• Resources Recycling
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.54-66
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• 2023

Titanium's importance as a mineral resource is increasing, but the Korean industry depends on imports. Ilmenite is the principal titanium ore. However, research and development from raw materials have not been investigated yet in detail. Hence, measures to secure a stable titanium supply chain are urgently needed. Accordingly, through beneficiation technology, we evaluated the possibility of technological application for the efficient recovery of valuable minerals. As a result of the experiments, we confirmed that mineral particles existed as fine particles due to weathering, making recovery through classification difficult. Consequently, applying beneficiation technologies, i.e., specific gravity separation, magnetic separation, and flotation, makes it possible to recover valuable minerals such as hematite and rutile. However, there are limitations in increasing the quality and yield of TiO₂ due to the mineralogical characteristic of the hematite and rutile contained in titanium ore. Hametite is combined with rutile even at fine particles. Therefore, it is essential to develop mineral processing routes, to recover iron, vanadium, and rare earth elements as resources. On that account, we used grinding technology that improves group separation between constituent minerals and magnetic separation technology that utilizes the difference in magnetic sensitivity between fine mineral particles. The development of beneficiation technology that can secure the economic feasibility of valuable materials after reforming iron oxide and titanium oxide components is necessary.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2015

The present paper deals with the extractive separation and selective recovery of nickel and lithium from the sulfate leachate of cathode scrap generated during the manufacture of LIBs. The conditions for extraction, scrubbing and stripping of nickel from lithium were optimized with an aqueous feed containing $2.54kg{\cdot}m^{-3}$ Ni and $4.82kg{\cdot}m^{-3}$ Li using PC-88A. Over 99.6% nickel was extracted with $0.15kmol{\cdot}m^{-3}$ PC-88A in two counter-current stages at O/A=1 and pH=6.5. Effective scrubbing Li from loaded organic was systematically studied with a dilute $Na_2CO_3$ solution ($0.10kmol{\cdot}m^{-3}$). The McCabe-Thiele diagram suggests two counter-current scrubbing stages are required at O/A=2/3 to yield lithium-scrubbing efficiency of 99.6%. The proposed process showed advantages of simplicity, and high purity (99.9%) nickel sulfate recovery along with lithium to ensure the complete recycling of the waste from LIBs manufacturing process.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.332-337
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• 2008

Purification of silica mineral was compared with various leaching methods such as shaking, stirring, ultrasonic with 2.5% HF/HCl solution. Among them, ultrasonic method showed a best leaching effect. From the leaching experiment, Na, K, Fe, Al exist as the major impurity elements. The removal rate of Al, Fe showed little difference with various leaching methods but Ca, Mn, Na were very different. Four kinds of silica mineral (>99% purity) after physical purification treatment were used for ultrasonic leaching experiment. Among them IN-Si had a highest impurity removal rate. Ca, Cr, K, Zn were removed above 80% using ultrasonic leaching method and Fe was also removed above 60%. But Al showed 10~60% removal rate with different samples.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.243-248
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• 2016

This study was conducted to evaluate the applicability and efficiency of water supply using hydraulic ram pump. Study area is the Imgok-ri, Hwanam-myeon, Sanju-si, Kyeongsangbuk-do. There is an abandoned coal mine, where groundwater is discharged from its entrance with a flow rate of approximately $260m^3/day$. Hydraulic ram pump uses the waterhammer phenomenon and utilizes the power of falling water for pumping part of that water to a higher elevation than the water sources without electric power. To determine the efficiency of hydraulic ram pump, the flow rate was measured at three points according to the altitude difference (${\Delta}h=19m$ (point 1), 30 m (point 2), 40 m (point 3)). Flow rate measured at 1, 2, and 3 were about $8.6{\sim}10.8m^3/day$, $3.98{\sim}4.39m^3/day$, and $2.35{\sim}2.59m^3/day$, respectively. The current results suggested that, hydraulic ram pump could be applicable for the water supply system in mountain areas without external power supply.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2016

Nickel laterite ore is classified into two principal ore types: saprolite (silicate ore) and limonite (oxide ore). Saprolite-type ore characterized by high magnesia and silica contents is treated by pyrometallurgy process. On the other hand, limonite-type ore is subjected to hydrometallurgy process to produce nickel products. Hydrometallurgy process requires that a raw material to meet the demands that Si+Mg contents lower than 10% and Fe content over than 40%. It is therefore required that separation of saprilite-type ore to use nickel laterite ore as a raw material for hydrometallurgy process. In this study, separation of sparolite-type ore and limonite-type ore from nickel laterite ore from New Caledonia has been tried by dry classification. The results show that -5 mm size fraction and +5 mm size fraction of the nickel laterite ore contains mainly limonite-type ore and saprolite-type ore, respectively. To understand the moisture content of the raw ore on the dry classification, nickel laterite ore with different moisture contents of 23.0% and 9.1% were subjected to the dry classification. The results show that drying of the ore makes the separation more efficient as the amount of the fine product, that can be subjected to hydrometallurgy process without further separation or drying operations, was increased.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2012

