• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.47-62
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• 2024

Abu Gurdi area is located in the South-eastern Desert of Egypt which considered as volcanic massive sulfide deposits (VMS). The present work aims at investigating the ore mineralogy of Abu Gurdi region in addition to the effectiveness of the hydrometallurgical route for processing these ores using alkaline leaching for the extraction of Zn, Cu, and Pb in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, has been investigated. The factors affecting the efficiency of the alkaline leaching of the used ore including the reagent composition, reagent concentration, leaching temperature, leaching time, and Solid /Liquid ratio, have been investigated. It was noted that the sulfide mineralization consists mainly of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, galena and bornite. Gold is detected as rare, disseminated crystals within the gangue minerals. Under supergene conditions, secondary copper minerals (covellite, malachite, chrysocolla and atacamite) were formed. The maximum dissolution efficiencies of Cu, Zn, and Pb at the optimum leaching conditions i.e., 250 g/L NaCO₃ - NaHCO₃ alkali concentration, for 3 hr., at 250 ℃, and 1/5 Solid/liquid (S/L) ratio, were 99.48 %, 96.70 % and 99.11 %, respectively. An apparent activation energy for Zn, Cu and Pb dissolution were 21.599, 21.779 and 23.761 kJ.mol^-1, respectively, which were between those of a typical diffusion-controlled process and a chemical reaction-controlled process. Hence, the diffusion of the solid product layer contributed more than the chemical reaction to control the rate of the leaching process. High pure Cu(OH)₂, Pb(OH)₂, and ZnCl₂ were obtained from the finally obtained leach liquor at the optimum leaching conditions by precipitation at different pH. Finally, highly pure Au metal was separated from the mineralized massive sulfide via using adsorption method.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.371-386
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• 2024

This paper presents analytical insights regarding into the occurrence of gold within organic matter, which is hosted by solid bitumen and closely associated with uranium ores in the Late Permian Kővágószőllős Sandstone Formation in Western Mecsek, South-West Hungary. The study utilizes a range of analytical techniques, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) for comprehensive mineralogical and elemental analysis; organic petrography and electron microprobe analysis for characterizing organic matter; and an organic elemental analyzer for identifying organic compounds. A three-step sequential extraction method was used to liberate gold from organic matter and sulfide minerals, employing KOH, HCl, and aqua regia, followed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to quantify gold contents. The organic matter is identified as comprising two vitrinite types (telinite V1 and reworked V2) and three solid bitumen forms: nonfluorescing (B1) and fluorescing (B2) fillings within the V1, as well as homogenous pyrobitumen (PB) occupying narrow cracks and voids within globular quartz. Despite the samples exhibiting low total organic carbon content (<1 wt%), they display high sulfur content (up to 6 wt%) and the sequentially extracted noble metal content from the organic matter is found to total 7.45 ppm gold. The research findings suggest that organic matter plays crucial roles in ore mineralization processes. Organic matter acts as an active component in the migration of gold, uranium, and hydrocarbons within sulfur-rich hydrothermal fluids. Additionally, organic matter contributes to the entrapment and enrichment of gold in hetero-atomic organic fractions, forming metal-organic compounds. Moreover, uranium inclusions are observed as oxide/phosphate minerals within solid bitumen and associated vitrinite particles. These insights into the occurrence and distribution of gold within organic matter highlight substantial exploration potential, guiding additional research activities focused on organic matter within the Kővágószőllős Sandstone Formation at the Western Mecsek deposit.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 1986

