• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.627-635
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• 2019

Cement-asbestos slate is the main asbestos containing material. It is a product made by combining 10~20% of asbestos and cement components. Man- and weathering-induced degradation of the cement-asbestos slates makes them a source of dispersion of asbestos fibres and represents a priority cause of concern. When the asbestos enters the human body, it causes cellular damage or deformation, and is not discharged well in vitro, and has been proven to cause diseases such as lung cancer, asbestos, malignant mesothelioma and pleural thickening. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has designated asbestos as a group 1 carcinogen. Currently, most of these slats are disposed in a designated landfill, but the landfill capacity is approaching its limit, and there is a potential risk of exposure to the external environment even if it is land-filled. Therefore, this study aimed to exam the possibility of detoxification of asbestos-containing slate by using exothermic reaction and heat treatment. Cement-asbestos slate from the asbestos removal site was used for this experiment. Exothermic catalysts such as calcium chloride(CaCl₂), magnesium chloride(MgCl₂), sodium hydroxide(NaOH), sodium silicate(Na₂SiO₃), kaolin[Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄)], and talc[Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂] were used. Six catalysts were applied to the cement-asbestos slate, respectively and then analyzed using TG-DTA. Based on the TG-DTA results, the heat treatment temperature for cement-asbestos slate transformation was determined at 750℃. XRD, SEM-EDS and TEM-EDS analyses were performed on the samples after the six catalysts applied to the slate and heat-treated at 750℃ for 2 hours. It was confirmed that chrysotile[Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH₅)] in the cement-asbestos slate was transformed into forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) by catalysts and heat treatment. In addition, the change in the shape of minerals was observed by applying a physical force to the slate and the heat treated slate after coating catalysts. As a result, the chrysotile in the cement-asbestos slate maintained fibrous form, but the cement-asbestos slate after heat treatment of applying catalyst was broken into non-fibrous form. Therefore, this study shows the possibility to safely verify the complete transformation of asbestos minerals in this catalyst- and temperature-induced process.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.3 s.178
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• pp.329-342
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to determine the geochemical characteristics for the stream sediments in the Konyang area. So we can estimate the environment contamination and understand geochemical disaster. We collect the stream sediments samples by wet sieving along the primary channels and slowly dry the collected samples in the laboratory and grind to pass a 200mesh using an alumina mortar and pestle for chemical analysis. Mineralogy, major, trace and rare earth elements are determined by XRD, XRE, ICP-AES and NAA analysis methods. For geochemical characteristics on the geological groups of stream sediments, the studied area was grouped into quartz porphyry area, sedimentary rock area, anorthosite area and gneiss area. Contents of major elements for the stream sediments in the Konyang area were $SiO_2\;41.86{\sim}76.74\;wt.%,\;Al_{2}O_{3}\;9.92{\sim}30.00\;wt.%,\;Fe_{2}O_{3}\;2.74{\sim}12.68\;wt.%,\;CaO\;0.22{\sim}3.31\;wt.%,\;MgO\;0.34{\sim}3.97\;wt.%,\;K_{2}O\;0.75{\sim}0.93\;wt.%,\;Na_{2}O\;0.25{\sim}1.92\;wt.%,\;TiO_{2}\;0.40{\sim}3.00\;wt.%,\;MnO\;0.03{\sim}0.21\;wt.%,\;P_{2}O_{5}\;0.05{\sim}0.38\;wt.%$. The contents of trace and rare earth elements for the stream sediments were $Cu\;7{\sim}102\;ppm,\;Pb\;15{\sim}47\;ppm,\;Sr\;48{\sim}513\;ppm,\;V\;29{\sim}129\;ppm,\;Zr\;31{\sim}217\;ppm,\;Li\;14{\sim}94\;ppm,\;Co\;5.6{\sim}32.1\;ppm,\;Cr\;23{\sim}259\;ppm,\;Cs\;1.7{\sim}8.7\;ppm,\;Hf\;2.1{\sim}109.0\;ppm,\;Rb\;34{\sim}247\;ppm,\;Sc\;4.5{\sim}21.9\;ppm,\;Zn\;24{\sim}609\;ppm,\;Sb\;0.8{\sim}2.6\;ppm,\;Th\;3{\sim}213\;ppm,\;Ce\;22{\sim}1000\;ppm,\;Eu\;0.7{\sim}5.3\;ppm,\;Yb\;0.6{\sim}6.4\;ppm$. Generally, the contents of $Al_{2}O_{3}\;and\;SiO_2$ had a good relationships with each other in rocks but it had a bad relationships in stream sediments for this study area. The contents of $Fe_{2}O_3$, CaO, MnO and $P_{2}O_{5}$ had a good relationships with major and minor elements in stream sediments of this study area. The contents of Co and V in the stream sediments had a good relationships with other toxic elements.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.467-475
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• 2010

