerite and stannite in hydrothermal vein are $236{\sim}254^{\circ}C$. Sulfur isotope compositions are 5.4~7.2‰ for skarn ore and 5.4~8.4‰ for hydrothermal vein ore, being similar or slightly higher to magmatic sulfur, suggesting that ore sulfur was mostly of magmatic origin with partial derivation from host rocks. However, much higher sulfur isotope equilibrium temperatures of $549^{\circ}C$와 $487^{\circ}C$, respectively for skarn ore and hydrothermal ore, than those estimated from phase equilibria imply that isotopic equilibrium has not been fully established.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.467-477
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• 2014

Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) occurs in rocks and soils as a result of natural weathering and human activities. The asbestos have been associated with ultramafic and mafic rocks, and carbonate rock. The previous studies on NOA were mainly limited to ultramafic and mafic rock-hosted asbestos in Korea. But, studies on carbonatehosted asbestos are relatively rare. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to investigate mineralogical characteristics of carbonate-hosted and metapelite-hosted NOA and to examine genesis of NOA occurred in the both rocks. The study area was Daerori, Seosan, Chungnam Province, Korea. The major rock formation consisted of limestone and schist which have been known to contain asbestos. Sampling was performed at outcrop which contained carbonate rock showing acicular asbestos crystals as well as pegmatitic intrusion that contacted with carbonate rock. PLM, XRD, EPMA, and EDS analyses were used to characterize mineral assemblages, mineralogical characteristics, and crystal habits of amphiboles and other minerals. BSEM images were also used to examine the genesis of asbestos minerals. The amphibole group was observed in all of the carbonate rocks, and actinolite and tremolite were identified in all rocks. These mineral habits were mainly micro-acicular crystals or secondary asbestiform minerals on the surface of non-asbestiform minerals appearing split end of columnar crystals produced by weathering. BSEM images showed residual textures of samples. The residual textures of carbonate rocks showed dolomite-tremolite-diopside mineral assemblages that formed during prograde metasomatism stage. Some carbonate rock also showed diopside-tremolite-talc mineral assemblages which were formed during retrograde metasomatism stage, as the residual textures. In result the presence of asbestos actinolite-tremolite in the carbonate rocks were confirmed in the areas where actinolite-tremolite asbestos was influenced by low temperature hydrothermal solution during metasomatism stage. These asbestos minerals showed the acicular asbestiform minerals, but even non-asbestiform minerals, a bundle or columnar shape, could transform to asbestiform minerals as potential NOA by weathering because the end of columnar shape of non-asbestiform minerals appeared as multiple acicular shaped fibers.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.599-622
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• 2012

The phase I soil geochemical exploration was carried out targeting around Chau Binh area far from about 14 km with southeastern direction from Quy Chau within Nghe An province. The interval of sampling are horizontal 300 m with 14 line and longitudinal 500 m with 15 line, resulting in 194 soil samples. Based on the result of the phase I soil geochemical exploration, the phase II detailed pitting survey was carried out targeting the grid point with high TREO content, resulting in 56 soil samples within 7 pits. The geology of survey area are consisted of Ban Chieng biotite granite complex and Dai Loc gneissic granite complex intruding Bu Khang formation comprising of schist, gneiss and limestone. Main mineralization in the study area have the characteristics of occurrence with tin, ruby and REE-bearing monazite(about 300 g/t) and xenotime(about 10 g/t) to be thought as occurring at the alteration zone of granite complex. In order to elucidate the source rock of monazite and xenotime confirmed from heavy sand, soil geochemical exploration was carried out. As a analysis result with ICP-MS on the soil samples from the phase I soil geochemical exploration, total REE oxide content of background amount to about 2 times of crustal abundance, enriching the heavy rare earth(about 2 times) and light rare earth(about 1.84 times). As a analysis result with ICP-MS on the soil samples from the phase II soil detailed pit survey, we identified outcrop considering as economic ore body at the grid point 4-7 pit with N40W attitude. As a synthetic consideration on the phase I soil geochemical exploration and phase II detailed pit survey, we tentatively designated areas considering as the extension of economic ore body with REE anomaly. In the near future, we have the plan to carry out the geophysical exploration and test drilling targeting the interval anticipated to the economic ore body.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.51-73
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• 1979

The zinc-lead deposits at the Yeonhwa I mine were investigated in terms of ore-forming geologic setting, structural style of ore control, geometry of individual orebodies, zoning, paragenesis and chemical composition of skarn minerals, as well as metal grades and ratios of selected orebodies. The Yeonhwa I mine is characterized by a large swarm of chimney type massive orebodies with thin skarn envelopes, boldly developed through a thick sequence of Pungchon Limestone, the overlying Hwajeol Formation, and the underlying Myobong Slate of Cambrian age. Nearly 20 orebodies of similar shape, but of varying size are arranged in a V-shaped pattern with northwest and northeast trends, clearly indicating an outstanding ore control by a conjugate system of fractures with these trends. Important orebodies are the Wolam 1, 2, 3, and 5 orebodies in the west, and the Namsan 1, 2, 3. and 5 orebodies in the east, among others. The Wolam 1 orebody, which was observed from the -360 level through the -240, -120, and 0 levels to the surface outcrops (totaling a vertical height of about 500m), shows a vertical variation in skarn mineralogy, ranging from pyroxene-garnet zone on the lower levels. through pyroxene (without garnet) zone on the intermediate levels, and finally to rhodochrosite vein on the upper levels and surface. Microprobe analyses of pyroxene and garnet on a total of 14 mineral grains revealed that pyroxenes are manganoan salitic in most samples, with downward increase of Fe and Mn, whereas garnets are highly andraditic, containing fractions of subordinate grossular with downward decrease of Fe. This indicates a reverse relationship of Fe-contents between pyroxene and garnet with depth. Ore minerals are major sphalerite, subordinate galena, and minor chalcopyrite. Sulfide gangue minerals include major pyrrhotite, and minor pyrite and marcasite of later age. Two types of variational trends in metal grades and ratios with depth are present on the plots of assay data from the Wolam orebodies: one is a steady upward increase in Pb, Zn, and Pb:Zn ratios, with a terminal decline at the top of orebody: the other is an irregular or sinusoidal change. The former is characteristic of chimney-type orebodies, whereas the latter is of vein· shaped orebodies. The Pb grades show large variations among orebodies and from level to level, whereas the Zn grades are relatively constand or less variable.