To clarify the soil characteristics and genesis of the clayey terrace soils in Yeongnam area, the study were carried out with 9 typifying pedons of toposequential terrace soils in Yeongcheon (inland area) and Yeongil (coastal area) region. The results of soil genesis oriented investigations on soil mineralogical compositions and weathering characteristics were summarized as follows; 1. The contents of heavy minerals contained in sand fraction of the terrace soils were less than 5%, but the content in soil layers considered to be originated from other than terrace deposits had 9.8-16.2%. The content of feldspars in light minerals were higher in Yeongcheon sequence while the Yeongil sequence were characterized by having higher content in quartz. The ratios of quartz/feldspars in the soil layers where expecting lithological discontinuity, were different from that of terrace deposits. 2. The resistate index of maturity ranged around 76.7-29.9 in Yeongcheon area and around 85.6-67.2 in Yeongil area. The indices increased with the elevations of terraces. 3. The molar ratios of $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$ in clay fraction were around 1.93-2.65. The parent materials of the terrace deposits judged by the ratios of $Al_2O_3/TiO_2$ and $Fe_2O_3/Al_2O_3$ were considered to be the felsic materials. 4. The compositions of clay minerals detected by X-ray diffractogram and D.T.A. thermogram were dominated by kaolin and illite with subsidiary minerals of vermiculite, quartz, vermiculite intergrading to illite etc. It was distinguished from terrace deposits that by having higher amount of kaolin and montmorin minerals in the substrata of Bancheon soils in Yeongcheon area and Upyeong soils in Yeongil area, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.141-142
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• 2001

