• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.165-178
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• 2013

This study is for the genetic differences of two closed asbestos mines from Jeongjeon and Ocheon areas in Boryoung, Chungnam. They are mined asbestos for past several decades. Host rocks are serpentinites for Jeongjeon mine and dolomites for Ocheon mine. Asbestos samples and their host rocks are collected from the field trips and examined with microscopes and FESEM, and analysed with XRD and EDX to confirm for the type and/or compositions of the minerals. The asbestos occur as layers, cracks and fractures assummed as a pathway of the hydrothermal water, but show different characteristics. The serpentinites from the Jeongjeon mine contain chrysotile, tremolite and actinolite asbestos. Non-asbestos minerals including tremolite and actinolite were also found. The chrysotiles occur as a cross fiber or slip fiber at veins and along cracks of several mm to cm thickness. Tremolite and actinolite asbestos occur along cracks and fractures of several cm to ten cm thickness. It suggests that the asbestos from Jeongjeon area were formed by the reactions between serpentinite and hydrothermal water. The dolomites of the Ocheon mine only contain tremolite and actinolite asbestos. The asbestos occur along layers, cracks and fractures, suggestive of asbestos from Ocheon area formed by the reactions between dolomite and hydrothermal waters influxed along layers, cracks and fractures. Overall results suggest that two asbestos mines showing different host rocks are located in a Boryoung area. They show a different type of asbestos minerals, reflecting variety of petrogeneses.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.233-257
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• 2023

Asbestos minerals are found at rocks and soils of the Hongseong and Bibong serpentine mines, western part of Chungnam. The area consists of and metasediment, and Mesozoic igneous intrusives with minor age-known gneiss complexes and Mesozoic sediments. With detailed geological investigations, rock samples for the serpentinite and amphibolite areas are collected at sites containing asbestos. Representative asbestos and rock samples are analysed by PLM, XRD, SEM and EPMA. Serpentinites are found as steeply dipping faults with adjacent gneiss complex to the NNE direction. Repeated alteration, including serpenitization and talcification, is found at the emplacement direction for the serpentinite body. Amphibollites occur as intrusives and stratiforms within the Precambrian gneiss complex. Serpentinite and amphibolite (or amphibole schist) contain amphiboles either as asbestiform or non-asbestiform. Varying amounts of asbestos minerals, including chrysotile, tremolite asbestos and actinolite asbestos, are found within the serpentinites. The asbestos minerals are found near the cracks or fractures and along the bedding plane. They occur as cross fiber, slip fiber and mass fiber types. Varying amounts of amphibole asbestos minerals, such as tremolite and actinolite asbestos, are found within amphibolites and as a mass fiber type. Overall results suggest that rocks of the serpentine mines contain serpentine and amphibole type asbestos minerals originated from the hydrothermal alteration. Considering construction nearby the mines and environmental risks by the asbestos, additional land management plans are required.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.271-281
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• 2008

This study is to characterize the occurrence types and mineralogical characteristics of asbestos for the Kwangcheon areas, Chungnam. The mine areas had been exploited as asbestos mines for several decades since 1930. Host rocks of the asbestos are serpentinites and altered rocks of the ultramafic rocks. Representative samples of the host rocks and minerals were sampled and were examined with microscopes. To confirm for the existences and compositions for the asbestos, the rock samples were analysed with EPMA, XRD and EDS. Chrysotile, tremolite and actinolite were found as asbestos and non-asbestos forms in these areas. Chrysotiles, as non-asbestos forms, occur in the host rocks with mesh and hourglass textures. They, as asbestos forms, are mainly found as the veins. The tremolite and actinolite, as asbestos types, occur as alteration products of the olivine and pyroxene within the host rocks. They, as asbestos types, are also found following the cracks and fractures. Overall results suggest that three types of the asbestos are found in the Kwangcheon and Kaewol mine areas. Based on the occurrence types for the asbestos, additional studies are required for the asbestos in the top soil and air.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2009