The Landsat and ASTER data have been used in mineralogical and lithological studies, and they have also proved to be useful tool in the initial steps for mineral exploration throughout Nevada mining district, US. Huge pyrophyllite quarry mines, including Jungang, Samsung, Kyeongju, and Naenam located in the southeastern part of Gyeongsang Basin. The geology of study area consists mainly of Cretaceous volcanic rocks, which belong into Cretaceous Hayang and Jindong Group. They were intruded by Bulgugsa granites, so called Sannae-Eonyang granites. To extraction of Ratio model for pyrophyllite deposits, tuffaceous rock and pyrophyllite ores from the Jungang mine used in reflectance spectral analysis and these results were re-sampled to Landsat and ASTER bandpass. As a result of these processes, the pyrophyllite ores spectral features show strong reflectance at band 5, whereas strong absorption at band 7 in Landsat data. In the ASTER data, the pyrophyllite ores spectral features show strong absorption at band 5 and 8, whereas strong reflectance at band 4 and 7. Based on these spectral features, as a result of application of $Py_{Landsat}$ model to hydrothermal alteration zone and other exposed sites, the DN values of two different areas are 1.94 and 1.19 to 1.49, respectively. The differences values between pyrophyllite deposits and concrete-barren area are 0.472 and 0.399 for $Py_{ASTER}$ model, 0.452 and 0.371 for OHIb model, 0.365 and 0.311 for PAK model, respectively. Thus, $Py_{ASTER}$ and $Py_{Landsat}$ model proposed from this study proved to be more useful tool for the extraction of pyrophyllite deposits relative to previous models.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.77-88
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• 2016

Chrysotile is a 1:1 sheet silicate mineral belonging to serpentine group. It has been highlighted studies because of uses, shapes and structural characteristics of the fibrous chrysotile. However, it was designated as Class 1 carcinogen, so high attentions were being placed on detoxification studies of chrysotile. The objectives of this study were to investigate changes of mineralogical characteristics of chrysotile and to suggest detoxification mechanism of chrysotile by thermal decomposition. Samples for this study were obtained from LAB Chrysotile mine in Canada. The samples were heated in air in the range of 600 to $1,300^{\circ}C$. Changes of mineralogical characteristics such as crystal structure, shape, and chemical composition of the chrysotile fibers were examined by TG-DTA, XRD, FT-IR, TEM-EDS and SEM-EDS analyses. As a result of thermal decomposition, the fibrous chrysotile having hollow tube structure was dehydroxylated at $600-650^{\circ}C$ and transformed to disordered chrysotile by removal of OH at the octahedral sheet (MgOH) (Dehydroxylation 1). Upon increasing temperature, it was transformed to forsterite ($Mg_2SiO_4$) at $820^{\circ}C$ by rearrangement of Mg, Si and O (Dehydroxylation 2). In addition, crystal structure of forsterite had begun to transform at $800^{\circ}C$, and gradually grown 3-dimensionally to enstatite ($MgSiO_3$) by recrystallization after the heating above $1,100^{\circ}C$. And then finally transformed to spherical minerals. This study showed chrysotile structure was collapsed about $600-700^{\circ}C$ by dehydroxylation. And then the fibrous chrysotile was transformed to forsterite and enstatite, as non-hazardous minerals. Therefore, this study indicates heat treatment can be used to detoxification of chrysotile.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.413-431
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• 2011

