• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.131-150
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• 1991

The Weolseong diatreme was temporally and spatially related to the intrusion of the Gadaeri granite, and was -mineralized by meteoric aqueous fluids. In the Nokdong As-Zn deposit, pyrite, aresenopyrite and sphalerite are the most abundant sulfide minerals. They are associated with minor amount of magnetite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and cassiterite, and trace amounts of Pb-Sb-Bi-Ag sulphosalts. The AsZn ore probably occurred at about $350^{\circ}C$ according to fluid inclusion and compositional data estimated from the arsenic content of arsenopyrite and iron content of sphalerite intergrown with pyrrhotite + chalcopyrite + cubanite. Heating studies of fluid inclusions in quartz indicate a temperature range between 180 and $360^{\circ}C$, and freezing data indicate a salinity range from 0.8 to 4.1 eq.wt % NaCl. The coexisting assemblage pyrite + pyrrhotite + arsenopyrite suggests that $H_2S$ was the dominate reduced sulfur species, and defines fluid parameter thus: $10^{-34.5}$ < ${\alpha}_{S_2}$ < $10^{-33}$, $10^{-11}$ < $f_{S_2}$ < $10^{-8}$, -2.4 < ${\alpha}_{S_2}$ < -1.6 atm and pH= 5.2 (sericte stable) at $300^{\circ}C$. The sulfur isotope values ranged from 1.8 to 5.5% and indicate that the sulfur in the sulfides is of magmatic in origin. The carbon isotope values range from -7.8 to -11.6%, and the oxygen isotope values from the carbonates in mineralized wall rock range from 2 to 11.4%. The oxygen isotope compositions of water coexisting with calcite require an input of meteoric water. The geochemical data indicate that the ore-forming fluid probably was generated by a variety of mechanisms, including deep circulation of meteoric water driven by magmatic heat, with possible input of magniatic water and ore component.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.563-569
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• 2014

Ruby is one of the most favor colored gem, for beautiful red tone, be high in scarcity value. However, rubies with high quality are produced in restricted regions, such as in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Tanzania etc., and they have been gradually exhausted by mining for a long period. Therefore, improving qualities of low level rubies with various treatments is arising an alternative way to obtain better rubies. Gemological and mineralogical properties of the natural ruby from Tanzanian were studied with heat treatments. Those characteristics were compared between only heat and adding flux materials under heating. Tanzanian raw rubies were applied a heat treatment ($1,600^{\circ}C$ for 6 hours). However, chromameter and UV-Vis analyses found that a simple heat treatment is inappropriated for the Tanzanian ruby. Although $Cr^{3+}$ containing for red color in the ruby increased with heat treatment, the ruby displays dark medium red because of Fe in the ruby as a form of $Fe_2O_3$. The low transparency after heat treatment is attributed to the recrystallization of $SiO_2$ which has a low melting point. Chromameter confirmed adding Pb-containing flux under heating greatly improves the clarity and color of Tanzanian rubies with micro-fractures and cavities on the surface. EMPA results show that Pb as an additive fills the cavities and cracks on raw Tanzanian rubies during the heat treatment. As a rewult of it, the quality of the Tanzanian ruby raw dramatically improved. These results indicate that the heat treatment with an additive (Pb in this study) is an effective way to obtain better quality of the Tanzanian ruby. Consequently, this study suggests a suitable method to improve the properties of the Tanzanina ruby. The result of this study would provide useful information to upgrade the qualities of similar gem stones such as corundum and sapphire.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.589-599
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• 2014

This study selected optimal sites in Myeongsasimni located in west coast of Korea for stratigraphic research containing extreme climate event during quaternary period by spatio-temporal analyses of changes in sedimentary environment and land use employing 1918 topographic map, 2000 digital terrain map, 1976 and 2012 air photographies. The study area shows no significant changes in topographic characteristics that hilly areas with relatively large variations in elevation are distributed over north and south part of the study area, and sand dues are developed along the coast line. Moreover, flat low lying areas are located at the back side of the sand dues. The movement of surface run off and sediment loads shows two major trends of inland direction flow from back sides of sand dunes and outland direction flow from high terrains inland, and the two flows merge into the stream located in the center of the study area. Two sink with individual area of $0.2km^2$ are observed in Yongjeong-ri and Jaryong-ri which are located in south central part and south part of the study area, respectively. In addition, sea level change simulation reveals that $3.4km^2$ and $3.64km^2$ are inundated with 3 m of sea level rise in 1918 and 2000, respectively, and it would contribute to chase sea level change records preserved in stratigraphy. The inundated areas overlaps well with sink areas where it indicates the low lying areas located in south cental and south part of the study area are identical for sediment accumulation. The areas with minimal human impact on sediment records over last 100 years are $3.51km^2$ distributed over central and south part of the study area with the land use changes of mud and rice field in 1918 to rice field in 2012. The candidate sites of $0.15km^2$ in central part and $0.09km^2$ in south part are identified for preferable locations of geologic record of extreme climate events during quaternary period based on the overlay analysis of optimal sedimentary environment and land use changes.

• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.288-296
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• 2023

Coal is abundantly available compared to other energy sources and is used as a versatile energy resource worldwide. To address the environmental issues stemming from conventional coal utilization, efforts are underway to develop clean coal utilization technologies, with IGCC technology being a notable example. In IGCC plants, coal is subjected to a CMD process where both drying and pulverization are achieved by supplying hot air. However, if the temperature of the supplied hot air is excessively high, it can lead to devolatilization and spontaneous combustion, thereby compromising the stable operation of the CMD process. This study aimed to measure the devolatilization and spontaneous combustion temperatures of different types of bituminous coal, and to explore their correlations with the characteristics of the coals. Six coal types exhibited devolatilization between 350 and 400 ℃, while three coal types showed devolatilization at temperatures exceeding 400 ℃. Spontaneous combustion ℃curred in one coal type below 100 ℃, six coal types between 100 and 150 ℃, and two coal types above 150 ℃. The measured initiation temperatures were compared with the coal characteristics including the oxygen, moisture, Fe₂O₃, and CaO content, the H/C ratio, and the O/C ratio to establish correlations. Regression analysis was used to calculate the regression coefficients and determination coefficients for each ignition temperature. It was found that 52.44% of the FC/VM data significantly influenced the volatile matter ignition temperature, and 59.10% of the Fe₂O₃ data significantly affected the spontaneous combustionignition temperature.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.155-166
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• 1982

Sulfur isotope compositions (${\delta}^{34}S$) of seventy one sulfide minerals from the Shinyemi ore deposits were determined to range from -10.1 to +5.0‰ with a mean value of +2.1‰. These values are roughly comparable to those of various hydrothermal ore deposits in Korea, about +2.0 to +7.0‰ in ${\delta}^{34}S$, suggesting that they are to be same in source of sulfur. The Shinyemi deposits are grouped into two types; the western bedded skarn orebodies and the eastern small pipes and veins. The ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of sulfide minerals from the bedded orebodies (early mineralization) are ranging from -10.1 to +2.5‰, which is relatively wide in range, whereas those of the pipes and veins. (later mineralization) have a narrow range of ${\delta}^{34}S$ values, +2.7 to +5.0‰, regardless of the kind of sulfide minerals. Isotopic temperature obtained from the sphalerite-galena mineral pairs of the New B orebody appeared to be about 400 to $540^{\circ}C$ are reasonably good agreement with the comparable data of skarn mineral assemblages. It is concluded that the west orebodies were formed in earlier stage at higher temperatures than the east orebodies formed later at lower temperatures. Judging from the various data from the present study, the Shinyemi deposits can be defined as a typical contact metasomatic deposit. The source of sulfur in the hydrothermal solutions is considered to be comagmatic with the Shinyemi granodiorite.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2021

Because active interactions occur among vegetation, hydrology, and geomorphology in riparian systems, any changes in one of these factors can significantly affect the other two. In this study, we evaluated these interactions at four sites (two in Gajeong and two in Hahan) along the Seomjin-gang River that was substantially devastated by an extreme flood in 2020. We examined the relationship between the riparian vegetation and the hydraulic characteristics of the flood using remote sensing, hydraulic modeling, and field surveys combined. The evaluation results showed that the floods caused a record-breaking rise of up to 43.1 m above sea level at the Yeseong-bridge stage gauge station (zero elevation 27.4 m) located between the Gajeong and Hahan sites, with the shear stress being four times higher in Hahan than in Gajeong. Additionally, the water level during the flood was estimated to be a maximum of 1 m higher depending on the location in the presence of riparian plants. Furthermore, both sites underwent extensive biological damage due to the flood, with 78-80% loss in vegetation, with preferential damage observed in large willow species, compared to Quercus acutissima. The above findings imply that all plant species exhibit different vulnerabilities towards extreme floods and do not induce similar behavior towards events causing a disturbance. In conclusion, we developed strategies for effectively managing riparian trees by minimizing flood hazards that could inevitably cause damage.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.303-314
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• 1989

The electrum-silver-sulfide mineralization of the Geojae island area was deposited in three stages (I, II, and carbonate) of quartz and calcite veins that crosscut Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks and granodiorite(83 m.y.). Stages I and II were terminated by the onset of fractunng and breCCIation events. Fluid inclusion data suggest that the gold-sulfide-bearing stages I and II each evolved from an initial high temperature( near $370^{\circ}C$) to a later low temperature(near $200^{\circ}C$). Each of those stages represented a separate mineralizing system which cooled prior to the onset of the next stage. The relationship between homogenization temperature and salinity in stages I and II suggests a complex history of boiling, cooling and dilution. Evidence of boiling indicates a pressure of < 100 bars, corresponding to a depth of 500 to 1,250m assummg hthostatlc and hydrostatic pressure regimes, respectively. Fluid inclusion and mineralogical evidence suggest that the electrum-silver mineralization was deposited at a temperature of $220-260^{\circ}C$ from ore fluids with salinities between 1.9 and 8.1 equivalent wt.% NaCl. Total sulfur concentration is estimated to be $10^{-3}$ to $10^{-4}$ molal. The estimated $fs_2$ and $fo_2$ range from $10^{-11.8}$ to $10^{-14}$ atm and $10^{-35}$ to $10^{-36}$ atm, respectively. The chemical conditions indicate that the dominant sulfur species in the ore forming fluids was a reduced form($H_2S$). Rapid cooling and dilution of ore-forming fluids by mixing with less-evolved meteoric waters led to gold-silver deposition through the breakdown of the bisulfide complex($Au(HS)_2$) as the activity of $H_2S$ decreased.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2010

Acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned mine sites typically has low pH and contains high level of various heavy metals, aggravating ground- and surface water qualities and neighboring environments. This study investigated removal of heavy metals in a biological treatment system, mainly focusing on the removal by adsorption on a substrate material. Bench-scale batch experiments were performed with a mushroom compost to evaluate the adsorption characteristics of heavy metals leached out from a mine tailing sample and the role of SRB in the overall removal process. In addition, adsorption experiments were perform using an artificial AMD sample containing $Cd^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$ to assess adsorption capacity of the mushroom compost. The results indicated Mn leached out from mine tailing was not subject to microbial stabilization or adsorption onto mushroom compost while microbially mediated stabilization played an important role in the removal of Zn. Fe leaching significantly increased in the presence of microbes as compared to autoclaved samples, and this was attributed to dissolution of Fe minerals in the mine tailing in a response to the depletion of $Fe^{3+}$ by iron reduction bacteria. Measurement of oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and pH indicated the reactive mixture maintained reducing condition and moderate pH during the reaction. The results of the adsorption experiments involving artificial AMD sample indicated adsorption removal efficiency was greater than 90% at pH 6 condition, but it decreased at pH 3 condition.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2005

A two-dimensional (2-D) interpretation of MT data has been performed for the purpose of fracture detection for geothermal development. Remote stations have been operated in Kyushu, Japan (480 km apart) as well as in Korea (60 km and 165 km apart in 2002 and 2003 data set, respectively). Apparent resistivity and phase curves calculated by remote processing with the Japan remote data showed enough quality for 2-D inversion for the whole frequency range. Remote reference processing with Korea remote reference data also showed quite good continuity in apparent resistivity and phase curves except some noisy frequency bands; around the power frequency, 60 Hz, and around the dead band $10^{-1}Hz\;Hz\;\~1\;Hz$, where the natural EM signal is known to be very weak. Even though the subsurface showed severe three-dimensional (3-D) characteristics in the survey area so that 2-D inversion by itself could not give enough information for deep geological structures, the 2-D inversion for the 5 survey lines showed several common features. The conductive semi-consolidate mudstone layer is dipping from north to south (about 500 m depth on the south and 200 m on the north most part of the survey area). The boundary between the low (L-2) and high (H-2) resistivity anomalies can be thought as a major fault with strike $N15^{\circ}E$, passing through the sites 206, 112 and 414. The shallow (< 1 km) conductive anomalies (L-4) seem to be fracture zones having strike E-W (at site 105) and $N60^{\circ}W$ (at site 434). And there exists a conductive layer in the western and west-southern part of the survey area in the depth below $2\~3\;km$, for which further investigation is to be needed.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.270-279
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• 2005

Under the research project supported by Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), we have conducted the development of GPR systems for landmine detection. Until 2005, we have finished development of two prototype GPR systems, namely ALIS (Advanced Landmine Imaging System) and SAR-GPR (Synthetic Aperture Radar-Ground Penetrating Radar). ALIS is a novel landmine detection sensor system combined with a metal detector and GPR. This is a hand-held equipment, which has a sensor position tracking system, and can visualize the sensor output in real time. In order to achieve the sensor tracking system, ALIS needs only one CCD camera attached on the sensor handle. The CCD image is superimposed with the GPR and metal detector signal, and the detection and identification of buried targets is quite easy and reliable. Field evaluation test of ALIS was conducted in December 2004 in Afghanistan, and we demonstrated that it can detect buried antipersonnel landmines, and can also discriminate metal fragments from landmines. SAR-GPR (Synthetic Aperture Radar-Ground Penetrating Radar) is a machine mounted sensor system composed of B GPR and a metal detector. The GPR employs an array antenna for advanced signal processing for better subsurface imaging. SAR-GPR combined with synthetic aperture radar algorithm, can suppress clutter and can image buried objects in strongly inhomogeneous material. SAR-GPR is a stepped frequency radar system, whose RF component is a newly developed compact vector network analyzers. The size of the system is 30cm x 30cm x 30 cm, composed from six Vivaldi antennas and three vector network analyzers. The weight of the system is 17 kg, and it can be mounted on a robotic arm on a small unmanned vehicle. The field test of this system was carried out in March 2005 in Japan.