• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.449-457
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• 2019

We present the K-Ar age-dating results of the bulk and the less than $0.1{\mu}m$ fraction of the fault gouges collected from some major faults in the Gyeongsang basin. We try to determine the timings of fault activation based on the mineralogical characteristics, and to interpret the spatio-temporal variability of the major fault events during the Cenozoic Era by considering together with the previous results. We propose at least the 3-times of major fault events at about 50 Ma, and just after 30 Ma and 20 Ma in the Gyeongsang basin, which were inferred from the combined approach of the K-Ar ages and the clay mineralogy of the bulk fault gouges and the <$0.1{\mu}m$ fractions. The fault activation timings of the Yangsan fault tend to be younger in the northern part than in the southern part. In particular, the inferred fault events just after 30 Ma and 20 Ma are mainly detected in the Ocheon fault and the related faults, and the fault in the Gyeongju area. The fault activation timings of the major faults can be revised accurately by using illite-age-analysis(IAA) method. These geochronological determinations of the multiple events of the major faults in the Gyeongsang basin are crucial to establish the tectonic evolution in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula during the Cenozoic Era.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.183-197
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• 2022

Geochemical data, including Sr-Nd-Pb-Mg-Zn isotopes, reported on the late Cenozoic intraplate basaltic rocks in the Korean Peninsula (Mt. Baekdu, Jeongok, Baengnyeong Island, Pyeongtaek, Asan, Ganseong, Ulleung Island, Dok Island, and Jeju Island) are summarized to constrain their mantle source lithologies, and the nature of mantle end-members required. In the Sr-Nd isotope correlation diagram, Jeju basalts plot in the field of EM2-type oceanic island basalts (OIB), while the other basalts fall in the EM1-type OIB field. In Pb-Pb isotope space, Jeju basalts show a mixing array between Indian MORB and EM2 component, whereas the other basalts display an array with EM1 component. The Korean basalts were derived from a hybrid source of garnet lherzolite and recycled stagnant slab materials (eclogite/pyroxenite, pelagic sediments, carbonates) in the mantle transition zone. The EM1 component could be ancient (~2.0 Ga) K-hollandite-bearing pelagic sediments that were isolated for a long period in the mantle transition zone due to their neutral buoyancy. The EM2 component might have been relatively young (probably Pacific slab) and recently recycled clay-rich pelagic sediments. Eclogite and carbonates are unlikely to account for the EM components, but they are common in the mantle source of the Korean basalts.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.799-816
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• 2023

Mineralogical and geochemical studies of shales within the Lower Anambra Basin was conducted to unravel the depositional environment, provenance, maturity, paleo-weathering conditions, and tectonic settings. Mineralogical studies conducted using X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the samples were composed of kaolinite, montmorillonite, chlorite, and illite. KaolinIite is the dominant mineral, constituting approximately 41.5% of the bulk composition, whereas the non-clay minerals are quartz, ilmenite, and sillimanite. Geochemical analysis showed a predominance of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Fe₂O₃ contents of the shale samples with mean values of 52.29%, 14.09%, and 6.15% for Imo Shale (IS); 52.31%, 16.70%, and 7.39% for Mamu Shale (MS); 43.21%, 21.33%, and 10.36% for Enugu Shale (ES); 53.35%, 15.64%, and 7.17% for Nkporo Shale (NS); and 51.24%, 17.25%, and 7.78% for Agwu Shale (AS). However, the shales were depleted in Na₂O, MgO, K₂O, MnO, TiO₂, CaO, and P₂O₅. The trace element ratios of Ni/Co and Cu/Zn of the shale suggest an oxic depositional environment. The average SiO₂ vs. Al₂O₃ ratio of the shales indicated textural maturity. Compared to the PAAS standard, the shales plot below the PAAS value of 0.85, suggesting a high degree of maturity and intensive chemical weathering, further confirmed on a CIA vs. PIA plot. On log (K₂O/Na₂O) against SiO₂ and tectonic setting discriminant function diagrams, the shales plot mostly in the field of passive continental margin tectonic setting. The discriminant function diagrams as well as Al₂O₃/TiO₂ ratio of the shales showed that they were derived from a mixed source (mafic and intermediate igneous rocks).