An Epithemal Au-Ag mineralized zone is developed in the Moisan area of Hwangsan-myeon, Haenam-gun, Jeol-lanam-do, Korea, which is located in the southwestern part of the Ogcheon metamorphic zone. It is hosted in the Hwangsan volcaniclastics of the Haenam Formation of the Late Cretaceous Yucheon Group. This research investigated the characteristics of bedding arrangement, fold, fault, fracture system, quartz vein and the time-relationship of the fracture system to understand the geological structure related to the formation of the mineralized zone. On the basis of this result, the tectonic environment at the time of the mineralization was considered. Beds mainly trend east-northeast and gently dip into north-northwest or south-southeast. Their poles have been rearranged by subhorizontal-upright open fold of (east)-northeast trend as well as dip-slip fault. Fracture system was formed through at least 6~7 different deformation events. D1 event; formation phase of the main fracture set of EW (D1-1) and NS (D1-2) trends with a good extensity, D2 event; that of the extension fracture of NW trend, and conjugate shear fracturing of the EW (dextral) and NS (sinistral) trends, D3 event; that of the extension fracture of NE trend, and conjugate shear refracturing of the EW (sinistral) and NS (dextral) trends, D4 event; that of the extension fracture of NS trend showing a poor extensity, D5 event; that of the extension fracture of NW trend, and conjugate shear refracturing of the EW (dextral) and NS (sinistral) trends, D6 event; that of the extension fracture of EW trend showing a poor extensity. Frequency distribution of fracture sets of each deformation event is D1-1 (19.73 %)> D1-2 (16.44 %)> D3=D5 (14.79 %)> D2 (13.70 %)> D4 (12.33 %)> D6 (8.22 %) in descending order. The average number of fracture sets within 1 meter at each deformation event is D6 (5.00)> D5 = D4 (4.67)> D2 (4.60)> D3 (4.13)> D1-1 (3.33)> D1-2 (2.83) in descending order. The average density of all fractures shows 4.20 fractures/1 m, that is, the average spacing of all fractures is more than 23.8 cm. The frequency distribution of quartz veins at each orientation is as follows: EW (52 %)> NW (28 %)> NS (12 %)> NE (8 %) trends in descending order. The average density of all quartz veins shows 4.14 veins/1 m, that is, the average spacing of all quartz veins is more than 24.2 cm. Microstructural data on the quartz veins indicate that the epithermal Au-Ag mineralization (ca. 77.9~73.1 Ma) in the Moisan area seems to occur mainly along the existing D1 fracture sets of EW and NS trends with a good extensity not under tectonic stress but non-deformational environment directly after epithermal rupture fracturing. The D1 fracturing is considered to occur under the unstable tectonic environment which alternates compression and tension of NS trend due to the oblique northward subduction of the Izanagi plate resulting in the igneous activity and deformation of the Yucheon Group and the Bulguksa igneous rocks during Late Cretaceous time.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.94-104
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• 1993

The compositional variation of electrums from gold-silver and antimony deposits in the Dunjeon Baegjeon mining area, range from 22.6 to 69.5 atom% of Ag. Ag contents in electrums vary with paragenetic sequences and associated minerals. Ag contents increase from core to margin in a single grain. Compositional range of electrums from the North ore deposits of the Dunjeon gold mine are from 22.6 to 29.5 atom% of Ag. Electrums contain Cu(0.40 to 0.55 atom%) and Bi(0.35 to 0.67 atom%). Composition of electrums from the South ore deposits of the Dunjeon gold mine vasies from 33.6 to 69.5 atom% of Ag. Cu and As contents in electrums range from 0.20 to 1.92 and from 0.70 to 1.90 atom%, respectively. As the content of Ag in electrums increase, the contents of Bi and As in electrums increase but that of Cu decrease. Electrums of the Baegjeon gold deposits contain 35.6 to 63.5 atom% of Ag, suggesting that Au contents in electrums associated with base metal sulfied be higher than those associate with Ag-minerals. Ag/Au rations in electrums increase with decreasing temperature, salinity and $fs_2$ of the mineralizing solution.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.486-502
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• 2006

