• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.281-292
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• 2024

North Korea relies heavily on coal as the primary energy source, playing an important role in all energy demand sectors except for the transportation sector. Approximately half of the total electricity is generated through coal-fired power plants, and coal is used to produce heat and power for all industrial facilities. Furthermore, coal has been a significant contributor to earning foreign currency through long-term exports to China. Nevertheless, since the 1980s, indiscriminate mining activities have led to rapid depletion of coal production in most coal mines. Aging mine facilities, lack of investment in new equipment, shortages of fuel and electricity, difficulties in material supply, and frequent damage from flooding have collectively contributed to a noticeable decline in coal production since the late 1980s. North Korea's coal deposits are distributed in various geological formations from the Proterozoic to the Cenozoic, but the most critical coal-bearing formations are Ripsok and Sadong formations distributed in the Pyeongnam Basin of the Late Paleozoic from Carboniferous to Permian, which are called as Pyeongnam North and South Coal Fields. Over 90% of North Korea's coal is produced in these coal fields. The classification of coal in North Korea differs from the international classification based on coalification (peat, lignite, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, and anthracite). North Korean classification based on industrial aspect is classified into bituminous coal, anthracite, and low-grade coal (Chomuyeontan). Based on the energy factor, it is classified into high-calorie coal, medium calorie coal, and low-calorie coal. In North Korea, the term "Chomuyeontan" refers to a type of coal that is not classified globally and is unique to North Korea. It is a low-grade coal exclusively used in North Korea and is not found or used in any other country worldwide. This article compares North Korea's coal classification and the international coal classification of coal and provides insights into the geological characteristics, reserves, utilization, and research trends of North Korean coal resources. This study could serve as a guide for preparing scientific and industrial agendas related to coal collaboration between North Korea and South Korea.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.449-468
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• 2000

The Ordovician Chongson Limestone deposited in the carbonate ramp to the rimmed shelf shows diverse diagenetic features. The marine diagenetic feature appears as isopachous cements surrounding ooids and peloids. Meteoric diagenetic features are recrystallized finely and coarsely crystalline calcite, evaporite casts filled with calcite, and isopachous sparry calcite surrounding ooid grains. Shallow burial diagenetic features include wispy seam, microstylolite, and dissolution seam whereas deep burial features include stylolite, burial cements. blocky calcite with twin lamellae, and poikilotopic calcite. Dolomites consist of very finely to finely crystalline mosaic dolomite formed as supratidal dolomite, disseminated dolomite of diverse origin, patchy dolomite formed from bioturbated mottles, and saddle dolomite of burial origin. Silicified features include calcite-replacing quartz and fracture-filling megaquartz. Burial cements characterized by poikilotopic texture show ${\delta}^{18}$O value of -10.4 %$_o$ PDB, ${\delta}^{13}$C value of -1.0%$_o$ PDB and 504ppm Sr, 3643ppm Fe, and 152ppm Mn concentrations. Finely and coarsely crystalline limestones show similar ${\delta}^{18}$O and ${\delta}^{13}$C value to those of burial cements; however, they show lower Sr and higher Fe and Mn concentrations than burial cements. This suggests that very finely and coarsely crystalline limestones were recrystallized in freshwater and then they were readjusted geochemically in the burial setting whereas the burial cements were formed in relatively high temperature and low water/rock ratio conditions. Very finely and finely crystalline mosaic dolomites with ${\delta}^{18}$O value of -8.2%$_o$ PDB, ${\delta}^{13}$C value of -1.9 %$_o$ PDB, and 213ppm Sr, 3654ppm Fe, and 114ppm Mn concentrations, respectively are interpreted to have been formed penecontemporaneously in supratidal flat and then recrystallized in the low water/rock ratio burial environment. Geochemical data suggest that the low water/rock ratio burial environment was the dominant diagenetic setting in the Chongson Limestone. The Chongson Limestone has experienced marine and meteoric diagenesis during early diagenesis. With deposition of Haengmae and Hoedongri formations part of the Chongson Limestone was buried beneath these formations and it experienced shallow burial diagenesis. During the Devonian the Chongson Limestone was tectonically deformed and subaerially exposed. During the Carboniferous to the Permian about 3.3km thick Pyongan Supergroup was deposited on the Chongson Limestone and the Chongson Limestone was in deep burial depths and stylolite, burial cements, blocky calcite and saddle dolomite were formed. After this burial event the Chongson Limestone was subaerially exposed during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic by three periods of tectonic disturbance including Songnim, Daebo and Bulguksa disturbance. Since the Bulguksa disturbance during Cretaceous and early Tertiary the Chongson Limestone has been subaerially exposed.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.107-120
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• 2021

