• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.2 no.2 s.3
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• pp.51-57
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• 1994

Analysis of the aeromagnetic data aquired by US Navy in the year 1969 permits us to predict a new sedimentary basin, Heugsan Basin, south of the known Gunsan Basin in Block Ⅱ. The basin appears to consist of three sub-basins trending NNW-SSE. The results of our analysis provide not only an independent assessment of the Gunsan Basin, but also new important information on the tectonic origin and mechanism for the two basins as well as for the entire region. The basin forming tectonic style is interpreted as rhombochasm associated with double overstepped left-lateral wrench faults. From the magnetic evidence, a few NE-SW trending major onshore faults are extended to the study area. We also interpreted the nature of the faults to be left-lateral wrenches. This new gross structural style is consistent with the results of recent Yeongdong Basin analysis by Lee. The senses of fault movement are also supported by the paleomagnetic evidence that the Philippine Sea had experienced an 80-degree clockwise rotation since the Eocene. Based on a 2 $\frac{1}{2}$ model study the probable maximum thickness of the sediments in the Gunsan Basin is approximately 7500 meters. We believe that the new Heugsan Basin was left unidentified because a high velocity layer may be overlying the basin. Because the overall structural configuration of the Heugsan Basin appears to be favorable for hydrocarbon accumulation, a detailed airborne magnetic survey is recommended in the area in order to verify the magnetic expression of this thick basin. A detailed subsequent marine gravity survey is also recommended in order to delineate the sedimentary section and to acquire supplemental data to the magnetic method only if an overlying high velocity layer is confirmed. Otherwise a high energy source seismic survey may be more effective.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.3 no.1 s.4
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• pp.1-15
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• 1995

Seismic reflection profiles and exploratory drilling well samples from the southern marginal-continental shelf basin of Korea delineate that the Tertiary sedimentary sequences can be grouped into five sequences (Sequence A, Sequence B, Sequence C, Sequence D and Sequence E, in descending order). Paleontologic data, K-Ar age datings, correlation with tuff layers and sequence stratigraphic analysis reveal that the sequences A, B, C, D and E can be considered as the deposits of Holocene $\~$ Pleistocene, Pliocene, Late Miocene, Early $\~$ Middle Miocene and Oligocene, respectively. The sequence stratigraphic and structural analyses suggest that the southern part of the Cheju Basin had experienced severe folding and faulting. NE-SW trending strike-slip movement is responsible for the deformation. The sinistral movement of strike-slip fault ceased before the deposition of Sequence B. Age dating and rare-earth elements analysis of volvanic rocks reveal+ that the Sequence D was deposited during the Early $\~$ Middle Miocene and the Sequence I was deposited earlier than the deposition of the Green Tuff Formation. Sedimentary petrological studies indicate that sediments of the Sequence I came from the continental block provenance. After the deposition of the Sequence E, uplift of the source area resulted in increase of sediment supply, subsidence and volcanic activities. The Sequence D show these factors and the sediments of the Sequence D are considered to be transported from the recycled orogenic belt.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.10 no.1_2 s.11
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• pp.23-33
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• 2004

The Lago Sofia conglomerate in southern Chile is a lenticular unit encased within mudstone-dominated, deep-sea successions (Cerro Toro Formation, upper Cretaceous), extending from north to south for more than $120{\cal}km$. The Lago Sofia conglomerate is a unique example of long, gravelly deep-sea channels, which are rare in the modern environments. In the northern part (areas of Lago Pehoe and Laguna Goic), the conglomerate unit consists of 3-5 conglomerate bodies intervened by mudstone sequences. Paleocurrent data from these bodies indicate sediment transport to the east, south, and southeart. The conglomerate bodies in the northern Part are interpreted as the tributary channels that drained down the Paleoslope and converged to form N-S-trending trunk channels. In the southern part (Lago Sofia section), the conglomerate unit comprises a thick (> 300 m) conglomerate body, which probably formed in axial trunk channels of the N-5-trending foredeep trough. The well-exposed Lago Sofia section allowed for detailed investigation of sedimentary facies and large-scale architecture of the deepsea channel conglomerate. The conglomerate in Lago Sofia section comprises stratified conglomerate, massive-to-graded conglomerate, and diamictite, which represent bedload deposition under turbidity currents, deposition by high-density turbidity currents, and muddy debris flows, respectively. Paleocurrent data suggest that the debris flows originated from the failure of nearby channel banks or slopes flanking the channel system, whereas the turbidity currents flowed parallel to the orientation of the overall channel system. Architectural elements produced by turbidity currents represent vertical stacking of gravel sheets, lateral accretion of gravel bars, migration of gravel dunes, and filling of channel thalwegs and scoured hollows, similar to those in terrestrial gravel-bed braided rivers. Observations of large-scale stratal pattern reveal that the channel bodies are offset stacked toward the east, suggestive of an eastward migration of the axial trunk channel. The eastward channel migration is probably due to tectonic tilting related to the uplift of the Andean protocordillera just west of the Lago Sofia deep-sea channel system.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.35-63
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• 1989

