• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.729-744
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• 2023

The value of lithium has significantly increased due to the rising demand for electric cars and batteries. Lithium is primarily found in pegmatites, hydrothermally altered tuffaceous clays, and continental brines. Globally, groundwater-fed salt lakes and oil field brines are attracting attention as major sources of lithium in continental brines, accounting for about 70% of global lithium production. Recently, deep groundwater, especially geothermal water, is also studied for a potential source of lithium. Lithium concentrations in deep groundwater can increase through substantial water-rock reaction and mixing with brines. For the exploration of lithim in deep groundwater, it is important to understand its origin and behavior. Therefore, based on a nationwide preliminary study on the hydrogeochemical characteristics and evolution of thermal groundwater in South Korea, this study aims to investigate the distribution of lithium in the deep groundwater environment and understand the geochemical factors that affect its concentration. A total of 555 thermal groundwater samples were classified into five hydrochemical types showing distinct hydrogeochemical evolution. To investigate the enrichment mechanism, samples (n = 56) with lithium concentrations exceeding the 90th percentile (0.94 mg/L) were studied in detail. Lithium concentrations varied depending upon the type, with Na(Ca)-Cl type being the highest, followed by Ca(Na)-SO₄ type and low-pH Ca(Na)-HCO₃ type. In the Ca(Na)-Cl type, lithium enrichment is due to reverse cation exchange due to seawater intrusion. The enrichment of dissolved lithium in the Ca(Na)-SO₄ type groundwater occurring in Cretaceous volcanic sedimentary basins is related to the occurrence of hydrothermally altered clay minerals and volcanic activities, while enriched lithium in the low-pH Ca(Na)-HCO₃ type groundwater is due to enhanced weathering of basement rocks by ascending deep CO₂. This reconnaissance geochemical study provides valuable insights into hydrogeochemical evolution and economic lithium exploration in deep geologic environments.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.209-217
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to confirm the dissolution of arsenic from the stabilized soil around abandoned coal mines by cultivation activities. Experimental soils were collected from the agricultural field around Okdong and Buguk coal mines, and the concentration of arsenic in the soil and the geochemical mobility were confirmed. The average arsenic concentration was 20 mg/kg. The soil with relatively high geochemical mobility of arsenic in the soil was used in the batch and column experiment. The limestone was mixed with soil for soil stabilization, and the mixing ratio was 3% of limestone, based on the soil weight. The phosphoric acid fertilizer (NH₄H₂PO₄) was added to the soil to simulate a cultivation condition according to the Rural Development Administration's rules. Comparative soil without mixing limestone was prepared and used as a control group. The arsenic extraction from soil was increased following the fertilizer mixing amount and it shows a positive relationship. The concentration of phosphate in the supernatant was relatively low under the condition of mixing limestone, which is determined to be result of binding precipitation of phosphate ions and calcium ions dissolved in limestone. Columns were set to mix phosphoric acid fertilizers and limestone corresponding to cultivation and stabilization conditions, and then the column test was conducted. The variations of arsenic extraction from the soil indicated that the stabilization was effectible until 10 P.V.; however, the stabilization effect of limestone decreased with time. Moreover, the geochemical mobility of arsenic has transformed by increasing the mobile fractions in soil compared to initial soil. Therefore, based on the arsenic extraction results, the cultivation activities using phosphoric fertilizer could induce a decrease in the stabilization effect.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.299-316
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• 2009

The Goryeo roof tiles from the Oegol site in Tangjeong, Asan are classified into three groups in color such as gray, red yellow and gray-yellow groups, respectively. While each group of tiles shows characteristic specific gravity, absorption ratio, LOI and vitrification degree, mineral content and distribution, and chemical composition are generally homogeneous among all groups of roof tiles. Also, all roof tiles and soils from the site show similar geochemical behavior of elements and clay-mineralization degree. This indicates that the soil from the site is probable to be a raw material of the roof tiles. Firing temperature of the roof tiles is estimated as 950 to $1,050^{\circ}C$ for the gray group, 800 to $900^{\circ}C$ for the red yellow group, and 900 to $950^{\circ}C$ for the gray-yellow group. In conclusion, roof tiles from the Oegol site is interpreted to be made of local clay without additive minerals, applying various firing conditions and standardized purifying process of raw clay materials.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.299-308
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• 2021

