• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.661-674
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• 2023

From the seafloor of Taean, Chungcheongnamdo Province, a ship of the Joseon Dynasty was discovered for the first time in the history of underwater excavations in Korea in 2014 and was named Mado Shipwreck No. 4. A total of 27 unused whetstones loaded as tribute were discovered on the hull of Mado No. 4, which revealed that Mado Shipwreck No. 4 was a Grain transport ship that sank while carrying tribute from Naju to Hanyang between 1417 and 1425 (King Taejong to King Sejong). All of the 27 whetstones are in the shape of narrow and long sticks. The average values of length, width, thickness, and weight are 161.5 mm, 36.1 mm, 22.7 mm, and 253.2 g, respectively. The result of X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the constituent minerals are quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase, which is similar to that of the high-resolution digital stereomicroscope analysis. The average porosity of Mado-2672 and 2673 is 2.69% and 1.78%, respectively, and the average surface hardness is 807.2HLD and 834.5HLD, respectively. It is interpreted that if the porosity increases beyond a certain level, it affects the decrease in surface hardness. All of these are made of feldspathic sandstones with an average SiO₂ content of 74.51% and were confirmed to be suitable as grindstones. They are all medium whetstones when classified based on the SiO₂ content. These whetstones are small in size and weight and are convenient to carry, so they are presumed to be a type of non-stationary whetstone, and are estimated to have been mainly used in the fields such as weapon polishing and craft production during the Joseon Dynasty.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.153-168
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• 2022

Petrological and mineralogical analyses were conducted to identify minerals containing radioactive elements (uranium) in the Chiaksan gneiss complex and to confirm their association with the surrounding groundwater. Fourteen minerals were identified through the microscopic and electron microscopy (SEMEDS) investigation. The principal minerals included plagioclase, biotite, quartz, alkali feldspar, chlorite, and calcite. Minor minerals were sphene, allanite, apatite, zircon, thorite, titanite, pyrite, and galena. A small amount of thorite was observed in the size of ~1 mm within macrocrystalline allanite. Allanite, which includes a large amount of rare earth elements, appeared in three distinctive patterns. The results of the EPMA analyses indicated that macrocrystalline allanite had higher elemental contents of TiO₂~1.70 wt.%, Ce₂O₃~11.86 wt.%, FeO ~13.31 wt.%, MgO ~0.90 wt.% and ThO₂ ~1.06 wt.% with the lowest average content of Al₂O₃ 17.35 ± 2.15 wt.% (n = 7), CaO 12.13 ± 1.81 wt.% (n = 7). An allanite existing at the edge of the sphenes encompassing titanites had a higher element content of Al₂O₃ ~24.00 wt.%, Nd₂O₃ ~5.10 wt.%, Sm₂O₃~0.66 wt.%, Dy₂O₃~0.86 wt.% and Y₂O₃~1.38 wt.% with the lowest average content of TiO₂ 0.35 ± 0.21 wt.% (n = 11), Ce₂O₃ 5.25 ± 1.03 wt.% (n = 11), FeO 9.84 ± 0.26 wt.% (n = 11), MgO 0.12 ± 0.05 wt.% (n = 11), and La₂O₃ 1.49 ± 0.29 wt.% (n = 11). Allanites in a matrix of parental rocks exhibited intermediate values between the two elemental compositions mentioned above. None of the uranium-rich minerals were observed in the migmatitic gneiss within the study area. Consequently, the origin of uranium in the groundwater was not associated with the geology of the surrounding environment, but our investigation proved the existence of abundant allanites containing significant amounts of radioactive thorium and rare earth elements.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2011

