• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.149-161
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• 1983

Fuller's earth deposits from Miocene sedimentary sequences in Gyeong Sang-do contain up to 95% Ca-montmorillonite accompanied by cristobalite, clinoptilolite, mordenite, quartz, feldspar and X-ray amorphous material. Differential thermal analysis, infrared and electron microscopic data are given for the montmorillonite component. The ease with which the exchangeable calcium of the montmorillonite could be replaced by sodium (to give a product with properties similar to that of a bentonite) was monitored by the Atterberg liquid limit test. Some samples tested as possible binders for foundry moulding sands gave results that compared favourably with material currently being used for this application. Many of the samples also met the OCMA specifications for clays used in drilling muds.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.275-282
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• 1992

Mineral chemistry and stable isotope compositions of sericites from the Sangdong mine in the Kimhae area, Kyungsangnamdo, were studied. The Sangdong sericite deposit occurs in rhyolitic tuff of late Cretaceous age and considers to have been fonned by the hydrothennal alteration. The sericites are classified as $2M_1$ polytype and are characterized by less celadonite substitution indicating muscovite-phengite series. Their compositions are very close to that of the ideal muscovite but net layer charge ranges 1.71~1.91 which is less than 2 per formula unit of ideal muscovite. Predominant interlayer cation is K and K/(K+Na) ratio ranges 0.91 and 0.93. ${\delta}^{18}O$ values of sericites and quartz separated from the ore range 7.70~9.07 and 8.20~10.87‰, respectively. The formation temperature of sericite can be estimated as $315{\sim}340^{\circ}C$( based on ${\delta}^{18}O$ value of sericite and ${\delta}D$ value of of Cretaceous meteoric water. Their formation temperature discrepancy between coexisting sericite and quartz indicates that they are in isotopically inequilibrium. Two types of quartz, coarse grained phenocrysts and micrcrystalline aggregates are observed and the former must have been formed during volcanic eruption and remained isotopically unexchanged during hydrothermal alteration period. ${\delta}^{14}S$ values of pyrites range 1.9~4.5‰ which is within a range of volcanogenic sulfur, indicating magmatic source.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.36-50
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• 2023

Soil health can deteriorate through both contamination and remediation. Accordingly, revitalization processes are needed to reuse or recycle the remediated soil. The study was conducted to assess the changes in soil health parameters of heavy metals-contaminated soil during soil washing process. In addition, unit processes were proposed to improve the quality of the remediated soil relevant to its reclamation purposes, such as agricultural and forest lands. A total of 21 indicators were used to determine whether the soil health was degraded or recovered. The performance of 6 amendments in improving soil health was quantitatively evaluated according to their dosage and application duration. Finally, the experimental results were assessed by simple regression analyses to determine the statistical significance and relative performance of each amendment. The results indicated that 18 health indicators out of 21 deteriorated through the soil washing process. Based on the results, it is recommended that several effective amendments be complementarily combined and applied in real applications because use of single amendment does not likely improve the quality of remediated soils.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.6 s.175
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• pp.633-642
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• 2005

We present the sedimentary sequence and distribution pattern of the late Holocene muddy deposits in the northern East China Sea shelf using the high-resolution 'Chirp' profiles. The seismic sedimentary sequence overlying acoustic basement (basal reflector-B) can be divided into two depositional units (Unit 1 and 2) bounded by erosional bounding surface (mid reflector-M). The lower Unit 1 above basal reflector-H is characterized by the acoustically parallel to subparallel reflections and channel-fill facies. The upper Unit 2, up to 7 m in thickness, shows seismically semi-transparent seismic facies and lenticular body form. On the base of sequence stratigraphic concept, these two sediment units have developed during transgression and highstand period, respectively, since the last sea-level lowstand. The transgressive systems tract (Unit 1) lie directly on the sequence boundary (reflector B) that have farmed during the last glacial maximum. The transgressive systems tract in this study consists mostly of complex of delta, fluvial, and tidal deposits within the incised valley estuary system. The maximum flooding surface (reflector M) corresponding to the top surface of transgressive systems tract is obviously characterized by erosional depression. The highstand systems tract (Unit 2) above maximum flooding surface is made up of the mud patch filled with the erosional depression. The high-stand mud deposits showing a circle shape just like a typhoon symbol locates about 140 km off the south of Cheju Island with water depth of $60\~90m$. Coverage area and total sediment volume of the mud deposits are about $3,200km^2$ and $10.7\times10^9\;m^3$, respectively. The origin of the mud patch is interpreted as a result of accumulating suspended sediments derived from the paleo-Yellow and/or Yangtze Rivers. The circular distribution pattern of the mud patch appears to be largely controlled by the presence of cyclonic eddy in the northern East China Sea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.65-88
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• 1982