남서부 경기육괴의 편마암류로부터 분리된 저어콘(zircon) 입자를 대상으로, 이온현미분석기(ion microprobe)를 사용한 U-Pb 연대를 구하였다. 그 결과는 후기 원생대(약 820 Ma) 뿐만 아니라 오르도비스기에 상당한 화성활동이 한반도에 있었음을 지시한다. 우리 나라 후기 원생대의 화성-변성 활동에 대해 알려져 있는 바는 극히 제한적이어서 후속연구가 필수적이며, 이러한 연구는 한반도의 지체구조적 변천사를 로디니아 초대륙(Rodinia supercontinent)의 생성-분리와 관련해 재조명할 수 있는 기회를 제공할 것이다. 또한 오르도비스기의 화성작용은 그동안 논란이 되어 왔던 소위 “칼레도니아(Caledonian)” 변동 (cf. 조문섭, 2000)에 대한 또 다른 증거를 제공해준다. 저어콘의 연대측정은 서호주의 커튼공업대학교에 설치되어 있는 SHRIMP-II(Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe-II; 고감도-고분해능 이온현미분석기)를 사용하였으며, 시료 준비 및 분석방법은 기존에 보고된 바와 같다 (e.g., Kinny et al., 1999). 분석된 3개의 암석 시료(1006-5, 8, 9)는 경기육괴의 남서부에 위치한 홍성 지역의 정편마암들이다. 1006-8 시료는 Turek and Kim (1996)이 전통적인 방법을 사용해 687$\pm$5 Ma의 U-Pb 저어콘 연대를 보고한 바 있는 화강암질 편마암 (시료번호, KJ43)에 해당된다. 두 개의 다른 시료는 1006-8 주변에서 산출하는 전형적인 경기육괴의 편마암류로서 화강암질 정편마암이다. 이들 시료로부터 분리된 저어콘 입자들은 대부분 화성기원의 누대구조와 자형의 결정형태를 보여준다. 과성장띠(overgrouth rims)는 1006-5 시료에서 흔하게, 그리고 1006-9 시료에서 매우 드물게 관찰된다. 음극선발광(cathodoluminescence) 영상의 해석을 통해 저어콘 결정의 성장사를 유추하였으며, 이를 바탕으로 이온현미분석 점(spot)을 정하였다. U-Pb-Th 자료는 퍼스(Perth) 저어콘 스탠다드 (CZ3, 564 Ma, $^{206}$Pb/$^{238}$U=0.0914)를 사용하였다. 아래에 기술하는 연대는 모두 $^{206}$Pb/$^{238}$U 연대에 해당된다. 두 개의 화강암질 편마암 시료로부터 구한 U-Pb 저어콘 연대는 각각 812 $\pm$ 14 Ma(1006-8)와 822 $\pm$ 17 Ma(1006-9)로 분석오차 내에서 서로 일치한다. 이 결과는 춘천 및 전곡 지역의 석류석 각섬암에서 보고된 Sm-Nd 전암연대(852 $\pm$ 24 Ma 및 824 $\pm$ 143 Ma; Lee and Cho, 1995; Ree et al., 1996)와 잘 부합한다. 따라서 후기 원생대 기간 중 화성활동이 한반도에서 광범위하게 일어났음을 시사한다. 한편, 1006-9 시료에서는 예외적으로 한 개의 저어콘 입자 주변부(rim)에서 매우 얇은 과성장띠가 관찰되었으며, 두 개의 점 분석으로부터 구한 U-Pb 저어콘 연대는 약 235 Ma이다. 이 띠는 또한 변성기원의 저어콘에서 흔히 관찰되는 작은 W (<0.05) 비를 보인다. 1006-5 시료는 위 두 시료로부터 수 km 떨어진 지점에서 채집하였으나, 저어콘 연대는 상이한 기록을 보여준다. 즉 매우 작은 Th/U (<0.01) 값을 갖는 저어콘의 주변부에서 223 $\pm$ 5 Ma의 연대가 잘 정의되며, 이는 1006-9 시료에서 관찰된 결과와 함께 트라이아스기의 고온변성작용이 백립암상에 가까운, 매우 높은 온도에 달하였음을 지시한다. 한편 저어콘의 중심부는 335-473 Ma의 비교적 넓은 연대 분포를 보인다. 이는 저어콘이 실제 성장한 연대를 지시하기보다는 트라이아스기의 변성작용에 따른 납손실(Pb loss) 그리고 누대 규모보다 더 큰 빔 크기(beam size, 약 30 $\mu\textrm{m}$)의 영향일 것으로 해석된다. 또한 저어콘이 다양한 외래물질로부터 기원했다는 증거가 관찰되지 않으므로, 이 정편마암의 모암은 오르도비스기(약 430-470 Ma)에 관입하였을 것으로 생각된다. 따라서 그동안 논란이 되어 왔던 소위 “칼레도니아” 변동이 한반도 내에 실존하였을 가능성을 시사한다. 이상의 결과를 종합하여 볼 때, 경기육괴의 변성암류는 후기 원생대 이후 다양한 저어콘의 성장사를 기록하고 있음을 알 수 있다: 즉 (1) 후기원생대(약 820 Ma)의 화성작용; (2) 오르도비스기(약 450 Ma)의 화성작용: 그리고 (3) 트라이아스기 (약 223 Ma)의 부분용융을 수반한 고온 변성작용으로 대표된다. 이러한 지질연대는, 옥천변성대에서 얻어진 756 Ma의 저어콘 연대(Lee et al., 1998)와 더불어, 친링-다비-수루(Qinling-Dabie-Sulu) 대륙 충돌대와 양쯔 지괴에서 보고된 지질연대 결과와 잘 부합한다. 따라서 지구연대학적으로 경기육괴가 북중국보다는 대륙충돌대를 포함하는 남중국지괴에 속할 것으로 결론지을 수 있다.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.431-439
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• 2014

