• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1391-1398
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the suppressive effects of ore minerals on the allergic cell damages and oxidative cell damages. The ore minerals significantly reduced the productions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in rat basophilic leukemia cells challenged with 2,4-dinitrophenol-bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA). Lipoxygenase activity was also reduced by the ore minerals. Moreover, the ore minerals showed weak protective effects on the oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide in pig kidney cells and retinal ganglion cells. Photohemolysis of erythrocytes in the presence of rose-bengal as a sensitizer was also inhibited by ore minerals. These results suggest that the ore minerals may be useful as the protectant for allergic and oxidative cell damages.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2008

The ore minerals, mainly composed of sericite, talc, and halloysite, were investigated for their inhibitory effect on the allergic inflammation in mice by measuring the serum IgE level, inflammatory cytokine production, and histamine and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase releases. When the mice were ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged prior to the ore mineral treatment, the IgE level in the serum decreased significantly. The ore minerals significantly reduced the productions of IL-4 and the tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ in the bronchial alveolar lavage fluid challenged with OVA. The inflammatory infiltrates, found in the lung of the OVA-challenged mouse, were also notably decreased following the ore mineral treatment. The ore minerals significantly reduced the release of histamine and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase from the RBL-2H3 cells. These results suggest that the ore minerals may be useful as potent inhibitors of the allergic inflammation in mice.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.809-816
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• 2008

The oriental ore minerals, which mainly consisted of talc, actinolite, sericite, and halloysite were developed, and then used to examine the healing effect on the skin wound in rats. Full-thickness square wounds were formed on the backs of rats after the hairs on the dorsal surface were shaved. The ore minerals were applied to examine the healing effect from day 0 to 15 after wounding. Notable wound healings in terms of congestion around the wound, wound contraction and epithelialization were found in ore mineral-treated groups. Moreover, microscopic results revealed the formation of epithelial layer, hair follicles and progressive angiogenesis in ore mineral-treated groups, while complete epithelial layer could not be found in the control. These results suggest that ore minerals from Korean indigenous ores may have wound healing effect on the skin injury in rats.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.spc
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• pp.227-237
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• 1986

The Duk-Eum mine located in Kongsan-myeon, Naju-gun, Cheolanamdo is producing silver ore mainly, with rare gold association. The grade-up and recovery of the concentrates have been concerned to the main problem. And then, this study aimed at applying the basic data for ore processing. In the first half of the study, the attempts were made to identify the ore minerals, this followed by determination of the mineral texture, paragenesis, grain size, and size distribution by employing the microscopical method and the etching test. The results of the study are as follows: 1. The ore deposit is composed of the hydrothermal fissure linked veins, and filling cavities are mostly tensile fractures or joints, in rhyolitic rocks as a wall rock. 2. The principle ore minerals are native silver, acanthite, canfieldite, pyrargyrite, galena, tetrahedrite, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, covellite, zincite, and the gangue minerals are quartz and calcite. 3. The grain size of each ore minerals before grinding are; max. $2\frac{1}{2}$ mesh, medium 48-100 mesh(main size, contained over 80%), min. 3200mesh. And the grain size of each ore minerals after grinding is; max. 42mesh, medium 65-250mesh(main size, contained over 80%), min. 3200mesh. 4. The properties of the mineral texture effected on the ore dressing are follows; a) Inclusion texture; the fine grains of chalcopyrite is included in most acanthite, and rarely, that of galena included in acanthite. b) Exsolution texture; pyrargyrite is exsolved in acanthite. c) Replacement texture; native silver replaced pyrargyrite, and acanthite replaced galena. d) Interlocking paragenetic texture; the interlocking paragenetic minerals are pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, canfieldite. e) Fissure filling texture; chalcopyrite was filled along the cracks in acanthite. Among of the above texture, it is impossible to liberate the grains of a), and more difficult to liberate those of b) and c), while easy to liberate those of d) and e).