In the last ten years, marine geological and geophysical survey and research were conducted by Japanese, Russian and American scientists in the East Sea of Korea (Japan Sea). Many research results were published. However, regional research of the geology of the continental margin of the Korean Peninsula was not conducted. This study has made on attempt to classify submarine strata and stratigraphic boundaries. The study has revealed characters of submarine geology and structure. Isopach maps of each identified stratigraphic unit have been constructed as the results of this study. The study was conducted on the basis of analyses of marine seismic surveys carried out in the continental margin of the East Sea between Kangneung and Pohang. Three depositional basins were identified in the study area and they were named as, Mukho Basin, Hupo Basin and Pohang Basin. The Mukho Basin is developed in continental slope and shelf in the area between Kangneung and Samcheog. Quaternary and Pliocene sediments attain a maximum thickness of 900 m. Basement rocks are interpreted as granite and gneiss. They are correlated with granite-gneiss of the Taebaecksan Series of Pre-cambrian age and the Daebo granite of Jurassic age. The Hupo Basin is developed in the continental shelf between Uljin and Youngdeok. Quaternary and Pliocene sediments attain a maximum thickness of 600 m. Basement rocks were interpreted as granite and gneiss and they are correlated with metamorphic rocks of Pre-cambrian age and the Daebo granites, comprising the Ryongnam Massif. The Pohang Basin is developed in the area between Pohang and Gangu. This basin contains Miocene and older sediments. Basement rocks are not shown. Many faults are developed within the continental shelf and slope. These faults strike parallel with the coast line. A north-south direction is predominant in the southern study area. However, in the northern study area the faults strike north, and north-west. The faults are parallel to each other and are step faults down-thrown to the east or west, forming horst and graben structures which develop into sedimentary basins. Such faults caused the development of submarine banks along the boundary between the continental shelf and slope. This bank has acted as a barrier for deposition in the Hupo Basin. Paleozoic sedimentary rocks distributed widely in the adjacent land area are absent in the Mukho Basin. This suggests that the area of the basin was situated above the sea level until the Pliocene time. The study area contains Pliocene sediments in general. These sediments overlie the basement complex composed of metamorphic rocks, granites, Cretaceous (Kyongsang System) sedimentary rocks and Miocene sedimentary rocks. These facts lead to a conclusion that the continental shelf and slope of the study area were developed as a result of displacements along faults oriented parallel to the present coast line in the post Miocene time.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.159-168
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• 2014

Holocene plaeoenvironmental changes were interpreted by grain size and mineral analyses of a piston core (HB 13-2), obtained along the western slope of the Hupo Basin, Korea. The core sediments are characterized by two discrete, sedimentary facies: upper unit (0-0.4 mbsf) dominated by bioturbation structures with weak lamination, and lower unit (0.4-3.3 mbsf) characterized by intensified bioturbation toward bottom. Analysis of sensitive grain size and sortable silt demonstrated that the inflow of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) into the Hupo Basin strengthen from the period of sediment deposition over 0.82 mbsf. The minerals of the core sediments are composed mainly of quartz, microcline, orthoclase, albite and clay minerals including chlorite, kaolinite and illite. No noticeable changes of the mineral percentage was observed according to the grain size and depth of the samples. The integral breadth (${\Delta}^{\circ}2{\theta}$) of clay minerals from 1.4 mbsf to top layer shows an increasing trend, which clearly means climate warming from the period of sediment deposition above 1.4 mbsf. This interval correlates with the Holocene climate optimum at Mid Holocene.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.347-356
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• 2019

Various studies regarding the sedimentary environment, depositional age, provenance, and metamorphic history have been carried out on the Taean Formation in the western part of Gyeonggi Massif, since the unique detrital zircon age pattern was revealed. This review paper introduces the previous researches on the Taean Formation and discusses the depositional age and provenance. The Taean Formation was traditionally regarded as a Precambrian stratigraphic unit, but recently it is interpreted to be a middle or upper Paleozoic formation due to the occurrence of large amounts of Early to Middle Paleozoic detrital zircons. The Taean Formation consists of metasandstone, argillaceous schist, and phyllite which are mainly made up of quartz and mica. The protoliths are interpreted as turbidites deposited in deep sea fan environment. The Taean Formation has been interpreted to be deposited between the Devonian to Triassic ages given the age differences between detrital zircons and intrusive rocks. There are two opinions that the deposition age is close to the Devonian or the Permian period. The provenance of this formation is supposed to be South China block, Chinese collisional belt, or Gyeonggi Massif. Given the available detrital zircon ages of the Taean Formation and other Korean (meta)sedimentary rocks, the Taean Formation shares major source rocks with Yeoncheon Group and Pibanryeong Unit of the Okcheon Supergroup, but their source regions are not entirely consistent. Considering the existing hypotheses about the depositional timing and provenance, we put weight on the possibility that the Taean Formation was deposited between Permian and Early Triassic periods. However, further studies on the stratigraphy and sedimentary petrology are needed to clarify its definition and to elucidate the provenance.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.383-394
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• 2014

