• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.41-54
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• 2023

Illite is a common mineral that forms readily from feldspar and mica via hydrothermal alteration and exhibits various characteristics depending on the degree of hydrothermal alteration. To ensure continued mining of high-quality illite ore, it is crucial to understand the illitization. Thus, this study collected ores from two illite ore deposit and their surrounding alteration zones in Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, a significant source of illite in the Republic of Korea, to determine the constituent mineral contents and textural characteristics. Polarized light microscopy analyses revealed that the illite ore deposit were highly illitized with little remaining textural characteristics of the parent mica schist, and only some quartz was present. The ore zone contained illite, muscovite, quartz, and feldspar, with illitization primarily occurring around feldspar and quartz. X-ray diffraction analyses identified that the content of illite/muscovite was approximately 50-75 wt.%, with a maximum of 75 wt.%. Additionally, X-ray fluorescence analyses indicated a linear increase in K₂O content with increasing illite content, showing the highest correlation among the major components analyzed. It is suggested that the illite in the Yeongdong area results from feldspar and quartz alteration by hydrothermal fluids along the fault, with illitization of feldspar occurring before that of quartz. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of high-quality illite ore deposit in Yeongdong, Chungcheongbuk-do.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.19-32
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• 2023

This study was conducted to remove fluorine (F) (initial concentration of 9.5 mg/L) from leachate of reclaimed mine waste dump site via different methods: (1) co-precipitation using Ca-based materials; (2) adsorption using activated carbon and fly ash; and (3) coagulation and sedimentation using alum. The F removal efficiencies of each case were estimated as 65.6% (Ca co-precipitation), 27.9% (adsorption of activated carbon), 71.5% (adsorption of fly ash), and 96.6% (alum coagulation and sedimentation). In addition, the applicability of the continuous treatment process using alum coagulation was evaluated by lab-scale experiments using simulated mine drainage containing F of lower (6.4 mg/L) and higher (15.7 mg/L) concentrations, and it was confirmed that the treatment of both cases met the domestic standard (below 3 mg/L) for discharged water in clean areas. Furthermore, the results of bench-scale field tests indicated that the water quality standard of discharged water could be satisfied with the proper operation and management of the process.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2023

Todorokite is a manganese oxide mineral containing Mg²⁺ in a tunnel structure in which MnO₆ octahedra share corners. In order to investigate the suitability and efficiency of high temperature-treated todorokite as a material for adsorption and fixation of Cs, Cs was ion exchanged and the amount of leached Cs from todorokite was measured. The todorokite used in this study was synthesized by transforming Na-birnessite to Mg-buserite and used as a precursor. After high temperature treatment, Cs exchanged todorokite changed to birnessite and hausmannite as the temperature increased. The amount of leached Cs was investigated for Cs exchanged todorokite which was reacted with distilled water and 1 M NaCl solution at different reaction times. In general, for the samples reacted with 1 M NaCl solution, the fixation of Cs was quite effective, although the amount of leached Cs was greater due to the ion exchange reaction with Na. As the treatment temperature increased, the amount of leached Cs increased and then decreased again, which was related to the mineral phases formed at each temperature. As birnessite was formed, the amount of leached Cs increased, but as birnessite decreased, that decreased again. As the mineral phase changed to hausemanite, the amount of Cs decreased rapidly. The results of our study show that Cs exchanged todorokite can be used as a material that effectively fixes Cs and prevents its diffusion by high temperature treatment.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2023

Cobalt can be released into the natural environment as industrial waste from the alloying industry and as acid mine drainage, and it is also a radionuclide (⁶⁰Co) that constitutes high-level radioactive waste. Smectite is a mineral that can be useful for adsorption and isolation of this element. In this study, Cheto-type montmorillonite (Cheto-MM), which is the source clays of The Clay Mineral Society (CMS) and already well-characterized, was used. The effect of the adsorption site affected by the presence of interlayer water on the adsorption of cobalt before and after dehydration by heating was evaluated and the adsorption mechanism of cobalt on Cheto-MM was studied by applying adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm models. The results showed that the adsorption characteristics changed with dehydration and subsequent shrinkage, and cobalt was found to be adsorbed at the edge of Cheto-MM for about 38% and adsorbed at the interlayer site for about 62%, suggesting that the cobalt adsorption of Cheto-MM is significantly influenced by the interlayer. By applying the adsorption kinetic models, the cobalt adsorption kinetics of Cheto-MM is explained by a pseudo-second-order model, and the concentration-dependent adsorption was best described by the Langmuir isotherm adsorption model. This study provides basic knowledge on the adsorption characteristic of cobalt on montmorillonite with different adsorption sites and is expected to be useful in predicting the adsorption behavior of smectite in high-level radioactive waste disposal sites in the future.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.95-106
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• 2023

