• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.881-895
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• 2002

Sediments and river waters form the channel of Hwasun-cheon were studied in sedimentological size and geochemical analyses of metallic elements for the purposes of identification of depositional environments and geochemical characteristics. The sizes of sediments are assigned to pebble to coarse sand in mean size and polymodal in distribution. And the sediments are poorly to very poorly sorted and positively skewed. According to the grain size distributions of the sediments, the Hwasun-cheon belongs to gravel-bed river on the basis of the grain size distribution of the sediments. The behaviors of metallic elements in the sediments mainly depend on not grain size distribution but the geology connected with geomorphological reliefs near the stream. Contamination indices(CI) of Zn, Cu and Pb are 2.83 to 6.96 with average 4.31 in the sediments. Hwasun-cheon is assigned to general stream type in accordance with water quality of physical factors and chemical characteristics by Piper's diagram. Though meaningful values of BOD, T-N, T-P were locally depicted near Masan-ri, Hwasun-eup and Jiseok-cheon areas, artificial metal concentration do not represent in the most area of the stream. Sediments and river water are considered that the relatively more or less high metallic contents in the stream are originated from coal mine and urban area.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.71-75
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• 1998

The objective of this study is to investigate geochemical characteristics of mine wastes including tailings in various abandoned mines in Korea. Tailings and wastes were sampled in and around 39 metalliferous mines, and analysed heavy metal concentrations including Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn extracted by 0.1N HCl and aqua regia by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Measurements of paste pH and lime requirement were carried out to examine a general geochemical characteristics of the materials. Lots of mine wastes were characterized by very low pH values of 2 to 4 and high lime requirement to control neutralization of the wastes. In addition, elevated levels of heavy metals were found in various mine wastes extracted by both 0.lN HCl and aqua regia. Because the mine wastes can be dispersed into the downstream by clastic movement and wind-blow, it is necessary to control the materials with a proper method for their reclamation.

• Geosciences Journal
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1001-1013
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• 2018

A new type of uranium occurrence in Korea was identified in pegmatitic and hydrothermally altered granite in the Daejeon area. The U-bearing parts typically include muscovite, pink-feldspar and sericite as alteration minerals. In this study, the geochemical characteristics and alteration age of the granitic rocks were examined to provide evidence for hydrothermally-enriched uranium. The K-Ar ages of muscovite coexisting with U-bearing minerals were determined as 123 and 128 Ma. The U-bearing rocks have relatively low ($CaO+Na_2O$), high $K_2O$ contents, and high alteration index values by major element geochemistry. The trace element geochemistry shows that the uraniferous rocks have significantly low Th/U ratios and strongly differentiated features. The rare earth element patterns indicate that the uraniferous rocks have a low total REE and LREE contents with depletion of Eu. Considering the geochemical variation of the granitic rock major, trace and rare earth elements, it can be concluded that uranium enrichment in pegmatites and altered granite should be genetically related to post-magmatic hydrothermal alteration of K-metasomatism after emplacement of the two-mica granite. This is the first report for geochemical characteristics of Mesozoic granite-related U-occurrences in South Korea. This study will help further research for uranium deposits with similarities in geological setting, mineralogy and age data between South China and Korea, and can also be expected to help solve the source problems related to high uranium concentrations in some groundwater occurring in the granitic terrane.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.379-391
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• 1991

The studied Cretaceous granties are widely distributed at the southern Mungyeong area in the southwestern part of Ogcheon Fold Belt. From the mineralogical and geochemical compositions, it is suggested that they show the characteristics of I-type and magnetite-series and formed under the conditions of high oxygen fugacity. The mineral chemistry of plagioclase, alkali feldspar and biotite in the granites by EMPA, was revealed as albite to oligoclase, microcline to microcline perthite and orthoclase perthite, and annite compositions, respectively. The granites have the distribution patterns of enriched LREE and depleted HREE, and show Eu negative anomalies suggesting mainly due to the feldspar fractionation in the residual magma. The geochemical data of Eu, EU/$^*Eu$, Sm and Gd suggest that the granites of the area have more abundant alkali feldspar crystallization than plagioclase. From the geochemical characteristics of Sr/Ba, La/Sm vs. Ce/Yb and other trace element evidences, the granites were the late stage products of differentiation and fractionated from a homogeneous parental granitic magma.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.203-215
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• 2011

Geochemical and mineralogical properties of a contamited soil should be taken into account to decide a remediation strategy for a given contaminant because development and optimization of soil remedial technologies are based on geochemical and mineralogical separation techniques. The objective of this study was to investigate the geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of arsenic-contaminated soils. The arsenic-contaminated soil samples were obtained from Chonam gold mine, Gwangyang, Chonnam, Particle size analysis, sequential extraction, and mineralogical analyses were used to characterize geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the As-contaminated soils. Particle size analyses of the As-contaminated soils showed the soils contained 17-36% sand, 25-54% silt, 9-28% clay and the soil texture were sandy loam, loam, and silt loam. The soil pH ranged from 4.5 to 6.6. The amount of arsenic concentrations from the sequential soil leaching is mainly associated with iron oxides (1 to 75%) and residuals (12 to 91%). Major minerals of sand and silt fractions in the soils were feldspar, kaolinite, mica, and quartz and minor mineral of which is an iron oxide. Major minerals of clay fraction were composed of illite, kaolinite, quartz, and vermiculite. And minor minerals are iron oxide and rutile. The geochemical and mineralogical analyses indicated the arsenic is adsorbed or coprecipitated with iron oxides or phyllosilicate minerals. The results may provide understanding of geochemical and mineralogical characteristics for the site remediation of arsenic-contaminated soils.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.237-246
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• 1994