Fe(II) released from mining activities is precipitated as various Fe(III)-oxyhydroxides when exposed to an oxidizing environment including mine drainage. Ferrihydrite, one of the representative precipitated Fe(III) minerals, is easy to adsorb heavy metals and other pollutants due to the large specific surface area caused by very low crystallinity. Ferrihydrite is transformed to thermodynamically more stable goethite in the natural environment. Hence, information on the transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite and the related mobility of heavy metals in the acid mine drainage is important to predict the behaviors of those elements during ferrihydrite to goethite transition. The behaviors of heavy metals during the transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite were investigated for core samples collected from an AMD treatment system in the Heungjin-Taemaek coal mine by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis, and statistical analysis. XRD results showed that ferrihydrite gradually transformed to goethite from the top to the bottom of the core samples. Chemical analysis showed that the relative concentration of As was significantly high in the core samples compared with that in the drainage, indicating that As was likely to be adsorbed strongly on or coprecipitated with iron oxyhydroxide. Correlation analysis also indicated that As can be easily removed from mine drainage during iron mineral precipitation due to its high affinity to Fe. The concentration ratio of As, Cd, Co, Ni, and Zn to Fe generally decreased with depth in the core samples, suggesting that mineral transformation can increase those concentrations in the drainage. In contrast, the concentration ratio of Cr to Fe increased with depth, which can be explained by the chemical bond of iron oxide and chromate, and surface charge of ferrihydrite and goethite.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.669-679
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• 2022

Lithium-ion battery has been used for lots of electronic devices. With the popularization of batteries, researchers have focused on batteries' electrochemical performances by environmental conditions, such as temperature, vibration, shock and charging state. Meanwhile, due to very serious global warming, car companies have started using lithium-ion batteries even in cars, replacing internal combustion engines. However, batteries have been developed based on non-moving systems which is totally different from vehicles. In the line of the differences, researchers have tried to reveal relationship between variables from dynamic systems and batteries. In this review, we discuss the comprehensive effect of vibration and shock on batteries. We firstly summarize vibration profiles and effect of normal vibration on batteries. We also sum up effect of shock and penetration on batteries and introduce how ultrasound influences on batteries. Lastly, outlook for the battery design as well as dynamic design of EVs are discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.199-211
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• 1997

As a part of study on geological disposal of radioactive waste, hydrogeochemical characteristics of deep granitic groundwater in Korea were investigated through the construction of a large geochemical dataset of natural water, the examination on the behaviour of dissolved constituents, and the consideration of phase stability based on thermodynamic approach. In granitic region, the contents of total dissolved solids increase progressively from surface waters to deep groundwaters, which indicates the presence of more concentrated waters at depth due to water-rock interaction. The chemical composition of groundwater evolves from initial $Ca^{2＋}$－(C $l^{－}$＋S $O_4$$^{2-}$) or $Ca^{2＋}$-HC $O_3$$^{－}$ type to final N $a^{＋}$-HC $O_3$$^{－}$ or N $a^{＋}$－(C $l^{－}$＋S $O_4$$^{2-}$) type, via $Ca^{2＋}$-HC $O_3$$^{－}$ type. Three main mechanisms seem to control the chemical composition of groundwater in the granitic region; 1) congruent dissolution of calcite at shallower depth, 2) calcite precipitation and incongruent dissolution of plagioclase at deeper depth, and 3) kaolinite-smectite or/and kaolinite-illite reaction at equilibrium at deeper depth. The behaviour of dissolved major cations (C $a^{2＋}$, $K^{＋}$, $Mg^{2＋}$, M $a^{＋}$) and silica is likely to be controlled by these reactions.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.93-104
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• 2013

