• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 1988

Many hydrothermal skarn-type iron ore deposits inchiding Mulgeum, Yangseong, Maeri and Kimhae mines are distributed in the south-eastern Gyeongnam Province, Korea. The deposits are magnetite veins which occurred in propylitized andesitic rock near the contact with late Cretaceous Masanite. Symmetrical zoned skarns are commonly developed around the magnetite veins. The order of the skarn zones from the vein is garnet-quartz skarn, epidote skarn, and epidote-orthoclase skarn. The garnets include isotropic or anisotropic andradite($Ad_{100{\sim}70}$), and the epidotes are composed of pistacite($Ps_{21-31}$). Fe contents of the epidotes generally increase toward the magnetite veins. Epidotes and garnets often show compositional variations from grain to grain, that is, their Fe and Al contents vary inversely. This suggests that the variations depend mainly upon $fo_2$ during the skarnization. Oxygen and carbon isotope analyses of minerals from andesitic rock, micrographic granite, major skarn zones and post-mineralization zones were conducted to provide the information on the formation temperature, the origin and the evolution of the hydrothermal solution forming the iron ore deposits. Becoming more distant from the ore vein, temperatures of skarn zones represent the decreasing tendency, but most ${\delta}O^{18}$ and ${\delta}O^{18}_{H_2O}$ values of skarn minerals represent no variation trend, and also the values are relatively low. Judging from all the isotopic data from the ore deposits, the major source of hydrothemal solution altering the skarn zones and precipitating the ore bodies was magmatic water derived from the more deeply seated micrographic granite. This high temperature hydrothermal solution rising through the fissures of propylitized andesitic rock was mixed with some meteoric water, and the extensive isotopic exchange occurred with the propylitized andesitic rock. During this process, the temperature and ${\delta}O^{18}_{H_2O}$ value of hydrothermal solution were lowered gradually. At the stage of iron ore precipitation, because after all the alteration was already finished, the oxygen isotopic exchange with the wall rock was nearly not taken. The relatively high ${\delta}O^{18}$ and ${\delta}O^{18}_{H_2O}$, and relatively low ${\delta}C^{13}$ values of calcites of post mineralization stage, are the results of leaching of the high ${\delta}O^{18}$ chert xenolith in the andesitic rock and low ${\delta}C^{13}$ andesitic rock.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.1 s.182
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• pp.47-66
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• 2007

The Sitting Buddha Carved on Rockcliff (National treasure No. 201) in Bukjiri consists of porphyritic biotite granite, which was fractured by three joint sets of NE-SW, EW and NS directions. They produced a physical weathering that broke many parts of the Buddha and background. The chemical index of alteration is 59 to 61 from the major elements in the granite that was weathered into producing kaolin minerals from alteration of feldspars and biotite. With weathering degree, major element compositions increase in $SiO_2$ and MnO, whereas decrease in $TiO_2,\;{Fe_2O_3}^t,\;MgO,\;CaO\;and\;K_2O$. Change proporations of trace elements to $Al_2O_3$ increase in all transition elements, Rb and Y, whereas decrease in Li, Sr and Ba. REE pattern increases only in HREE. Particularly, a decrease in CaO, $K_2O$, Sr and Ba results in what they are effluxed to dissolve from feldspars by groundwater. The Buddha image has been deteriorated into joints, color changes, brown rusts, granular decay, microorganic smears by the such weathering causes as deformation, moisture, temperature variation and microorganic living. The moisture, which leaks along the joints in the granite, not only dissolve to decompose minerals but also grows many microorganism and is frozen over during winter. NE-SW and NS joint sets affect to seep in water during rainy days to deteriorate the image because they extend outward.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.153-171
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• 2004

