• Geosciences Journal
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.955-973
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• 2018

Twenty-eight beach sand samples from the shorelines of Aegean islands adjacent to the plutonic rocks of the Atticocycladic zone were analyzed for major and rare earth element (REE) contents. Results are compared with the adjacent plutonic rocks, in order to determine relative enrichments or depletions and assess the potential for REE exploitation. Among the samples, several are significantly enriched in REE, being deposits of heavy minerals and their concentrations are controlled by the sea waves and local winds. These samples contain Th, U and REE rich minerals such as zircon, xenotime and allanite. The available geochemical characteristics were also used to confirm the parent rocks of the beach sands. The heavy fractions (total, total magnetic and total non-magnetic) of the beach sands are very well correlated with the Heavy REE (HREE) concentrations. Among the minerals of the heavy magnetic fraction, allanite seems to control the REE content in the heavy mineral-enriched samples, while from the heavy non-magnetic fraction, zircon controls mainly the HREE fraction. One site from Mykonos and 3 from Naxos could have potential for REE exploitation as they present the highest ${\Sigma}REE$ and HREE contents than other beach sand placers measured in Greece (Kavala, Sithonia, Maronia, Samothraki, NE Chalkidiki).

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.189-199
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• 2004

Cretaceous sedimentary rocks bearing dinosaur tracks in the Goseong interchange area were studied for their conservation and public display in the aspect of applied mineralogy. Black clay layers alternate with silt layers in the sedimentary rocks. The verical and horizontal fissures are commonly filled with calcite veinlets, supergenetic iron and manganese oxides. The rocks are composed of quartz, albite, K-feldspar, calcite, chlorite, illite, muscovite, and biotite, with minor apatite and rutile. Silt layers are relatively rich in calcite and albite, whereas clay layers are abundant in quartz, illite, and chlorite. Al, Fe, Mg, K, Ti, and P are enriched in the clay layers, while Ca, Na, and Mn in silt. Most of trace elements including V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cs, Zr, REE, Th, and U are enriched in clay layers. Inorganic carbon are present in silt layers as calcite, while organic carbon in black clay layers. The black clay layers were partly altered to yellow clay layers along the fissures, simultaneously with the decrease of organic carbon. Selective exfoliation of clay-rich black and yellow clay layers, calcite matrix of silt layers and calcite infillings of fissures are estimated as the major weakness potentially promoting chemical and physical degradation of the track-bearing rock specimens.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3 s.49
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• pp.163-169
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• 2006

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the sediment core from the seamount (2710 m below the sea level) just south of the Antarctic Polar Front were examined to draw paleoceanographic information in glacial-interglacial cycles. Smectite was most abundant clay mineral associated with illite and chlorite. Its content was slightly higher below 170 cm, suggesting a boundary between isotope stage 4 and 5. Si, Zr, Cs, Th, REE, $K_{2}O$, and $Al_{2}O_{3}$ show complete antithetical distribution with respect to $CaCO_{3}$ through the core. $SiO_{2}$ maxima and $CaCO_{3}$ minima at depths of 24, 136, and 176 cm are probably correlated with massive influx of ice-rafted debris during the advance of Antarctic ice shelves. Ni, Cu, and Ba show rather little correlation with $SiO_{2}$, suggesting their relation to biogenic debris, precipitation from seawater, or hydrothermal input. Particularly, Ba maxima tend to lag $10{\sim}20cm$ after $SiO_{2}$ maxima, probably due to rapid increase of productivity following deglaciation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.293-304
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• 1996

