• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 1993

Several vermiculite deposits occur as the alteration product from phlogopite in ultramafic rock, in the Hongseong and Cheongyang area, South Korea. Some quarries show well-defined weathering profile. Samples collected from those quarries were examined by XRD and chemistry to define a vertical variations in mineralogy and chemistry of the weathering profile developed on ultramafic rocks. The analysis by X-ray diffractometry showed that mineral compositions changed continuously as depth of profile increasing, the vermiculite-the phlogopite/vermiculite interstratified-the phlogopite. Chemical analysis of bulk samples in altered zone revealed that regardless of composition and kinds of mineral in the rock, there are significant increase of MgO, CaO and $H_2O$, and decrease of K as depth of profile decrease reflecting the characteristics in vermiculitization. Also, there was a tendency that weathering indicies of each sample horizon change gradually with increasing depth. This tendency can be explained as variations of degree of vermiculitization. The regular changes of mineralogical and chemical composition in vertical profile suggest that weathering is the most important process in vermiculitization in this area.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.425-443
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• 2004

Fluvial terraces is poorly developed along Bukhan River in Central Korea. Altitude from riverbed of T1 terraces are 18-29m, T2 terraces 2539m, respectively. Rubification index of T2 is 0.66, T1 is 0.54, and thickness of gravel weathering rind on gneiss of T2 are 14.0mm, granites of T2 are $\infty$, gneiss of T1 are 5.0mm and granites of T2 are 8.0mm, because weathering in deposits of T2 terraces, older than T1, is severer than T1 terraces. Since deposits in T2 have more active and longer weathering than T1, SiO$_2$/Al$_2$O$_3$ is 3.32 in T2 and 4.06 in T1, and SiO$_2$/R$_2$O$_3$ is 2.64 in T2 and 3.19 in T1. CIA(Chemical Index of Alteration) is 87.85％ in T2 and 85.88％ in T1. Kaolinite and halloysite are founded in deposits of T2 indicating high weathering, and are founded gibbsite made tv eluviation of kaolinite. However, deposits of T1 have no kaolinite, and are found plagioclase, weak mineral in weathering process. Comparing to previous researches by estimated age as altitude from riverbed, rubification index, thickness of gravel weathering rind, element contents and mineral composition, forming age of T2 terraces in Bukhan River are estimated in marine oxygen isotope stage 6 (130-190ka), and T1 terraces are marine oxygen isotope stage 4(59-74ka).

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.133-143
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• 2008

On the basis of chemical composition of granite, gneiss and their weathering products, in this paper, rare earth elements (REEs) was estimated as tracer for clarifying a geochemical variance of earth surface material during weathering process. The chemical composition of clay, clay ware and pottery also were measured for testifying usefulness of REE geochemistry in clarifying the source material of pottery. It was observed that there was no systematic variation of chemical composition among source rock, weathered rock and soil during weathering process. The chemical composition of clay, clay ware and pottery also did not show systematic variation by baking pottery. However, PAAS (Post Archean Australian Shale)-normalized REE patterns of rock-weathered rock-soil and clay-clay ware-pottery are similar regardless of weathering process or ceramic art. Our results confirm that REE geochemistry is powerful tool for clarifying the source materials of surface sediment or archaeological ceramic products.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 1989

X-ray, optical and electron microscope studies exhibit that the amphiboles in anorthositic saprolite from kaolin deposits, located in Suryun-myeon, Seongju-gun, Kyungsangbuk-do, have altered under weathering conditions to smectite, mixed-layer mineral, vermiculite and goethite. In early supergene alteration stage when rock structure is still preserved, smectite occurs as initial weathering product of amphibole. Further weathering leads to the formation of mixed-layer mineral, vermiculite and goethite as indicated by XRD and SEM studies. Scanning electron microscopy studies of amphibole show that the dissolution of amphibole proceeds by selective etching at the surface along weaker zones producing distinct etch pattern, The calcic amphiboles according to electron microprobe analyses, show leaching of the most mobile elements (Mg, Ca and Fe) during alteration.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.499-502
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• 2004

