The current status and outlook of industrial minerals in Chungbuk province : part 1

This paper was aimed to investigate industrial minerals in Chungbuk province, and find ways to improve the use of minerals, and to improve their functionality. For this purpose, mineralogical structure and material characteristics of minerals were investigated. Industrial minerals have various physico-chemical functions, but the domestic technology is lagging behind, so most of the high-function powder is imported from foreign countries. Industrial minerals scattered in the Chungbuk area have mostly stopped operation due to the deterioration of the raw ore itself, the fall of facilities, and rising labor costs. Limestone and kaolin, which have relatively rich reserves in the Chungbuk area, have not been actively used due to a lack of application development and application of quality improvement technology. Industrial minerals are widely used as raw materials for recharging the paper, paint, plastic, and rubber industries. In addition to the existing industrial minearals, the development and utilization of new industrial minerals in skin cosmetics and health ingredients could be linked with tourist resources such as the hot springs in Chungbuk province. There will be an opportunity to develop the mining industry which deteriorating in management, if functionality is given to industrial minerals so they can be used as material indusrires such as the fine chemical industry and medical care industry.