• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.135-138
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• 1985

The radioautographing of U-bearing cloaly slate samples were initiated in order to clarify the uranium distribution patterns in the samples of Ogcheon system. Moreover, x-ray powder diffraction and x-ray single crystal analysis studies were undertaken to identify the uranium mineral which was extracted from U-bearing coaly slate. The handspecimens were collected from the Boseong mine, located in Deokpyeong area, Goesan-gun, Chungcheongbug-do. According to the experimental studies, it has been found the following facts: (1) fixed carbon has close relation with uranium contents, (2) quartz veins developed in U-bearing coaly slate are diveded into two groups based on mode of occurrence, formation stage and uranium distribution pattern; early quartz vein ($QV_1$) with low uranium concentration and late quartz vein ($QV_2$) with high uranium concentration, (3) matrixes around $QV_1$ are displayed homogeneous and high uranium concentration, while matrixes around $QV_2$ are low uranium concentration, (4) uranium mineral is identified as a variety of autunite.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.12-15
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• 2014

Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) was used to determine the concentration and isotope ratio of uranium contained in samples of soil and groundwater collected from Korea. Quantification of uranium in ground water samples was performed by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. A series of chemical treatment processes, including chemical separation using extraction chromatography, was applied to the soil samples to extract the uranium. No treatments other than filtration were applied to the groundwater samples. Isotopic analyses by TIMS showed that the isotope ratios of uranium in both the soil and water samples were indistinguishable from those of naturally abundant uranium. The concentration of uranium in the groundwater samples was within the U.S. acceptable standards for drinking water. These results demonstrate the utility of TIMS for monitoring uranium in environmental samples with high analytical reliability.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.261-269
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• 2001

In this study, sorption experiments of uranium onto silica colloids were carried out and the effects of important geochemical parameters such as pH, ionic strength, carbonate concentration, colloid concentration, and total concentration of uranium were investigated. The sorption coefficients of uranium for silica colloids named as pseudo-colloid formation constants were about 10$^4$~ 10$^{5}$ mL/g depending on the experimental conditions. The effects of the geochemical parameters were found to be important in the sorption of uranium onto silica colloids. A Langmuir type sorption isotherm of uranium between silica colloids and the solution phase was also presented. The sorption mechanisms were explained by analyzing the effects of the geochemical parameters.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.353-359
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• 1996

The experiments were conducted in the leaching of aqueous uranium from low-grade uranium ore by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The optimal concentration of ferrous iron in 9K medium was 16.2g/L when the uranium ore concentration in slurry was 40g/L. The leaching rates were increased by decreasing the particle size of uranium ore and by increasing uranium ore concentration. In the leaching experiments in an agitated vessel reactor, only 39.3% of uranium was leached out within 12 days, which was comparable as that in the shaking incubator, without any notable improvement. Hence, it was observed that an agitated vessel reactor was not effective in the leaching of uranium from uranium ore by T. ferrooxidans. In the leaching experiments in a draught-tube reactor, the maximum concentration of uranium leached and cell number were a 12.8mg/L and $2.47{\times}1010cells/mL$ respectively. The uranium yield reached up to 91.4% within 11 days culture due to enhanced aeration and mixing characteristics of draught-tube reactor as compared to agitated vessel reactor.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.225-230
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• 2001

The aim of this study is to describe a usefulness of nuclear analytical technique in assessing and comparing the concentration levels through the analysis of uranium using human hair sample in the field of environment. A fission track detection technique was applied to determine the uranium concentration in human hair. Hair samples were collected from two groups of people - a) workers not dealing with uranium directly, and b) workers possibly contaminated with uranium. The concentration of $^{235}$ U for the first group varied from <1 to 39 ng/g and the second group can be estimated up to the level of $\mu$g/g. Radiographs of heavy-duty work samples contained high dense “hot spots” along a single hair. After washing in acetone and distilled water, external contamination was not totally removed. Insoluble uranium compounds were not completely washed out. The (n, f)- radiography technique, having high sensitivity, and capable of getting information on uranium content at each point of a single hair, is an excellent tool for environmental monitoring.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.1931-1938
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• 2021

Uranium ingot is produced by metallothermic reduction of uranium tetrafluoride using magnesium or calcium as reductant. Presence of oxygen containing compounds viz. uranyl fluoride and uranium oxide in the starting uranium fluoride has a significant effect on the firing time, final temperature of the charge, slag-metal separation and hence the metal recovery. As reported in the literature, the maximum tolerable limit for uranyl fluoride in the UF₄ is 2.5 wt% and limit for uranium oxide content is in the range 2-3 wt%. No theoretical or experimental basis is available till date for these limits. Analyses have been carried out in this study to understand the effect of UO₂F₂ concentration in the starting fluoride on the final temperature of the products and thus the reduction characteristics. UF₄ having uranyl fluoride concentration, less than as well as more than 2.5 wt%, have been investigated. Thermodynamic calculations have been carried out to arrive at a general expression for the final temperature attained by the products during calciothermic reduction of UF₄. Finally, an upper limit for the oxygen containing impurities has been estimated using the CaO-CaF₂ phase diagram.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 2005