Some industrial minerals used in domestic industries such as monazite, apatite, bauxite, and ilmenite belong to NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) because they show a high radioactivity. Products, semi-products, wastes, and by-products which show higher radioactivity than NORM belong to TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials). Apatite used for manufacturing phosphate fertilizer in Namhae Chemical company belongs to NORM, and its by-product, phospo-gypsum, belongs to TENORM. A geological investigation is needed for the future environmental impact assessment of the Namhae Chemical company's site. According to survey results of the Namhae Chemical company's site, soil mineral composition indicated the mixture of minerals derived from the country rock (quartz, feldspar, mica, $l4{\AA}$ mineral, kaolin and amphibole) and minerals from the gypsum open-air storage yard (gypsum and apatite). Soil samples showed average content of U 4.6 ppm and Th 10 ppm, which are similar to average crustal abundances. They also show average contents of $^{40}K$ 191-1,166 Bq/kg, $^{226}Ra$ 15.6-710 Bq/kg, and $^{232}Th$ 17.4-72.7 Bq/kg, which indicate moderate levels of radio nuclide. But $^{226}Ra$ anomaly in the gypsum open storage yard is clearly confirmed and $^{232}Th$ anomaly is also confirmed in the east road side of the factory and nearby mountain areas. Soil external hazard indices ranged 0.24-2.01 with the average 0.54. Although most external hazard indices were lower than 1, which means radiation hazard index to be negligible, 5 samples out of total 40 samples showed higher values than 1, and further detailed investigation is needed.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.135-149
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• 2003

Domestic zeolite ores are mostly composed of Ca-type clinoptilolite, accompanying a little amounts of mordenite. However, other types of zeolite ores rich in ferrierite, heulandite, or mordenite are less commonly found. Based on the quantitative XRD analysis, zeolite contents are determined to be nearly 50∼90 wt%. Impurities (mostly ＞ 10 wt%) in the zeolite ores chiefly consist of quartz, feldspar, smectite, and opal-CT. The determined CEC values ($CEC_{AA}$ ) of powdery samples (grain size: < 125 $\mu\textrm{m}$) of zeolite ores by the Ammonium Acetate method are mostly higher than 100 meq/100 g. Some zeolites from the Guryongpo area, corresponding to the clinoptilolite ore, are measured to be dominantly high in CEC values ranging 170∼190 meq/100 g. Cation exchange property of the zeolite ores varies greatly depending on the types or zeolite species present in the ores. Despite of the lower grade in zeolite content, the $CEC_{AA}$ of ferrierite ore is comparatively high. Compared to this, the $CEC_{AA }$ of heulandite ore is very low, though the zeolite ore exhibits the highest grade ranging up to about 90 wt%. In addition, the CEC values calculated theoretically from the framework composition of clinoptilolite-heulandite series are not consistent with those determined by the cation exchage experiment. The measured $CEC_{AA}$ of clinoptilolite ores are generally higher than those of heulandite ores. This may be due to the higher Ca abundance in exchangeable cation composition and the presence of probable stacking faults in heulandite. The variation of $CEC_{CEC}$ is roughly proportional, though not strictly compatible, to the zeolite contents in clinoptilolite ores. It seems to be caused by the fact that the $CEC_{AA}$ of clinoptilolite locally varies depending on crystal-chemical diversity, i. e., the variation in framework composition (Si/Al) and exchangeable cation composition (especially, the contents of Ca and K). In addition, the determined CEC values ($CEC_{MB}$ ) of zeolite ores by the Methylene Blue method are much higher than those calculated from smectite contents. It suggests a probable reaction of Methylene Blue ion ($C_{16}$ $H_{18}$ $N_3$S+) with larger-pore zeolites than clinoptlolite-heulandite series, i.e., ferrierite and mordenite as well as with smectite. This can be supported by the fact that the ferrierite ore accompanying little amount of smectite has the highest value in CE $C_{MB}$ .

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.595-610
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• 2000