An analytical method was developed for the measurement of uranium isotope in ground water using the liquid scintillation counting technique. A LKB Wallac Quantulus 1220 liquid scintillation counter (LSC) equipped with pulse shape analyzer (PSA) and a solvent extraction method were used for the measurement of uranium isotope in ground water samples. The effect of solution volume on the extraction efficiency was evaluated for 100 to 1000 mL solutions using a NIST standard reference material (NIST SRM 4321C). The effect of groundwater pH on the extraction efficiency was also investigated for pH ranging from 0.5 to 10. It was found that the extraction efficiency had a strong dependence on pH showing a maximum at pH 2. In contrast, the effect of groundwater volume on the extraction efficiency was negligible in the range investigated. According to the method, the extraction efficiency of uranium isotopes was near 96% and the lower detection limit for uranium was 0.018 Bq/L with the counting time of 300 min. The result of this study was also verified by the conventional ICP-MS measurement. It is demonstrated that the suggested method is valuable to the determination of the optimum extraction and measurement conditions for uranium in ground water. The method was successfully applied to the ground water at four locations near the Daejeon province. It was found that the uranium content and the isotopic ratio of $^{234}U/^{238}U$ at the locations ranged 0.59~6.69 Bq/L and 0.72~1.40, respectively.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2024

This study investigated the hydrogeochemical and microbiological characteristics of freshwater on Ulleung Island, a volcanic island in the Ulleung Basin on the East Coast of Korea. The shallow groundwater (CSW, NRGW) and the surface water (SISW) samples are classified as Na-HCO₃ type, reflecting an alkaline rock type and an oxidizing environment due to the influence of a highly permeable pyroclastic rock layer. In contrast, the deep groundwater sample (DMW) is classified as Ca-HCO₃ type, suggesting the influence of deep-sourced carbon dioxide and reducing conditions. Microbial communities in the water samples are generally dominated by Proteobacteria, with the relative abundance of major genera varying depending on water quality and environmental conditions. Network analysis reveals the ecological characteristics of microbial communities adapted to specific environments. The presence of pathogenic genera in the shallow groundwater suggests potential groundwater contamination, necessitating appropriate management to ensure its use as drinking water or domestic water. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the ecological characteristics of Ulleung Island's groundwater resources and can inform future groundwater management strategies.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2005

It has been established that soft error of high precision electronic circuits can be induced by alpha particles emitted from the naturally occurring radioactive impurities such as U, and Th. As the electronic circuits have recently become lower dimension and higher density, these alpha-particle emitting radioactive impurities have to be strictly controlled. The aim of this study is to develop of NAA (Neutron Activation Analysis) and gamma-spectrometry to improve the analytical sensitivity and precision of U and Th. A new NAA method has been established using the HTS (Hydrulic transfer system) irradiation facility which has been used to produce radioisotopes for industries and medicines instead of the PTS (pneumatic transfer system) irradiation facility which has been used in general NAA. When the ultratrace impurities have to be analyzed by NAA, background gamma-ray spectra induced from $^{222}Rn$ and its progenies in air is serious problem. This unstable background has been eliminated or stabilized by the use of a nitrogen purging system. Ultra trace amounts of U (0.1 ng/g) and Th (0.01 ng/g) in high purity silica used for EMC could be analyzed by the use of HTS-NAA and low background gamma-spectrometry.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.527-539
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• 2008

To meet needs of R&D application reinforcement on geoscience and mineral resources area, we suggest public R&D institute's strategies and system for the application including supplement of technology licensing office (TLO). We review the former studies on technology transfer successfulness criteria and difficulties from the viewpoint of korean small&medium size firms and public R&D researchers, and then benchmark a japanese public R&D institute of industrial science and technology, which was newly integrated and developed with Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ). Application analysis index and the reinforcement strategy hierarchy for R&D project are established on geoscience and mineral resources area, and applied on the prioritized research projects of KIGAM. Empirical investigation was carried out on KIGAM researchers with practical studied analysis on questionnaire and intensive interview. Result of the analysis is identified and compared with the case in Japan. It is shown that KIGAM researchers feel their technology transfer activities are not yet integrated with TLO and commercialized R&D are not cooperated with them. This study proposes industrial cooperation coordinators in the categorized R&D divisions of public R&D institute based on the different R&D characteristics and needs in R&D application strategies.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Resources Recycling Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.186-190
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• 2004

실리콘 잉곳의 절단공정에서 발생하는 폐슬러지는 실리콘과 실리콘카바이드 등의 유가자원이 함유되어 있으며, 이를 효과적으로 분리, 회수하는 방법에 대해 검토하였다. 폐슬러지에 함유된 오일은 유기 용매에 의해 용해되어 효과적으로 분리되었고, 불순물인 철분은 자력선별에 의해 제거할 수가 있었다. 또한 실리콘과 실리콘카바이드의 혼합 분말은 중액선별을 통하여 고순도의 실리콘과 실리콘카바이드로 분리할 수가 있었다.