Daejiguksaptapbi (Tapbi) is a memorial stele which is inscribed with personal history of a state preceptor, Daejiguksa Beopkyeong. The Tapbi comprises tortoise-shaped pedestal, dragon top and body stone, and the body stone is remained in 255 pieces by excavation in Samcheonsaji temple site of Seoul. The Tapbi is composed of tuffaceous breccia for the body, coarse-grained pink feldspar granite for the pedestal and fine-grained granite for the top. As a result of geological survey to find a rock provenance of the Tapbi rock, the tuffaceous breccia is found in the banks of Gangwha straits, and the pink feldspar granite and fine-grained granite are found around the temple site in Mt. Bukhansan. Each rock shows similarities to the Tapbi in lithology and mineralogy. Also, geochemical data of major, some trace and rare earth elements verify their cognation in each rock type. It can be interpreted that the provenance of the body stone is distant as Gangwha area, and the provenance of the pedestal and top stones are near the temple site. The results can be utilized to restore the Tapbi by using the same rocks.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.201-215
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• 2023

In the stone-lined tombs from Cheongyang Rokpyeong-ri site, several stone-lined tombs corresponding to the Three Kingdoms Period, Unified Silla Period and Goryeo Dynasty were excavated. In this study, the stone properties of petrological, mineralogical and geochemical characteristics from 15 stone-lined tombs were analyzed, the rock species and occupation rate were reviewed, also the provenance area was interpreted. There are five types of rocks used as members of the tombs, including black sandstone, greywacke, slate, conglomerate and gneiss. As a result of magnetic susceptibilities, the rocks of the tombs and presumed provenance are all shown in the same range, and the similarity between the tombs and the source area is high in geochemical behavior characteristics. The stone properties of the tombs are the same as the presumed provenance rocks and is distributed within a 500m around the bedrock of the tombs in the excavation site, so it seems that self-sufficiency was possible on the site without a special procurement system. These stones are interpreted to have been constructed through some trimming without any special technique, but some stone tombs have been confirmed to used homogeneous black sandstone at the bottom of the tombs, so it is believed that there were artificial selection of stones.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.497-510
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• 2010

Considering to the geochemical behaviors and environmental changes of bottom sediments in streams, Gwangju metropolitan city, this study focuses to analyses on grain sizes, metal elements and organic carbons in sediment samples from Yeongsan and Hwangryong rivers, and Gwangju stream. In the sediments, contents of Cu, Zn, Pb, P and TOC were highly variable, in the case of Gwangju stream particularly. Yenogsan and Hwangryong rivers are influenced by grain sizes and surrounding geological settings and Gwangju stream is connected to organic matters related to life fouls and so forth, with respect to the geochemical behaviorof bottom sediments. Li, Zn, Pb and Cu were enriched in Yeongsan and Hwangryong rivers and Li, Cu, Zn, Pb and P enriched in Gwangju stream, respectively. In the heavy metal contamination of above drainages, the site mutually connected Seobang(GJ 4) with Donggye(GJ 7) streams shows the highest values, in peculiar. It is inferred that those contamination values are mainly related with urban foul waters in the city.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.65-73
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• 2015

The hydrofluoric acid (HF) leakage accident occurred on September 2012 in Gumi, Korea affected the surrounding soils and plants. In this study, we investigated fluoride migration in Gumi area through geochemical properties of soil-liquid phase (pore water F and water-soluble F). The concentrations of porewater F and water-soluble F were obtained from N.D (Not detected) to 9.79 mg/L and from 0.001 to 21.4 mg/L, respectively. F in pore water seemed to be affected by artificial and natural origin, and PHREEQC results implied that fluorite is F control factor. F concentrations of soil and soil-liquid phase did not exceed concern level of regulatory criteria and showed similar trends compared by previous studies. Therefore, F contents remained in the soil and soil-liquid phase were considered to be not affected by HF leakage accident.