• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.411-429
• /
• 2018

Daeyoung mine (also called "Daema mine") produced gold and silver from mainly gold- and silver-bearing quartz veins. The mine tailings are a waste hazard, but most of the tailings were swept away or dispersed throughout the area around the mine long before the tailing dump areas were transformed into agricultural land. Soil liner and protection facilities, such as retaining walls, were constructed in the mine area to prevent the loss of tailings. The content of the tailings is 3,424.41~3,803.61 mg/kg, which exceeds the safety standard by a factor of 45. In addition, contamination was detected near agricultural areas and in the sediments in downstream drainage channels. A high level of As contamination was concentrated near the waste tailings yard; comparaable levels were detected in agricultural areas close to streams that ran through the waste dump yard, whereas the levels were much lower in areas far from the streams. The contamination in stream sediments showed a gradual decrease with distance from the mine waste yard. Based on these contamination patterns, we concluded that there are two main paths that affect the spread of contaminants: (1) loss of mine waste, and (2) the introduction of mine waste into agricultural areas by floods after transportation by streams. The agricultural areas contaminated by mass inflow of mine waste can act as contamination sources themselves, affecting other agricultural areas through the diffusion of contaminants. At present, although the measured effect in minimal, sediments in streams are contaminated by exposed mine waste and surface liners. It is possible for contaminants to diffuse or spread into nearby areas if heavy elements trapped in soil grains in contaminated agricultural areas leach out as soil solution or contaminant particles during diffusion into the water supply.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.473-484
• /
• 2016

This study aims to establish a monitoring method for managing the effective maintenance of tailings dams. The monitoring of a tailings dump area involves several parameters and their investigation through a selection of evaluation items. The extents of defects and progressive failures also need to be effectively estimated. Therefore, the monitoring items can be subdivided into categories relating to the retaining wall structure (concrete wall, reinforcing stone wall, mesh gabions) and general facilities (liner, covering soil, slope, tailings, rain protection facility, leachate, planting), and quantitative evaluations can then be conducted for each condition. In doing so, we developed a systematic monitoring method that assesses the dam maintenance condition with grades and scores. The field application of the monitoring method results showed it to provide a more detailed evaluation than existing monitoring methods: the method detected an additional 16 defects missed by conventional methods. The evaluation gave scores of 89.3, 22.2, and 27.8 to the Geumjang mine tailings dam, the Gupoong mine tailings dam, and the Hwachun mine tailings dam, respectively. The advanced method can provide quantitative evaluation and perform detailed monitoring of the dams. This quantitative evaluation can be used to decide on maintenance priorities, select the main management items, and establish schedules of maintenance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.576-587
• /
• 2018

This study has focused on analysis factors affecting safety monitoring system at tailings sites, and the evaluation equipment to monitor the factors. Twenty sites at eighteen mines with unsafe conditions were selected to examine the equipment. There were three main factors influenced safety in the sites including surface erosion, piping, and slope instability. In detail, the surface erosion was divided into three sub-factors (planting, soil-topping layer, and tailings), piping into three sub-factors (liner, rain protection facility and leachate), and slop instability was also divided into three sub-factors (slop, concrete wall, and reinforcing wall). As results of in-field measurement, a CCTV was the most effective facility, and electrical resistivity survey, acoustic sensing, thermal liner sensor, structure inclinometer, rainfall meter, and flowmeter were also highly effective. According to applications of the facilities in the unstable tailings, structural defects were mainly found in the piping, which was the most important monitoring factor for safety management of tailings sites.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.717-726
• /
• 2022

This study was conducted to assess the geochemical contamination degree of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, and Zn in the soil and water samples from an abandoned gold mine. Enrichment Factor (EF), Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), and Pollution Load Index (PLI) were carried out to assess the geochemical contamination degree of the soil samples. Variations of sulfate and heavy metals concentration in water samples were determined to identify the geochemical distribution with respect to the distance from the mine tailing dam. Geochemical pollution indices indicated significant contaminated with As, Cd, Pb, and Zn in the soil samples that areas close to the mine tailing dam, while, Sb showed similar indices in all soil samples. These results indicated that the As, Cd, Pb, and Zn dispersion has occurred via anthropogenic sources, such as mining activities. In terms of water samples, anomalies in the concentrations of As, Cd, Zn, and SO₄^2- was determined at specific area, in addition, the concentrations of the elements gradually decreased with distance. This result implies the heavy metals distribution in water has carried out by the weathering of sulfide minerals in the mine tailing and soil. The study area has been conducted the remediation of contaminated soil in the past, however, the geochemical dispersion of heavy metals was supposed to be occurred from the potential contamination source. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the soil and water is necessary after the completion of remediation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.588-595
• /
• 2018

This study has focused on evaluation of heavy metal contamination in seepage from 23 mine waste dumping sites in Korea. Seepage samples from the sites were taken and analyzed for heavy metals. The maximum levels (mg/L) in the samples were Al 53.98, As 16.19, Cd 1.15 Cu 37.30, Fe 28.64, Mn 39.00, Ni 0.097, Pb 0.750, and Zn 80.18. Among the sites, six mines were selected as continuous monitoring sites. As results of three months' monitoring of the sites, over the water guidelines for As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and Al in seepage samples were found at two abandoned Au-Ag mines, Cd, Mn, Zn and Al at two Pb-Zn mines, and As, Fe and Mn at two other Fe-W mines. Therefore, those six mines need continuous monitoring on contamination assessment of seepage due to mining activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.564-575
• /
• 2018

Recently, the possibility of promoting inter-Korean economic cooperation is increasing because the tension between South and North Korea is being reduced. Consequently, the interest in North Korea's mine development projects is growing as one of the aspects of inter-Korean economic cooperation. In the promotion of cooperation in mining development, mine hazard risk management should be considered. However, there is a lack of information pertaining to mine hazards in North Korea. To this end, this study was performed to determine the status of mining-related hazards in 12 mines in North Korea by using the image analysis feature of Google Earth. From the results obtained, we observed some mining-related hazards such as tailing dam failures, yellow boy phenomenon, and land subsidence.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.439-448
• /
• 2012

The aim of this study is to develop eco-friendly, fundamental technology for vegetative restoration of barren lands using green rehabilitation material, for the stabilization of abandoned mine debris slopes and depository slopes composed of rock fragments. It is expected that such methods would help to improve the negative view of artificial slopes that remain following mining activity, while also contributing to slope stabilization and prevention of the loss of rock fragments and the dispersion of tailings. We tested the tensile strength and tear strength of various materials, including commonly used natural coir material, natural fibers, and synthetic textile materials with enhanced durability. In conclusion, there is the possibility that natural coir can be used as an eco-friendly material in vegetation restoration, while its durability in natural conditions can be improved by controlling the degree of knot convolution and by antibacterial treatment against biodegradation.