The Komdok Pb-Zn deposit, which is the largest Pb-Zn deposit in Korea, is located at the Hyesan-Riwon metallogenic zone in Jiao Liao Ji belt included Paleoproterozoic Macheolryeong group. The geology of this deposit consists of Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks, Jurassic Mantapsan intrusive rocks and Cenozoic basalt. The Komdok deposit which is a SEDEX type deposit occurs as layer ore and vein ore in the Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks. Based on mineral petrography and paragenesis, dolomites from this deposit are classified four types (1. dolomite (D₀) as hostrock, 2. early dolomite (D₁) associated with tremolite, actinolite, diopside, sphalerite and galena from amphibolite facies, 3. late dolomite (D₂) associated with talc, calcite, quartz, sphalerite and galena from amphibolite facies, 4. dolomite (D₃) associated with white mica, chlorite, sphalerite and galena from quartz vein). The structural formulars of dolomites are determined to be Ca_1.00-1.20Mg_0.80-0.99Fe_0.00-0.01Zn_0.00-0.02(CO₃)₂(D₀), Ca_1.00-1.02M_0.97-0.99Fe_0.00-0.01Zn_0.00-0.02(CO₃)₂(D₁), Ca_0.99-1.03Mg_0.93-0.98Fe_0.01-0.05Mn_0.00-0.01As_0.00-0.01(CO₃)₂(D₂) and Ca_0.95-1.04Mg_0.59-0.68Fe_0.30-0.36Mn_0.00-0.01 (CO₃)₂(D₃), respectively. It means that dolomites from Komdok deposit have higher content of trace elements (FeO, MnO, HfO₂, ZnO, PbO, Sb₂O₅ and As₂O₅) compared to the theoretical composition of dolomite. These trace elements (FeO, MnO, ZnO, Sb₂O₅ and As₂O₅) show increase and decrease trend according to paragenetic sequence, but HfO₂ and PbO elements no show increase and decrease trend according to paragenetic sequence. Dolomites correspond to Ferroan dolomite (D₀, D₁ and D₂), and Ferroan dolomite and ankerite (D₃), respectively. Therefore, 1) dolomite (D₀) as hostrock was formed by subsequent diagenesis after sedimentation of Paleoproterozoic (2012~1700 Ma) silica-bearing dolomite in the marine evaporative environment. 2) Early dolomite (D₁) was formed by hydrothermal metasomatism origined metamorphism (amphibolite facies) associated with intrusion (1890~1680 Ma) of Paleoproterozoic Riwon complex. 3) Late dolomte (D₂) was formed from residual fluid by a decrease of temperature and pressure. and dolomite (D₃) in quartz vein was formed by intrusion (213~181 Ma) of Jurassic Mantapsan intrusive rocks.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.73-87
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• 1975

Regional unconformities have been used as boundaries of major stratigraphic units in Korea. The term "synthem" has already been propsed for formal unconformity-bounded stratigraphic units of maximum magnitude (ISSC, 1974). The unconformity-based classification of the strata in the cratonic area in Korea comprises in ascending order the Kyerim, $Sangw{\check{o}}n$, $Jos{\check{o}}n$, $Py{\check{o}}ngan$, Daedong, and $Ky{\check{o}}ngsang$ Synthems, and the Cenozoic Erathem. The unconformites separating them from each other are either orogenic or epeirogenic (and vertical tectonic). The sub-$Sangw{\check{o}}n$ unconformity is a non-conformity above the basement complex in Korea. The unconformities between the $Sangw{\check{o}}n$, $Jos{\check{o}}n$, and $Py{\check{o}}ngan$ Synthems are disconformities denoting late Precambrian and Paleozoic crustal quiescence in Korea. The unconformities between the $Py{\check{o}}ngan$, Daedong, and $Ky{\check{o}}ngsang$ Synthems are angular unconformities representing Mesozoic orogenies. The bounding unconformities of the $Ky{\check{o}}ngsang$ Synthem involve non-conformable parts overlying the Jurassic and late Cretaceous granitic rocks.