• Resources Recycling
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.33-40
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• 1998

The formation reation of anhydrite (CaSO$_{4}$) depends upon the amount and velocity of the SO$_{3}$(g) and CaO(s) produced in the process of the thermal decomposition of alunite[K$_{2}SO_{4}{\cdot}Al_{2}(SO_{4})_{3}{\cdot}4Al(OH)_{3}$] and limestone (CaCO$_{3}$) respectively. Therefore, this study had carried out to investigate the amount and velocity of SO$_{3}$(g) produced by roasting alunite and pyrolytic materials. In air, alunite was transfouned into KAl(SO$_{4})_{2}$ and Al$_{2}O_{3}$ by dehydration at 500~580$^{\circ}C$. The dehydration velocity of alunite was found to be kt=(1-(1-${\alpha})^{1/3})^{2}$, the activation energy, 73.01 kcal/mol. SO$_{3}$(g) ware slowly produced by the thermal decomposition of KAl(SO$_{2})_{2}$, at 580~700$^{\circ}C$, rapidly, at 700~780$^{\circ}C$, The pyrolysis velocity of KAl(SO$_{4})_{2}$ was found to be kt=1-(1-${\alpha})^{1/1}$; activation energy, 66.84kcal/mol. The SiO$_{2}$ and kaolinite in alunite ore scarcely affected the temperature and velocity in which SO$_{3}$(g) were produced.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2004

Sulfates such as alunite and schwertmannite formed under oxidation condition play a important role in geochemical processes taken place at waste dumps and a creek from Dalseong mine, Daegu. Water chemistry shows pH decreases from upstream toward downstream creek, mainly due to formation of schwertmannite that is the most abundant phase along the creek. The removal of Al from the creek is preferentially attributed to formation of Al-bearing minerals and Al-sulphates. Among them, alunite is the most important Al-sink phase that occurs at higher pH than $pK_1$, Al hydrolysis constant. With high saturation index, alunite formed at the creek has a spherical form, commonly associated with schwertmannite. Secondary minerals formed on the surface of altered or weathered surfaces of heavy metals from the wasted dump that underwent severe oxidation, where alunite has characteristic habits which are spheric, radiating, and botrytis-like aggregates. Natroalunite occurs in association with alunite, or as mixtures of both of them. Because the pH decreases with distance due to formation of schwertmannite, although total contents of dissolved ions slowly lessen at least in the AMD, it is expected that the minerals precipitated at the creek can be exposed to subsequent dissolution, which may induce possible environmental problems.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 1993

Gold contents with major and trace elements have been determined in 67 fresh igneous and altered wall rocks in the acid-sulfate alteration zone of the Ogmaesan-Seongsan pyrophyllite deposits in the Haenam area of the south-western part of Korean peninsula. The results are as follows; (1) Li contents have a tendency to show high value in dickite and altered rocks with dickite, while As, Mo and Sb contents have tendencies to show high values in alunite vein and silicified zone. F contents are higher in the altered rocks compared to fresh rocks. (2) Gold contents are enriched in alunite vein and silicified zone of the Seongsan deposit, but depleted in dickite and altered rock with dickite. Gold contents are especially concentrated in fault or conjunction area of two faults. (3) Gold contents are higher values in the mineral assemblages of alunite-quartz-pyrite and alteration zone of the Seongsan deposit among the studied deposits. (4) Gold contents in samples of silicified zones tend to show positive correlations with Ag, As, Co, Hg, Sb and V content, but negative correlations with Y and Zr contents, while on the other gold contents of silicified tuffs tend to show positive correlations with Hg and Sb contents. Therefore it is important to survey alunite vein and silicified zone at the conjunction of faults, and to analyze pathfinder elements such as Ag, As, Hg and Sb for geological and geochemical exploration of gold in the studied deposits.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 1990

A number of alunite and pyrophyllite deposits occur around the Haenam area where Cretaceous volcanic and volcanogenic sediments are widely distributed. The K-Ar ages of alunite, sericite and whole rocks collected from alunite and pyrophyllite deposits and unaltered rocks representing various stratigraphic horizon of the area were determined and their formation stage was discussed. The ages of volcanic rocks range between $68.6{\pm}1.9$ and $94.1{\pm}2.0$ Ma corresponding to Cenomanian-Maastrichtian of upper Cretaceous. Andesitic rock gives $94.1{\pm}2.0$. Rhyolite and acidic tuffs give $79.47{\pm}1.7$ and $82.8{\pm}1.2$ Ma corresponding to Campanian. The later stage andesite gives $68.6{\pm}1.9$ Ma of Maastrichtian. The results suggest that volcanism of the area can be devided into three different stages. The ages of alunite and sericite range $71.8{\pm}2.8$ to $76.6{\pm}2.9$ Ma of late Campanian to early Maastrichtian which is rather earlier than the age of granite(67 Ma). It indicates that the alteration ages of these clay mineral deposits appeared to be related with its volcanism rather than the hydrothermal stage of granite of this area.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 1992