Tin mineralizations in South Korea have been found only in the Ulchin and Sangdong areas. They appear to be in close spatial association with the Wangpiri granitoid in the UlChin area, and the Nonggeori and Naedeogri granites in the Sangdong area. However, previous works have revealed that there are considerable differences in geological setting, mineralogical and geochemical compositions among these granitoids concerned. The roles of discriminant and multiple regression analysis have been examed to establish geochemical differences among the tin-granitoids and to identify elements relating to tin mineralizations. The data set used in this study consists of 60 observations with 29 elements which are cited from pre-existing publications. A stepwise discriminant analysis determined the group of variables that differentiate between samples from four training sets; Buncheon, Wangpiri, Nonggeori and Naedeogri granitoids. These granitoids were most effectively discriminated on the basis of major elements FeO, CaO and $P_2O_5$ and also by the trace elements Rb and Zr. Results of the multiple regression analysis shows that the level of Sn in granitoids depends positively on ones of MnO, Rb and FeO and negatively $P_2O_5$. Graphical representation of discriminant scores on sampling locations greatly aid recognition of differences in the geochemical characteristics in terms of spatial distribution of granitoids examed. The application of the discriminant analysis provides a potential means of identifying and comparing geochemical characteristics.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.251-262
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• 2004

In order to investigate the geochemical characteristics of surface sediments in lower Yeongsan river system, sediment samples from the main stream of Yeongsan river, Gomakwon and Hampyeong streams were collected and analyzed for grain size and metal and organic carbon contents. The sediment types of the streams widely vary from pebble to mud. The metal contents in the sediments are mainly dependent on grain size of the sediments, geology around the streams and organic matter contents from the domestic sewage. Enrichment factor (EF) representing the degree of metal contamination in the sediments are relatively low in the study area. But, high Zn and Pb values seem to be from the study area, partly.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.3_4
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• pp.182-199
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• 2002

We attempted to show the evolution of the magma and the geochemical characteristics of dikes and dike swarms by using the petrographic and geochemical data from 287 dikes, SE Korea. The dikes can be divided into mafic, intermediate, and felsic dikes in the field. And each of them is subdivided into three groups, two groups, and two groups, respectively. The group (I) among the mafic dikes most pervasively occurs and are distributed in both sides of the Yeonil Tectonic Line (YIL), which petrographic and geochemical characteristics are the same. These facts thus, strongly support the results of the previous studies which showed that they were intruded contemporaneously and that YTL was a main tectonic line which restricted the crustal clockwise rotation during the Early Miocene. The geochemical characteristics are discriminated according to the seven groups divided petrographically. The mafic, intermediate and felsic dikes belong to basalt and basaltic andesite, andesite and facile, and rhyolite, respectively, and the magmas mostly belong to calc-alkaline series. The geochemical data indicate that there were the fractional crystallizations of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase in the mafic dikes. And the content of characteristic elements and tectonic discrimination diagrams show that the dikes were formed from the magma related to the subduction of plate and that the tectonic setting was related to orogenic volcanic arc.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.339-352
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• 2022

As environmental criteria items are increased or strengthened, cases of heavy metal contamination by geogenic origin are increasing, and the need to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic origins in soil or groundwater exceeding the standard is increasing. In this study, geochemical occurrences of geogenic heavy metals were identified through statistical processing of the national geochemical map data and evaluation of geochemical characteristics of regions with high geoaccumulation indices. Cobalt, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn were targeted for which the national geochemical maps were prepared, and Co, Cr, Ni, and V derived from ultrabasic or ultramafic rocks were classified as factor 1. Copper, Pb and Zn of non-ferrous sulfide origin were classified as factor 2. In particular, enrichment of heavy metals by factor 1 occurs mainly in the serpentine distribution areas of the Chungcheong region, and there is a risk of contamination in neighboring areas. In the case of factor 2, geogenic occurrence is concerned not only in non-ferrous metal mineralization areas such as Taebacksan and Gyeongnam mineralization zones, but also in Au-Ag mineralization areas distributed nationwide.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.349-360
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• 1998

The alkali granite occurred as small stock and dyke is distributed in the Kyeomyeongsan Formation in the vicinity of the Chungju city. Geochemical characteristics in major and trace element of alkali granite in the Kyeomyeongsan Formation indicate that the alkali granites are peralkaline and have similar geochemical features to the A-type alkali granite. The rock enriched in HFSE such as Zr, Nb, Y, REE etc. According to the discrimination diagram the alkali granites mostly belong to the within-plate granite field, and to the $A_1$ group of A-type granite. This suggests that they might be emplaced in a extentional rift environment. The alkali granites are characterized by remarkably high total REE content, and enriched, relatively flat to somewhat HREE-depleted patterns with large negative Eu anomaly. The Sm-Nd age of the alkali granite is $338{\pm}30Ma$ with ${\varepsilon}_{Nd(t)}$ beings -7.3 to -8.5. On the basis of the geochemical studies the source magma was derived from a enriched mantle-like source and had a few or clearly interaction with sialic continental crust. In conclusion, the alkali granitic rock of the Kyeomyeongsan Formation might be formed from the high F peralkaline magma that was emplaced in continental rift environment, and generated at the early Carboniferous.