• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.58-72
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• 2001

The Cretaceous granite, andesite and sedimentary rocks are widely distributed in the northern Pusan area. The present study investigates mineralogical and geochemical charateristics of residual and cultivated soils derived from these rocks. The soils of granite area contain a large amount of quartz relative to clay minerals, whereas the soils of the andesite area contain more clay minerals than quartz. Clay minerals consist mainly of kaolin minerals illite hydroxy interlayered vermiculite interstratified mica/vermiculite and chlorite. Kaolin minerals are abundant in paddy soils while illite is abundant in less weathered soils. Si and K are major elements in the soils of granite area while Fe and Al in the soils of andesite area. In all the soils Ca, Mg and Na were generally depleted in comparison to those in parent rocks. Analysis data of trace element show that the enrichment pattern in soils depends on parent rock type with high oncentration of some elements over 100 ppm: Ba and Rb in granite area Zn, Bn, and V in andesite area, and Ba and V in sedimentary rock. In granite area, Rb and Th were greatly enriched in soil than in parent rocks. However, Cr, Ni and Sr commonly decrease, whereas Pb increases in all the soils. Exchangeable cation capacity(CEC) is relatively high in the soils of andesite are including abundant clay minerals. Collective evidences prove that the mineralogical and chemical compositions of soils are strongly dependent on the parent rock type. The mineralogy and chemistry of long cultivated soils are not significantly different from those of residual soils.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.233-241
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• 2020

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is among one of the most important damaging mechanisms in concrete, depending primarily on aggregates which contain reactive minerals. However, expansion in concrete may not directly relate to the reactive minerals. This study aims to investigate the influence of ASR and the expansion of mortar bars depending on aggregate type containing various components such as quartz, clay minerals (montmorillonite and kaolinite) and micas (muscovite and biotite). In this study, the accelerated mortar bar tests (AMBT) were performed in two conditions (mortar bars in the same and sole NaOH solutions). Petrographic thin section studies, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis (Rietveld method), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemical analyses were carried out. This study showed that quartzite bars led to increase in expansion values of mortar bars in diabase-1 and andesite when these were in the same NaOH solution. However, three samples (basalt, quartzite and claystone) were found having ASR expansion based on the AMBT when the special molds were used for each sample. SEM study revealed that samples which exhibit highest expansions according to AMBT had a generally rough surface and acicular microstructures in or around the micro-cracks. Basalt and quartzite showed more variable in major oxides than those of other samples based on the chemical analyses, SEM studies and AMBT. This study revealed that the highest expansions were observed to source not only from reactive aggregates but also from alteration products (silicification, chloritization, sericitization and argillisation), phyllosilicates (muscovite, biotite and vermiculite) and clays (montmorillonite and kaolinite).

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.112-117
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• 2005

Geophysical logging is routinely undertaken as part of most coal mine exploration programs. Currently, the main application for the logs is to determine coal seam depth and to qualitatively estimate coal quality, lithology, and rock strength. However, further information can be obtained, if quantitative log interpretation is made. To assist in the uptake of quantitative interpretation, we discuss log responses in terms of the mineralogy of the clastic sedimentary rocks frequently found in the Australian black coal mining areas of the Sydney and Bowen Basins. We find that the log responses can be tied to the mineralogy with reasonable confidence. Ambiguities in the interpretation will be better resolved if a full suite of logs is run. A method for checking for internal consistency, by comparing calculated and observed velocities, is also described. A key driver for quantitative interpretation is geotechnical characterisation. We propose a classification system for clastic rocks that takes into consideration physical rock properties that can be inferred from geophysical logs.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.381-391
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• 2011

Weathering can reduce rock strength and eventually affect the structural stability of a rock mass, which is important in the field of engineering geology. Several methods have been developed to evaluate the degree of weathering, including the chemical weathering index. In this study, we analyzed the weathering degree and characteristics of microtextures and pores in crystalline rocks (gneiss and granites) based on petrographic observations, the chemical weathering index, mineralogy by XRD, microtextural analysis by SEM/EDS, measurements of pore size and surface area by the BET method, and microporosity by X-ray CT. The formation of secondary minerals and microtexture in gneiss and granitic rocks are assumed to be affected by complex processes such as dissolution, precipitation, and fracturing. Hence, it is clear that some chemical weathering indices that are based solely on whole-rock chemistry (e.g., CIA and CWI) are unable to provide reliable assessments of the degree of weathering. Great care is needed to evaluate the degree of chemical weathering, including an understanding of the mineralogy and microtexture of the rock mass, as well as the characteristics of micropores.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2014

The objectives of this study were to characterize the physicochemical properties and mineralogy of Hwangto (yellow residual soils) from the southwestern part of Korea and to understand the soil-forming processes of the residual soils from their parent rocks. Both the yellowish residual soils as well as the unweathered and weathered parent rocks were obtained from Jangdong-ri, Donggang-myun, Naju, Jeollanam-do, Korea. The soil samples were examined to analyze the said soil's physicochemical properties such as color, pH, and particle size distribution. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were performed in order to understand the mineralogy, chemical composition, and morphology of the soils. Two thin sections of a parent rock were analyzed to study its mineral composition. A particle size analysis of the soils indicates that the residual soil consists of mainly silt and clay (approximately 95%) and that soil textures are silty clay or silt clay loam. The soil colors of the residual soil are dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) through yellowish red (5YR 4/6). The pH of the residual soil ranges from 4.3 to 5.1. The major minerals of the parent rocks were quartz, biotite, chlorite, and plagioclase. The mineralogy of the sand fraction of the residual soil was quartz, biotite, muscovite and sanidine. The mineralogy of the silt fraction of the residual soil was quartz, biotite, muscovite, Na-feldspar, K-feldspar, and sanidine. The clay mineralogy of the soil was goethite, kaolinite, ilite, hydroxy-interlayed vermiculite(HIV), vermiculite, mica, K-feldspar and quartz. The mineral composition of the residual soil and the parent rock indicates that feldspar and mica in the parent rock weathered into illite, vermiculite and hydroxy-interlayed vermiculite(HIV), and finally changed into kaolinite and halloysite in the yellowish residual soils.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.53-66
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• 1977