The oscillatory zoning pattern in alunite from the Sungsan mine, Korea was studied by the back-scattered electorn(BSE) imaging and electron microprobe analysis. This zoning is not visible under the polarizing microscope, but is spectacularly illustrated in BSE image. Electron microprobe analysis reveals that the zoning is substantially due to the variation in the content of Na substituting for K in the A site of the alunite structure. With increasing brightess in BSE image, conternt of K increases but that of Na decreases. Delicate fine-scale zoning and sharp boundaries between adjacent zones suggest that the zoning would be ascribed to the variation in the composition of hydrothermal fluid around the growing alunite crystals. The effective factors for such a variation would be 1) the fluctuation in the composition of entering fluid. and/or 2) the rapid change in composition of fluid due to the rapid precipitation of more stable. Na-poor alunite.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.171-175
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• 1969

This study wa attempted to extract the Potash-Ammonia Fertilyzer in most satisfactory yield from the Uncalcinecl Domestic Alunite ore applying an optimal reaction conditions (Ammonia water concentration and applicable reaction pressure, etc.), it was found that almost all amount of $K_2SO_4$ was extracted in the forms of $K_2SO_4·(NH_4)_2SO_4$mixture under such conditions. The experimental data to note are as follows: 1. The optimal pressure applied to the reaction was 600 to 700 Psig. 2. The optimal concentration of Ammonia water was 7 Mol/L. 3. The reaction time needed was 3 hours. 4. The extraction rate and degree were not at variance with sorts and occurrences of Alunite ore.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.199-204
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• 1978

In the present investigation, refined alumina obtained from alunite locally available was used as a aluminous source to synthesize monocalcium aluminate $(CA)_3$ the major mineral constituent of alumina cement. The influence of $SiO_2$ and $Fe_2O_3$ contents on the formation of monocalcium aluminate was studied by X-ray diffraction analysis mainly. About 0.8-1.0 of $Al_2O_3/C_3O$ mol ratio and less than 4 percent of $SiO_2$ were desirable for the effective formation of CA. The small amount of alkali and sulphur contents contained in refined alumina from alunite as the impurities were affected to form $C_4A_3S$ and $C_3S_2$, disadvantageous compounds for the alumina cement, therefore the impurities should be restricted in minimum content as possible.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.190-196
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• 2001

Alunite was dehydrated at 500~$580^{\circ}C$ and desulfurued at 580~$780^{\circ}C$ in air atmosphere. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the formation conditions of anhydrite ($CaCO_4$) when the mixtures of alunite TEX>$[K_2SO_4$.$Al_2(SO_4)_3$.$4Al(OH)_3$] and limestone ($CaCO_3$)were roasted. Alunite scarcely dected the partial pressures of $CO_2$(g), but limestone was bansformed into CaO at $650^{\circ}C$ in air and $900^{\circ}C$ in saturated $CO_2$(g), atmosphere, respectively. When the the mixtures of 1 mol of alunite and 6 rnol of limestone were roasted for 2 hours at lO00C in air and saturated $CO_2$(g), anhydrite was formed at $550^{\circ}C$ calciumlangbeinite, at $700^{\circ}C$and haiiyne, at 800~$950^{\circ}C$. The formation rate of anhydrite in air and saturated $CO_2$(g), was 99.0 % and 95.0 %, respectively. then the formation rate of anhydrite was not changed in air atmosphere but increased according to the decreasing of the particle size of limestone in saturated $CO_2$(g). Therefore, when the mixture of 1 mol of alunite and 6 rnol of limestone were roasted, the clinker composed of lmol of haiiync and 1 mol of calciumlangbeiilte can be manufactured

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 1978

The possiblity of mullitization from the domestic alunite by adding of $Fe_2O_3-MnO_2$, $Fe_2O_3-MnO_2-TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3-MnO_2-CaF_2$, and $Fe_2O_3-MnO_2-CaF_2-TiO_2$ mixtures as mineralizers was studied at the temperature range between $1, 250^{\circ}C$~$1, 430^{\circ}C$. The modifying method of domestic alunite was performed by calcination, wet ballmilling, and washing with water. The following results were obtained; 1) When added of 3.0% $Fe_2O_3$ plus 1.0-1.5% $MnO_2$ to modified alunite, the appropriate temperature range of mullite-forming was $1, 350^{\circ}C$-$1, 400^{\circ}C$. 2) When added of $TiO_2$ as mineralizer, the mullite-forming temperature was higher than not added. 3) When added of $CaF_2$ as mineralizer, the synthesized mullite was resolve at the temperature above $1, 350^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 1989

Alunite occurs as massive, cavity-filling and veinlets in the Cretaceous Hwangsan Formation in the Sungsan mine, Korea. It is a hydrothermal alteration product of rhyolitic tuffs, and associated with dickite, quartz and barite. The average chemical formula of alunite in the mine is $(K_{0.93}Na_{0.07})_{1.00}Al_{3.00}(SO_4)_{2.00}(OH)_6$. Atomic percentage of Na substituting for K in A site of the alunite structure varies from 5.9 to 9.2. Unit-cell volume and c dimension decrease with increasing Na atomic percentage. On the basis of thermal and high temperature XRD analyses, the decomposition of alunite into $KAl(SO_4)_2$ and $NaAl(SO_4)_2$ concomitant with the liberation of structural water (12.86%) occurs at about $550^{\circ}C$. The reconstruction of $KAl(SO_4)_2$ and $NaAl(SO_4)_2$ to $Al_2(SO_4)_3$, arcanite and thenardite, and the crystallization of ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ take place at about $720^{\circ}C$. The destruction of $Al_2(SO_4)_3$ structure takes place at about $760^{\circ}C$ removing 3/4 of total $SO_3$ (27.32%).