Quartz (SiO₂) is among the major rock-forming minerals in the earth's crust. The atomistic structures of SiO₂ may evolve during diverse frictional processes. The reduction of friction of quartz-rock accompanied by its amorphization, hydration, and formation of silica gel provides mineralogical insights into earthquakes and related phenomena. Ball milling, together with rotary shear experiments have been useful to infer the atomic origins of such processes. In this study, optimal experimental conditions for ball milling for amorphization of SiO₂ were determined by taking into account various process variables. The crystallinity of SiO₂ gradually decreased and became amorphous as the ball milling time increased at a high milling speed. The degree of wear of the milling media and its effect on the amorphization of SiO₂ were analyzed using distinct milling materials (zirconia, stainless steel). The amount of ball wear increased with increasing milling time. Furthermore, the worn stainless steel particles from balls tend to interact with amorphized SiO₂ to form Si-O-Cr. These results aid in understanding the process of atomistic structural changes caused by ball milling of divserse materials with relatively high hardness, such as SiO₂, and understanding various geological friction processes.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.199-212
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• 2023

Diffusion is a powerful tool to understand geological processes recorded in terrestrial rocks as well as extraterrestrial materials. Since the diffusive exchange of elements or isotopes may have occurred differently in the solar nebula (high temperature and rapid cooling) and on the parent bodies (fluid-assisted thermal metamorphism at relatively low temperature), it is particularly important to model elemental or isotopic diffusion profiles within the mineral grains to better understand the evolution of the early solar system. A numerical model with the finite difference method for the fast grain boundary diffusion was established for the exchange of elements or isotopes between constituent minerals in a closed system. The fast grain boundary diffusion numerical model was applied to 1) ²⁶Mg variation in plagioclase of an amoeboid olivine aggregate (AOA) from a CH chondrite and 2) Fe-Mg interdiffusion between chondrules, AOA, and matrix minerals in a CO chondrite. Equilibrium isotopic fractionation and equilibrium partitioning were also included in the numerical model, based on the assumption that equilibrium can be reached at the interfaces of mineral crystals. The numerical model showed that diffusion profiles observed in chondrite samples likely resulted from the diffusive exchange of elements or isotopes between the constituent minerals. This study also showed that the closure temperature is determined not only by the mineral with the slowest diffusivity in the system, but also strongly depends on the constituent mineral abundances.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2023

In this study, we report the effect of starting materials on the grain size in a multi-component system at high pressure experiments. We used two different starting materials, glass and nano powders, to synthesize bridgmanite in the reduced conditions in the presence of calcium-ferrite-phase MgAl₂O₄ to compared the grain size of synthesized samples. After synthesizing the sample at 40 GPa, 2000 K for 20 hrs, the sample from glass showed the grain size of 50-200 nm whereas the one from nano powders has ~500 nm of grains. This difference may come from 1) the temperature of 2000 K which is low enough for glass starting materials to make more crystal nucleis than to grow crystal size or 2) the possible difference in the redox state of starting materials. It is suggested that the using of nano powders is better to synthesize bigger grains in high pressure experiments with multi-component systems rather than using glass starting materials.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.233-257
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• 2023

Asbestos minerals are found at rocks and soils of the Hongseong and Bibong serpentine mines, western part of Chungnam. The area consists of and metasediment, and Mesozoic igneous intrusives with minor age-known gneiss complexes and Mesozoic sediments. With detailed geological investigations, rock samples for the serpentinite and amphibolite areas are collected at sites containing asbestos. Representative asbestos and rock samples are analysed by PLM, XRD, SEM and EPMA. Serpentinites are found as steeply dipping faults with adjacent gneiss complex to the NNE direction. Repeated alteration, including serpenitization and talcification, is found at the emplacement direction for the serpentinite body. Amphibollites occur as intrusives and stratiforms within the Precambrian gneiss complex. Serpentinite and amphibolite (or amphibole schist) contain amphiboles either as asbestiform or non-asbestiform. Varying amounts of asbestos minerals, including chrysotile, tremolite asbestos and actinolite asbestos, are found within the serpentinites. The asbestos minerals are found near the cracks or fractures and along the bedding plane. They occur as cross fiber, slip fiber and mass fiber types. Varying amounts of amphibole asbestos minerals, such as tremolite and actinolite asbestos, are found within amphibolites and as a mass fiber type. Overall results suggest that rocks of the serpentine mines contain serpentine and amphibole type asbestos minerals originated from the hydrothermal alteration. Considering construction nearby the mines and environmental risks by the asbestos, additional land management plans are required.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.259-271
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• 2023

Since the short-wave infrared spectrum has a significant range of variation depending on the production environment, countries with advanced resource exploration are collecting the spectrum and building a database. Representative organizations include the USGS and CSIRO, and they are currently carrying out a project in China that can synthesize and use a large number of existing data. The USGS library provides a total of 2,457 spectra targeting not only minerals but also various materials that respond to infrared radiation. Among these, there are 1,276 mineral spectra, which are about half of the total. The spectrum title includes information, such as analysis devices (NIC4, BECK, ASDNG, etc.), purity codes (a, b, c, d, u), and measurement methods (AREF, RREF, RTGC, TRAN). Analyzed raw data are provided in ASCII and GIF format. The CSIRO library has a total of 502 spectra, of which the majority, 493, correspond to mineral spectra. The USGS library is a free, publically available resource, while the CSIRO library is bundled with TSG8 or must be purchased separately. Among these, when comparing the eight spectra whose spectral shapes can be analyzed with the spectra of domestic illite, the positions of the absorption peaks are significantly different from those of domestic illite, except for one Japanese illite. Additional research will be needed to determine the causes of such differences, and the domestically relevant databases should be established as well.