• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.273-281
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• 2007

Hyperalkaline groundwater formed by groundwater-cement components and its reaction with bedrock in a nuclear waste repository were simulated by geochemical modeling. The result of groundwater-cement components reaction showed that the pH of water was 13.3 and the precipitated minerals were Brucite, Katoite, Calcium Silicate Hydrate(CSH1.1), Ettringite, Hematite, and Portlandite. The result of interaction between such minerals and groundwater sampled in Gyeongju area also showed that the pH of groundwater reached 12.4. Interaction between such hyperalkaline groundwater and granite was simulated by kinetic model during $10^3$ years. This result showed that the final pH of groundwater reached 11.2 and the variation of pH was controlled by dissolution/precipitation of silicate and CSH minerals. Groundwater quality was also determined by dissolution/precipitation of silicate, CSH, oxide minerals. Our results show that geochemical modeling of long-term hyperalkaline groundwater and rock interaction can contribute to the safety assessment of engineered barrier by predicting geochemical condition in repository site.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.445-455
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• 2009

Microbiological sulfate reduction is the transformation of sulfate to sulfide catalyzed by the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria using sulfate as an electron acceptor. Low solubility of metal sulfides leads to precipitation of the sulfides in solution. The effects of microbiological sulfate reduction on in-situ precipitation of arsenic and copper were investigated for the heavy metal-contaminated soil around the Songcheon Au-Ag mine site. Total concentrations of As, Cu, and Pb were 1,311 mg/kg, 146 mg/kg, and 294 mg/kg, respectively, after aqua regia digestion. In batch-type experiments, indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria rapidly decreased sulfate concentration and redox potential and led to substantial removal of dissolved As and Cu from solution. Optimal concentrations of carbon source and sulfate for effective microbial sulfate reduction were 0.2~0.5% (w/v) and 100~200 mg/L, respectively. More than 98% of injected As and Cu were removed in the effluents from both microbial and chemical columns designed for metal sulfides to be precipitated. However, after the injection of oxygen-rich solution, the microbial column showed the enhanced long-term stability of in-situ precipitated metals when compared with the chemical column which showed immediate increase in dissolved As and Cu due to oxidative dissolution of the sulfides. Black precipitates formed in the microbial column during the experiments and were identified as iron sulfide and copper sulfide. Arsenic was observed to be adsorbed on surface of iron sulfide precipitate.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 2011

This study had been carried out to investigate spatial and temporal variations of the concentrations of trace metals for contaminated surface water in creek affected by leachate from the tailings impoundment of the Yeonhwa II mine for about 2 years. It was also to ascertain the metal removal efficiency for potentially deleterious metals by the artificial and natural attenuation processes such as retention ponds and hydrologic mixing of uncontaminated tributaries. The concentrations of As, Pb, Cd, and Cu for leachate in the rainy season were not detected. On the other hand, the concentrations of Zn, Fe, Mn, Al, and $SO_4^{2-}$ in the rainy season for leachate were 2-66 times higher than those in the dry season, due to the oxidation of the sulfide minerals and the dissolution of the secondary minerals. The concentrations of Zn and Cd for leachate and surface water of the upper creek in the rainy season exceeded the criteria of River Water Quality and Drinking Water Quality but in the dry season, those of analyzed all the metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe, Mn, and Al) for surface water sampled at the study area were below the criteria of River Water Quality and Drinking Water Quality. In regard of the attenuation efficiency for the concentrations of metals, Fe, Mn, Al, Zn, Cd, As, and Cu were removed highly at retention ponds, while the removal efficiency for major cations and sulfate ($SO_4^{2-}$) were related to mixing of the uncontaminated tributaries. Therefore, the major attenuation processes of the metal and sulfate contents in creek affected by leachate from a tailing dump were precipitation (accompanied by metal co-precipitation and sorption), water dilution, and neutralization.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.435-446
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• 2023