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.491-508
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• 2002

While about 80% of Jeju soils are classified as Andisols, the soils derived from volcanic ash in Dangsanbong are not Andisols. There is a significant difference of precipitation in localities of Jeju island. The study area is characterized by the lowest amount of annual rainfall in Jeju Island, and by the layered silicates as dominant solid phase in clay fraction. The purpose of this study was to characterize the mineralogy of the non-Andie soils in detail, especially hydroxy-interlayered silicates. Two major soil horizons are recognized in the soil profile developed in the Dangsanbong area, which can be designated as A and C. The soil pH($H_{2}0$), ranges from 6.6 to 7.3 increasing with depth, is higher than that of typical Andisols(pH<6.0). While the pH(NaF), ranges from 9.49 to 9.81, indicates that significant amount of amorphous phases might be present as exchanging complexes. It is estimated to about 1.542.88 wt% by using chemical selective dissolution. The organic content of surface horizon is about 2 wt%. This soil are composed of quartz, feldspar and olivine as major constituents with minor of silicate clays. Quartz is frequently observed in A and distinctly decreases in its amount with depth, while olivine is dominant phase in C and rarely observed in A. In the <0.2$\mu\textrm{m}$ size fraction, smectite and kaolinite/smectite interstratification are dominant with minor of illite. The amounts of smectite decrease with depth, while the amounts of kaolinite/smecite interstratification increase with depth, which indicates the trend of mineral transformation with increasing the degree of weathering. The proportion of kaolinite in kaolinite/smectite interstratification is about 85%, and is not changed significantly through the profile. In the 2-0.2$\mu\textrm{m}$size fraction, vermiculite, smectite, illite and kaolinite are major components with minor of chlorite. Most of chlorite are interstratified with smectite. Chlorite which is not interstratified with smectite occurs only in surface horizon. The proportion of the chlorite in the chlorite/smectite interstratification is 59-70(%) and increases with depth. Hydroxy-interlayered vermiculite(HIV) with hydroxy-Fe/AI in their interlayers occurs in both A and C horizon. The amounts of hydroxy-Fe/AI decrease with depth. Hydroxy-interlayered smectite(HIS) of which interlayers might be composed of hydroxy-Mg/Al occurs only in C horizon. As the results of mineralogical investigation for the soil profile in the study area, clay minerals might be changed and evolved through the following weathering sequences: 1) Smectite Kaolinite, HIS, Vermiculite, 2) Vermiculite HIV Chlorite.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2002

XRF, XRD, EPMA have been used to investigate microstructures and mineralogical changes caused by the faulting and fluids associated with faulting in the Quaternary fault gouge zones at the Sangchon, Ipsil and Wangsan faults located at the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula. The chemical compositions of faulted rocks and protoliths analyzed by XRF show that the fault gouges are relatively enriched in TiO$_2$, P$_2$O$_{5}$, MgO, and Fe$_2$O$_3$) compared with protoliths, indicating that the fluids associated with faulting were highly activated. XRD results show that the fault gouges predominantly consist of quartz, feldspar, calcite and clay minerals. Clay minerals formed in the gouge zones are mainly composed of smectite characterized by a dioctahedral sheet. Based on EPMA analyses various kinds of sulfide, carbonate, phosphate minerals were identified in the gouge zones and protoliths. Xenotime of grey fault gouge of the Sangchon fault and sulfide minerals of contact andesitic rock of Ipsil fault and contact grey andesitic rock of Wangsan fault were probably formed by inflow of hydrothermal solution associated with faulting prior to the Quaternary. Carbonate minerals of contact andesitic rock and gouge zone of the Ipsil fault were formed by inflow of fluid associated with faulting prior to the Quaternary. They are heavily fractured and have reaction rim on their edge, indicating that faultings and inflow of fluids were highly activated after carbonate minerals were formed. Calcites of Wangsan fault seemed to be formed in syntectonic or posttectonic Quaternary faulting.g.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2021

In the Arctic Ocean, the distribution of sea ice and ice sheets changes as climate changes. Because the distribution of ice cover influences the mineral composition of marine sediments, studying marine sediments transported by sea ice or iceberg is very important to understand the global climate change. This study analyzes marine sediment samples collected from the Arctic Ocean and infers the provenance of the sediments to reconstruct the paleoenvironment changes of the western Arctic. The analyzed samples include four gravity cores collected from the Araon mound in the Chukchi Plateau and one gravity core collected from the slope between the Araon mounds. The core sediments were brown, gray, and greenish gray, each of which corresponds to the characteristic color of sediments deposited during the interglacial/glacial cycle in the western Arctic Ocean. We divide the core sediments into three units based on the analysis of bulk mineral composition, clay mineral composition, and Ice Rafted Debris (IRD) as well as comparison with previous study results. Unit 3 sediments, deposited during the last glacial maximum, were transported by sea ice and currents after the sediments of the Kolyma and Indigirka Rivers were deposited on the continental shelf of the East Siberian Sea. Unit 2 sediments, deposited during the deglacial period, were from the Kolyma and Indigirka Rivers flowing into the East Siberian Sea as well as from the Mackenzie River and the Canadian Archipelago flowing into the Beaufort Sea. Unit 2 sediments also contained an extensive amount of IRD, which originated from the melted Laurentide Ice Sheet. During the interglacial stage, fine-grained sediments of Unit 1 were transported by sea ice and currents from Northern Canada and the East Siberian Sea, but coarse-grained sediments were derived by sea ice from the Canadian Archipelago.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2022

