• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.403-418
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• 2007

The objective of this research was to characterize the fate and transport of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater in the Daejeon industrial area. Five subsidiary monitoring wells were newly installed and two existing wells were utilized for the investigation and the reduction process of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater of the Daejeon(Mun-pyeong) national groundwater monitoring station. The Cr(VI) concentrations at the shallow aquifer well of the station were in the range of 3.2-4.5 mg/L indicating continuous contamination. However, Cr was not detected at the deep bedrock well and the other monitoring wells except MPH-1 and 3. The Cr(VI) concentrations of MPH-1 and MPH-3 were below the drinking water guideline value (0.05 mg/L). Therefore, the plume of the Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater was predicted to be confined within the narrow boundary around the station. The soluble/exchangeable Cr(VI) concentrations were below the detection limit in all core and slime samples taken from the five newly installed wells. Although the exact source of contamination was not directly detected in the study area, the spatial Cr(VI) distribution in groundwater and characteristics of the core samples indicated that the source and the dispersion range were confined within the 100 m area from the monitoring station. The contamination might be induced from the unlined landfill of industrial wastes which was observed during the installation of an subsidiary monitoring well. For the evaluation of the natural attenuation of Cr(VI), available reduction capacities of Cr(VI) with an initial concentration of 5 mg/L were measured in soil and aquifer materials. Dark-gray clay layer samples have high capacities of Cr(VI) reduction ranging from 58 to 64%, which is obviously related to organic carbon contents of the samples. The analysis of reduction capacities implied that the soil and aquifer materials controlled the dispersion of Cr(VI) contamination in this area. However, some possibilities of dispersion by the preferential flow cannot be excluded due to the limited numbers of monitoring wells. We suggest the removal of Cr(VI) contaminated groundwater by periodical pumping, and the continuous groundwater quality monitoring for evaluation of the Cr(VI) dispersion should be followed in the study area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.249-261
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• 2020

This study details grain-size distributions (GSDs) of carbonate and biogenic opal fractions of the sediments retrieved from the South Korea Plateau in the East Sea and draws paleocanographic implications from them. The opal-fraction GSDs show fine modes of 10.3 ㎛ and coarse modes of 102.5 ㎛ on average. The fine-mode grains of opal fractions mainly consist of small diatoms and radiolarians including their broken frustules, while the coarse-mode grains are mostly comprised of large warm-water diatoms and radiolarians. Significant positive correlation between opal contents and abundances of the coarse-mode GSDs in the total GSDs suggests that the abundances of the coarse-mode GSDs were controlled by the increased surface productivity of warm-water diatoms during interglacial stages. The carbonate-fraction GSDs show fine modes of 2.4 ㎛ and coarse modes of 99.1 ㎛ on average. The fine-mode grains mainly consist of coccolithophores, while the coarse-mode grains are mostly comprised of intact or broken planktonic foraminifera. The abundances of coarse-mode and fine-mode GSDs were not correlated with carbonate contents, suggesting a complex control exerted by both the degree of carbonate dissolution and the productivity of coccolithophores on the carbonate-fraction GSDs.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.139-159
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• 2008

Geochemical analysis of the various kinds of water including observation borehole groundwater was carried out for the assessment of the hydrological safety of the underground oil storage cavern and the potentiality of mineralogical and microbiological clogging was estimated. Most of water samples belonged to $Ca-HCO_3$ and $Ca-HCO_3-SO_4$ types. There was no distinct chemical difference in the various kinds of water. All kinds of water are undersaturated with the calcite which is the major clogging mineral. Most water samples have low Fe and Mn concentrations. However, they are saturated or oversaturated with the iron-oxide/hydroxide minerals and have high dissolved oxygen contents which suggests the possibility of clogging by the iron-oxide/hydroxide minerals as a long-term aspect. Several water samples from the ground observation borehole also show the high saturation indices far the clay minerals, which can fill up the fractures, indicating the possibility of clogging by the clay minerals. Statistical analysis shows the degree of mineral precipitation or dissolution is mainly controlled by pH, Eh and DO of water samples. According to the microbial analysis, the aerobic microbes and slime forming bacteria are dominant in most water samples and anaerobic microbes including sulfate reducing bacteria are very low or not detected. Although the slime forming bacteria which are known as a main microbial cause of the clogging is lower than $10^5\;CFUs/mL$ in all water samples, because the slime forming bacteria are dominant microbe in several observation boreholes, the clogging can be caused by it as a long-term aspect. In addition, the possibility of clogging can be increased if the microbial effect is combined with the mineralogical effect such as iron oxide/hydroxide minerals for the possibility of clogging. Therefore, the systematic and long-term program for the assessment of clogging is required for the safe operation of underground oil storage cavern.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.38-39
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• 2001

