• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.287-297
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• 2008

In order to estimate the preliminary development feasibility according to the commodity, the content of 8 strategic metallic commoditites(Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mo, W, Au, U) in 68 ore specimens obtained from 34 metallic mines within the Taebaegsan-Hwanggangri mineralized zone were analyzed. Analytical results are as follows. The ore specimen of Sangdong mine contained 23% copper(cut-off grade=0.7%) and those of Cheongil and Samhwanghak mines contained average 5% zinc(cut-off grade=2.0%). Especially, the detailed investigation on the above-mentioned mines is required. And, in case of molybdenum(cut-off grade=0.02%) content in Yeonhwa No. 2(0.04%) and Hong-cheon mine(0.02%), and lead(cut-off grade=0.58%) content in Wongasa mine(0.70%), and gold(cut-off grade=10ppm) content in Dongmyoung(279ppm) and Samhwanghak mine(251ppm), it is required to elastically carry out the revaluation on reopening of mines in terms of the international metal price. On the other hand, in case of uranium, iron and tungsten, it is thought that there are no mines with the development potential value in this study.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 2012

A molten salt technology using $Li_2O$-LiCl has been extensively investigated to recover uranium metal from spent fuels in the field of nuclear energy. In the reduction process, it is an important point to maintain the concentration of $Li_2O$. $ZrO_2$ is inevitably contained in the spent fuels because Zr is one of the main components of fuel rod hulls. Therefore, the fate of $ZrO_2$ in $Li_2O$-LiCl molten salt has been investigated. It was found that $Li_2ZrO_3$ and $Li_4ZrO_4$ were formed chemically and electrochemically and they were not reduced to Zr. The recycling of $Li_2O$ is the key mechanism ruling the total reaction in the electrolytic reduction process. However, $ZrO_2$ will have a role as a $Li_2O$ sink.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.331-341
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• 2016

To evaluate the physicochemical and radiological properties of raw materials and by-products in domestic distribution, about 220 samples with 16 species were prepared. We measured the energy spectrum and the chemical content, such as U, Th, and K, using a $LaBr_3$ scintillation detector and ED-XRF. In addition, HPGe detector was used to analyze the radioac-tivity of $^{234}Th$, $^{234}mPa$, and $^{214}Bi$ in uranium decay series and $^{228}Ac$, $^{212}Pb$, and $^{208}Tl$ in thorium decay series, and $^{40}K$. The correlation between characteristic variables, such as the count rate in several ROIs, chemical content, and radioactivity, was assessed to infer the radioactivity of natural radionuclides through a rapid screening method. Based on the results, a characteristic database for raw material and by-product in domestic distribution was established and it will provide useful information in the analysis procedure and improve the accuracy and reproducibility in the analysis of natural radionuclides.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 2012

We observed characteristic oxidation and dissolution phenomena induced by dissolved oxygen for mackinawite that is produced via sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) living in anaerobic environments such as soils and groundwater. We tried to recognize the role of the sulfide minerals that usually coexist with some stabilized radionuclides (e.g., reduced uranium), which can be reoxidized and redissolved by an oxygen-rich groundwater invaded into a contaminated area. The mackinawite produced by 'Desulfovibrio desulfuricans', a sulfate-reducing bacterium, was conducted to be dissolved for 2 weeks by some oxidants such as 'hydrogen peroxide' and 'sodium nitrite'. Although mineralogical oxidation and dissolution characteristics were different from each other according to the oxidants, the initially oxidized solution was early stabilized through the oxygen consumption by ${\mu}m$-sized sulfide particles and the resultant increase of sulfate in solution. From these results, we can anticipate that the large amount of sulfide minerals generated by SRB can not only repress the anoxic environment to be disturbed by the consumption of oxygen in groundwater, but also contribute to stabilize the reduced/precipitated radionuclides as a buffer material for a long time.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.601-607
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• 2000

Lanthanum has been used as one of the burnup monitor in spent nuclear fuel. $U_3Si/Al$ spent nuclear fuel contains small amount of La in high concentration of U and Al. Therefore, chemical separation of La is required to remove matrix elements. At first, ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma systems were installed in radiation shielded glove box to handle the radioactive samples. Retention behavior of uranium, aluminum, lanthanum and some interesting fission products (Sr, Zr, Y, Mo, Ru, Pd, Rh, Cs, Ba, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu and Cd) was investigated using the CG10 column and ${\alpha}$-HiBA eluent. As all elements were eluted earlier than lanthanum in 0.2 M ${\alpha}$-HiBA eluent, a portion of U and Al was directly passed to waste using a three way valve between the column and the nebulizer. Thus it was possible to determine the lanthanum in a high concentration of U and Al matrix. Retention time of La was about 12 minutes in this separation condition. Optimum range for the determination of La in $U_3Si/Al$ spent nuclear fuel was $1-10{\mu}g/L$ (ppb) with this system and detection limit was $0.25{\mu}g/L$ in case of $200{\mu}L$ of sample volume.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.189-193
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• 1998