This study was carried out to define the geochemical and mineralogical relationship between stream sediments and regional geology on upstream of Hahn river area. Geochemical characteristic including for major elements, trace elements and rare earth elements of the South and North Hahn river bed sediments are similar to those of acid igneous rocks which are distributed around both Hahn river basin. The chemical variation of major elements against SiO$_2$ and trace elements contents between South and North Hahn river bed sediments doesn't show the difference. REE patterns of both area show a distinct negative Eu anomaly, but total contents of rare earth elements are higher in North Hahn river sediments than South Hahn river sediments. The heavy minerals in the river bed sediments in this study area are identified as tremolite-actinolite, hematiteㆍmagnetite, common hornblende, ilmenite, garnet, epidote, rutile and sphene. In conclusion, it is elucidated that South and North Hahn river bed sediments are being originated from igneous rocks or metamorphic rocks which contains medium-high grade metamorphic minerals and components of originated from sedimentary rocks those of politic or calcareous rocks are eroded away as solution or suspended load.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.317-336
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• 1992

The garden soils, main road dusts, residential road dusts, and playground soils/dusts of Seoul, Geumsan, Onsan, and Taebaek areas were analyzed in order to investigate the level of heavy metal pollution by urbanization and industrialization. The soil pH is in the range of 5.48~8.40 and was generally neutral. The color of soils and dusts is mainly Raw Umber to dark greyish Raw Umber. Some samples from Taebaek city, a coal mining area, showed a deep black color due to contamination by coal dusts. Major minerals of the dusts and soils are quartz, feldspars, and micas, reflecting the composition of the parent rocks. However, pyrite was found as a major mineral in the samples of industrial road dusts of Onsan, a smelting area, and resicential road dusts of Taebaek. Thus, the high level of heavy metals in mining and smelting areas can be explained with the sulfide minerals. The mode of occurences of heavy metals in Seoul, a comprehensive urbanized area, were related to the metallic pollutants and organic materials through observation by scanning eletron microscopy. In main road and residential road dusts of Onsan area, Cd, Zn, and Cu were extremely high. Some industrial road and residential road dusts of Seoul area showed high Cu, Zn, and Pb contents, wereas some garden soils and residential road dusts of Taebaek area were high in As content. In general, the heavy metal contents in dust samples were two to three times higher than those in soil samples. Main road dust samples were the most reflective from the discriminant analysis of multi-element data. Cadmium, Sb, and Se in Onsan area, As in Taebaek area, Pb and Te in Seoul area were most characteristic in discriminating the studied areas. Therefore, Cd in smelting areas, As in coal mining areas, and Pb in metropolitan areas can be suggested as the characteristic elements of each pollution pattern. The dispersion of heavy metal elements in urban areas tends to orignate in main roads and deposit in garden soils through the atmosphere and residential roads. The heavy metal contamination in Seoul is characteristic in areas with high population, factory, road, and traffic decsities. Heavy metal contents are high in the vicinity of smelters in Onsan area and are decayed to background levels from one kilometer away from the smelters.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.81-91
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• 2004

The host rock of standing sculptured Buddha in the Yongamsa temple was macular biotite granite, which has gone through mechanical and chemical weathering. The principal rock-forming minerals are quartz, plagioclase, alkali feldspar, and biotite, the last two of which have been transformed into clay minerals and chlorite due to weathering processes. The bed rock around the Buddha statue is busily scattered with steep inclinations that are almost vertical and discontinuous planes with the strikes of $N8^{\circ}E$. The major joints have the strikes of N4 to $52^{\circ}W$ and N6 to $88^{\circ}E$ and the dips of 42 to $89^{\circ}$. Especially thee development of the joints that cross the major joints causes tile structural instability of the rock. The host rock of the Buddha image is separated into many different rock masses because of the also many different discontinuity, which group accounts for about $12{\%}$ of the rock. Thus it's estimated that the bed rock has not only plane and toppling failure but also wedge failure in all the sides. Since the earth pressure and the inclination pressure are imposed on the body of the Buddha in the basement rock, it's urgent to give a treatment of geotechnical engineering for the sake of its structural stability. The parts where serious fractures are seen should receive the hardening process using the fillers for stones. It's also necessary to introduce a landfill liner system in order to reduce the ground humidity. The rock surface of the Buddha statue are partly contaminated by lichens and bryophyte. The joints have turned into earth, which promotes the growth of weeds and plant roots. Thus biochemical treatments should also be considered to get rid of the vegetation along the discontinuous planes and prevent further biological damages.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.53-67
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• 2002