The Wolchul Mt. area is composed of a biotite granite and a pink feldspar granite. These granites are distinctly different in terms of their field occurrence, mineralogy, trace element and REE composition, as well as their isotope ages. The biotite granite has higher ferromagnesian elements and lower lithophile trace element abundances than the pink feldspar granite. The biotite granite has high Sr and Ba while the pink feldspar granite has high Rb. On the Rb-Sr-Ba diagram the biotite granite plots as a granodiorite while the pink feldspar granite belongs to a strongly differentiated granite. The ${\Sigma}$ LREE/ ${\Sigma}$ REE for the biotite granite is 0.95 and for the pink feldspar granite it is 0.88. The ratio shows a steep decrese in LREE while HREE is essentially constant. Based on the Eu/Sm, $[La/Lu]_{cN}$ and low Eu(-), the biotite granite has quartz diorite to granodiorite composition while the pink feldspar granite, with a relatively high Eu(-) anomaly, falls into the monzo- to syenogranite classification. The silica vs. trace element diagrams for the two granites indicate that the biotite granite could have formed near to a continental margin or volcanic island setting environment while the pink feldspar granite formed within a continental plate or as result of plate collision. The biotite granite has a U-Pb zircon age of 175 Ma, i.e. Middle Jurassic. The pink feldspar granite is younger, it has a K-Ar orthoclase age $93.6{\pm}1.5$ Ma which is Late Cretaceous age.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.643-659
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• 2012

The Chungju Fe-REE deposit is located in the Kyemyeongsan Formation of the Ogcheon Group. The Kyemyeongsan Formation includes meta-volcanic rocks and pegmatite hosted REE deposit which show different kind of REE-containing minerals. The meta-volcanic rocks hosted REE deposits' main REE minerals are allanite, zircon, apatite, and sphene, whereas the pegmatite hosted REE deposits is mainly composed of fergusonite, and karnasurtite, zircon, thorite. The meta-volcanic rock hosted major REE mineral is allanite as the form of aggregation and contains 23.89-29.19 wt% TREO (Total Rare Earth Oxide), 4.71-9.92 wt% $La_2O_3$, 11.30-14.33 wt% $Ce_2O_3$, 0.11-0.29 wt% $Y_2O_3$, 0.15-0.94 wt% $ThO_2$, as a formula of (Ca, Y, REE, Th)$_{2.095}$(Mg, Al, Ti, Mn, $Fe^{3+})_{2.770}(SiO_4)_{2.975}(OH)$. Accompanying REE in a coupled substitution for $Ca^{2+}$ (M1 site) and $Al^{3+}-Fe^{2+}$ (M2 site) leads to a large chemical variety. Due to the allanite's high contents of Fe, it belongs to Ferrialanite. The pegmatite hosted deposit's domi-nant REE mineral is fergusonite as prismatic or subhedral grains associated with zircon, fluorite and karnasurtite. Geochemical composition of the fergusonite($YNbO_4$) suggests substitution of Y-REE and Y-Th in A-site, and Nb-Ta-Ti in B-site, furthermore the proportion of $Y_2O_3$ and $Nb_2O_5$ is oddly 1:1.5 comparing to the ideal ratio 1:1 and Nb is higher than Y, also A-site Y actively substitutes with REE. Karnasurtite in pegmatite variously ranges 9.16-22.88 wt% $Ce_2O_3$, 2.15-9.16 wt% and $La_2O_3$, 0.44-10.8 wt% $ThO_2$, as a calculated formula (Y, REE, Th, K, Na, Ca)$_{1.478}(Ti, Nb)_{1.304}$(Mg, Al, Mn, $Fe^{3+})_{0.988}$(Si, P)$_{1.431}O_7(OH)_4{\cdot}3H_2O$. Firstly the 870-860 Ma is the initial age of the supercontinent Rhodinia dispersal and subsequent A-1 type volcanism, which contains Fe, REE, and HFS(High Field Strength elements; Nb, Zr, Y etc.) elements in Fe-rich meta-volcanic rocks dominant Kyemyeongsan Formation, might mineralized allanite. Another synthesis is that regional metamorphism at late Paleozoic 300-280 Ma(Cho et al., 2002) might cause allanite mineralization. Also pegmatite REE mineralization highly related to the granite intrusion over the Chungju area in Jurassic(190 Ma; Koh et al., 2012). Otherwise above all, A-1 type volcanism at the same time of the Kyemyeongsan Formation development, regional metamorphism and pegmatite, might have caused REE mineralization. Although REE ore bodies display a close spatial association, each ore bodies display temporal distinction, different mineral assemblage and environment of ore formation.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.127-143
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• 2019