Earth Science is the study of Earth, where diverse organisms live, and it mainly focuses on the healthy, wealthy, and comfortable environment for our descendants. UNESCO and IUGS recently established the International Working Group on Medical Geology (1996), IGCP 454 Medical Geology (2000-2004), and International Medical Geology Association (IMGA, 2006) with the primary concerns of increasing awareness of Medical Geology among scientists, medical specialists, and the general public. Medical Geology and IMGA have been very successful in informing(educating) about the relationship between geological factors and health problems in humans and animals in the world through numerous international meetings, seminars, workshops, symposiums, and publications. Since there is a close correlation between Earth Science and Medical/ Dental Sciences as shown in the Medical Geology and IMGA, Earth Science, as with other areas in science, (i.e., Biology, Chemistry and Physics) should be included in the Medical Education Eligibility Test (MEET) and Dental Education Eligibility Test (DEET) for the Medical and Dental Graduate School. In this brief note, services and activities of UNESCO IGCP 454 Medical Geology and IMGA are introduced, sothat the inclusion of Earth Science as a subject requirement in the MEET and DEET can be considered. Such outcome will balance the development of Science Education in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.280-299
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an instruction using geologic planar figures on high school students' ability of spatial visualization and geologic spatial ability and also to explore its applicability as an instructional strategy through the investigation of students' perception about the instruction using mixed methodology. For this purpose, we developed 10 planar figures of geologic structures (2 horizontal layers, 2 vertical layers, 4 angular layers, 1 fault, and 1 fold), and tested students' spatial visualization ability and geologic spatial ability before and after the implementation in class. In addition, in order to investigate students' perception on the instruction, we conducted quantitative research using questionnaires comprised of the cognitive and the affective domain, and followed by focus group interview that was conducted to obtain deeper understanding of their perception. Findings revealed that the instruction using geologic planar figures was effective to enhance spatial visualization ability and geologic spatial ability. It was also helpful for students to enhance their ability to perceive the spatial configuration of the geologic structures as well as the ability to penetrate visually into the images of the structures. The results of the students' perception on the instruction showed that the students recognized the instruction using geologic planar figures as a strongly positive teaching method both in the cognitive and affective domain. We concluded that geologic planar figures could be used as an effective tool for the lesson of 'mapping and interpreting of geological map', and be highly applicable for the advanced class in high schools.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2010

The crucibles of Baekje Kingdom from the Ssangbukri Site which were used for glass and metal melting had light brown, grayish blue and grayish brown colored bodies. In thin section, the crucibles contained numerous quartz grains and pottery fragments. The surface was covered with fine grained quartz for thermal resistance. Based on decomposition of mica group minerals and formation of mullite detected by X-ray diffraction analysis, it was inferred that all crucibles have been fired over $1,000^{\circ}C$. It was also found that firing temperature has exceeded $1,100^{\circ}C$ in some crucibles because feldspar was not detected. The maximum temperature was assumed at $1,200^{\circ}C$. The magnetic susceptibility values and geochemical characteristics sorted out the crucibles into two groups that differed from the characteristics of the local soils. This reflected geological setting of the site where the alluvium was formed from two kinds of surrounding rock masses, granite gneiss and biotite granite. However, the local soils had similarities with the crucibles in weathering degree and geochemical behavior of major elements. In consequence, it was considered that the raw clay of the crucibles was supplied from the local area of the site.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.79-84
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• 2008

This paper describes the application of bioluminescence stimulating agents on a genetically engineered microorganism, Pseudomonas putida mt-2 KG1206, to monitor toluene analogs using in groundwater samples from petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated sites. The maximum bioluminescent response with pure chemicals followed in the order: m-methyl benzyl alchohol > m-toluate > toluene > m-xylene > benzoate > p-xylene > o-xylene. Generally, the bioluminescence production of strain mixed with groundwater samples was dependent on the contaminated total inducer concentrations. However, few samples showed opposite results, where these phenomena may be caused by the complexicity of environmental samples. Two chemicals, SL(sodium lactate) and KNO$_3$, were tested to determine a better bioluminescence stimulant. Both chemicals stimulate the bioluminescence activity of strain KG1206, however, a slightly high bioluminescence was observed with nitrogen chemical. This selected stimulant was then tested on samples collected from contaminated groundwater samples. The bioluminescence activity of all samples mixed with the strain was stimulated with KNO$_3$ amendment. This suggests that the low bioluminescence activity exhibited by the environmental groundwater samples can be stimulated by amending the culture with a proper agent, such as nitrogen compound. These findings would be useful, especially, when strain was used to monitor the groundwater samples contaminated with low inducer contaminants. Overall, the results of this study found the ability of bioluminescence producing bacteria to biosensor a specific group of environmental contaminants, and suggest the potential for more efficient preliminary application of this engineered strain in a field-ready bioassay.