As in the past, we are concerned today with the magnitudes of mineral resources and the adequacy of these resources to meet future needs. In looking at global resource issues, we should consider the need for the resource, its supply, and the environmental consequences of using it. The need for a resource can become a resource dependency, specially as the global population expands and each of us becomes Increasingly dependent upon hundreds of natural materials. Therefore, our great mineral consumption makes the human population a true “Geologic Force”, which will be even more significant in the future when the global population is projected to reach alarming proportions. Although our supplies of mineral resources probably will be sufficient for the 21st century, the uneven distribution of minerals in the Earth's crust almost certainly will continue to be a major problem. The most likely result will be major shifts in both prices and sources of supply of many mineral resources. As for energy resources, we must avoid an obsessive dependency on one fuel and expand instead to other energy resources. Finally, because the use of resources affects the environment, we need to focus on resource exploitation and global pollution, particularly in regard to ground water and arable land. We must manage our resources so as to be in balance with our environment. And the accelerated industrialization of South Korean economy over the last three decades has resulted in the mass consumption of mineral commodities. South Korea has around 50 useful mineral commodities for the mineral industry, among 330 kinds of minerals described. The component ratio of the mining industry sector of the gross national production(GNP) in South Korea dropped from 1.2% in 1971 to 0.34% in 1997 due to the rapid growth of other industries in the country. During the period from 1971 to 1997, the average growth rate of mineral consumption in South Korea was 9.13% yearly and that of GMP per capita was 14.97%. The mineral consumptions per capita showed a continual increase during the last 30 years as follows(parenthesis: GW per capita); 0.99 metric tons in 1997($289), 3.83 metric tons in 1989($5, 210), 6.11 metric tons in 1995 ($10, 037), and 6.66 metric tons in 1997($9, 511). The total amount of mineral consumption in South Korea was 33 million tons of 32 mineral commodities in 1971, and 306 million metric tons of 47 mineral commodities in 1997.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.139-159
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• 2008

Geochemical analysis of the various kinds of water including observation borehole groundwater was carried out for the assessment of the hydrological safety of the underground oil storage cavern and the potentiality of mineralogical and microbiological clogging was estimated. Most of water samples belonged to $Ca-HCO_3$ and $Ca-HCO_3-SO_4$ types. There was no distinct chemical difference in the various kinds of water. All kinds of water are undersaturated with the calcite which is the major clogging mineral. Most water samples have low Fe and Mn concentrations. However, they are saturated or oversaturated with the iron-oxide/hydroxide minerals and have high dissolved oxygen contents which suggests the possibility of clogging by the iron-oxide/hydroxide minerals as a long-term aspect. Several water samples from the ground observation borehole also show the high saturation indices far the clay minerals, which can fill up the fractures, indicating the possibility of clogging by the clay minerals. Statistical analysis shows the degree of mineral precipitation or dissolution is mainly controlled by pH, Eh and DO of water samples. According to the microbial analysis, the aerobic microbes and slime forming bacteria are dominant in most water samples and anaerobic microbes including sulfate reducing bacteria are very low or not detected. Although the slime forming bacteria which are known as a main microbial cause of the clogging is lower than $10^5\;CFUs/mL$ in all water samples, because the slime forming bacteria are dominant microbe in several observation boreholes, the clogging can be caused by it as a long-term aspect. In addition, the possibility of clogging can be increased if the microbial effect is combined with the mineralogical effect such as iron oxide/hydroxide minerals for the possibility of clogging. Therefore, the systematic and long-term program for the assessment of clogging is required for the safe operation of underground oil storage cavern.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2018