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.189-204
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• 1982

The Geodo mine is located in the southern limb of the Hambaeg syncline. Geology of the area consists of Paleozoic-Mesozoic sedimentary Rocks and Cretaceous igneous rocks. The important igneous rocks presumably related to skarnization and ore mineralization in the area, are the early granodiorite and the late porphyritic granodiorite. Two mineralogical types of ore deposits are recognized in the area. They are the Fe-Cu deposits in the Myobong formation and the Au-Bi-Cu deposits in the Hwajeol formation. Contact metamorphism due to granodiorite intrusion includes hornfelsization, exoskarnization and endoskarnization. Wall-rock alterations related to the Fe mineralization are grouped into the hydrothermal replacement skarnization and the hydrothermal filling skarnization. Another hydrothermal alteration is associated with the Cu mineralization. Various mineralogical analyses have been applied for the identification of minerals. They include optical microscopy, chemical analysis, etching test, X-ray diffraction, and infrared absorption spectroscopic analyses. The ore minerals in these ore deposits are classified into two groups;hypogene and supergene minerals. Hypogene minerals consist of magnetite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and chalcocite. Supergene minerals consist of chalcocite, bornite, and geothite. Ore minerals show various kinds of ore texture: open-space filling, exsolution, replacement, and cementation texture. The gangue minerals consist of quartz, diopside, epidote, garnet and plagioclase in the hornfelsic zone, garnet, diopside, scapolite, actinolite, sericite, chlorite, quartz, and calcite in the skarn zone, and, epidote, chlorite, sericite, quartz, and calcite in the late hydrothermal alteration zone. This study shows that the Fe-Cu deposits are of metasomatic pipe type with the later hydrothermal fillings, and the Au-Bi-Cu deposits are of hydrothermal fissure-filling type. The mineralization is probably related to the intrusion of porphyritic granite.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.47-57
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• 1969

The Yeonhwa Lead and Zinc Mine is located in northern part of Kyeongsang-Buk-Do, Korea, and is economically most important mine because it produces most part of the output of lead and zinc minerals in the country. Ore deposits of the mine are localized in the Pungchon Formation and several limestone seams of upper Myobong Formation in Cambrian Age. Ore solution ascended along the fractures of N-S, NE-SW or NW-SE trends and along slate and limestone boundary, and then replaced selectively limestone to make ore bodies. Skarn minerals are consisted of hedenbergite, diopside, and main sulfide mineral orebodies are composed of galena, zincblende, pyrrhotite, pyrite and a minor amounts of arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite. Metal ratio, ${\rho}_{Pb}={\frac{Pb(%)}{Pb(%)+Zn(%)}}{\times}100$, illustrates the zona I arrangements of some ore bodies. It will be inferred the flow trending of ore solution and the process reaction with adjacent country rocks. The sub-divided formations of the Pungchon limestone and Myobong slate are very useful as a criteria for detecting probable ore location. Rhodochrosite veins are good evidence for searching of ore location, especially on Pb-rich ore bodies.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.213-221
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• 1987

The Donghae mine locates at Jangjoari, Koseongun, Kyongsang-nam-do. The geology of the mine consists of the upper part of Chin dong Formation conformably overlain by tuffaceous Koseong Formation. These formations are intruded by the granodiorite and the basic dikes. The ore mineralization occurs in the fault breccia pipe at the center of a granodiorite stock. The estimated dimension of the breccia pipe is $7m{\times}70m{\times}200m$. The host rock has distinctive hydrothermal alteration halos consisting hematite zone, chlorite zone, epidote zone and sericite zone from outer zone to the ore vein. The ore mineralization occurred in the three distinctive stages. The ore minerals formed in the first stage are pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, stannite and tetrahedrite. Galena and arsenopyrite are formed in the second stage. Some sphalerite grains include exsolution dots of the chalcopyrite. It is suggested that the ore mineralization occurred by a boiling of a hydrothermal fluid during its initial stage and subsequent cooling and $CO_2$ fugacity drop of remaining hydrothermal fluid by a ground water mixing aided vertical zoning of the ore minerals.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.199-222
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• 1970

