• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.359-373
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• 2013

Shale is considered as a source rock for conventional oil and gas exploration and development because shale is fine-grained detrital sedimentary rock which can preserve the organic matter better. Shale has a good sealing capacity for the petroleum trap due to its low permeability. Commercial recoveries of gas from shale in the North America based on the development of technologies of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing reveal that shale also function as a effective reservoir rock. Geochemical techniques to evaluate generation potential of the hydrocarbons from organic matter in the source rocks can be applied for the exploration of the shale gas resources. To evaluate shale gas resources, it is important to understand various geochemical processes and shale characteristics controlling generation, storage and estimation of shale gas reserves. In this paper, the generation mechanism of the oil and gas from organic matter is reviewed, and geochemical techniques which can be applied for the evaluation and characterization of shale gas are introduced.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.153-156
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• 1991

Three humic acids, two from uranium bearing coal shale and one from the neighbouring limey shale region, are extracted from soils by dissolution in 0.1 M NaOH followed by acid precipitation. After purification cycles, they are characterized for their elemental composition, contents of inorganic impurities, molecular size distribution and proton exchange capacities. The results are compared with the data of reference and aquatic humic acids characterized under the project MIRAGE Ⅱ at TUM and also with other literature data. The proton exchange capacity determined by direct titration, is found to be 3.60 and 2.01 meq/g for coal shale and limey shale humic acids, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.441-447
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• 2016

Development of shale gas has drawn increasing attention since it is one of promising alternative energy resources. However, contamination of groundwater and surface water during the extraction of shale gas is becoming a serious environmental issues, which brings the needs to treat wastewater generated from hydraulic fracking. In this study, the feasibility of membrane distillation (MD) for the treatment of shale gas wastewater was investigated using a laboratory scale experimental setup. Flat-sheet MD membranes were used to treat produced water from a shale gas well in the United States. Different configurations such as direct contact MD (DCMD) and air gap MD (AGMD) were compared in terms of flux and fouling propensity. The foulants on the surface of the membranes were examined. The results suggest that MD can treat the shale gas produced water containing more than 200,000 mg/L of total dissolved solids, which is impossible by other technologies such as reverse osmosis (RO) and forward osmosis (FO). In this study, we investigated the possibility of processing and characterization of shale gas produce wastewater using membrane distillation. Laboratory scale membrane distillation experimental device was developed. It was compared the flat-sheet direct contact membrane distillation and flat-sheet air gap membrane distillation. AGMD flux in lower than the flux of DCMD, it was expected that the contamination caused by organic matters.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.36-44
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• 2013

We conducted the airborne magnetic and radiometric survey for the characterization of the black shale related and pyrometamorphic uranium deposits distributed in Geumsan area. For the successful characterization of the uranium deposits, the general geological and structural geological features were investigated based on the lithological and linear feature analysis to individual magnetic and radiometric data as the first step. Lithological analysis from the magnetic reduction to the pole and downward continuation map revealed that prominent positive anomalies caused by black and dark gray slate member were clearly recognized as magnetic sources. These results indicate that magnetic survey, even though it is not a direct method for the detection of uranium, can be a useful tool in uranium detection. By the linear feature analysis based on 2nd vertical derivative and curvature map, two linearments corresponded the gray hornfels and black slate member were extracted and in succession, the additional uranium potential zone was inferred. Final discrimination whether uranium-rich or not was confirmed by radiometric and uranium anomaly map. From these analysis, we finally concluded that uranium deposit originated by pyrometamorphic process was confined near the intrusive area only. On the contrary, it was found that black shale related uranium deposit is distributed and extended through out the entire survey area with south-west to north-east direction. In addition, from the linear feature analysis based on radiometric total anomaly map, the typical discontinuous characteristics were recognized in areas where uranium-contained linearments cross the faults. From the above discussion, we concluded that airborne magnetic and radiometric survey are complementary to each other. So it is preferable to carry out simultaneously for the efficient data processing and fruitful interpretation.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.35-45
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• 2009

Reservoir Characterization (RC) using 3-D seismic attributes analysis can provide properties of the oil sand reservoirs, beyond seismic resolution. For example, distributions and temporal bed thicknesses of reservoirs could be characterized by Spectral Decomposition (SD) and additional seismic attributes such as wavelet classification. To extract physical properties of the reservoirs, we applied 3-D seismic attributes analysis to the oil sand reservoirs in McMurray formation, in BlackGold Oilsands Lease, Alberta Canada. Because of high viscosity of the bitumen, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technology will be necessarily applied to produce the bitumen in a steam chamber generated by Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD). To optimize the application of SAGD, it is critical to identify the distributions and thicknesses of the channel sand reservoirs and shale barriers in the promising areas. By 3-D seismic attributes analysis, we could understand the expected paleo-channel and characteristics of the reservoirs. However, further seismic analysis (e.g., elastic impedance inversion and AVO inversion) as well as geological interpretations are still required to improve the resolution and quality of RC.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2013