Epithermal Mn-Au-Ag deposits of subvolcanic type in the Yeongil area discovered by one (Soo Jin Kim) of the present authors was studied with emphasis on their mineralogy, genesis and future potential. Mineralization is genetically related to volcanic activities of the Tertiary Period, which have produced porphyritic rhyolite, granite porphyry, felsitic rhyolite and agglomerate. Ore deposits are closely associated with felsitic rhyolite. They occur as breccia-filling, veins, or networks. Mineralization is characterized by rhodochrosite-sulfide ores of breccia-type in the central zone, and sulfide ores of disseminated type in the outer zone. Sulfides consist mainly of pyrite and marcasite, with minor chalcopyrite, sphalerite, argentian tetrahedrite, galena and gold in the central zone, and of pyrite, marcasite and argentian tetrahedrite in the outer zone. Sulfides are generally not easily identified with naked eye because of their very fine-grained nature. Wall rock alteration zones are also developed around ore deposits over the large area. Occurrence of ore deposits and the nature of mineralization indicate that the uppermost portion of ore deposits are now exposed on the surface, and therefore, the main mineralized zones are expected in depth.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.261-270
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• 2019

Because the estimation of the tensile strength is very important in any geotechnical project, many attempts have been made to determine. But the immediate determination of the tensile strength is usually difficult owing to well-shaped specimens, time-consuming, expensive and sometimes unreliable. In this study, engineering properties of several ultramafic rock samples were measured to assess the correlations between the Brazilian Tensile Strength (BTS) and degree of serpentinization, physical, dynamic and mechanical characteristics. For this purpose, a comprehensive laboratory testing program was conducted after collecting thirty-two peridotite and fifty-one serpentinite rock samples, taken from central Greece, in accordance with ASTM and ISRM standards. In addition, a representative number of them were subjected to petrographic studies and the obtained results were statistically described and analysed. Simple and multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between the Brazilian Tensile Strength and the other measured properties. Thus, empirical equations were developed and they showed that all of the properties are well correlated with Brazilian Tensile Strength. The curves with the $45^{\circ}$ line (y = x) were extracted for evaluating the validity degree of concluded empirical equations which approved approximately close relationships between Brazilian Tensile Strength and the measured properties.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.103-115
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• 2008

The purposes of this study are to understand characteristic water-rock interaction mechanisms of groundwater in the granite area of Geochang and Hapcheon areas, Gyeongnam-do and to clarify the origin of fluoride. The possible water-rock interaction process and the source of fluorine were studied using water chemistry, rock chemistry, mineralogy by XRD, and microtexture analysis by backscattered electron image of the electron microprobe. No clear relationships between F and hardness was found. But the fluorine content increases to some extent with pH and well depth. Preferential alteration due to water-rock interaction took place along edges or cleavage, or margins of biotite. Because biotite is highly subject to alteration in granite aquifer, fluorine in groundwater is originated from the leaching of biotite.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.491-498
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• 2018

The Earth Mechanics Institute (EMI) was established at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) in 1974 to develop innovations in rock mechanics research and education. During the last four decades, extensive rock mechanics research has been conducted at the EMI. Results from uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), Brazilian tensile strength (BTS), point load index (PLI), punch penetration (PP), and many other types of tests have been recorded in a database that has been unexamined for research purposes. The EMI database includes over 20,000 tests from over 1,000 different projects including mining and underground construction, and analysis of this database to identify relationships has been started with preliminary results reported here. Overall, statistically significant correlations are identified between bulk density and mechanical strength properties through UCS, BTS, PLI, and PP testing of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. In this paper, bulk density is considered as a surrogate metric that reflects both mineralogy and porosity. From this analysis, sedimentary rocks show the strongest correlation between the UCS and bulk density, whereas metamorphic rocks exhibit the strongest correlation between UCS and PP. Data trends in the EMI database also reveal a linear relationship between UCS and BTS tests. For the singular case of rock coral, the database permits correlations between bulk density of the core versus the deposition depth and porosity. The EMI database will continue under analysis, and will provide additional insightful and comprehensive understanding of the variation and predictability of rock mechanical strength properties and density. This knowledge will contribute significantly toward the increasingly safe and cost-effective geostructures and construction.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2004

Metallic deposits in Korea have a variety of genetic types such as hydrothermal veins, skarns, hydrothermal replacement and alaskite deposits and so on. Geological, mineralogical and geochemical features including host rock, wall-rock alteration, ore and gangue mineralogy, mineral texture and secondary mineralogy related to weathering process control the environmental signatures of mining areas. The environmental signatures of metallic deposits closed from early 1970s to late 1990s in Korea show complicate geochemistry and mineralogy due to step weathering of primary and secondary minerals such as oxidation-precipitation-remobilization. The potentiality of low pH and high heavy metal Concentration s from acid mine drainage is great in base-metal deposits associated with polymetallic mineralization, breccia-pipe type and Cretaceous hydrothermal Au veins with the amount of pyrite whereas skam, hydrothermal replacement, hydrothermal Cu and Au-Ag vein deposits are in low contamination possibility. The geoenvironmental models reflecting the various geologic features closely relate to disuibution of sulfides and carbonates and their ratios and finally effect on characteristics of environmental signatures such as heavy metal species and their concentrations in acid mine drainage.