• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.84-95
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• 2000

Tremolite crystals from the Dongyang talc deposit were studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) to characterize the tremolite-to-talc reaction. [001] HRTEM images of tremolite show intergrowths of wide-chain pyriboles and talc; talc is the primary alteration product of tremolite, and triple-chain structures occur sparsely. The boundaries between tremolite and talc are commonly well defined by (010) and (100) interfaces. (001) talc layers are parallel to (100) of tremolite, and the interfaces between tremolite and talc appear to be coherent in HRTEM images, indicating that most talc laters formed directly from tremolite by a gydration reaction. However, some talc formed along (110) of tremolite, and talc layers are not extended from (010) of tremolite, suggesting that part of talc in the deposit was produced through a dissolution-precipitation mechanism. Carbonate minerals are also associated with tremolite and talc. Common replacement of dolomite by calcite indicates that the tremolite-to-talc reaction results in remnant Ca, which was eventually consumed to replace dolomite to form clacite. Some Mg Produced by dolomite during reaction to calcite was apparently utilized to form talc, because talc formation from tremolite requires extra Mg. Although talc could be formend directly from dolomite, extensive alteration of tremolite to talc suggests that part of talc of the deposit was produced from tremolite that was formed by dolomite reaction during an early stage metamorphism.

• Current Applied Physics
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1218-1224
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• 2018

Pressure-dependent structural and morphological changes of two amphibole minerals, tremolite and actinolite, were investigated up to 7.0 GPa using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction underthree different pressure transmission media (PTM): water (W), $CO_2$ and silicone oil (SI). The elastic response of tremolite and actinolite are found to be dependent on the PTM used. When using water (W) as PTM, tremolite and actinolite show normal volume contractions with bulk moduli of 74(1) and 78(1) GPa, respectively. When using $CO_2$ as PTM, we observe the formation of calcite from tremolite above 3.8(1) GPa, whereas actinolite did not show any carbonation reaction. Under silicone oil PTM, we observe modulated volume contraction behaviors in both samples, compared to water and $CO_2$ PTM, with bulk moduli in the order of 90(1) and 94(4) GPa for tremolite and actinolite, respectively.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2013

Diagenetic black chert nodules occur in the Paleozoic dolostone in Susan, Jecheon, Korea. They reacted with dolomite to form alteration rim around the nodules during the contact metamorphism probably related to the intrusion of biotite granite. In the earlier stage of alteration, talc and calcite replaced both the chert and dolomite, which were subsequently replaced by tremolite. Significant mass of tremolite occurs along the horizon enriched with chert nodules. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy of the tremolite specimens revealed the elongated morphology of diverse aspect ratios coexisting in several mm scale. Non-asbestiform tremolite columns were also common as well as asbestiform fibrous bundles. Quantitative estimation of asbestos should be more cautious for naturally occurring materials because all the tremolite particles in the outcrop are not asbestiform. The occurrence of asbestiform tremolite in the Susan area indicates that a combination of chert-bearing dolostone, heat source, and aqueous fluids is one of the geological environments for the formation of asbestiform tremolite.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.543-551
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• 1997

Poongjeon talc deposits is emplaced in dolomite and dolomitic limestone of the Cambro-Ordovician Samtaesan Formation. Ore in Poongjeon is low grade talc and the deposit has been known as the contact metasomatic or hydrothermal replacement type related to the intrusion of late Cretaceous granite in this area. X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analysis, fluid inclusion and stable isotope analysis were utilized to examine the mineralogy of the ore and the origin of the ore fluid. The ore from Poongjeon mine mainly consists of talc and tremolite with minor amount of illite, vermiculite, smectite, and chlorite-vermiculite mixed layer. Occurrence of ore body indicates that the talc-tremolite ore was formed through the replacement by the $SiO_2$-rich hydrothermal fluid along the bedding and dike boundaries, or contact of amphibolite and basic dike with carbonate rocks. The temperature and pressure of the ore forming fluids at the time of the talc mineralization were estimated as $350^{\circ}C$ and 400 bar, respectively, based on the heating and freezing data of the fluid inclusions in quartz from talc-tremolite veins. During the talc-tremolite formation, fluids were divided into $CO_2$-enriched fluid and $CO_2$-poor fluid from $CO_2$ immiscibility (or effervescence). Oxygen isotope values (${\delta}^{18}O$) of the talc-tremolite fall within a range between 12.2 and 12.9‰. Hydrogen isotope values(${\delta}D$) of the ore range from -60 to -85‰ and $H_2O$ contents range from 2.0 to 3.4 wt.%. ${\delta}^{18}O$ and ${\delta}D$ values of talc ore indicate that the hydrothermal fluid involved in talc-tremolite formation was of igneous origin. Oxygen and hydrogen isotopic exchange between talc ore and the surface water was negligible after talc-tremolite ore formation.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.73-84
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• 2010