The Arctic Ocean is very sensitive to global warming and Arctic Ocean sediments provide a records of terrestrial climate change, analyzing their composition helps clarify global warming. The gravity core sediment ARA07C-St02B was collected at the East Siberian margin during an Arctic expedition in 2016 on the Korean ice-breaking vessel ARAON, and its provenance was estimated through sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical analysis. The core sediment was divided into four units based on sediment color, sand content and ice-rafted debris content. Units 1 and 3 had higher sand and ice-rafted debris contents than units 2 and 4, and contained a brown layer, whereas units 2 and 4 were mainly composed of a gray layer. Correlation analysis using the adjacent core sediment ARA03B-27 suggested that the sediment units were deposited during marine isotope stage 1 to 4. The bulk mineral, clay mineral, and geochemical compositions of units including a brown layer differed from units including a gray layer. Bulk and clay mineral compositions indicated that coarse and fine sediments had a different origin. Coarse sediments might have been deposited mostly by the East Siberian Coastal Current from the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea or by the Beaufort Gyre from the Chukchi Sea, whereas fine sediments might have been transpoted mostly by currents from the East Siberian Sea, the Chukchi Sea and the Beaufort Sea. Some of the coarse sediments in unit 1 and fine sediments in unit 3 might have been deposited by iceberg ice, sea ice or current from the Beaufort Sea and the Canada Archipelago. Investigating the geochemical composition of the potential origins will elucidate the origin and transportation of the study area's core sediments.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.119-134
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• 2003

Yuksipryeong two-mica granite presents strongly peraluminous characteristics in both mineralogy and geochemistry. It has high aluminum saturation index with 1.15∼l.20 and high corundum with 2.20∼2.98 wt% CIPW norm. As the color index is <16% and FeO$\^$T/+ MgO + TiO$_2$is average 1.9 wt％, it corresponds to leucogranite. Yuksipryeong two-mica leucogranite shows negative linear trend for TiO$_2$, Al$_2$O$_3$, FeO, Fe$_2$O$_3$, MgO, CaO, K$_2$O, P$_2$O$\_$5/, Rb, Ba, and Sr as SiO$_2$increases, and the positive relation of Zr and Th, which result from feldspar, biotite, apatite and zircon fractionation. Pegmatitic dike has higher SiO$_2$and P$_2$O$\_$5/, but lower another major elements. Yuksipryeong two-mica leucogranite has lower Rb, but higher Ba and Sr than Manaslu, Hercynian two-mica leucogranites, and S-type granites in Lachlan Fold Belt. Pegmatitic dike has higher Rb and Nb but lower Ba, Sr, Zr, Th, and Pb contents than Yuksipryeong two-mica leucogranite, resulting in removing or mobilizing for some trace elements from the granitic melt. Yuksipryeong two-mica leucogranite has total REEs with 95.7∼l23.3 ppm, and chondrite-normalized REE pattern is very steep ((La/Yb)$\_$N/ = 6.9∼24.8), light REEs (LREEs)-enriched End heavy REEs (HREEs)- depleted pattern with low to moderate Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu＊= 0.7∼0.9). While pegmatitic dike has low total REEs with 7.0 ppm, and chondrite-normalized REE pattern is flat-pattern ((La/Yb)$\_$N/ = 2.1) with strong negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu＊= 0.2). The melt compositions having formed two-mica leucogranites depend on not only the source rock but also the amounts of the residual remaining after melting of source rocks. The CaO/Na$_2$O and Rb/Sr-Rb/Ba ratios depend mainly on the composition of source rocks in the strongly peraluminous granite, that is, plagioclase/clay ratio of the source rocks. Yuksipryeong two-mica leucogranite has higher CaO/Na$_2$O and lower Rb/Sr-Rb/Ba ratios than Manaslu and Hercynian two-mica leucogranites (Millevaches and Gueret) derived from clay-rich, plagioclase-poor (polite), which suggest that the probable source rocks for Yuksipryeong two-mica leucogranite is clay-poor, plagioclase-rich quartzofeldspathic rocks. As the concentrations of Al$_2$O$_3$remain nearly constant but those of TiO$_2$increases as increasing temperature in the strong peraluminous melt, the Al$_2$O$_3$/TiO$_2$ratio may reflect relative temperature at which the melts have formed. Comparing the polite-derived Manaslu and Hercynian two- mica leucogranites, Manaslu two-mica leucogranite has higher Al$_2$O$_3$/TiO$_2$ratio than latter, and its melt have formed at relatively lower temperature ($\leq$ 875$^{\circ}C$) than Hercynian two-mica leucogranites. Likewise, comparing the quartzofeldspathic rock-derived granites, Yuksipryeong two-mica granite has higher Al$_2$O$_3$/TiO$_2$, ratio than S-type granites in Lachlan Fold Belt (>875$^{\circ}C$). The melt formed Yuksipryeong two-mica leucogranite are considered to have been formed at temperature at below the maximum 875$^{\circ}C$C$.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.9-21
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• 2002