The geology of the Chulmasan area consists of Precambrain Sogeunri formation, granitic gneiss, foliated biotite granite, foliated mica granite, basic dyke and acidic dyke. REE mineralization in the area occurs at granitic gneiss and foliated mica granite. Minerals with minor amounts of REE and Th from granitic gneiss and foliated mica granite are zircon ($Y_2O_3$ 0.00~1.18 wt.%, $Gd_2O_3$ 0.00~0.59 wt.%, $Er_2O_3$ 0.00~0.22 wt.%, $Yb_2O_3$ 0.00~0.34 wt.%, $Lu_2O_3$ 0.00~0.48 wt.%, $ThO_2$ 0.00~0.33 wt.%), thorianite ($Nd_2O_3$ 0.00~0.24 wt.%, $Lu_2O_3$ 0.00~0.26 wt.%), berthierine ($La_2O_3$ 0.04~0.26 wt.%, $Nd_2O_3$ 0.00~0.20 wt.%, $Tb_2O_3$ 0.04~0.12 wt.%, $Dy_2O_3$ 0.17~0.26 wt.%, $Er_2O_3$ 0.33~0.44 wt.%, $Lu_2O_3$ 0.00~0.19 wt.%, $ThO_2$ 0.61~0.93 wt.%), chlorite ($La_2O_3$ 0.44~0.68 wt.%, $Ce_2O_3$ 0.12~0.13 wt.%, $Nd_2O_3$ 0.31~0.44 wt.%, $Eu_2O_3$ 0.03~0.08 wt.%, $Dy_2O_3$ 0.09~0.21 wt.%, $Ho_2O_3$ 0.04~0.14 wt.%, $Er_2O_3$ 0.18~0.32 wt.%, $Lu_2O_3$ 0.07~0.21 wt.%, $ThO_2$ 0.00~0.97 wt.%), biotite ($Nd_2O_3$ 0.02~0.08 wt.%, $Gd_2O_3$ 0.07~0.08 wt.%, $Tb_2O_3$ 0.02~0.07 wt.%, $Dy_2O_3$ 0.35~0.43 wt.%, $Ho_2O_3$ 0.15~0.26 wt.%, $Er_2O_3$ 0.24~0.28 wt.%, $Yb_2O_3$ 0.06~0.18 wt.%, $ThO_2$ 0.00~0.12 wt.%), orthoclase ($Dy_2O_3$ 0.05~0.12 wt.%, $Ho_2O_3$ 0.05~0.06 wt.%, $Er_2O_3$ 0.28 wt.%, $Yb_2O_3$ 0.06~0.12 wt.%) and plagioclase ($Ho_2O_3$ 0.01~0.03 wt.%, $Er_2O_3$ 0.10~0.27 wt.%, $ThO_2$ 0.11~0.13 wt.%). REE minerals (bastnaesite and fergusonite) were sealed fractures in mainly fledspar, mica, zircon, apatite and ilmenite. Therefore, bastnaesite and fergusonite from the Chulmasan area were formed from redissolution/reconcentration of REE-and Th-bearing minerals from granitic gneiss and foliated mica granite at late stage by several igneous activies and metamorphism.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.97-107
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• 1986

The Cretaceous Imog granite is a calc·alkaline, subsolvus monzogranite and shows characteristics of "I-type" and "magnetite·series" granite by mineralogy and chemical composition. Many of the major and trace element characteristic of the Imog granite are consistent with a relationship by fractional crystallization of a basic magma. The primary magma of the granite derived from the subduction of oceanic crust at the destructive plate margin. The granite shows light REE enrichment with (Ce/Yb)N ratios of 7.77~12.55. All the REE patterns show Eu negative anomalies ($Eu/Eu^*=0.69$) in the pluton. The Imog granite at the southwestern part of the Hambaeg basin may be intruded along the tectonic intersections of the E-W and N-S lines such as deep faults and fractures. Radiometric age determination on the granite reveals as $96.7{\pm}2.0Ma$ by K-Ar dating on biotite.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.83-109
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• 1983

The Cretaceous Palgongsan granite is a typical, calc-alkaline, subsolvus monzogranite and shows characteristics of "I-type" granite by mineralogy and chemical composition. Many of the major and trace element characteristics of the Palgongsan granite are consistent with a relationship by fractional crystallisation to form a chemically zoned pattern. The granite show light REE enrichment with (Ce/Yb)N ratios of 5.78-9.50. All the REE patterns show Eu negative anomalies which become larger from the margin ($Eu/Eu^*=0.75$) to the core ($Eu/Eu^*=0.24$) of the pluton, mainly due to feldspar fractionation. Mineral geochemistry (alkali-feldspar, plagioclase & biotite) studies also show the zonal structure of the Palgongsan granite. The two-feldspar geothermometer shows that the temperature difference between the margin and the core part of the pluton is about $200^{\circ}C$ at various assumed pressures.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.35-49
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• 1997

