• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.183-199
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• 2008

This study is focused on characterization of the physio-chemical and mineralogical properties, investigation of their vertical changes in the tailing profile of the Guryoung mining area, classification of the profile into distinct zones, and condition conceptual model of physio-chemical conditions and phases-water relationships controlling the element behaviors in the tailings. The upper part of the groundwater is characterized by the high contents of $Fe_2O_3$ and $SO_3$ for whole rock analysis, low pH, and the occurrence of jarosite, schwertmannite and Fe-oxyhydroxide as the secondary mineral phases. The tailing profile can be divided into the covering soil, jarosite zone, Fe-sulfate zone, Fe-oxyhydroxide and gypsum-bearing pyrite zone, calcite-bearing pyrite zone, soil zone, and weathered zone on the based of the geochemical and mineralogical characteristics. The profile can be sampled into the oxidized zone and the carbonate-rich primary zone with the dramatic changes in pH and the secondary mineral phases. The conceptual model proposed for the tailing profile can be summarized that the oxidation of pyrite is the most important reaction controlling the changes in pH, the dissolution of the primary silicates and carbonates, the precipitation of secondary mineral phases, acid-neutralizing, and heavy metal behaviors through the profile.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2003

The removal of chromate from aqueous solution using finely ground pyrite and biotite was investigated by batch experiments and the kinetics and the mechanism of chromate reduction were discussed. The chromate reduction by pyrite was about hundred times faster than that by biotite and was also faster at pH 3 than at pH 4. When pyrite was used, more than 90% of initial chromate was reduced within four hours at pH 4 and within 40 min. at pH 3. However, more than 400 hours was taken for the reduction of 90% of initial chromate by biotite. The results indicate that the rate of chromate reduction was strongly depending on the amount of Fe(II) in the minerals and on the dissolution rate of Fe(II) from the minerals. The reduction of chromate at pH 4 resulted in the precipitation of (Cr, Fe)(OH))$_3$$_{ (s)}$, which is believed to have limited the concentrations of dissolved Cr(III) and Fe(III) to less than expected values. When biotite was used, amounts of decreased Fe(II) and reduced Cr(Ⅵ) did not show stoichiometric relationship, which implying there was not only chromate reduction by ferrous ions in the acidic solution but also heterogeneous reduction of ferric ions by the structural ferrous iron in biotite. However, the results from a series of the experiments using Pyrite showed that concentrations of the decreased Fe(II) and the reduced Cr(Ⅵ) were close to the stoichiometric ratio of 3:1. It was because the oxidation of pyrite rapidly created ferrous ions even in oxygenated solutions and the chromate reduction by the ferrous ions was significantly faster than ferrous ion oxygenation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.127-130
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• 2002

Recently, the contamination with heavy metals in closed mines has been seriously considered since it can disturb human health through the polluted drinking-water and crops. Therefore, the concerns about the remediation of polluted land and treatment technology for hazardous matters have been accelerated. However, any of practical methods for treatment and/or remediation have not been yet suggested. In this research, a novel technology was studied to immobilize arsenic in tailings and soils disturbed by mining. In this technology, Fenton-like reaction were applied to immobilize arsenic in tailings. In the examination of Fenton-like reaction using pure pyrite, $H_2O$$_2$ and arsenic, the concentrations of extracted arsenic and iron were reduced up to 90 and 75%, respectively From the result of SEM-EDS, the Immobilization of arsenic was observed on the surface of pyrite. Thus, it can be said that the coating and/or adsorption prevents the extraction of arsenic.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.287-290
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• 2002

To examine the denitrification process in an alluvial aquifer in the Cheonan site, hydrological and hydrogeochemical studies were carried out. Elevated levels of NO$_3$ (maximum 77.6 mg/L) were observed in shallow groundwaters of the area, as a result of poultry and agricultural activity. However, the nitrate concentrations were found to be consistently attenuated down to very low levels (<1.0 mg/L). The abrupt removal of nitrate coincided with the pattern of redox change and indicated that denitrification is the most plausible process. The hydrochemistry and mass balance approach using geochemical modeling (phreeqc 2.0) and redox chemistry indicated that chemo-autotrophic denitrification via pyrite oxidation is the key Process to control the nitrate attenuation in the study area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.135-147
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• 1983

The copper deposits in Goseong district, Gyeongnam area are fissure filled copper veins emplaced on Cretaceous Goseong formation and andesitic rocks. Occurrence of ore veins and mineral paragenesis suggest a division of the hydrothermal mineralization into three stages: stage 1, deposition of arsenopyrite, pyrite, quartz, chlorite and epidote; stageII, deposition of pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, electrum, pyrargyrite, tetrahedrite, silver sulfosalt minerals, quartz, chlorite, sericite and miner amount of calcite; stage III, formation of barren calcite veins. Filling temperature of fluid inclusions in quartz of stage II, range from 260 to 360 C and salinities from 6.2 to 13.6 weight percent NaCi equivalent.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.223-234
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• 1987

This paper describes the mode of occurrence and mineralogical properties of electrum from the Namseong Gold-Silver deposits, for the purpose of obtaining data on the characteristics of the ore deposits and the behavior of gold and silver during the mineralization. The gangue minerals are quartz, calcite, fluorite. Ore minerals are mainly composed of pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena with minor amount of argentite, electrum, pyrargyrite, native silver and unidenfied mineral(Cu-Fe-Ag-S series). Three stage of mineralization recognized are, from early to later, (I) pyrite-electrum stage (II) sphalerite-chalcopyrite-galena-argentite-electrum stage (III) sulfosalts stage. The filling temperature of fluid inclusions in quartz ranges from $225^{\circ}$ to $335^{\circ}C$. The value of sulfur fugacity estimated by means of electrum-tarnish method ranges from $10^{-11.5}$ to $10^{-14}$ atm. The compositional heterogeneity within a single grain with respect to gold concentration is common in the Namseong electrums Chemical composition of electrum ranges generally between 25~45 atom% Au. Its gold content decreases in late stages of mineralization.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.541-551
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• 1995