The surface sediments from the manganese nodule exploration area of Korea in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone were investigated to understand the resource potential of and emplacement mechanism for rare earth elements (REEs). The sediments are categorized into three lithological units (Unit I, II and III from top to bottom), but into two groups (Unit I/II and Unit III) based on the distribution pattern of REEs. The distribution pattern of REEs in Unit I/II is similar to that of Post-Archean Australian Shale (PAAS), but shows a negative Ce anomaly and enrichment in heavy REEs (HREEs). In Unit III, the HREE enrichment and Ce anomaly is much more remarkable than Unit I/II when normalized to PAAS, which are interpreted as resulting from the absorption of REEs from seawater by Fe oxyhydroxides that were transported along the buoyant plume from remotely-located hydrothermal vents. It is supported by the PAAS-normalized REE pattern of Unit III which is similar to those of seawater and East Pacific Rise sediments. Meanwhile, the PAAS-normalized REE pattern of Unit I/II is explained by the 4:1 mixing of terrestrial eolian sediment and Unit III from each, indicating the much smaller contribution of hydrothermal origin material to Unit I/II. The studied sediments have the potentiality of a low-grade and large tonnage REE resource. However, the mining of REE-bearing sediment needs a large size extra collecting, lifting and treatment system to dress and refine low-grade sediments if the sediment is exploited with manganese nodules. It is economically infeasible to develop low-grade REE sediments at this moment in time because the exploitation of REE-bearing sediments with manganese nodules increase the mining cost.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.328-336
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• 2007

A piston core (587 cm long) was recovered from the upper slope of a seamount in the Korea Plateau. Three episodes of sedimentation were identified based on sedimentary facies, grain size distribution, carbonate constituents and initial $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratio of carbonates. The lower part of the core, Unit I-a (core depth $465{\sim}587cm$) is composed of shallow marine carbonate sediments the deposited by storm surges, and is about $13{\sim}15Ma$ (Middle Miocene) based on $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ initial ratio. This suggests that the depositional environment was relatively shallow enough to be influenced by storm activities. Unit I-b (core depth $431{\sim}465cm$) is mostly composed of turbidites, and Sr isotope ages of bivalves and planktonic formaminifera are about $11{\sim}14\;and\;6{\sim}13Ma$, respectively. This indicates that the Korea Plateau maintained shallow water condition until 11 Ma, and began to subside since then. However, planktonic foraminifera were deposited after 11 Ma and redeposited as turbidites as a mixture of planktonic foraminifera and older shallow marine carbonates about 6 Ma ago. Unit II (core depth $0{\sim}431cm$) is composed of pelagic sediments, and the Sr isotope age is younger than 1 Ma, thus the time gap is about 5 Ma at the unconformity. About 1 Ma ago, the Korea Plateau subsided down to a water depth of about 600 m. The sampling locality was intermittently influenced by debris flows and/or turbidity currents along the slope, resulting the deposition of re-transported coarse shallow marine and volcaniclastic sediments.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.199-210
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• 2004

In this study, the physical and mechanical properties of the weathered shale soils distributed in the Hwasun area have been measured in the laboratory. The physical and mechanical properties of the weathered shale soils in the study area as follows: the specific gravity is 2.66 to 2.68, the liquid limit is 36.39 to 36.92(%), the plastic limit is 18.53 to 19.48(%), the plasticity index is 17.44 to 17.86 and soil classification is CL. The maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content as calculated by compaction test is 22.5 to 23% and 1.58 to $1.61t/\textrm{m}^3$, respectively. The result of direct shear testing show that cohesion in saturated and unsaturated conditions increases according to the increase of dry unit weight. Internal friction angle in an unsaturated condition increases with an increase of dry unit weight, but in a saturated condition, it increases after decreasing. When compares with engineering characteristics of tile weathered shale soils in the Daegu area (Kim et al., 1995), specific gravity is found to be similar, but the liquid and plastic limit of soil samples in this study area is slightly higher than those of soil samples in the Daegu area.