This study is for the occurrence types of asbestos within 2 serpentinite mines, Baekdong and Kwangsi, Chungnam. They were exploited as serpentinite mines for several decades and closed in the 1980's. Asbestos with associated minerals were collected from the serpentinite bodies. They were examined with microscopes and FESEM, and analysed with EPMA, XRD and EDX to confirm for the types and/or compositions of the minerals. The serpentinites contain asbestos and nonasbestos minerals. Asbestos include chrysotile, tremolite and actinolite. The chrysotiles occur as veins of several mm to cm thickness with random directions. The tremolite and actinolite occur along cracks and fractures of several cm to ten cm thickness. They show mineralogical characteristics showing common asbestos under the microscope. Non-asbestos including chrysotile, lizardite, antigorite, tremolite and actinolite were also found within the serpentinite. The serpentines form pseudomorphic mesh textures, and also show hourglass or ribbon textures. The tremolite and actinolite were formed from the alterations of the pyroxenes and amphiboles, and plot between tremolite and magnesio hornblende. Tremolitic grains are colorless and occur as commonly elongated grains whereas the magnesio hornblende grains mainly show light green and occur as subhedral to euhedral grains. Overall results suggest that three types of asbestos are found in the Baekdong and Kwangsi serpentinite mines with varieties of the occurrences. Based on the occurrence types for the asbestos, additional studies are required for the asbestos of the top soil and the air.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.349-358
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• 2000

Compressional and shear wave velocities (Vp and Vs) and densities have been measured for serpentinite, amphibolite, amphibole and biotite schist, and gneiss from western part of Chungnam Province at room temperature. Ranges of the density are 2.6${\sim}$2.86g/cm$^3$ for serpentinite, 2.25${\sim}$2.81g/cm$^3$ for talc, and 2.74${\sim}$3.07g/cm$^3$ for metamorphic rocks. Of these rocks, talc shows wider ranges than serpentinite and amphibolites due to its metamorphic process from serpentinite. Values of Vp and Vs are 5719${\sim}$6062m/s and 2898${\sim}$3351m/s for serpentinites, 4019${\sim}$5478m/s and 2241/${\sim}$2976m/s for talc, 5375${\sim}$6372m/s and 3042${\sim}$3625m/s for amphibolite, 5290${\sim}$5499m/s and 2968${\sim}$3137m/s for schist, and 4788m/s and 2804m/s for gneiss, respectively. Velocity of P wave increases 1.47 times faster than S wave with increase of density. The results of seismic velocity measurement show anisotropy, higher velocity across than along the schistocity of rocks, especially in metamorphic rocks. This fact indicates that there were regional metamorphism related with tectonic forces. Values of seismic velocity increase with increasing pressure from 20 MPa to 70 MPa, especially in metamorphic rocks. Overall recalculated Vp and Vs values suggest that the serpentinite indicates for upper mantle in the respects of seismic characteristics, in spite of high degree of serpentinization. In addition, those of the amphibolite do for low crust, and gneiss and schist for upper crust.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.249-267
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• 2016

The Hongseong area of the central-western Korean Peninsula is considered to be a part of collision zone that is tectonically correlated to the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu belt of China. The area includes the elliptical-shaped serpentinized ultramafic bodies, together with mafic rocks. The studied bodies are in contact with the surrounded Neoproterozoic alkali granites at the Baekdong and Wonnojeon bodies and the Paleoproterozoic Yugu gneiss at the Bibong body. The Baekdong body contains the blocks of the Neoproterozoic alkali granites and the Late Paleozoic metabasites. The Bibong body also includes the Neoproterozoic alkali granite blocks. The Mesozoic intrusive rocks are also recognized at the Baekdong, Wonnojeon and Bibong bodies. On the other hand, the Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks are occurred at the Bibong body. The detrital zircon SHRIMP U-Pb ages of the serpentinites at three bodies range variously from Neoarchean to Middle Paleozoic at the Baekdong body, and from Neoarchean to Early Cretaceous at the Wonnojeon and Bibong bodies. Although serpentinization does not generally produce minerals suitable for direct isotopic dating, the youngest Middle Paleozoic age at the Baekdong body and the Early Cretaceous age at the Wonnojeon and Bibong bodies indicate the possible upper age limit for the (re)serpentinization. Especially, the Early Cretaceous serpentinization ages may be related to the widespread Early Cretaceous igneous activity in the central-southern Korean Peninsula. Age results for the serpentinite bodies and the included blocks of the studied serpentinized ultramafic bodies in the Hongseong area, therefore, provide several possible interpretations for the serpentinization ages of the ultramafic rocks as well as the geotectonic implications of serpentinization, requiring more detailed study including other serpentinized ultramafic bodies in the Hongseong area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

