• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.12-20
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• 2008

Oil sands in Canada are representative example of unconventional resources whose reserve estimates are as large as those in Saudi Arabia. Typical reservoir rocks of oil sands consist of channel-related deposits formed in a tide-dominated depositional setting. The tidal deposits are commonly characterized by spatially complicated and heterogeneous properties. Successful engineering methods to develop oil sands require in-depth understanding in the spatial distribution of reservoir properties. Geological model for oil sand reservoir characterization can be built on the basis of comparative studies of ancient and modem analogues. In particular, modern analogue studies become increasingly indispensable, since they provide better understanding in the reservoir-rock forming process and more importantly in the external mechanism responsible for the reservoir heterogeneity. Tide-dominated environment along the west coast of Korea is considered as one of the most excellent modem analogues of oil-sand forming depositional environment. Korean tidal environment provides insights on the origin of mud breccia, facies and stratigraphic architecture which are key issues to the characterization of oil sand reservoirs.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2001

Enormous volumes of mining wastes from the abandoned and closed mines are disposed without a proper treatment in the upper Okdong River basin at Southeastern part of Kangwon Province. Erosion of these wastes contaminates soil, surface water, and sediments with heavy metals. Objectives of this research were to fractionate heavy metals in the mine tailing stored in the Sangdong Tungsten tailing dams and to assess the potential pollution index of each metal fraction. Tailing samples were collected from tailing dams at different depth and analyzed for physical and chemical properties. pH of tailings ranged from 7.3 to 7.9. Contents of total N and organic matter were in the ranges of 3.2~5.5%, and 1.3~9.1%, respectively. Heavy metals in the tailings were higher in the newly constructed tailing dam than those in the old dam. Total concentrations of metals in the tailings were in the orders of Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd, exceeded the corrective action level of the Soil Environment Conservation Law and higher than the natural abundance levels reported from uncontaminated soils. Relative distribution of heavy metal fractions was residual > organic > reducible > carbonate > adsorbed, reversing the degree of metal bioavailability. Mobile fractions of metals were relatively small compared to the total concentrations. Distribution of metals in the tailing dam profiles was metal specific. Concentrations of Cu at the surface of tailing dams were higher than those at the bottom. Pollution index (PI) values of each fraction of metals were ranged from 4.27 to 8.51 based on total concentrations. PI values of mobile fractions were lower than those of immobile fractions. Results on metal fractions and PI values of the tailing samples indicate that tailing samples were contaminated with heavy metals and had potential to cause a detrimental effects on soil and water environment in the lower part of the stream. A prompt countermeasure to prevent surface of tailings in the dams from water and wind erosions is urgently needed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.291-300
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• 2013

The potential mineral resources in North Korea are magnesite, limestone, coal, graphite, iron, gold, silver, lead, and zinc. North Korea is mainly exporting coal and iron to China(70%) and EU countries. Gold ore reserves(or resources) in North Korea are about 2,000 tons and annual production is 2 tons based on metal. Major gold mines are Sooan, Holdong, and Daeyoodong mines and six smelters are operating. Fe ore reserves (or resources) are 4.3 billion tons and annual production is about 5 million tons based on 63.5% Fe. Major iron mines are Moosan, Leewon, Eunryul, Shinwon, and Jaeryong and 7 smelters are operating. Pb and Zn ore reserves(or resources) are Pb 470,000 tons and Zn 15 million tons, and annual productions are about Pb 26,000 tons and Zn 50,000 tons based on metal respectively. Major Pb-Zn mines are Gumdock and Seongcheon mines. Magnesite ore reserves(or resources) are 2.8 billion tons (95% MgO) and annual production is about 150,000 tons. Major magnesite mines are Ryongyang, Daeheung Youth and Ssangryong mines, and 5 magnesium refractory factories are operating. Apatite ore reserves(or resources) are 340 million tons(30% $P_2O_5$) and annual production is about 300,000 tons(crude ore). Major apatite mines are Daedaeri, Dongam and Poongnyen mines. Coal is established as an important strategic fuel mineral resources and is a major energy source in North Korea. Coal ore reserves(or resources) are 18.6 billion tons and annual production is about 20 million tons. The main coal fields is located in southern Pyongan and the Jigdong mine is the biggest in North Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 2011