The purposes of this research were to investigate the enrichment of metal-reducing bacteria from KURT groundwater and the identification of the microbial diversity by 16S rRNA as well as to examine microbial Fe(III)/Mn(IV) reduction and to analyze morphological features of interactions between microbes and precipitates and their mineralogical composition. To cultivate metal-reducing bacteria from groundwater sampled at the KURT in S. Korea, different electron donors such as glucose, acetate, lactate, formate, pyruvate and Fe(III)-citrate as an electron accepter were added into growth media. The enriched culture was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis for the diversity of microbial species. The effect of electron donors (i.e., glucose, acetate, lactate, formate, pyruvate) and electron acceptors (i.e., akaganeite, manganese oxide) on microbial iron/manganese reduction and biomineralization were examined using the 1st enriched culture, respectively. SEM, EDX, and XRD analyses were used to determine morphological features, chemical composition of microbes and mineralogical characteristics of the iron and manganese minerals. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, the four species, Fusibacter, Desulfuromonas, Actinobacteria, Pseudomonas sp., from KURT groundwater were identified as anaerobic metal reducers and these microbes precipitated metals outside of cells in common. XRD and EDX analyses showed that Fe(III)-containing mineral, akaganeite (${\beta}$-FeOOH), reduced into Fe(II)/Fe(III)-containing magnetite ($Fe_3O_4$) and Mn(IV)-containing manganese oxide (${\lambda}-MnO_2$) into Mn(II)-containing rhodochrosite ($MnCO_3$) by the microbes. These results implicate that microbial metabolism and respiratory activities under anaerobic condition result in reduction and biomineralization of iron and manganese minerals. Therefore, the microbes cultivated from groundwater in KURT might play a major role to reduce various metals from highly toxic, mobile to less toxic, immobile.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2014

Probing the electronic structures of crystalline Mg-silicates at high pressure is essential for understanding the various macroscopic properties of mantle materials in Earth's interior. Quantum chemical calculations based on the density functional theory are used to explore the atomic configuration and electronic structures of Earth materials at high pressure. Here, we calculate the partial density of states (PDOS) and O K-edge energy-loss near-edge structure (ELNES) spectra for $MgSiO_3$ perovskite at 25 GPa and 120 GPa using the WIEN2k program based on the full-potential linearized projected augmented wave (FP-LPAW) method. The calculated PDOS and O K-edge ELNES spectra for $MgSiO_3$ Pv show significant pressure-induced changes in their characteristic spectral features and relative peak intensity. These changes in spectral features of $MgSiO_3$ Pv indicate that the pressure-induced changes in local atomic configuration around O atoms such as Si-O, O-O, and Mg-O length can induce the significant changes on the local electronic structures around O atoms. The result also indicates that the significant changes in O K-edge features can results from the topological densification at constant Si coordination number. This study can provide a unique opportunity to understand the atomistic origins of pressure-induced changes in local electronic structures of crystalline and amorphous $MgSiO_3$ at high pressure more systematically.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-30
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• 2014

Waste cement generated from recycling processes of waste concrete is a potential raw material for mineral carbonation. For the $CO_2$ sequestration utilizing waste cement, this study was conducted to obtain basic information on the aqueous carbonation methods and the characteristics of carbonate mineral formation. Cement paste was made with W:C= 6:4 and stored for 28 days in water bath. Leaching tests using two additives (NaCl and $MgCl_2$) and two aqueous carbonation experiments (direct and indirect aqueous carbonation) were conducted. The maximum leaching of $Ca^{2+}$ ion was occurred at 1.0 M NaCl and 0.5 M $MgCl_2$ solution rather than higher tested concentration. The concentration of extracted $Ca^{2+}$ ion in $MgCl_2$ solution was more than 10 times greater than in NaCl solution. Portlandite ($Ca(OH)_2$) was completely changed to carbonate minerals in the fine cement paste (< 0.15 mm) within one hour and the carbonation of CSH (calcium silicate hydrate) was also progressed by direct aqueous carbonation method. The both additives, however, were not highly effective in direct aqueous carbonation method. 100% pure calcite minerals were formed by indirect carbonation method with NaCl and $MgCl_2$ additives. pH control using alkaline solution was important for the carbonation in the leaching solution produced from $MgCl_2$ additive and carbonation rate was slow due to the effect of $Mg^{2+}$ ions in solution. The type and crystallinity of calcium carbonate mineral were affected by aqueous carbonation method and additive type.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.301-312
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• 2011