Baekasan Acheon cave located in Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do is a natural limestone cave only found in this province. In this study, the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of speleothems collected from Baekasan Acheon cave were identified and the capability of carbonate mineral formation by aerobic microorganisms enriched from the cave and the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of carbonate minerals formed by the microorganisms were investigated. The samples of sediments (clay) and speleothems (shelfstone and cave coral) were collected at three sites in the cave. The samples of shelfstone and cave coral were identified mainly as carbonate mineral, Mg-rich calcite, and clay minerals were composed of quartz, muscovite, and vermiculite by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. To cultivate the carbonate forming microorganisms, parts of the sediment and speleothems were placed in D-1 medium containing urea, respectively, and the growth of microorganisms was observed under the aerobic condition at room temperature. The capability of carbonate mineralization of the cultured Baekasan Acheon cave microorganisms was examined through adding 1% (v/v) of the cultured microorganisms and calcium sources, Ca-acetate or Ca-lactate, into the D-1 medium. XRD analysis showed that the microorganisms cultured in cave deposits formed calcium carbonate ($CaCO_3$) under all conditions, and these microbial carbonate minerals included calcite and vaterite. The morphological characteristics and chemical composition of biologically formed minerals were observed by SEM-EDS showed various crystal forms such as rhomboid, spherical, perforated surface with Ca, C, and O of major chemical components. The existence of such microorganisms in the cave can contribute the formation of carbonate minerals, and it is likely to affect the geochemical cycles of carbon and calcium in the cave.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.289-302
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• 2013

In order to determine the provenance of the Huksan Mud Belt sediments in the southeastern Yellow Sea, the major and rare earth elements of the same sediments were analyzed. The surface sediments were sampled from top of piston-cores and box-cores taken at 51 sites within the Huksan Mud Belt. With the mean grain size of $5-6{\phi}$, the sediments of the study area are mud-dominated. The spatial distribution patterns show that silt content is high in the northern Mud Belt, whereas clay content increases as it moves toward the southern Mud Belt. Interestingly, the geochemical compositions both of major and rare earth elements have resulted in differences of sediment provenance. Among the major elements, plots of Fe/Al vs. Mg/Al ratios, $Al_2O_3$ vs. MgO ratios, and $Al_2O_3$ vs. $K_2O$ reveal that the Huksan Mud Belt sediments are dominated by the Korean river-derived sediments. However, the characteristics of rare earth elements infer sediments originating from the Chinese rivers. This discrepancy between the above provenances is attributed to the different contributory factors in the content of chemical elements. Considering strong correlation between major elements with grain sizes, the contents of the major elements are thought to be influenced by the grain size. However, there is a weak correlation between rare earth elements and grain sizes. The behaviour of rare earth elements may be controlled by heavy minerals, rather than grain sizes. Further study requires to solve the discrepancy arose from the difference in applied chemical tracers.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.777-790
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the nutritional characteristics of the following Korean-distributed fish species commonly consumed as sliced raw fish (CC-SRF): olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus (OF), red sea bream Pagrus major (RS), Atlantic salmon (AS), coho salmon (CS) and sockeye salmon (SS). The crude protein and lipid contents of OF, RS, AS, CS and SS were 20.2% and 5.5%, 21.2% and 6.8%, 17.7% and 18.5%, 18.3% and 16.1%, and 20.4% and 5.7%, respectively. Regardless of the type and weight of fish species, the major amino acids were leucine, lysine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid, whereas histidine was identified as a limiting amino acid. The major minerals in all CC-SRF were P, K and Se based on the recommended daily intake or sufficient intake for Korean males aged between 19-49 years. Among the different types of all CC-SRF, the intake of OF and SS lipids is predicted to be associated with a lower n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio, whereas among the free amino acids, which are expected to have health functionality, we identified taurine in OF and RS, and anserine in salmons. The digestibility of OF, RS, AS, CS and SS were 60.7%, 54.9%, 48.5%, 49.6%, and 53.4%, respectively.