The seasonal changes in pH, Fe, Al and SO$_4$$\^$2-/ contents of acid drainage released from coal mine dumps play a major role in precipitation of metal hydroxides in the Taebaek coal field area, southeastern Korea. Precipitates in the creeks underwent a cycle of the color change showing white, reddish brown and brownish yellow, which depends on geochemical factors of the creek waters. White precipitates consist of Al-sulfate (basaluminite and hydrobasaluminite) and reddish brown ones are composed of ferrihydrite and brownish yellow ones are of schwertmannite. Goethite coprecipitates with ferrihydrite and schwertmannite. Ferrihydrite formed at higher values than pH 5.3 and schwertmannite precipitated below pH 4.3, and goethite formed at the intermediate pH range between the two minerals. With the pH being increased from acid to intermediate regions, Fe is present both as schwertmannite and goethite. From the present observation, the most favorable pH that basauluminte can precipitate is in the range of pH 4.45-5.95. SEM examination of precipitates at stream bottom shows that they basically consist of agglomerates of spheroid and rod-shape bacteria. Bacteria species are remarkably different among bottom precipitates and, to a less extent, there are slightly different chemical compositions even within the same bacteria. The speciation and calculation of the mineral saturation index were made using MINTEQA2. In waters associated with yellowish brown precipitates mainly composed of schwertmannite, So$_4$ species is mostly free So$_4$$\^$2-/ ion with less AlSo$_4$$\^$+/, CaSo$\sub$(aq)/, and MgSo$\sub$4(aq)/. Ferrous iron is present mostly as free Fe$\^$2+/, and FeSo$\sub$4(aq)/ and ferric iron exists predominantly as Fe(OH)$_2$$\^$+/, with less FeSo$\sub$4(aq)/, Fe(OH)$_2$$\^$-/, FeSo$_4$$\^$-/ and Fe$\^$3+/, respectively Al exists as free Al$\^$3+/, AlOH$_2$$\^$-/, (AlSo$_4$)$\^$+/, and Al(So$_4$)$\^$2-/. Fe is generally saturated with respect to hematite, magnetite, and goethite, with nearly saturation with lepidocrocite. Aluminum and sulfate are supersaturated with respect to predominant alunite and less jubanite, and they approach a saturation state with respect to diaspore, gibbsite, boehmite and gypsum. In the case of waters associated with whitish precipitates mainly composed of basaluminite, Al is present as predominant Al$\^$3+/ and Al(SO$_4$)$\^$+/, with less Al(OH)$\^$2+/, Al(OH)$_2$$\^$+/ and Al(SO$_4$)$\^$2-/. According to calculation for the mineral saturation, aluminum and sulfate are greatly supersaturated with respect to basaluminite and alunite. Diaspore is flirty well supersaturated while jubanite, gibbsite, and boehmite are already supersaturated, and gypsum approaches its saturation state. The observation that the only mineral phase we can easily detect in the whitish precipitate is basaluminite suggests that growth rate of alunite is much slower than that of basaluminite. Neutralization of acid mine drainage due to the dilution caused by the dilution effect due to mixing of unpolluted waters prevails over the buffering effect by the dissolution of carbonate or aluminosilicates. The main factors to affect color change are variations in aqueous geochemistry, which are controlled by dilution effect due to rainfall, water mixng from adjacent creeks, and the extent to which water-rock interaction takes place with seasons. pH, Fe, Al and SO$_4$ contents of the creek water are the most important factors leading to color changes in the precipitates. A geochemical cycle showing color variations in the precipitates provides the potential control on acid mine drainage and can be applied as a reclamation tool in a temperate region with four seasons.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.65-80
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• 2013

Sediment transport mechanism and distribution of organic sediments are elucidated by the study of particle size, mineralogy, organic matters and microfossils of the surface samples collected from seafloor adjacent Dokdo island. Shallow marine sediments are dominated by coarse- grained sediments including gravel and sand, and their sedimentation has mainly been controlled by traction. While the samples collected from oceanic zone are characterized by high contents of fine- grained sediments such as silt and mud in bulk sediments, and the changes of mineral compositions including clay minerals and feldspar, and the fine sediments have been deposited mainly by suspension. The change of organic sedimentary communities is detected between neritic and oceanic zone. Although marine organic matter is predominant in neritic zone, terrestrial organic matter is monopolized according to increasing water depth. This trend is associated with grain size of sediments. The results also suggest that high pollen concentrations in whole organic matters may played an important role in excessive organic carbon in sediment.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.523-532
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• 2021