The study on the atomic structure of iron-bearing silicate glasses has significant geological implications for both diverse igneous processes on Earth surface and ultra-low velocity zones at the core-mantle boundary. Here, we report experimental results on the effect of iron content on the atomic structure in iron-bearing alkali silicate glasses ($Na_2O-Fe_2O_3-SiO_2$ glasses, up to 16.07 wt% $Fe_2O_3$) using $^{29}Si$ and $^{17}O$ solid-state NMR spectroscopy. $^{29}Si$ spin-lattice ($T_1$) relaxation time for the glasses decreases with increasing iron content due to an enhanced interaction between nuclear spin and unpaired electron in iron. $^{29}Si$ MAS NMR spectra for the glasses show a decrease in signal intensity and an increase in peak width with increasing iron content. However, the heterogeneous peak broa-dening in $^{29}Si$ MAS NMR spectra suggests the heterogeneous distribution of $Q^n$ species around iron in iron-bearing silicate glasses. While nonbridging oxygen ($Na-O-Si$) and bridging oxygen (Si-O-Si) peaks are partially resolved in $^{17}O$ MAS NMR spectrum for iron-free silicate glass, it is difficult to distinguish the oxygen clusters in iron-bearing silicate glass. The Lorentzian peak shape for $^{29}Si$ and $^{17}O$ MAS NMR spectra may reflect life-time broadening due to spin-electron interaction. These results demonstrate that solid-state NMR can be an effective probe of the detailed structure in iron-bearing silicate glasses.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2015

Recently, carbon capture and storage (CCS) techniques have been globally studied. This study was conducted to use waste cement powder as an efficient raw material of mineral carbonation for $CO_2$ sequestration. Direct aqueous carbonation experiment was conducted with injecting pure $CO_2$ gas (99.9%) to a reactor containing $200m{\ell}$ reacting solution and the pulverized cement paste (W:C = 6:4) having particle size less than 0.15 mm. The effects of two additives (NaCl, $MgCl_2$) in carbonation were analyzed. The characteristics of carbonate minerals and carbonation process according to the type of additives and pH change were carefully evaluated. pH of reacting solution was gradually decreased with injecting $CO_2$ gas. $Ca^{2+}$ ion concentration in $MgCl_2$ containing solution was continuously decreased. In none $MgCl_2$ solution, however, $Ca^{2+}$ ion concentration was increased again as pH decreased. This is probably due to the dissolution of newly formed carbonate mineral in low pH solution. XRD analysis indicates that calcite is dominant carbonate mineral in none $MgCl_2$ solution whereas aragonite is dominant in $MgCl_2$ containing solution. Unstable vaterite formed in early stage of experiment was transformed to well crystallized calcite with decreasing pH in the absence of $MgCl_2$ additives. In the presence of $MgCl_2$ additives, the content of aragonite was increased with decreasing pH whereas the content of calite was decreased.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) and Mineral Resources Authority of Mongolia (MRAM) performed test drilling in the right side of Deposit 2 in Ugii Nuur Fe-Mn occurrence area, Mongolia. It was decided to perform the drilling with 65 degree of drilling angle due to the technological limit of low angle drilling and designed to find ore bodies in cores between 50 m and 70 m. Ore bodies were found in lower depths than expected probably due to the folds in the subsurface in three drilling sites other than drilling position 3. Ore body in drilling position 3 was found in the similar depths with the expected depths. In drilling position 1, high Fe bearing ore body (more than 40%) was found between 47.45 and 50 m and between 56.35 and 57.1 m. The rest of ore body in drilling position 1 and ore bodies in other three sites have low Fe contents with about 10% of Fe. In drilling position 1, maximum and average Mn contents are about 10% and 1%, respectively, and in other three sites, average Mn contents are about 0.2%. Whereas Mn contents are low, Fe and Mn contents show very similar variations with varying depths, suggesting that they were moved and concentrated together in the ore genesis process. Proved resources estimated for the ore bodies confirmed by drilling are Fe 231,661 tonne with 11.82% of the average Fe grade. Possible resources supposing that ore bodies of DP-1 and DP-2 are connected and those of DP-3 and DP-4 are connected are Fe 4,415,296 tonne with 11.82% of the average Fe grade. The possibility of development of this area based on the estimated resources is low because the ore grade is low.