Geochemical characteristics of the Guryongsan (Ogcheon) uraniferous black slate show that this is an analogue to the conventional Chattanooga and Alum shales in occurrences. Whereas, its highest enrichment ratio in metals including uranium, among others, is explained by the cyclic sedimentation of the black muds and quartz-rich silts, and the uniform depositional condition with some what higher pH condition compared to the conditions of the known occurrences. The cyclic sedimentation, caused by the periodic open and close of the silled basin, has brought about the flush-out) of the uranium depleted water and the recharge with the new metal-rich sea water, which consequently contributed to the high concentration of metals in mud. The metal-rich marine black muds, which mostly occur in the early to middle Palaeozoic times, is attributed by the geologic conditions which related to the atmospheric oxygen contents, and these are scarcely met in the late Precambrian and/or with the onset of Palaeozoic era in the geologic evolution of the earth.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.427-448
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• 2019

This study reconstructed the paleoenvironments and paleogeography of the Taebaeksan Basin, through a review of the previous researches on sedimentology, paleontology and stratigraphy. This study also carried out a sequence stratigraphic analysis on regional tectonism and sea-level fluctuations on the basin during the Early Paleozoic. The basin broadly occur in the Taebaek, Yeongweol-Jecheon, Jeongseon-Pyeongchang, and Mungyeong areas, Gangwon province, South Korea. The basin-fills are composed mainly of mixed carbonates and siliciclastics, divided into the Taebaek, Yeongweol, Yongtan, Pyeongchang and Mungyeong groups according to lithologies and stratigraphic characteristics. Recently, there are a lot of studies on the provenance and depositional ages of the siliciclastic sequences of the basin. The detrital sediments of the basin would be derived from two separated provenances of the core-Gondwana and Sino-Korean cratons. In the Early Cambrian, the Taebaek and Jeongseon-Pyeongchang platforms have most likely received detrital sediments from the provenance of the Sino-Korean craton. On the other hand, the detrital sediments of the Yeongweol-Jecheon platform was probably sourced by those of the core-Gondwana craton. This separation of provenance can be interpreted as the result of the paleogeographic and paleotopographic separation of the Yeongweol-Jecheon platform from the Taebaek and Jeongseon-Pyeongchang platforms. The analyses on detrital zircons additionally reveal that the separation of provenance was ceased by the eustatic rise of sea-level during the Middle Cambrian, and the detrital sediments of the Taebaeksan Basin were entirely supplied from those of the core-Gondwana craton. During that period, sediment supply from the Sino-Korean craton would be restricted due to inundation of the provenance area of the craton. On the other hand, the Jeongseon-Pyeongchang platform sequences show the unconformable relationship between the Early Cambrian siliciclastic and the Early Ordovician carbonate strata. It is indicative of presence of regional uplift movements around the platform which would be to the extent offset of the effects of the Middle to Late Cambrian eustatic sealevel rise. These movements expanded and were reinforced across the basin in the latest Cambrian and earliest Ordovician. After the earliest Ordovician, the basin was tectonically stabilized, and the shallow marine carbonate environments were developed on the whole-platform by the Early Ordovician global eustatic sea-level rise, forming very thick carbonate strata in the basin. In the Late Ordovician, the Early Paleozoic sedimentation on the basin was terminated by the large-scale tectonic uplift across the Sino-Korean platform including the Taebaeksan Basin.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.549-560
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• 2021