We studied the geological occurrence, associated minerals, mineralogical properties and formation process of tremolites from two abandoned asbestos mines, Jungang (Sinsuk) and Daebosuksan, located in Boryoung area, Chungnam. Morphologically different tremolites such as long fibrous, needle-like, bladed and prismatic forms coexisted. Fibrous tremolite, known for its high toxieity to human health, was systematically analyzed by polarized light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The average length of tremolite fibers was 31.2 ${\mu}m$ although the maximum length of some asbestos was 210.0 ${\mu}m$. The average width and aspect ratio were 1.6 ${\mu}m$ and 19.9, respectively. Tremolite showed inclined extinction in the range of 6.1~20.2$^{\cric}$. X-ray diffraction patterns were slightly different between fibrous (asbestiform) and prismatic (non-asbestiform) tremolites. EPMA analysis of tremolites in the study area indicated extremely high Mg content with very low Fe content, close to the composition of tremolite in end-member in the tremolite-actinolite solid solution series. The formational conditions of asbestiform and non-asbestiform tremolite appear to be different. Asbestiform tremolite was estimated to have been formed in later stage.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2009

This study is for the occurrence types of asbestos within 2 serpentinite mines, Baekdong and Kwangsi, Chungnam. They were exploited as serpentinite mines for several decades and closed in the 1980's. Asbestos with associated minerals were collected from the serpentinite bodies. They were examined with microscopes and FESEM, and analysed with EPMA, XRD and EDX to confirm for the types and/or compositions of the minerals. The serpentinites contain asbestos and nonasbestos minerals. Asbestos include chrysotile, tremolite and actinolite. The chrysotiles occur as veins of several mm to cm thickness with random directions. The tremolite and actinolite occur along cracks and fractures of several cm to ten cm thickness. They show mineralogical characteristics showing common asbestos under the microscope. Non-asbestos including chrysotile, lizardite, antigorite, tremolite and actinolite were also found within the serpentinite. The serpentines form pseudomorphic mesh textures, and also show hourglass or ribbon textures. The tremolite and actinolite were formed from the alterations of the pyroxenes and amphiboles, and plot between tremolite and magnesio hornblende. Tremolitic grains are colorless and occur as commonly elongated grains whereas the magnesio hornblende grains mainly show light green and occur as subhedral to euhedral grains. Overall results suggest that three types of asbestos are found in the Baekdong and Kwangsi serpentinite mines with varieties of the occurrences. Based on the occurrence types for the asbestos, additional studies are required for the asbestos of the top soil and the air.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.497-505
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• 2014