Chrysotile is well known as a fibrous mineral in serpentinite by the previous studies in S. Korea. Previous studies in other countries showed that antigorite also occurred as asbestiform and harmful to humans. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate types and characteristics of fibrous serpentine minerals occurred in serpentinite in Hongseong, Chungnam and Gapyeong, Gyeonggi in S. Korea. XRD, SEM-EDS, PLM and EPMA mapping analyses were used to examine the occurrence and formation mechanism of serpentine minerals. Serpentinization partially occurred in amphibole-schist and calc-schist at two study sites, Hongseong, Chungnam and Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, respectively. Both chrysotile and antigorite occurred as a fibrous mineral at Hongseong site, but chrysotile occurred as a fibrous mineral at Gapyeong site. Based on PLM analysis with dispersion staining, the chrysotile was observed horizontally magenta and vertically blue colors. The antigorite appeared as horizontally gold to golden magenta and vertically blue magenta colors under central stop dispersion staining objective(DSO). PLM and SEM analyses showed the fibrous minerals were formed from plate form of serpentine minerals or by hydrothermal alternation of primary minerals. The EPMA mapping showed that Mg contents in chrysotile is relatively higher than that in antigorite while Si and O contents in antigorite is higher than them in chrysotile. However, more studies are necessary to know the exact variation in chemical composition of chrysotile and antigorite. These results indicate that even though asbestiform antigorite found associated with asbestos chrysotile in serpentinites, the fibrous antigorite can be distinguished from chrysotile by different dispersion staining colors.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.113-125
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• 1999

Heavy metal elements were analysed to assess degrees of heavy metal contents for the plants, M. sinensis, A. vulgaris and G. oldhamiana, from the Baekdong serpentine area within the western part of Chungnam. The area was divided into two sites ; serpentine area (SP, consisting of serpentinite, SP) and non-serpentine area (NSP, containing amphibole schist, AS and gneiss, GN). Their host rocks(R) and top soils(S) were also collected from the each site. As the results of the study, the plants contain high concentration of Ni Cr, Co in the SP and Fe, Zn in the AS and GN. Plants from the AS of the NSP contain mainly high content in the most of elements. Averages of Ni, Co and Cr for the plants decreased in the order of SP, AS and GN. In the total element contents, M. sinensis and A. vulgaris decreased in the order of Fe > Ni or Cr > Zn > Co > As > Sc within the SP and in the order of Fe > Zn > Cr > Ni, within the GN. Comparing among the parts of plants, root parts were higher in the most of elements than the above grounds. In the relative element ratios of plants collected from the SP and GN (SP/GN) M. sinensis was lower than A. vulgaris in the most of elements, suggesting that the M. sinenis shows low absorption within the infertile serpentine soil and high absorption within the fertile gneiss soil. In the element contents of the top soils and their host rocks, the SP shows higher Ni, Co and Cr contents than the others. Their total contents decreased from SP to AS and GN, suggesting that the soils reflect the composition of their host rocks. Total element contents of the SP decreased in the order of Fe> Cr or Ni> Co> Zn> As> Sc and, for the GN, in the order of Fe> Zn> Cr> Ni> Co or Sc, respectively. In the relative element ratios, R/S of the SP decreased in the order of Cr> As> Fe> Sc> Co> Ni> Zn and for the GN, in the order of Sc> Fe> Ni> Zn> Cr> Co. Comparing with plants within the each site, their top soils were higher than the plants in the most of elements. and their increase and decrease trends for each element are similar. Differences of element contents between the top soils and plants decreased in the order of SP, AS and GN. Plants of the GN were moi-e similar to their soils than those of the others, suggesting that each plant species show different absorptions within the different soils. Comparing with the plants of GN, higher Ni, Co, Cr contents within those of the SP and their survival within the infertile serpentine soil suggest that the M. sinensis, A vulgaris and G. oldhamiana may be the tolerance species in the serpentine soil. Comparisons with the upper crust show that M. sinensis, and A. vulgaris within the SP show high Hi and Cr contents. suggestive of hyperaccumulation. Upper results with the previous studies for the contaminated soils developed as parent materials with the serpentinites suggest additional studies for ecological behaviors for the plant and degrees of accumulations for the elements need to know phytoextraction of the heavy metal elements within the soils.