In 2019, at 147 local governments, a total of 872 operations produced aggregates with 414 operations by permission, 458 operations by declaration except the marine operations. The leading aggregate sources were, in descending order of the number of operations, crushed, forest, land, washing, river aggregate. By aggregate type, gravel-only operations were slightly more than sand-only ones. By province, Gyeongsangbuk-do had 149 operations, followed by Gyeonggi-do with 135, Gangwon-do with 113, and Gyeongsangnam-do with 92, Chungcheongbuk-do with 81, and Jeollabuk-do with 70. A review of production by size of operation indicated that about 23,100 thousand m³ (17.6% of the total aggregate) was produced by 17 operations reporting production of more than 1 million m³, about 29,900 thousand m³ was produced by 44 operations reporting production between 500 and <1,000 thousand m³, about 60,000 thousand m³ was produced by 273 operations reporting production between 100 and <200 thousand m³, about 17,000 thousand m³ was produced by 409 operations reporting production between 10 and <100 thousand m³. 129 operations that producted less than 10 thousand m³ accounted for 0.4% of total aggregate produced in Korea in 2019. Operations that produce more than 1 million m³ of aggregate was only from forest and crushed aggregate. The period of permission for aggregate producing based on permission is mostly less than 10 years, and in particular, for river and land aggregates, the permission period is very short, less than 2 years.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.729-742
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• 2020

In this study, we analyze seabottom conditions and characteristics integrated with topographic data, seafloor mosaic, underwater images and orthophoto(drone) of soft-hard bottom area around the Sib-Ri rock in the northern shore of the East Sea(Gyeongpo Beach, Gangneung). We obtained field survey data around the Sib-Ri rock(about 600 m × 600 m). The Sib-Ri rock is formed by two exposed rocks and surrounding reef. The artificial reef zone made by about 200 ~ 300 structures is shown the western area of the Sib-Ri rock. The underwater rock region is extended from the southwestern area of the exposed the Sib-Ri rock with 9 ~ 11 m depth range. The most broad rocky seabottom area is located in the southwestren area of the Sib-Ri rock with 10 ~ 13 m depth range. The study area were classified into 4 types of seabottom environment based on the analysis of bathymetric data, seafloor mosaics, composition of sediments and images(underwater and drone). The underwater rock zones(Type I) are the most distributed area around the Sib-Ri Rock(about 600 m × 600 m). The soft seabottom area made by sediments layer showed 2 types(Type II: gS(gravelly Sand), Type III: S(Sand)) in the areas between underwater rock zones and western part of the Sib-Ri rock(toward Gyeongpo Beach). The artificial reef zone with a lot of structures is located in the western part of the Sib-Ri rock. Marine algae(about 6 species), Phylum porifera(about 2 species), Phylum echinodermata(about 3 species), Phylum mollusca(about 3 species) and Phylum chordata(about 2 species) are dominant faunal group of underwater image analysis area(about 10 m × 10 m) in the northwestern part of the Sib-Ri rock. The habitat of Phylym mollusca(Lottia dorsuosa, Septifer virgatus) and Phylum arthropoda(Pollicipes mitella, Chthamalus challengeri hoek) appears in the intertidal zone of the Sib-Ri rock. And it is possible to estimate the range and distribution of the habitat based on the integrated study of orthphoto(drone) and bathymetry data. The integrated visualization and mapping techniques using seafloor mosaic images, sediments analysis, underwater images, orthophoto(drone) and topographic data can provide and contribute to figure out the seabottom conditions and characteristics in the shore of the East Sea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2023

