• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.265-271
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• 1998

In the hydrologic and hydrochemical studies of natural waters, oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions of waters are very important to elucidate the origin and circulation pattern of water in the hydrologic system. The hydrogen isotope analysis of waters usually has been undertaken through the reduction of water to form hydrogen gas using pure metals (in general, zinc and uranium). In 1996, a new apparatus (H/Device) was developed to prepare the water samples (by the reduction with Cr metal) without some intrinsic problems that may yield incorrect and/or inaccurate data, and was installed at 1997 in the Center for Mineral Resources Research (CMR) in Korea University. However, the optimistic conditions of preparation and analysis of samples has not been established. In this paper, we introduce the efficiency of H/Device to obtain accurate hydrogen isotope values of water, and discuss both the optimum conditions including the effective reduction time and the probable mixing (memory) effect between successive samples. We obtained large amounts of a laboratory working standard (KUW; Korea University Water) with the average ${\delta}D_{SMOW}$ value of $-42.1{\pm}1.0$‰ $(1{\sigma})$.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2004

Trace amount of uranyl (II) has been determined spectrophotometrically by measuring the optical density of the light blue yellowish coloured solutions formed by reaction between the metal ion and nicotinohydroxamic acid (NHx) in presence of different secondary ligands in strong isoamyl alcohol alkaline medium. The absorption maxima for both aqueous and extracted systems measured at their respective optimum pH were found to be 360 and 559 nm (DETA), 375 and 358 nm (EDA), 369 and 362 nm (piperidine), 354 and 341 nm (pyridine) and 363 and 336 nm (3 piperidine), 354 and 341 nm (pyridine) and 363 and 336 nm (3 - picoline), respectively at which Beer's law was obeyed. Effect of pH, reagent concentration, order of addition of reagent, time, temperature and solvent media on the absorption spectra have also been studied. Among the different systems studied, the shortest concentration range of uranyl(II) adhering to Beer's Law was 2.4 - 10.5 ppm observed for $UO_2(II)$ - NHx - DETA system in aqueous medium and also for iso amyl alcohol(IAA) extracted $UO_2$ - NHx - pyridine system was 2.4 - 7.8.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.1269-1286
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• 2017

This paper presents a newly developed resonance self-shielding method based on Tone's method in $APOLLO3^{(R)}$ for fast and thermal reactor calculations. The new method is based on simplified models, the narrow resonance approximation for the slowing down source and Tone's approximation for group collision probability matrix. It utilizes mathematical probability tables as quadrature formulas in calculating effective cross-sections. Numerical results for the ZPPR drawer calculations in 1,968 groups show that, in the case of the double-column fuel drawer, Tone's method gives equivalent precision to the subgroup method while markedly reducing the total number of collision probability matrix calculations and hence the central processing unit time. In the case of a single-column fuel drawer with the presence of a uranium metal material, Tone's method obtains less precise results than those of the subgroup method due to less precise heterogeneous-homogeneous equivalence. The same options are also applied to PWR UOX, MOX, and Gd cells using the SHEM 361-group library, with the objective of analyzing whether this energy mesh might be suitable for the application of this methodology to thermal systems. The numerical results show that comparable precision is reached with both Tone's and the subgroup methods, with the satisfactory representation of intrapellet spatial effects.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 1998

Chemical composition of the insoluble residue in a simulated spent PWR fuel(SIMRJEL) were studied. SIMFUELS were prepared by adding calculated amount of FP(fission product) elements with a burnup of 3.6% FIMA(fission per initial metal atom) to uranium in nitrate solution, evaporating the mixed solution to dryness, calcining at 90$0^{\circ}C$ in a stream of 4% H$_2$ + 96% He, and heating the pellet at 140$0^{\circ}C$ under high and low oxygen potentials. Insoluble residue was obtained from the dissolution of the SIMFUEL with HNO$_3$(1 : 1). The chemical composition of the SIMFUELs and the insoluble residues was determined by EPMA(electron probe microanalysis), XPS(X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and by XRD (X-ray diffraction) measurements. All of the insoluble residues suspended and precipitated were composed mainly of Mo, Ru with a small amount of Zr, Rh, Pd and Cd. The amount of insoluble residue(<1 wt.%) and a Mo/Ru ratio decreased with increasing oxygen potential. Formation of the zirconium molybdate precipitate, ZrMo$_2$O$_{7}$(OH)$_2$($H_2O$)$_2$, was observed in the residues. The possible role of Mo on the phase formation was discussed in regard to oxygen potential.l.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.773-795
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• 2008