S-wave, which provides lithology and pore fluid information, plays a key role in estimating gas-hydrate saturation. In general, P- and S-wave velocities increase in the presence of gas-hydrate and the P-wave velocity decreases in the presence of free gas under the gas-hydrate layer. Whereas there are very small changes, even slightly increases, in the S-wave velocity in the free gas layer because S-wave is not affected by the pore fluid when propagating in the free gas layer. To verify those velocity properties of the BSR (bottom-simulating reflector) depth in the gas-hydrate prospect area in the Ulleung Basin, P- and S-wave velocity profiles were derived from multi-component ocean-bottom seismic data which were acquired by Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) in May 2009. OBS (ocean-bottom seismometer) hydrophone component data were modeled and inverted first through the traveltime inversion method to derive P-wave velocity and depth model of survey area. 2-D multichannel stacked data were incorporated as an initial model. Two horizontal geophone component data, then, were polarization filtered and rotated to make radial component section. Traveltimes of main S-wave events were picked and used for forward modeling incorporating Poisson's ratio. This modeling provides S-wave profiles and Poisson's ratio profiles at every OBS site. The results shows that P-wave velocities in most OBS sites decrease beneath the BSR, whereas S-wave velocities slightly increase. Consequently, Poisson's ratio decreased strongly beneath the BSR indicating the presence of a free gas layer under the BSR.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.241-259
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• 2022

In general, the REE were produced by mining conventional deposits, such as the carbonatite or the clay-hosted REE deposits. However, because of the recent demand increase for REE in modern industries, unconventional REE deposits emerged as a necessary research topic. Among the unconventional REE recovery methods, the REE-bearing coal deposits are recently receiving attentions. R-types generally have detrital originations from the bauxite deposits, and show LREE enriched REE patterns. Tuffaceous-types are formed by syngenetic volcanic activities and following input of volcanic ash into the basin. This type shows specific occurrence of the detrital volcanic ash-driven minerals and the authigenic phosphorous minerals focused at narrow horizon between coal seams and tonstein layers. REE patterns of tuffaceous-types show flat shape in general. Hydrothermal-types can be formed by epigenetic inflow of REE originated from granitic intrusions. Occurrence of the authigenic halogen-bearing phosphorous minerals and the water-bearing minerals are the specific characteristics of this type. They generally show HREE enriched REE patterns. Each type of REE-bearing coal deposits may occur by independent genesis, but most of REE-bearing coal deposits with high REE concentrations have multiple genesis. For the case of the US, the rare earth oxides (REO) with high purity has been produced from REE-bearing coals and their byproducts in pilot plants from 2018. Their goal is to supply about 7% of national REE demand. For the coal deposits in Korea, lignite layers found in Gyungju-Yeongil coal fields shows coexistence of tuff layers and coal seams. They are also based in Tertiary basins, and low affection from compaction and coalification might resulted into high-REE tuffaceous-type coal deposits. Thus, detailed geologic researches and explorations for domestic coal deposits are required.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.321-327
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• 2006

In Korea, there is a growing competitive for water resources between industrial, domestic and agricultural consumer, and the environment as many other OECD countries. The demand on water use is also affecting aquatic ecosystems particularly where withdrawals are in excess of minimum environmental needs for rivers, lakes and wetland habits. OECD developed three indicators related to water use by the agriculture in above contexts : the first is a water use intensity indicator, which is expressed as the quantity or share of agricultural water use in total national water utilization; the second is a water stress indicator, which is expressed as the proportion of rivers (in length) subject to diversion or regulation for irrigation without reserving a minimum of limiting reference flow; and the third is a water use efficiency indicator designated as the technical and the economic efficiency. These indicators have different meanings in the aspect of water resource conservation and sustainable water use. So, it will be more significant that the indicators should reflect the intrinsic meanings of them. The problem is that the aspect of an overall water flow in the agro-ecosystem and recycling of water use not considered in the assessment of agricultural water use needed for calculation of these water use indicators. Namely, regional or meteorological characteristics and site-specific farming practices were not considered in the calculation of these indicators. In this paper, we tried to calculate water use indicators suggested in OECD and to modify some other indicators considering our situation because water use pattern and water cycling in Korea where paddy rice farming is dominant in the monsoon region are quite different from those of semi-arid regions. In the calculation of water use intensity, we excluded the amount of water restored through the ground from the total agricultural water use because a large amount of water supplied to the farm was discharged into the stream or the ground water. The resultant water use intensity was 22.9% in 2001. As for water stress indicator, Korea has not defined nor monitored reference levels of minimum flow rate for rivers subject to diversion of water for irrigation. So, we calculated the water stress indicator in a different way from OECD method. The water stress indicator was calculated using data on the degree of water storage in agricultural water reservoirs because 87% of water for irrigation was taken from the agricultural water reservoirs. Water use technical efficiency was calculated as the reverse of the ratio of irrigation water to a standard water requirement of the paddy rice. The efficiency in 2001 was better than in 1990 and 1998. As for the economic efficiency for water use, we think that there are a lot of things to be taken into considerations to make a useful indicator to reflect socio-economic values of agricultural products resulted from the water use. Conclusively, site-specific, regional or meteorogical characteristics as in Korea were not considered in the calculation of water use indicators by methods suggested in OECD(Volume 3, 2001). So, it is needed to develop a new indicators for the indicators to be more widely applicable in the world.