Variations in geochemical and mineralogical properties of the ferromanganese(Fe-Mn) crust reflect environmental changes. In the present study, geochemical and mineralogical analyses, including micro X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction, were utilized to reconstruct the paleo-ocean environment of western Pacific Magellan seamount cluster. Samples of the Fe-Mn crust were collected using an epibenthic sledge from the open seamount XX (151° 51.12' 7.2" E and 16° 8.16' 9.6" N, 1557 meters below sea level) in the Western Pacific Magellan Seamount. According to the structure and phosphating status, the Fe-Mn crust of the OSM-XX can be divided into the following: phosphatizated (L4-L5), massive non-phosphatizated (L3), and porous non-phosphatizated (L1-L2) portions. All ferromanganese layers contain vernadite, and owing to the presence of carbonate fluorapatite (CFA), the phosphatizated portion (L4-L5) is rich in Ca and P. The massive non-phosphatizated section (L3) contains high Mn, Ni, and Co, whereas the porous non-phosphatizated portion (L1-L2), which comprises detrital quartz and feldspar, is rich in Fe. Variations in properties of the Fe-Mn crust from the OSM-XX reflect changes in the nearby marine environment. The formation of this crust started at approximately 51.87 Ma, and precipitation of the CFA during the global phosphatization event that occurred at approximately 36-32 Ma highlights an elevated sea level and low temperature during the associated period. The high Mn, Ni, and Co concentrations and elevated Mn/Fe ratios of samples from the massive phosphatizated portion indicate that the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) was enhanced, and reducing conditions prevailed during the crust formation. The high Fe and low Mn/Fe ratios in the porous portion indicate a weak OMZ and dominantly oxidizing conditions. These data reflect environmental changes following the end of the Mi-1 glacial period in the Miocene-Oligocene boundary. Subsequently, Mn/Fe and Co/Mn ratios increased slightly in the outermost part of Fe-Mn crust because of the enhanced bottom current and OMZ associated with the continued cooling from approximately 9 Ma. However, the reduced carbonate dissolution rate in the Pacific Ocean from approximately 6 Ma decreased the growth rate of the Fe-Mn crust.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.871-885
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• 2023

In 2022, the total of 129 million m³ of aggregate was produced in Korea, a slightly decrease from the total production of 2021. Of these, about 44 million m³ of sand and about 84 million m³ of gravel were produced. About 41% of total quantity of aggregates were produced by permission and the rest were produced after declaration. It estimated that of the 129 million m³ of aggregates in Korea in 2022, about 54.9% was produced by screening crushed aggregate, by 32.8% by forest aggregate, 2.2% by land aggregate, 6.2% by marine aggregate and 3.1% by washing aggregate, and 0.3% by river aggregate. This indicates that screening crushed and forest aggregate are the main producers of domestic aggregate in 2022. Leading producing metropolitan governments were Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Incheon, Jeollanam-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do in order decreasing volume. In 2022, aggregates were produced in 147 local governments, and the 10 leading producing local governments were, in descending order of volume, Hwaseong, Pocheon, Paju, Ongjin, Youngin, Gwangju, west EEZ, Incheon Seo-gu, Namyangju, Asan. The combined production of the 10 leading local governments accounted for 31% of the national total. And 44 local governments have produced aggregates of more than 1 million m³ each other. In 148 local governments that produced aggregate, a total of 800 active operations produced aggregate with 350 operations by river, land and forest aggregate, 450 operations by selective crushed and washing aggregate.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2011

To locate anomalous features including seepage pathways through the Daeryong earth-fill dam, P and Rayleigh waves were recorded along a 250-m profile on the crest of the dam. Seismic energy was generated using a 5-kg sledgehammer and detected by 24 4.5-Hz vertical-axis geophones installed at 3-m intervals. P-wave and apparent S-wave velocities of the reservoir dam and underlying bedrock were then inverted from first-arrival traveltimes and dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves, respectively. Apparent dynamic Poisson's ratios as high as 0.46 were obtained at the base of the dam near its north-east end, where an outlet conduit occurs, and in the clay core body near the south-west end of the profile where the dam was repeatedly grouted to abate seepage before our survey. These anomalies of higher Poisson's ratios in the upper part of clay core were also associated with effusion of grout on the downstream slope of the dam during post-survey grouting to abate leakage. Combining P-wave traveltime tomography and inversion of Rayleigh wave velocities was very effective in detecting potential pathways for seepage and previous grouted zones in this earthen dam.