Binary alloys, $MoRu_3$ and $MoRh_3$, have been prepared using arc melting furnace. Mo and the noble metals Ru and Rh are the constituents of metallic insoluble residues, which were found in the early days of the post-irradiation studies on uranium oxide fuels. Detailed structural informations about these alloys have not been reported on JCPDS files of ICDD (International Centre for Diffraction Data). The results of X-ray diffraction study showed that the alloy was crystallized in hexagonal close-packing, well known as ${\varepsilon}$-phase. The X-ray diffraction patterns of these alloys matched well to that of $WRh_3$ with $P6_3/mmc$ of space group. The lattice parameters, a and c, were calculated using the least squares extrapolation. It was found from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements that Mo on the surface of the alloy was oxidized to Mo(6+), which could be removed by sputtering with Ar ions for approximately 15 minutes. The changes in binding energy of Mo, Ru, and Rh on the surface of the alloy were not observed. Magnetic susceptibility measurements resulted in the typical Pauli-paramagnetic behavior in the temperature range of 2 to 300 K.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2005

The electrosorption of U(VI) from waste water was carried out by using activated carbon fiber(ACF) felt electrode in a continuous electrosorption cell. In order to enhance the electrosorption capacity at lower potential, ACF felt was chemically modified in acidic, basic and neutral solution. Pore structure and functional groups of chemically modified ACF were examined, and the effect of treatment conditions was studied for the adsorption of U(VI). Specific surface area of all ACFs decreases by this treatment. The amount of acidic functional groups decreases with basic and neutral salt treatment, while the amount increases a lot with acidic treatment. The electrosorption capacity of U(VI) decreases on using the acid treated electrode due to the shielding effect of acidic functional groups. Base treated electrode enhances the capacity due to the reduction of acidic functional groups. The electrosorption amount of U(VI) on the base treated electrode at -0.3 V corresponds to that of ACF electrode at -0.9 V. Such a good adsorption capacity was not only due to the reduction of shielding effect but also the increase of $OH^-$ in the electric double layer on ACF surface by the application of negative potential.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.159-167
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• 2014

In Korea, July 2012, the law as called 'Act on Safety Control of Radioactive Rays Around Living Environment' was implemented to control the consumer product containing Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), but, there are no appropriate database and effective dose calculation system. The aim of this study was to develop evaluation technique of the exposure dose with the use of the consumer products containing NORM and to understand the characteristics of the exposed dose according to the radiation type and energy. For the evaluate of exposure dose, the ICRP reference phantom was simulated by the MCNPX code based on Monte Carlo method, and the minimum, medium, maximum energy of alphas, betas, gammas from the representative NORM of Uranium decay series were used as the source term in the simulation. The annual effective doses were calculated by the exposure scenario of the consumer product usage time and position. Short range of the alpha and beta rays are mostly delivered the dose to the skin. On the other hand, the gamma rays mostly delivered the similar dose to all of the organs. The results of the annual effective dose with $1Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$ radioactive stone-bed and 10% radioactive concentration were employed with the usage time of 7 hours 50 minute per day, the maximum annual effective dose of alphas, betas, gammas were calculated 0.0222, 0.0836, $0.0101mSv{\cdot}y^{-1}$, respectively.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.172-178
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• 2013

In this study, neutron detection efficiency of the UNDA system, which has been developed for study on nuclear material accountancy in a future pyro-process facility, was evaluated by using the MCNPX code. The detection efficiency was evaluated as a function of (1) positions of $^{252}Cf$ neutron source in the axial and radial directions, and (2) thicknesses and locations of the container filled with the depleted uranium materials for two different designs of the UNDA. In the case of $^{252}Cf$ source positions, detection efficiency was distributed from 6.83% to 13.35%. As $^{252}Cf$ source was positioned at upper part in the axial direction, detection efficiency was decreased after a slight increase. On the other hands, as $^{252}Cf$ source was positioned at outer part in the radial direction, detection efficiency was increased. In the case of container thickness, there was a slight decline when the thickness was increased. As the container was located at upper part, detection efficiency was decreased and as the container was located at outer part, detection efficiency was increased. Detection efficiency was varied from 10.31% to 13.61%. These values were higher than that of $^{252}Cf$ source case. The UNDA with polyethylene cover has about 2% higher detection efficiency than the UNDA without the cover.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.67-83
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• 2012

In order to evaluate die geochemical characteristics of sediment in a semi-enclosed bay used as shellfish and fish farming area, the concentrations of metallic(V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co. Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Hg, Ph, As) and non-metallic(P, Se) elements and uranium were measured in the surface sediment samples collected from 19 stations of Gamak Bay in April 2010. Metal contamination status in the sediments were also evaluated using the sediment quality guidelines(SQGs) proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) and the enrichment factor(EF). The concentrations of elements in sediment were mainly controlled by quartz-dilution effect(V, Cr, Fe, Co and Ni), the dilution effect of organic matter(Cd and U), and metal redistribution by the decomposition of organic matter(Mn, Ag, As, and Se). The concentrations of metals, except As and Ni, in sediments from all sampling stations were lower than ERL values of NOAA. Conclusively, the surface sediment of Gamak Bay was slightly polluted with Ni, Ag, Cd, and Cd but was not polluted with other elements on the basis of EF results. Our results suggest that the surface sediment in Gamak Bay is not polluted by metallic elements.