This study has been designed to elucidate the petrography and geochemical characteristics of the volcanic rocks and focused on petrogenesis and tectonic environment of the Bokyeongsa volcanics in the northeast Gyeongsang Basin. The Bokyeongsa volcanics consist of the Naeyeonsan tuff which include rock fragment plagioclase, quartz and hornblende and pumice showing welded structures, and felsite. According to the petrochemical data, the Naeyeonsan tuff and felsite are in the range of 68${\sim}$71wt% and 77wt% SiO$_2$ content respectively. The Naeyeonsan tuff belongs to dacite/rhyodacite, and felsite to rhyolite. These volcanics rocks belong to the calc-alkaline rock series on the TAS diagram and the AFM diagram. The variations of major elements of the volcanic rocks show that contene of TiO$_2$, Al$_2$ O$_3$, FeO$^T$, MnO, MgO, CaO are inversely proportional to those of SiO$_2$, but contents of K$_2$O are positively. They represent differentiation trend of calc-alkaline rocks series. In spider disgram of MORB-normalized trace element partterns, contents of K, Rb, Th and Ta are relatively high, but those of Nb, Zr, Hf, Ti, Y and Yb are nearly similar to MORB. In the chondrite-normalized REE patterns, light REEs are more enriched than heavy REEs. The trace element composition and REE patterns suggest that they are typical island-arc calc-akaline volcanic rocks formed in the tectonomagmatic environment of subduction zone under continental margin.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.411-429
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• 2018

Daeyoung mine (also called "Daema mine") produced gold and silver from mainly gold- and silver-bearing quartz veins. The mine tailings are a waste hazard, but most of the tailings were swept away or dispersed throughout the area around the mine long before the tailing dump areas were transformed into agricultural land. Soil liner and protection facilities, such as retaining walls, were constructed in the mine area to prevent the loss of tailings. The content of the tailings is 3,424.41~3,803.61 mg/kg, which exceeds the safety standard by a factor of 45. In addition, contamination was detected near agricultural areas and in the sediments in downstream drainage channels. A high level of As contamination was concentrated near the waste tailings yard; comparaable levels were detected in agricultural areas close to streams that ran through the waste dump yard, whereas the levels were much lower in areas far from the streams. The contamination in stream sediments showed a gradual decrease with distance from the mine waste yard. Based on these contamination patterns, we concluded that there are two main paths that affect the spread of contaminants: (1) loss of mine waste, and (2) the introduction of mine waste into agricultural areas by floods after transportation by streams. The agricultural areas contaminated by mass inflow of mine waste can act as contamination sources themselves, affecting other agricultural areas through the diffusion of contaminants. At present, although the measured effect in minimal, sediments in streams are contaminated by exposed mine waste and surface liners. It is possible for contaminants to diffuse or spread into nearby areas if heavy elements trapped in soil grains in contaminated agricultural areas leach out as soil solution or contaminant particles during diffusion into the water supply.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.92-99
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• 2005

To discriminate the provenance of shelf sediments in the East China Sea, textural and elemental compositions along with strontium isotopic ratio ($^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$) were analyzed and compared with the sediments originated from Chinese rivers. The sediments in the study area are composed of fine-grained mud with a mean grain size of $47\;{\phi}$ and their $CaCO_3$, contents range from 3.9 to 11.5% (average 7.6%). In the study area, the content of most metallic elements are strongly constrained by sediment grain size (quartz dilution effect) and that of biogenic material and, thereby, their spatial distribution seems not enough for understanding sediment provenance in the study area. The muddy sediments of the Yangtze river have much lower $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratio ($0.71197{\sim}0.71720$) than the Yellow Sea shelf muddy sediments which are supposed to be originated from the Huanghe river ($0.72126{\sim}0.72498$), suggesting the distribution pattern of $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratios as a new tracer to discriminate the provenance of shelf sediments in the study area. Different source rock compositions and weathering processes between both drainage basins may account for the differences in $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratio. Although the ratios show wide range, from 0.71445 to 0.72184 with an average 0.71747 in the study area, they are close to the values of the Yangtze river sediments, suggesting that the sediments were mainly originated from the Yangtze river. The previous studies on the dispersal pattern of modern sediments and the physico-chemical properties of seawater in the Yellow and East China seas support the possibility that the fine-grained Yangtze river sediments can reach to the East China Sea shelf as well as to the southeastern Yellow Sea.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1992

