• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.359-370
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• 2009

Arsenic and heavy metals leached out as a result of oxidation of tailings exposed to the surface pose a serious environmental contamination of mine areas. This study investigated how arsenic behavior is controlled by a variety of processes, such as oxidation of sulfides and formation or alteration of secondary minerals, based on mineralogical methods. The study was carried out using the tailing samples obtained from Nakdong mine located in Jeongseongun, Gangwondo. After separating magnetic and non-magnetic minerals using pretreated tailing samples, each mineral sample was classified according to their colors and metallic lusters observed by the stereoscopic microscope. Subsequently, the mineralogical properties were determined using various instrumental analyses, such as x-ray diffractometer (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA). The literature review confirmed that various ore minerals were identified in the Nakdong ore deposits. In this study, however, there were observed a few original ore minerals as well as secondary and/or tertiary minerals newly formed as a result of weathering including oxidation. In particular, we did not recognize pyrrhotite which has been known to originally exist in a large abundance, but peculiarly colloform-type iron (oxy)hydroxides were identified, which indicates most of pyrrhotite has been altered by rapid weathering due to its large reactivity. In addition, a secondary scorodites filling the fissure of weathered primary arsenopyrites were identified, and it is speculated that arsenic is immobilized through such a alteration reaction. Also, we observed tertiary iron (oxy)hydroxides were formed as a result of re-alteration of secondary jarosites, and it suggests that the environment of tailing has been changed to high pH from low pH condition which was initiated and developed by oxidation reactions of diverse primary ore minerals. The environmental change is mainly attributed to interactions between secondary minerals and parental rocks around the mine. As a result, not only was the stability of secondary minerals declined, but tertiary minerals were newly formed. As such a process goes through, arsenic which was immobilized is likely to re-dissolve and disperse into surrounding environments.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.916-921
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• 2011

This study was carry out on a Jang-Won series (fine loamy, mixed, mesic family of typic fragipan) that were established and classified as a fragipan soil in Korea. The morphological, physical, chemical and minerals characteristics of Jang-Won series were studied to determine the genesis of fragipan soils in natural environment. Each sample was analyzed for its physical, chemical and mineralogical characteristics. The particle size distribution of samples was measured using pipette method. Clay minerals were investigated on parallel-oriented specimens of the clay fraction ($<2{\mu}m$) from each horizon, separated by sieving and centrifugation, using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Micromorphological observations were made on thin sections prepared from soil blocks impregnated with Crystic Resin, cut and ground to less than $30{\mu}m$ in thickness, and finally polished with diamond paste. Most horizons have pH values in the range of fewer than 5.0 and have very low base-saturation values. Their textural classification ranges from silt loam to loam, the lower horizons being the finer. The clay fraction revealed the occurrence of illite, kaolinite, chlorite and vermiculite. The micro-morphological analysis carries out thin sections from each soil profile. The silt concentrations occur as extremely dense and homogenous bands or zones of silt-sized materials, brownish in colour in plane-polarized light and anisotropic in cross-polarized light, surrounding or adhering to skeleton grains. The genesis of fragipan in the Jangweon series assumed composition of clay fraction rather than silt concentration. Therefore, this results suggested an authentic interpretation which Jangweon series is classification as Typic Fragiochrepts.