The major import minerals of South Korea are copper ore, lead-zinc ore, iron ore, manganese ore and molybdenum ore. Oversea resources development of South Korea have 92 projects in 14 nations of Asia, 29 projects in 10 nations of America and Europe, and 14 projects in 9 nations of Middle Asia and Africa. But, most projects of them are found in Australia, China, Mongolia and Indonesia. The most projects of the Australia, China and Indonesia are interested in coal and a little projects of them have manganese, iron, lead-zinc, nickel, copper, gold, molybdenum, rare earth elements and uranium. The most projects of the Mongolia are interested in gold and rare earth elements. Representative ore deposits models of metal resources are Orogenic lode deposits, Volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits, Porphyry deposits, Sedimentary exhalative deposits, Mississippi valley type deposits, Iron oxide copper-gold deposits and Magmatic nickel-copper-platinum group element deposits based on global distribution, reverses and grades of their deposits models. If oversea mineral resources will be examined the mineral reserves, mineral mine production and ore deposits models of nations and then survey and investigate of mineral resources, we may be maintained ore body of high grade at survey area and decrease the investment risk.

• 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.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2013

LCC (Liquid cadmium cathode) is used for electrowinning in pyroprocessing to recover uranium and transuranic elements simultaneously. It is one of the core technologies in pyroprocessing with higher proliferation resistance than a wet reprocessing because LCC-cell does not separate TRU from uranium. The crucible which holds the LCC is technically important because it should be nonconducting material to prevent deposition of metallic elements on the crucible outer surface. The chemical stability is also crucial factor to choose crucible material due to the strong reactivities of TRU and possible incorporation of Li metal during the operation. In this study, the chemical stabilities of four kinds of representative ceramic materials such as $Al_2O_3$, MgO, $Yl_2O_3$ and BeO were thermodynamically and experimentally evaluated at $500^{\circ}C$ with simulated LCC. The contact angle of LCC on ceramic materials was measured as function of time to predict chemical reactivity. $All_2O_3$ showed poorest chemical stability and the pores in BeO contributed to a decreases in contact angle. MgO and $Y_2O_3$ have superior chemical stability among the materials.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.279-288
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• 2014

Nuclear energy is expected to meet the growing energy demand while avoiding CO2 emission. However, the problem of accumulating spent fuel from current nuclear power plants which is mainly composed of uranium oxides should be addressed. One of the most practical solutions is to reduce the spent oxide fuel and recycle it. Next-generation fuel cycles demand innovative features such as a reduction of the environmental load, improved safety, efficient recycling of resources, and feasible economics. Pyroprocessing based on molten salt electrolysis is one of the key technologies for reducing the amount of spent nuclear fuel and destroying toxic waste products, such as the long-life fission products. The oxide reduction process based on the electrochemical reduction in a LiCl-$Li_2O$ electrolyte has been developed for the volume reduction of PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) spent fuels and for providing metal feeds for the electrorefining process. To speed up the electrochemical reduction process, the influences of the feed form for the cathode and the type of anode shroud on the reduction rate were investigated.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1995

Spectrophotometric determination of U(VI) and Th(IV) by Flow injection method is described. Chrome Azurol S forms water soluble complexes with U(VI) and Th(IV) in the presence of cethyltrimethylammonium bromide. The maximum adsorption of U(VI) and Th(IV) complexes are at 600nm with molar absorptivity of $2.3{\times}10^5Lmol^{-1}cm^{-1}$ and 611nm with molar absorptivity of $3.8{\times}10^5Lmol^{-1}cm^{-1}$ in acetate buffer medium having pH 5.0 and 5.5. The calibration curves of U(VI) and Th(IV) are linear over the range of 0.1~0.8ppm and the correlation coefficients are ca. 0.9960 and 0.9930 respectively. The detection limits(S/N) are 20ppb for U(VI) and 15ppb for Th(IV). The relative standard deviation are ${\pm}1.8%$ for U(VI) and ${\pm}2.1%$ for Th(IV). The sample throughput was ca. $50hr^{-1}$.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.358-370
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• 1988

Several new ion exchange resins have been synthesized from chloromethyl styrene-1,4-divinylbenzene(DVB) with 1%, 2%, 4%, and 10%-crosslinking and macrocyclic ligands of cryptand type by interpolymerization method. The adsorption characteristics and the pH, time, solvents and concentration dependence of the adsorption of metal ions by this resin were studied. The correlation between the separation characteristics of uranium, rare earths and transition metal on the resins and the stability constants of complexes with macrocyclic ligands have been examined. The resins were very stable in both acidic and basic media and have good resistance to heat at $280^{\circ}C$. The $UO_2^{+2}$ aqueous solution are not adsorbed on the resins below pH 3.0, but the power of adsorption of $UO_2^{2+}$ increased rapidly above pH 4.0. The optimum equilibrium time for adsorption of metallic ions was twenty minutes and adsorptive power decreased in proportion to crosslinking size of the resins and order of dielectric constants of solvents used and the selective sequence for metal cations is in the order of $UO_2^{2+},\;Cu^{2+}\;and\;Nd^{3+}$.