Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers ISSN:2288-0291(Print) 2288-2790(Online) 한국자원공학회지

To characterize the weathering processes of some Korean granites, fresh and weathered Jurassic granites were collected systematically from stone and aggregate quarries in four chosen areas; Chuncheon, Wonju, Youngju and Yangju in Korea. Sampled rocks were classified by their weathering grades through field and basic laboratory tests and then measured and analyzed for their physical and chemical properties. As weathering proceeds, some physical properties such as porosity, absorption, P-wave velocity and compressive strength vary significantly to be potential indicators of the degree of weathering of Korean granites. During incipient and moderate weathering stages, most major elements were not mobilized significantly but the Fe3+ /Fe 2+ ratio increases continually, which indicates the more oxidized environment. And also some trace elements show variable or irregular trends of variation in terms of weathering degrees. Among the reviewed chemical indices of weathering, the WPI and the Fe2O3 / Fe2O3T ratio show significant variations and consistent trends through weathering and therefore, these indices can indicate the weathering degree of granites.