Groundwater chemistry in a coastal region having complex contaminant sources was investigated. Water analysis data for 197 groundwater samples collected from the uniformly distributed sixty-six wells were used. Chemical analysis rand results indicate that groundwaters show wide concentration ranges in major inorganic ions, reflecting complex hydrochemical processes of pollutants. Due to the complexity of groundwater chemistry, Results illustrate that thirty five percent of the wells do not fit for drinking based on nitrate and chloride concentration in the study area. the samples were classified into four groups based on Cl and NO$_3$ concentrations and the processes controlling water chemistry were evaluated based on the reaction stoichiometry. The results explained the importance of mineral weathering, anthropogenic activities (nitrification and oxidation of organic matters), and Cl-salt inputs (seawater, deicer, NaCl, etc.) on groundwater chemistry. It was revealed that mineral dissolution is the major process controlling the water chemistry of the low Cl and NO$_3$ group (Group 1). Groundwaters high in NO$_3$ (Groups 2 and 4) are acidic in nature, and their chemistry is largely influenced by nitrification, oxidation of organic matters and mineral dissolution. In the case of chloride rich waters (Group 3), groundwater chemistry is highly influenced by mineral weathering and seawater intrusion associated with cation-exchange reactions.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.6 s.59
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• pp.411-424
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• 2005

Weathering is defined as a process by which surface rock, once formed in the deep ground, is broken down and altered to keep the equilibrium with the ambient environment. In this study granitic rock samples of different weathering grades were collected in the field and the microscopic observation, X-ray diffraction analysis, electron microscopic observation, chemical analysis, and rock property tests were carried out. Formation of secondary minerals, especially clay minerals, by weathering was identified and the mechanism for the change of engineering properties such as rock strength degradation was analyzed. Tunnel model test, Failure behaviour, Shallow tunnel, Unsupproted tunnel length.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.675-685
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• 2015

Weathering is the breaking/cutting down process of rocks due to physical and chemical processes in natural as well as artificial environment including $CO_2$ injection for storage in the sediment, or natural resource recovery process. This study suggests an alternative method to estimate the degree of weathering for granites. A series of laboratory and field experiments are performed to measure electrical resistivities on various rock samples experienced different degrees of weathering and their residual soils under different saturation conditions. It is found that the normalized electrical resistivity increases with a decrease in water absorption and the saturation. Simple boundaries are suggested to identify the weathering degree of granites, based on limited data. Field test results for three sites confirm that the suggested method could be estimated well the degree of weathering of granites compared with the other methods suggested previously. Although further research is required, this study suggests that an electrical resistivity could be an effective approach to estimate the degree of weathering of granites compared with the other methods suggested previously.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.321-328
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• 2006

A basic research was conducted on the mineral weathering and geochemical characteristics in the KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel), which was recently constructed at a site in KAERI. Some rock samples exposed during the KURT construction were examined using a microscope and chemical analysis for some micro-changes of the rocks caused by the chemical weathering. The weathered granite has some small and fine cracks around the rock-forming minerals. In particular, there are a characteristic weathering of feldspar mineral and a preferential leaching of Ca component from the mineral dissolution. In addition, by the dissolution of biotite containing $Fe^{2+}$ component there were iron-oxides precipitates as secondary products into the microcracks of around minerals. The results also show that the micro-cracks initiated from the mineral interior are extended and connected into the larger cracks along the grain boundary with the progress of the weathering. Thus, it is considered that some chemicals dissolved from the fresh rock would be involved in the formation of secondary minerals and migrate interacting with them.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.138-144
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• 1997

The tidal deposits in the Haenam Bay, southwest coast of Korea, are stratigraphically divided at least into two units (Unit I of Holocene and Unit II of late Pleistocene) based on the obtained vibracoring sediments. In Unit I, clay minerals of illite, chlorite, kaolinite and smectite are observed as similar to those of the other modern tidal deposits. Of note, however, is the absence of smectite and chlorite in the upper part of Unit II compared with the clay mineral compositions of Unit I. It is concluded that the subaerial weathering and diagenetic effects rather than depositional processes are responsible for the positive and characteristic differences in clay mineral compositions between two units, that is, the upper part of Unit II was exposed subaerially and weathered diagenetically prior to the late Holocene transgression. Therefore, the bounding relationship between Unit I and Unit II is unconformable.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.771-784
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• 2007

This study shows the weathering characteristics of mica-schist affected by faulting and metamorphism through laboratory tests. Frozen-thaw test, which simulate the physical-chemical weathering processes in the laboratory, shows the important influence of foliation developed in mica-schist, resulting in $20{\sim}40%$ reduction of UCS according to weathering grade of rock. Slaking durability test was carried out for different weathering grade rock specimens and indicated that the specimens from fault area had a low durability index compared to other relatively fresh samples. XRD analysis allowed to estimate the dynamic evolution of mineral composition through wet-dry cycle in which the chlorite was the most important mineral leached out during slaking test. The creep test indicated that the main deformation produced along the foliation plane. The compacted clay minerals between discontinuity planes influence on the discontinuity shearing properties and result in a big difference between peak shear strength and residual strength. The results of laboratory tests on mica-schist show the possibility of a important deformation along the foliation plane or discontinuity.