One of the biggest sulfide metallic (Cu, Pb, Zn) ore deposits of South Korea is located in the area of Seo-myeon, Shiheung-gun, Gyeonggi-do. Geology of the region is mostly composed of metasediments of biotite schist, graphite schist, injection gneiss, sericite schist, limesilicate and quartzite from bottom, those are applicable to so-called Yeoncheon System of Pre-Cambrian, and granodiorite, quartz porphyry, basic dykes are outcroped in a small scope as intrusives. The origin of the ore deposit is pyrometasomatic contact deposits due to hydrothermal replacement and the ore bodies are imbedded in lower bed of limesilicate formation as impregnation and ore minerals are galena, sphalerite, marmatite, chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, covellite, and the later two minerals are both hypogene and supergene. Gangue minerals are mostly skarn minerals those hornblende, diopside, epidote, hedenbergite, chlorite, garnet and quartz except primary calcite and quartz. Boundary plane (NS strike) between schists and limesilicate seemed to be primary opening of ore solution and fractures bearing $N50^{\circ}{\sim}80^{\circ}W$ are secondary structural control for localization of ore minerals and the third structural controls are both irregular gashes and schistosity in small scale. Photogeological study was carried with vertical aerial photo scaled 1: 38,000 and enlarged 1 : 10,000 under stereoscope. The study on the area convinced the fact that the geologic boundaries between rocks, limesilicates and quartzites, are traced easily by their typical topographic feature and drainage, and the main fracture patterns which derived from the result of fracture traces, that photogeologic lineament observed under stereoscope, are those bearing (1) $N20^{\circ}W$, (2) $N58^{\circ}W$, (3) $N76^{\circ}W$, (4) EW, (5) $N20^{\circ}W$, (6) $N62^{\circ}W$, (7) $N77^{\circ}W$. Among the written fractures, (5) (not schistosity, in case of fault) (6) (7) are post-mineral faults and others are pre-mineral faults and others are pre-mineral structures, and (2) (3) (6) (7) are coincided with statistical figure of 208 fractures surveyed in underground. By the result of the study, mineralized zone, are presumed to extend north and southward, total length about 4km.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.599-612
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• 1995

Some REE ore deposits are located in the middle part the of Korean peninsula. Geotectonically, the REE ore deposits situated on the Kyemyeongsan Formation of northern margin of the Okcheon geosynclinal belt and in the transitional zone between Kyeonggi massif and the Okcheon belt, with a deep-seated fracture separating the two tectonic units. The Kyemyeongsan Formation are different in lithology and metamorphic grade from the Gyeonggi massif and the Okcheon super group. The sequence of Kyemyeongsan Formation is dominantly composed of acidic metavolcanic and volcaniclastic rocks associated with alkaline igneous rocks which are related to volcano-plutonism. The REE ore deposits contain mainly Ce-La, Ta-Nb, Y, Y-Nd and Nd-Th group minerals. More than 15 RE and REE minerals have been found in the deposits, such as allanite, fergusonite, thorite bestnaesite, euxenite, polyclase, monazite, columbite, (Nb)-rutile, okanoganite, sphene, zircon, illmenite and some other unknown minerals. According to the characteristics of the mineral association, the REE ore deposits may be divided into 4 ore types; Zircon-REE, allanite-REE, feldspar-REE and fluorite-REE type. The Sm-Nd isochron age of the REE ore is 330 Ma, and the Sm-Nd model age is 1.11 Ga with ${\varepsilon}_{Nd(t)}$ being - 2.9. This data suggest that the REE ore deposit was formed in the early Carboniferous, and the ore-forming material came from the mantle. The REE ores show distinct light REE enrichment with strong negative Eu anomaly. The REE patterns of schistose rocks from Kyemyeongsan Formation are similar to felsic volcanics from rifts or back arc basins in or near continental crust. The genesis of the REE ore deposit is quite complicated. Different geologic processes are displayed in the studied area; sedimentation, volcanic activity, metamorphism and hydrothermal replacement. Alkali granite has suffered extensive post-magmatic metasomatism of a high temperature to produce alkali metasomatites. Geochemical charateristics show that metasomatism of alkaline fluid was probably the dominant ore-forming process in Chungju district.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.150-156
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• 2008

The photoprotective effects of minerals from Korean indigenous ores, consisting mainly of sericite, on UVA-irradiated human dermal fibroblast (HDF) were examined. Zymographic analysis showed that the treatment of the minerals significantly reduced the UVA-enhanced MMP-1 activity and mRNA level. The minerals also showed strong inhibitory effect on MMP-2 activity and mRNA expression. Moreover, the minerals were better than polyphenol in reducing MMP-1 and MMP-2 expressions. Notably, the minerals significantly enhanced collagen biosynthesis in the HDF. Inhibition of the elastase activity and protection against the oxidatively damaged HDF cell were also found in the presence of the minerals. Taken together, the ore minerals may be used as the potent photo-protective and anti-skin-aging ingredients which can prevent skin cell damage by UVA.