This study is for discrimination between asbestiform and non-asbestiform based on size characteristics of tremolite-actinolite fibers in soils from a closed asbestos mine, Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. Soils and tremolite asbestos rocks were collected from a closed asbestos mine area. The dimensions of fibers with minimum $5{\mu}m$ in length and 3:1 in aspect ratio were measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and compared to the known tremolite populations ranging from asbestiform to non-asbestiform. The geometric means of width of soils, asbestos rocks and National Institute for Standard and Technology (NIST) and Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) reference samples were $1.2{\mu}m$, $0.3-0.6{\mu}m$, $1.3{\mu}m$ and $0.2{\mu}m$, respectively. The geometric means of aspect ratio of soils, asbestos rocks and NIST and HSL reference samples were 7.3, 13.7-30.1, 7.2 and 37.8, respectively. The population of tremolite-actinolite fibers from soils compared to known asbestiform and non-asbestiform tremolite was lack of thin and high aspect ratio fibers. Upper results suggest that tremolite-actinolite fibers in soils cannot be classified into a commercial grade asbestos. The tremolite-actinolite fibers do not mainly appear to be the result of contamination from distance asbestos sources by wind. For the management and control of asbestos in soils, size distributions of amphiboles should be incorporated into asbestos survey results of soils.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.119-130
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• 2010

Pulmonary toxicity of talc containing tremolite asbestos (TCT) has been studied in term sequential in Sprague-Dawely rats. UICC chrysotile(average diameter 0.03${\mu}m$, average length 2.93${\mu}m$) was applied as the positive control. TCT was analyzed for its physicochemical properties by transmission electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer(TEM-EDS). The effects of 2mg TCT(talc average diameter 9.7${\pm}$8.4${\mu}m$; tremolite average diameter 1.6${\pm}$1.6${\mu}m$, average length 10.8${\pm}$7.0${\mu}m$) on pathological changes were evaluated after 1, 8 weeks instilled into rat lungs. 2mg Chrysotile continuously affected lung pathological changes. Inflammation and granuloma response broke out from 1 week after instilled with chrysotile and the pathological examination further showed increased legions of lung after 8 weeks. But TCT did not showed lung pathological changes. The biopersistence of TCT and chrysotile was evaluated by TEM- EDS. Whereas chrysotile continuously have retained to 8 weeks instilled into rat lungs, talc of TCT showed statistically significant decrease of diameter from 1 weeks and statistically significant change in Si atomic % compositions at 8 weeks instilled into rat lungs. Physicochemical properties of tremolite of TCT were not affected until 8 weeks instilled into rat lungs. This study showed that the durability of TCT in the lungs is much weaker than chrysotile.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.357-364
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• 2004

Mineral chemistry of talc from the Dongyang talc deposits was studied to characterize the differences between dolomite-origin talc (talc I) and tremolite-origin talc (talc II). Average iron and aluminum contents are higher in talc II, 2.18 wt% FeO and 0.31 wt% $Al_2$O$_3$), than in talc I, 1.48 wt% FeO and 0.08 wt% $Al_2$O$_3$). Consistently lower Mg/(Mg+Fe+Mn) ratios and higher AI concentrations with uniform values of talc II compared to talc I seem to reflect the compositional differences of the original materials, tremolite and dolomite, respectively. Relative enrichment of Al as well as Fe in talc II compared to tremolite can be attributed to their immobile behaviors during alteration process and the rapid diffusion of hydrothermal fluids, which can accelerate instantaneous nucleation with immaturity growth of talc II. Increase in the concentrations of talc II can lower the ore grade by increasing concentrations of impure components such as AI and Fe, and by abundant presence of tremolite as well.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2015

As results of X-ray diffraction analysis, samples of asbestos and soil were composed maily of dolomite ($CaMg(Co_3)_2$, tremolite ($Ca_2Mg_5Si_{18}O_{22}(OH)_2$), actinolite ($Ca(Mg,\;Fe)_6Si_8O_{22}(OH)_2$), talc ($Mg_3Si_4O_{10}(OH)_2$), calcite ($CaCO_3$) and small amounts of quartz ($SiO_2$) and clay minerals. The average size of asbestos fibers was about $100{\mu}m$ and maximum of some asbestos was $250.0{\mu}m$ in length. The aspect ratio of asbestos fiber were over 3 : 1 and inclined extinction in the range of $8.0-19.5^{\circ}$. Single isolated fragments of asbestos are probably fiber and acicula form in crystal edge along the cleavage plane. Tremolite that composed main asbestos mineral in rock and soil around Dong-a mine is higher content of Fe than actinolite asbestos.