This research was focused on the distribution of Uranium-238 concentration in the Han River. Also, six water treatment plants in Seoul have been investigated to find out the behaviour and the removal capability of uranium. The uranium concentrations were ranged $0.02{\sim}0.54{\mu}g/L$ in the Han River. The relationship between conductivity and total dissolved solids shows that uranium concentration is positively related with conductivity and total dissolved solids. In addition, it has been founded that there was no relevance between uranium concentration and geological structure, because most of the sampling area are Banded Gneiss. The average uranium concentration in six water treatment plants was determined to $0.134\;{\mu}g/L$ in raw water, $0.050\;{\mu}g/L$ in coagulated water, $0.029\;{\mu}g/L$ in settled water, $0.020\;{\mu}g/L$ in filtered water, $0.019\;{\mu}g/L$ in finished water. After filtration in the treatment process, uranium concentration level was maintained lower than $0.029\;{\mu}g/L$. The average uranium removal efficiency compared to the raw water was 63% after coagulation, 15% after sedimentation, 8% after filtration and disinfection. The analysis shows that 78% of uranium in the raw water was removed during coagulation and sedimentation processes. However, 8% of that was removed through filtration and chlorination processes.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 2014

Uranium can be released into the water environment from natural sources and human activities. The natural source of uranium is dominant in the Korean soil and groundwater environments. Uranium has both of radioactive and chemical toxic properties. Therefore, a drinking water contaminated with uranium has a high health risk. This study was conducted to determine the uranium concentration of water systems including small village drinking water system, groundwater for drinking water purpose, spring water, groundwater monitoring well, and emergency water suppling system. The uranium concentration was compared with domestic and other countries' standard. The contamination level was also evaluated on the basis of geological characteristics of the area. Among total 803 samples, 6 exceeded the Korean standard, $30{\mu}g/{\ell}$ and this was about 0.7% of the total sample. On the basis of geology, uranium concentration appeared to be increased in order of biotite granodiorite > biotite granite > gneissoid granite. The highest level of uranium was 12.4 in average.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.2867-2873
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• 2020

In reprocessed uranium, derived from an impoverished fuel of light-water moderated reactors, there are isotopes of ^{232, 234, 236}U, which make its recycling remarkably difficult. A method of concentration of ²³⁵U target isotope in cascade's additional product was proposed to recover the isotopic composition of reprocessed uranium. A general calculation procedure is presented and a parameters' optimization of multi-flow cascades with additional products. For the first time a numeric model of a cascade that uses the cuts of partial flows of stages with relatively high separation factors was applied in this procedure. A novel computing experiment is carried out on separation of reprocessed uranium hexafluoride with providing a high concentration of ²³⁵U in cascade's additional product with subsequent dilution. The parameters of cascades' stages are determined so as to allow reducing the ^{232, 234, 236}U isotope content up to the acceptable. It was demonstrated that the dilution of selected products by the natural waste makes it possible to receive a low enriched uranium hexafluoride that meets the ASTM C996-15 specification for commercial grade.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2013

The original pilot-scale electrokinetic equipment suitable to soil contamination characteristics of Korean nuclear facility sites was manufactured for the remediation of soil contaminated with uranium. During the experiment with the original electrokinetic equipment, many metal oxides were generated and were stuck on the cathode plate. The uranium removal capability of the original electrokinrtic equipment was almost exhausted because the cathode plate covered with metal oxides did not conduct electricity in the original electrokinetic equipment. Therefore, the original electrokinetic equipment was improved. After the remediation experience for 25 days using the improved electrokinetic remediation equipment, the removal efficiency of uranium from the soil was 96.8% and its residual uranium concentration was 0.81 Bq/g. When the initial uranium concentration of soil was about 50 Bq/g, the electrokinetic remediation time required to remediate the uranium concentration below clearance concentration of 1.0 Bq/g was about 34 days. When the initial uranium concentration of soil was about 75 Bq/g, the electrokinetic remediation time required to remediate below 1.0 Bq/g was about 42 days. When the initial uranium concentration of soil was about 100 Bq/g, the electrokinetic remediation time required to remediate below 1.0 Bq/g was about 49 days.