The Yeongdeog gold-silver deposits at Jipum, Gyeongsangbugdo, is of a middle Paleogene $(45.52{\pm}1.02Ma)$ vein type, and is hosted in shale and sandstone of Cretaceous age. Based on mineral paragenesis, vein structure and mineral assemblages, the ore mineralization can be divided into two distinct depositional stages. The early stage is associated with base-metals such as pyrite, arsenopyrite (27.99~30.99 at%), hematite, rutile, pyrrhotite, sphalerite (10.53~18.42 FeS mole%), chalcopyrite and galena with wallrock alteration such as chlorite, sericite and pyrite. The late stage is characterized by the Au-Ag mineralization such as electrum, Ag-bearing tetrahedrite, freibergite, pyrargyrite, unidentified mineral, pyrite, sphalerite (1.08~5.57 FeS mole%), chalcopyrite and galena. Fluid inclusion data indicate that fluid temperatures and salinities range from 343 to $227^{\circ}C$ and from 8.3 to 5.7 wt% eq. NaCl in early stage, respectively. Temperatures and salinities of NaCl eq. wt% range from 299 to $225^{\circ}C$ and from 12.9 to 4.3 in late stage, respectively. They suggest that complex cooling histories were occured by the mixing of the fluids. Sulfur fugacity $(-logfs_2)$ deduced by mineral assemblages and composition ranges from 8.3 to 14.7 atm. in early stage, and from 8.8 to 14.5 atm. in late stage. It suggests that the mineralization was related to decrease of temperature in early stage and fluctuations of $fS_2$ with decrease of temperature in late stage. Sulfur and oxygen isotope compositions are 4.48~5.60‰ and 9.25~10.8% in early stage, and late stage is 4.84~7.00‰ and 5.7‰, respectively. It indicated that hydrothermal fluids may be magmatic origin with some degree of mixing of another water during paragenetic time.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.124-130
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• 1999

To evaluate the technical of microbial coal desulfurization during the storage in coal dumps, microbial pyrite oxidation in a packed column reactor with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans has been investigated. For microbial desulfurization in a packed reactor system, coal particle size over 1.0 mm with uniform size distribution seems to be most suitable as fas as drainage behavior and accessability of pyrite are concerned. When coal samples of 1∼2 and 2∼4 mm particle size were size were used, about 32∼42% of pyritic sulfur was removed within 70 days. The rate of pyritic sulfur oxidation was in the range of 348∼803 mg S/kg coal ·d, and the sulfur removal rates in packed columns were about 15∼25% of those in suspension cultures. Without any circulation of liquid medium, microbial coal desulfurization could be possible by the inoculation of T. ferrooxidans along on the coal dump. It was concluded that a microbial percolation process is one of possible processes for the desulfurization of high sulfur coal during a long-term storage.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.289-309
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• 1993

Milyang pyrophyllite deposit which was formed by hydrothermal alteration occurs in Late Cretaceous andesitic tuff in the Milyang area, Gyeongsangnamdo. The wall rock alteration and genesis of the Milyang pyrophyllite deposit were studied. The ore minerals are composed dominantly of pyrophyllite accompanied by small amounts of quartz, kaolinite, pyrite, dumortierite and diaspore. The alteration halo of this deposit can be divided into three zones on the basis of mineral assemblage; pyrophyllite, sericite and chlorite zone. The common mineral assemblages of each alteration zone are as follows: (1) pyrophyllite zone; pyrophyllite-quartz-kaolinite-pyrite-dumortierite-diaspore, (2) sericite zone; sericite-quartz-pyrite-kaolinite, and (3) chlorite zone; chlorite-plagioclase-quartz. Major element chemistry shows that characteristic depletion in MgO, CaO, and $Na_2O$ and relative increase in FeO from less altered chlorite zone to extensively altered pyrophyllite zone corresponding to variation in mineral assemblages. The paragenesis of ore minerals, oxygen isotope data, chlorite and illite geothermometry suggest that ore deposit was formed at about $250{\sim}330^{\circ}C$. Both hydrogen and silica activities are high in pyrophyllite zone. Potassium activity increases in sericite zone while hydrogen activity becomes low in chlorite zone. The pyrophyllite zone was formed relatively higher temperature than those of sericite and chlorite zones. The ore fluid was considered to be magmatic water in origin derived from the residual granitic magma which interacted with meteoric water.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3 s.49
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• pp.189-195
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• 2006

Compression work on a pyrite powder has been carried out using energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) with Mao-Bell type diamond anvil cell (DAC) and synchrotron radiation(SR) at room temperature. It has been reported the bulk moduli of pyrite show the large variations depending on the experimental conditions as well as the apparatus used. Thus, two kinds of sample in different pressure transmitting media of both NaCl and MgO powder emerged in alcoholic fluids were subjected to measure their compressibilities. Bulk moduli thus obtained are 138.9 GPa and 198.2 GPa, respectively, and this result contradicts to the anticipated values according to the hydrostaticity conditions of the sample chamber. This might be due to the alcoholic fluids phase transition mainly with the side effects from the difference of both solid state detector (SSD) used and E*d value applied. All experiments were performed at the Beam Line 1B2 of Pohang Light Source (PLS).