Corrosion behaviors of laser-welded super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) tubes after exposure to an actual power plant environment for one year and those of fin-tube welded SDSS were evaluated. Results showed that corrosion damage on the back side of the SDSS tube in the direction of hot air was higher than that on the front side regardless of weldment location. However, corrosion damage showed no difference between weldment and base metal due to recovery of phase fraction in the weldment through post weld heat treatment (PWHT). Nevertheless, the SDSS tube showed severe corrosion damage along grain boundary due to surface phase transformation (δ → γ) and Cr₂N precipitation caused by PWHT with a high N₂ atmosphere. Corrosion resistance of the SDSS tube was recovered when degraded surface was removed. Corrosion sensitivity of a fin-tube increased significantly due to pre-existing crevice, unbalanced phase fraction, and σ phase precipitation adjacent to the fusion line. Although corrosion resistance was improved by recovered phase fraction and sufficient dissolution of σ phase during PWHT, corrosion reaction was concentrated at the pre-existing crevice. These results suggest that welding conditions for fin-tube steel should be optimized to improve corrosion resistance by removing pre-existing crevice in the weldment.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.147-159
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• 2002

Weathered bentonites occcur as surficial alterations of some domestic bentonite deposits in the Tertiary formations, with the thickness of less than about 50 cm, along naturally-formed weathering surface with slopping in gentle. 7 $\AA$-halloysite was found together with montmorillonite in the weathered bentonite. Compared to normal bentonite, the weathered one is generally more clay-rich and contains little amounts of original rock-forming minerals and residues. In the electron microscopy, fine-scale occurrence of the clay minerals tends to be somewhat discrete and segregated rather than closely associated. h curled margin of montmorillonite lamella is deformed to become obtuse in the weathered bentonite. Halloysite occurs as acicular to tubular crystals with the length of less than 2 $\mu$m and the width of about 0.3 $\mu$m, which commonly forms bundle-shaped aggregates. Electron microscopic observations on the fine-scale occurrence and texture of the wtathered bentonites indicate that the clay mineral transition from montmorillonite to halloysite has undergone without accompanying any intermediate phases of both clay minerals such as a mixed-layered type (M/H). The alteration reaction between these two clay minerals probably took place in the form of dissolution and precipitation mechanism in oxidation condition. An intense chemical leaching of SiO$_2$, Na, K and Ca might occur during the alteration reaction, forming a lot of dissolution cavity and residual concentration of A1$_2$O$_3$ and Fe, relatively. As the result of the chemical change, a fsvorable condition for halloysite formation seemed to be provided.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.71-88
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• 2001

The Geochemica] and isotope studies on the $CO_2$-rich water from the Shinchon area were carried out. The Shinchon $CO_2$-rich water belongs to Ca(Na)-$HCO_3$ type showing very high $P_{CO_{2}}$ ( $10^{-0.35}$ ~ $10^{0.29}$ atm) and TDS (835-3,144 mg/L). The results of geochemical and isotope analysis indicate that $CO_2$ gas is originated from the deep seated source such as mantle or magmatic gases. The $CO_2$-rich water was evolved by interaction with deep-seated granite and major water-rock interaction was dissolution of p]agioclase resulting high Na content of $CO_2$-rich water. Precipitation and dissolution of secondary calcite might be accompanied with the dissolution of plagioclase maintaining Na/Ca ratio. High contents of K and $SO_4$ indicate that the geochemical characteristics of $CO_2$-rich water were partially affected by interaction with upper sedimentary rock during uprising to surface. N03 and tritium contents suggest that the $CO_2$-rich water was mixed with low $CO_2$ groundwater at some locations. The oxygen-hydrogen isotopes show that all water samples were derived from meteoric waters and the $CO_2$-rich water was isotopically re-equilibrated with lighter $CO_2$ gas. Although some carbon isotope data show isotopically heavy values, carbon isotope data indicate that the $CO_2$ gas was possib]y derived by deep source.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2020

Electrochemical Quartz Crystal microbalance is a tool that is capable of measuring nanogram-scale mass change on electrode surface. When applying alternating voltage to the quartz crystal with metal electrode formed on both sides, a resonant frequency by inverse piezoelectric effect depends on its thickness. The resonant frequency changes sensitively by mass change on its electrode surface; frequency increase with metal dissolution and decrease with metal deposition on the electrode surface. The relationship between resonant frequency and mass change is shown by Sauerbrey equation so that the mass change during metal dissolution can be measured in real time. Especially, it is effective in the case of reaction mechanism and rate studies accompanied by precipitation, volatilization, compound formation, etc. resulting in difficulties on ex-situ AA or ICP analysis. However, it should be carefully considered during EQCM experiments that temperature, viscosity, and hydraulic pressure of solution, and stress and surface roughness can affect on the resonant frequency. Application of EQCM was shown as a case study on leaching of platinum using aqueous chlorine for obtaining activation energy. A platinum electrode of quartz crystal oscillator with 1000 Å thickness exposed to solution was used as leaching sample. Electrogenerated chlorine as oxidant was purged and its concentration was controlled in hydrochloric acid solution. From the experimental results, platinum dissolution by chlorine is chemical reaction control with activation energy of 83.5 kJ/mol.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2019