The coal formation of the Deokpyeong area are interbedded along metapelites of the Ogcheon Supergroup, which are composed mainly of graphite, quartz, muscovite and associated with small amounts of biotite, chlorite, pyrite and barite. The ratios of $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$, $Al_2O_3/Na_2O$ and $K_2O/Na_2O$ of the coaly metapelite are variable and wide range from 1.80 to 10.21, from 27.8 to 388.8 and from 7.6 to 61.8, respectively. These coal formation were deposited in basin of marine environments, and the REE of these rocks are not influenced with metamorphism and hydrothermal alterations on the basis of $Al_2O_3$ versus La, La against Ce, the ratios of La/Ce (0.19 to 0.99) and Th/U (0.02 to 4.75). These rocks also show much variation in $La_N/Yb_N$ (1.19 to 22.89), Th/Yb (0.14 to 21.43) and La/Th (0.44 to 13.67), and their origin is explained by derivation from a mixture of sedimentary and igneous rocks. The wide range in trace and REE element characteristics as Co/Th (0.12 to 2.78), La/Sc (0.33 to 10.18), Sc/Th (0.57 to 5.73), V/Ni (8 to 2347), Cr/V (0.02 to 0.67) and Ni/Co (1.56 to 32.95) of these coaly metapelites argues for inefficient mixing of the various source lithologies during sedimentation. Deep to pale green barium-vanadium muscovites (vanadium-oellacherite) have been found in this coal formations. Modes of occurrence and grain size of muscovite are heterogeneous, but most of the barium and vanadium-bearing muscovites occur along the boundaries between graphite and quartz grains, ranging from 200 to $350{\mu}m$ in length and from 40 to $60{\mu}m$ in width. Results of X-ray diffraction data of the minerals characterized to be monoclinic system with $a=5.249{\AA}$, $b=8.939{\AA}$, $c=20.924{\AA}$ and ${\beta}=95.894^{\circ}$. Representative chemical formula of the muscovite was $(Na_{0.09}K_{1.44}Ba_{0.46})(Al_{2.75}Ti_{0.07}V_{0.56}Fe_{0.08}Mg_{0.50})(Si_{6.12}Al_{1.88})O_{22}$. The V possibly substitute octahedral Al, and the Ba is coupled substitution of $K^+Si^{4+}=Ba^{2+}Na^+Ca^{2+}$, which compositional ranges of V and Ba are from 0.42 to 0.69 and from 0.34 to 0.56 based on $O_{22}$, respectively. Formation mechanism of the barium-vanadium muscovites in the coaly metapelite is shown that the formed by high pressure and temperature from regional metamorphism origanated during diagenesis at the interface between a basinal brine and organic matter.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2023

The Naedeokri and Nonggeori granites are early Proterozoic granites of the Taebaek-Sangdong area in the northeastern part of the Yeongnam Massif. In this paper, rare earth elements (REEs) concentrations of the minerals in Naedeokri and Nonggeori granites and Rb-Sr mineral isochron age are reported. Except zircon, the constituent minerals such as mica, feldspar, quartz, and tourmaline show LREE-enriched and HREE-depleted REE patterns with relatively large Eu negative anomaly. However, zircon has geochemical characteristic of LREE- and HREE-enriched REE pattern with large Eu positive anomaly. This pattern suggests that zircon should be hydrothermal zircon due to deuteric hydrothermal alteration. In addition, the Rb-Sr mineral age of Naedeokri granite indicates an age value of 1.814±142(2σ) Ma. The Rb-Sr whole rock age including pervious data of Naedeokri and Nogggeori granite indicates an age value of 1,707±74(2σ) Ma. This value is younger than the Sm-Nd isochron of 1.87 Ga, indicating that the Rb-Sr isotope system may be re-homogenized by hydrothermal alteration during the transition from a magmatic to a hydrothermal system.