Sand and silt size fractions of soils which were derived from five major rocks of granite, granite-geniss, limestone, shale, and basalt in Korea were studied. Determination of the mineralogical and chemical composition of rock-forming mineral breakdown which is accompanied by the formation of secondary minerals. The chemical composition of the fraction was largely changed with the content of weatherable and resistant soil minerals such as ferromagenesian minerals, carbonates, and guartz. In the sand fractions of the soils from the granite and granite-gneiss, chlorite-vermiculite mixed layers seem to be an intermediate weathering product prior to the weathering state of the formation of vermiculite from chlorite. Kaolin minerals in the silt fractions of the soils from the granite-gneiss are considered to be formed by the pseudomorphic transformation of plagioclase. In the sand and silt fractions of the soils derived from the limestone, large amount of calcite and dolomite seems to have been inherited from the parent rocks. The primary chloritc, micas, and feldspars are considered to be formed from the weathering remains after leaching of carbonate minerals during the soil formation. In the residual soils(Gueom series) developed from the basalt, quartz and micas were coexisted with plagioclase and augite inherited from the parent rock.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.163-178
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• 2011

A test borehole was drilled in the Cheongwon area to investigate the relationship between geochemical environment and the natural occurrence of radioactive materials (uranium and Rn-222) in borehole groundwater. The borehole encountered mainly biotite schist and biotite granite, with minor porphyritic granite and basic dykes. Six groundwater samples were collected at different depths in the borehole using the double-packed system. The groundwater pH ranges from 5.66 to 8.34, and the chemical type of the groundwater is Ca-$HCO_3$. The contents of uranium and Rn-222 in the groundwater are 0.03-683 ppb and 1,290-7,600 pCi/L, respectively. The contents of uranium and thorium in the rocks within the borehole are 0.51-23.4 ppm and 0.89-62.6 ppm, respectively. Microscope observations of the rock core and analyses by electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) show that most of the radioactive elements occur in the biotite schist, within accessory minerals such as monazite and limenite in biotite, and in feldspar and quartz. The high uranium content of groundwater at depths of -50 to -70 m is due to groundwater chemistry (weakly alkaline pH, an oxidizing environment, and high concentrations of bicarbonate). The origin of Rn-222 could be determined by analyzing noble gas isotopes (e.g., $^3He/^4He$ and $^4He/^{20}Ne$).

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.137-151
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• 2013

This study is focused on element behaviors and mineral compositions of the fault rock developed in Yongdang-ri, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju City, Korea, using XRF, ICP, XRD, and EPMA/BSE in order to better understand the chemical variations in fault rocks during the fault activity, with emphasis on dependence of chemical mobility on mineralogy across the fault zone. As one of the main components of the fault rocks, $SiO_2$ shows the highest content which ranges from 61.6 to 71.0%, and $Al_2O_3$ is also high as having the 10.8~15.8% range. Alkali elements such as $Na_2O$ and $K_2O$ are in the range of 0.22~4.63% and 2.02~4.89%, respectively, and $Fe_2O_3$ is 3.80~12.5%, indicating that there are significant variations within the fault rock. Based on the chemical characteristics in the fault rocks, it is evident that the fault gouge zone is depleted in $Na_2O$, $Al_2O_3$, $K_2O$, $SiO_2$, CaO, Ba and Sr, whereas enriched in $Fe_2O_3$, MgO, MnO, Zr, Hf and Rb relative to the fault breccia zone. Such chemical behaviors are closely related to the difference in the mineral compositions between breccia and gouge zones because the breccia zone consists of the rock-forming minerals including quartz and feldspar, whereas the gouge zone consists of abundant clay minerals such as illite and chlorite. The alteration of the primary minerals leading to the formation of the clay minerals in the fault zone was affected by the hydrothermal fluids involved in fault activity. Taking into account the fact that major, trace and rare earth elements were leached out from the precursor minerals, it is assumed that the element mobility was high during the first stage of the fault activity because the fracture zone is interpreted to have acted as a path of hydrothermal fluids. Moving toward the later stage of fault activity, the center of the fracture zone was transformed into the gouge zone during which the permeability in the fault zone gradually decreased with the formation of clay minerals. Consequently, elements were effectively constrained in the gouge zone mostly filled with authigenic minerals including clay minerals, characterized by the low element mobility.