In Korea, many open-air upper palaeolithic sites are located at the river valley, particularly exposed in gently rotting terrain along the river course. They are situated at an altitude less trail 30 m above present river bottom, and covered with the blankets of slope deposits of several meters in thickness. The purpose of this research is to eluridate depositional and vegetational environment of the alluvial upper palaeolithic Jangheung-ri sites on the basis of analytical properties of grain size population, chronology, palynology, soil chemistry and clay mineralogy and magnetic susceptibility of the Jangheung-ri Quaternary formations. The lithostratograpy of Jangheung-ri sit is subdivided into 3 layers based on the depositional sequence and radiocarbon ages. From bottom to top, they are composed of slope deposits with lower paleosol layers, young fluvial sand and gravel with backswamp organic muds, and upper paleosol layers. The upper paleosol was formed under rather dry climatic condition between each flooding period. Dessication cracks were prevalent in the soil solum which was filled with secondarily minuted fragments due to pedogenetic process. The soil structure shows typical braided-typed cracks in the root part of cracking texture, and more diversified pattern of crackings downward. The young fluvial sand gravel were formed by rather perennial streams after LGM. The main part of organic muds was particularly formed after 15Ka. Local backswamp were flourished with organic muds and graded suspension materials in the flooding muds were intermittently accumulated in the organic muds until ca. 11Ka. This episode was associated with migration of Nam River toward present course. Organic muds were formed in backswamp or local pond. Abies/Picea-Betula with Ranunculaceae, Compositae, Cyperaceae were prevalent. This period is characterized with B$\Phi$lling, Older Dryas, Allerod, and Younger Dryas (MIS-1). Stone artefacts were found in the lower paleosol layers formed as old as 18Ka-22Ka. Based on the artefacts and landscape settings of the Jangheung-ri site, it is presumed that settlement grounds of old people were buried by frequent floodings of old Nam River, the river-beds of which were heavily fluctuated laterally and river-bed erosions were activated from south to north in Jangheung-ri site until the terminal of LGM9ca 17Ka).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 1998

Heavy metal contamination in subsurface soils and stream sediments at the Suggok mine area were investigated on the basis of major, trace and rare earth elements geochemistry and mineralogy. The Sanggok mine area is mainly composed of Cambro-Ordovician carbonate rocks. The mine had been mined for Pb-Zn-Fe and Au- Ag, but already closed in past. For major elements, especially Fe (mean value=18.58 wt.%) and Mn (mean value=4. 18 wt.%) are enriched in soils, and the average enrichment indices of soils and sediments are 6.84 and 1.54, respectively. The average enrichment index of rare earth elements are 0.92 of mining drainage sediments and 0.52 of subsurface soils on the tailing dam. Concentrations of minor and/or environmental toxic elements in those samples range from 29 to 3400 for As,1 to 11 for Cd, 35 to 292 for Cu, 50 to 1827 for Pb, 1 to 22 for Sb and 112 to 2644 for Zn. Extremely high concentrations (mean values) are found in subsurface soils on the tailing dam (As=2278, Cd=7, Cu=206, Pb=1372, Sb=14 and Zn=2231 ppm, respectively). Average enrichment index normalized by composition of non-mining drainage sediments is 2.42 in mining drainage sediments and 25.47 in subsurface soils on the tailing dam. Based on EPA value, enrichment index of toxic elements is 0.53 in non-mining drainage sediments, 1.84 in mining drainage sediments and 23.71 in subsurface soils on the tailing dam. As a results from X-ray powder diffraction method, mineral composition of soils and sediments near the mine area varied in part, and are calcite, dolomite, magnesite, quartz, mica, chlorite and clay minerals. With the separation of heavy minerals, soils and sediments of highly concentrated toxic elements included some pyrite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, galena, goethite and hydroxide minerals on the polished sections.