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2026 Vol.63, Issue 1S Preview Page

Research Paper

A Preliminary Study on Natural Hydrogen Generation Mechanisms Through Hydrothermal Reactions of Banded Iron Formations

호상철광상 수열반응을 이용한 자연수소 발생 메커니즘에 관한 선행연구

Inkyeong Moon1
,
Seungyeol Lee2*
,
Lei Liu3
문 인경1
,
이 승열2*
,
Lei Liu3
1Ocean Geo-Resources Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan, Korea
2Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
3State Key Laboratory of Critical Mineral Research and Exploration, Central South University, Changsha, China
1한국해양과학기술원, 대양자원연구부
2충북대학교 지구환경과학과
3State Key Laboratory of Critical Mineral Research and Exploration, Central South University
*Corresponding Author
28 February 2026. pp. 173-182
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Abstract

In this study, we investigated the potential for hydrogen generation via the hydrothermal oxidation of ferrous iron minerals in the Neoarchean Banded Iron Formation (BIF) of the Wugang region, China. Hydrothermal experiments were conducted in autoclaves, at 150°C (30 days) and 230°C (22 days), using BIF samples containing a mixture of magnetite and iron silicates. The results confirmed H2 generation in all samples, with quantities increasing with temperature. The high-purity magnetite sample yielded approximately 335 ppm of H2 at 230°C. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a quantitative correlation between hydrogen production and the oxidation reaction transforming magnetite to hematite. Furthermore, H2 generation was detected even in samples with low magnetite content, suggesting a potential contribution from coexisting iron silicate minerals. This study experimentally demonstrates that BIFs serve as a potential source of geologic hydrogen and identifies magnetite content and temperature as key factors controlling generation efficiency.

Keywords
natural hydrogen
banded iron formation
magnetite
hematite
hydrothermal reaction

본 연구는 중국 우강지역 신시생대 호상철광상을 대상으로 철함유 광물의 수열 산화 반응을 통한 수소 생성 잠재력을 규명하였다. 자철석과 철 규산염 광물이 혼재된 호상철광상 시료와 고순도 괴상 자철석을 대상으로 오토클레이브 수열 반응 실험(150°C/30일, 230°C/22일)을 수행하였다. 실험 결과, 모든 시료에서 수소 생성이 확인되었으며 온도 상승에 따라 생성량이 증가하였다. 특히 고순도 자철석 시료는 230°C 조건에서 약 335 ppm의 수소를 생성하였으며, XRD 분석 결과 자철석이 적철석으로 전이되는 산화반응과 정량적으로 상관관계가 있음을 확인하였다. 또한, 자철석 함량이 낮은 시료에서도 유의미한 양의 수소가 검출되었다. 본 연구는 호상철광상이 높은 수소 생성 잠재성을 지님을 실험적으로 확인하였으며, 자철석 함량과 반응 온도가 수소 생성 효율을 제어하는 핵심 인자임을 시사한다.

키워드
자연수소
호상철광상
자철석
적철석
수열반응
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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국자원공학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국자원공학회지
  • Volume : 63
  • No :1
  • Pages :173-182
  • Received Date : 2025-12-29
  • Revised Date : 2026-01-21
  • Accepted Date : 2026-02-22
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.32390/ksmer.2026.63.1.173
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