The United States Department of Energy (US DOE) is conducting research and development (R&D) activities under the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) to support storage, transportation, and disposal of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and wastes generated by existing and future nuclear fuel cycles. R&D activities are ongoing at nine national laboratories, and are divided into storage, transportation and disposal. Storage R&D focuses on closing technical gaps related to extended storage of UNF. Transportation R&D focuses on ensuring transportability of UNF following extended storage, and addressing data gaps regarding nuclear fuel integrity, retrievability, and demonstration of subcriticality. Disposal R&D focuses on identifying geologic disposal options and addressing technical challenges for generic disposal concepts in mined repositories in salt, clay/shale, and granitic rocks, and deep borehole disposal. UFDC R&D goals include increasing confidence in the robustness of generic disposal concepts, reducing generic sources of uncertainty that may impact the viability of disposal concepts, and developing science and engineering tools to support the selection, characterization, and licensing of a repository. The US DOE has also initiated activities in the Nuclear Fuel Storage and Transportation (NFST) Planning Project to facilitate the development of an interim storage facility and to support transportation infrastructure in the near term.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1993

A study was carried out to investigate the genesis and mineralogical characteristics of clay minerals in three different types of soil derived from the gray shale distributed in Kyeongbuk Province in Korea. The soils have been developed from parent materials of residuum (Daegu series, Sirye series), colluvium(Banho series), and alluvium (Bigog series) of the same origin of parent rock with a topographical sequence. The investigation mainly focussed on the mineralogical aspects of primary minerals of asnd and silt fractions, identification and quantification of clay minerals, and characterization of hydroxy-interlayered mineral (HIM) along with their chemical composition. The identification was done through analyses of chemical, X-ray diffraction, and thermal methods. The major clay minerals in the soils are illite, vermiculite, kaolin and HIM, while chlorite and mixed layer minerals such as illite/chlorite and illite/vermiculite were coexisted as a subsidiary minerals. The distribution of clay minerals, however, varies according to the location and types of parent material. In the soils derived from the parent material of residuum, the upper soil (Daegu series) shows higher of 2:1 type minerals such as illite, vermiculite, and HIM than 1:1 type mineral rich in the lower soil(Sirye series). Soils developed from the parent material of colluvium and alluvium were high in illlte and mixed layer minerals, but low in HIM compared with the residual soils. The predominant weathering sequence of the clay minerals in each soil could be inferred as follows according to the minerlogical distribution and quantification of clay minerals : Daegu series, illite ${\rightarrow}$ vermiculite ${\rightarrow}$ HIM ; Sirye series, vermiculite ${\rightarrow}$ kaolin minerals ; Banho sereies and Bigog series, illite ${\rightarrow}$ illlte/vermiculite and/or illite/chlorlte mixed layer ${\rightarrow}$ vermiculite.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.23-32
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• 2017

For exposed slopes, the weathering degree over time has a major effect on the engineering properties of rocks and the slope stability. Rocks are gradually changed by weathering into soil over time, and the resulting physical, chemical and mechanical changes of rocks affect the engineering stability of the slope. However, there are not many ways to objectively evaluate the weathering degree of a slope. In this study, therefore, to investigate the weathering characteristics of rocks, granite, gneiss and shale distributed in the Chungbuk region were sampled by weathering stage and changes in their component minerals and tissues were investigated. Furthermore, artificial weathering was induced using the freezing and thawing test and quantitatively investigated through porosity and absorption rate. In addition, the changes of microcracks due to artificial weathering were evaluated through box fractal dimension ($D_B$). Through mineralogical study the phase change of constituting minerals, the growth of secondary minerals, the development of micro-cracks and the fabric changes due to weathering were observed. The mineralogical, chemical and engineering evaluations of the weathering degree through the experimental results in this study are expected to be useful for analyzing the weathering characteristics and causes by rock type and for proposing a methodology to evaluate the degradation of physical properties comparatively and quantitatively.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.399-410
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• 1985

Bentonites from the Janggi Group of the Lower Miocene age from the Geumgwangdong area, Korea, have been studied for mineralogical and genetic characterization. The Janggi Group is subdivided, in ascending order, into the Janggi Conglomerate, the Nuldaeri Tuff, the Geumgwangdong Shale, the Lower Coal-bearing Formation, the Basaltic Tuff, and the Upper Coalbearing Formation. Bentonites occur as thin or thick beds in all sedimentary units of the Janggi Group, except for the Janggi Conglomerate. Significant bentonite deposits are found in the Nuldaeri Tuff, the Lower Coal-bearing Formation and the Basaltic Tuff. Bentonites consist mainly of smectite (mainly montmorillonite), with minor quartz, cristobalite, opal-CT and feldspar. Occasionally, kaolinite, clinoptilolite or gypsum is associated with bentonites. Bentonites were studied by the methods of petrographic microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (DT A and TG), infrared absorption spectroscopic analysis, SEM, intercalation reaction, and chemical analysis. Smectites commonly occur as irregular boxwork-like masses with characteristic curled thin edges, but occasionally as smoothly curved to nearly flat thin flakes. Most of smectites have layer charge of 0.25-0.42, indicating typical montmorillonite. Crystal-chemical relations suggest that Fe is the dominant substituent for Al in the octahedral layer and there are generally no significant substituents for Si in the tetrahedral layer. Ca is the dominant interlayer cation in montmorillonite. Therefore, montmorillonite from the study area is dioctahedral Ca-montmorillonite. Occurrence and fabrics of bentonites suggest that smectites as well as cristobalite, opal-CT and zeolites have been formed diagenetically from tuffaceous materials. The precursor of smectites is trachytic or basaltic tuff. Smectites derived from the former contain relatively more $Al_2O$ a and less $Fe_2O_3$ than those from the latter.