The white aluminum phases in acid mine drainage usually precipitates when mixed with stream waters with relatively high pH. The minerals in white precipitates play important roles in controlling the behavior of heavy metals by adsorbing and coprecipitation. By the phase transition of these minerals in white precipitates, dissolution and readsorption of heavy metals may occur. This study was conducted to obtain preliminary information on the phase transition of the mineral phases in white precipitates. In this study, the mineral phase changes in the white precipitates collected from the stream around Dogye Mining Site over time were investigated with different pH values and temperatures. White precipitates consist mainly of basaluminite, amorphous $Al(OH)_3$ and a small amount of $Al_{13}$-tridecamer. During aging, the incongruent dissolution of the basaluminite occurs first, increasing the content of the amorphous $Al(OH)_3$. After that, pseudoboehmite is finally precipitated following the precursor phase of pseudoboehmite. At $80^{\circ}C$, this series of processes was clearly observed, but at relatively low temperatures, no noticeable changes were observed from the initial condition with coexisting basaluminite and amorphous $Al(OH)_3$. At high pH, the desorption of $SO{_4}^{2-}$ group in basaluminite was initiated to promote phase transition to the pseudoboehmite precursor. Over time, the solution pH decreases due to the dissolution and phase transition of the minerals, and even after the precipitation of pseudoboehmite, only the particle size slightly increased but no clear cystal form was observed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2021

This study is to identify the mineralogical properties of caprock samples from drilling cores of the Pohang basin, which is the research area for the demonstration-scale CO2 storage project in Korea. The interaction of water-rock-gas that can occur due to CO2 injection was identified using geochemical modeling. Results of mineralogical studies, together with petrographic data of caprock and data on the physicochemical parameters of pore water were used for geochemical modeling. Modelling was carried out using the The Geochemist's Workbench 14.0.1 geochemical simulator. Two steps of modeling enabled prediction of immediate changes in the caprocks impacted by the first stage of CO2 injection and the assessment of long-term effects of sequestration. Results of minerlaogical analysis showed that the caprock samples are mainly composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase and a small amount of pyrite, calcite, kaolinite and montmollonite. After the injection of carbon dioxide, the porosity of the caprock increased due to the dissolution of calcite, and dawsonite and chalcedony were precipitated as a result of the dissolution of albite and k-feldspar. In the second step after the injection was completed, the precipitation of dawsonite and chalcedony occurred as a result of dissolution of calcite and albite, and the pH was increased due to this reaction. Results of these studies are expected to be used as data to quantitatively evaluate the efficiency of mineral trapping capture in long-term storage of carbon dioxide.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.191-198
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• 2022

Zirconia and titanium alloys, which are mainly used for dental implant materials, have poor osseointegration and osteogenesis abilities due to their bioinertness with low bioactivity on surface. In order to improve their surface bioinertness, surface modification with a bioactive material is an easy and simple method. In this study, akermanite (Ca₂MgSi₂O₇), a silicate-based bioceramic material with excellent bone bonding ability, was synthesized by a solid-state reaction and investigated its bioactivity from the analysis of surface dissolution and precipitation of hydroxyapatite particles in SBF solution. Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃), and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) were used as starting materials. After homogeneous mixing of starting materials by ball milling and the drying of at oven, uniaxial pressing was performed to form a compacted disk, and then heat-treated at high temperature to induce the solid-state reaction to akermanite. Bioactivity of synthesized akermanite disk was evaluated with the reaction temperature from the immersion test in SBF solution. The higher the reaction temperature, the more pronounced the akermanite phase and the less the surface dissolution at particle surface. It resulted that synthesized akermanite particles had high bioactivity on particle surface, but it depended on reacted temperature and phase composition. Moderate dissolution occurred at particle surfaces and observed the new precipitated hydroxyapatite particles in synthetic akermanite with solid-state reaction at 1100℃.