The treatment of acid rock drainage was reviewed and evaluated for the case of pyrite rocks distributed in a highway embankment. During the highway's construction, neutralization using alkaline water repellent was applied to the embankment section to prevent acid rock drainage. However, it still occurred long after the construction was completed owing to rain infiltration, and the acid rock drainage polluted the surrounding soils and streams. To solve this problem, treatment facilities such as SAPS (Successive Alkalinity Producing Systems) or ecological wetlands and sand filtration were installed. After the installation of the treatment facilities, the effluent and soils contaminated by acid rock drainage nearby the outlet of the facilities were analyzed and evaluated for a period of years. Measurements of the pH of the effluent and analysis of the heavy metal contamination of the soils confirmed that the neutralization treatment for acid rock drainage is being performed properly and that contamination of heavy metals in the acid rock drainage is also being stably controlled by the treatment facilities.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.277-289
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• 1992

Kyeonggi Bay, a macrotidal coastal embayment in the Yellow Sea coast of central korea, is fringed by vastly developed tidal flats. About 400 surface sediment samples were collected from the intertidal and subtidal zones of Kyeonggi Bay for a study of the sediment distribution pattern and the surface sediment characteristics of this environment. The kyeonggi Bay surface sediment becomes progressively finer in the shoreward direction, from offshore sand to shoreward silty sand and sandy silt. This shoreward-fining trend is repeated again on the tidal flat and, as a consequence, a grain-size break occurs near the low-water line which separates the intertidal area from the subtidal one. The intertidal and subtidal sediments differ from each other in textural characteristics such as mean grain size and skewness and this can be interpreted to result from differences in hydraulic energy and morphology between the two environments. The mineral and chemical compositions of the Kyeonggi Bay sediments are largely controlled by the sediment grain size. Smectite was nearly absent in the clay mineral assemblage of Kyeonggi Bay sediment. The contents of Co, Cu and Ni were high in the Banweol tidal flat, which suggests a continuous process of accumulation of these metals. the intertidal environment appears to respond rapidly to artificial coastal modifications, the effects of which should be taken into consideration when planning a dam construction or coastal reclamation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.765-779
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• 2023

The Daum Vent Field (DVF) was newly discovered in the Central Indian Ridge during the hydrothermal expedition by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) in 2021. In this paper, we describe the detailed mineralogy and geochemistry of hydrothermal chimney and mound to understand the nature of hydrothermal mineralization in the DVF. The mineral assemblages (pyrite±sphalerite±chalcopyrite) of dominant sulfides, FeS contents (mostly <20 mole %) of sphalerite, and (Cu+Zn)/Fe values (0.001-0.22) of bulk compositions indicate that the DVF has an strong affinity with basaltic-hosted seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposit along the oceanic ridge. Combined with the predominance of colloform and/or dendritic-textured pyrite and relatively Fe-poor sphalerite in chimneys, the fluid-temperature dependency of trace element systematics (Co, Mn, and Tl) between chimney and mound indicates that the formation of mound was controlled by relatively reducing and high-temperature fluids compared to chimney. The δ³⁴S values (+8.31 to +10.52‰) of pyrite reflect that sulfur and metals were mainly leached from the associated basement rocks (50.6-61.3%) with a contribution from reduced seawater sulfur (38.7-49.4%). This suggests that the fluid-rock interaction, with little effect of magmatic volatile influx, is an important metal source for the sulfide mineralization in the DVF.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.465-475
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• 2022

The seafloor massive sulfide deposits are important mineral resources for base and precious metals, and their ore genesis and metal contents are mainly controlled by wall-rock leaching process and/or magmatic volatile input from the underlying magma chamber. However, the contribution of two different metal sources to the seafloor hydrothermal mineralization significantly varies in diverse geological settings and thus still remains controversial. In this review, mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of SMS deposits from mid-ocean ridges (MORs) and volcanic arcs were investigated to understand the contribution from different metal sources and to suggest future challenges that need to be addressed. As a result, the genetic occurrences of enargite and cubanite, galena and barite indicate the effects of magmatic input and water-rock interaction, respectively. Also, the distributional behaviors of Co, As, and Hg in pyrite and FeS content of sphalerite could be useful empirical indicators to discriminate the significant roles of different metal sources between MOR and Arc settings. To date, as most studies have focused on sulfide samples recovered from the seabed, further studies on magmatic sulfides and sulfate minerals are required to fully understand the genetic history of SMS deposits.

• 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.