• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.49-55
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• 2016

Field measurement units and a system were constructed and installed in a waste-dump slope at the Imgi mine to investigate and analyze the variations in the unsaturated characteristics of the soil. The field instrumentation system was composed of a data acquisition system (DAS), a solar system, and measuring sensors. The rainfall, matric suction, and volumetric water contents were continuously measured from the units in the instrumented site. The variations in matric suction and volumetric water content were primarily affected by the rainfall intensity. At the surface of the slope, the largest increase and decrease in the changes in matric suction and volumetric water content were observed during the wetting and drying processes, respectively. Also, the matric suction and volumetric water content were 5-35 kPa and 0.12-0.24, respectively. However, the ground water level was not suddenly increased just after rainfall but gradually increased after 2 or 3 days later.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.771-779
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• 2020

This study was performed to develop a priority list for post-managements of leachates from 64 mine waste dump sites in Korea. For this, leachate quality, leachate quantity, and other factors were considered as evaluation criteria and the weights of 10 subfactors were calculated using Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) based on a survey from 20 experts in the field of mining environment. Calculated weights were 0.769, 0.147 and 0.084 for leachate quality, leachate quantity, and others, respectively, indicating that experts consider leachate quality as most important. Based on this approach, we classified the 64 mine waste dump sites into five grades from Grade I to Grade V. Ten were classified as Grade I, 1 as Grade II, 1 as Grade III, 33 as Grade IV, and 19 as Grade V.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.75-75
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• 2002

• Resources Recycling
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.13-24
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• 2010

To investigate the necessity and background of the metal recycling from urban mine resources, 4 bigger problems such as the limitation of the underground resources, consumption of the metal resources, contamination of environment and metal recycling business were reviewed. Waste management and recycling are the foremost issues facing Korea on its path to sustainable development in the 21st century. Especially, metal recycling from urban mines is the most urgent fact for global environment and resources conservation. In order to build a recycling-oriented society, it is necessary to develop the recycling technology, recycling practices and a recycling-oriented economic system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.71-75
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• 1998

The objective of this study is to investigate geochemical characteristics of mine wastes including tailings in various abandoned mines in Korea. Tailings and wastes were sampled in and around 39 metalliferous mines, and analysed heavy metal concentrations including Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn extracted by 0.1N HCl and aqua regia by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Measurements of paste pH and lime requirement were carried out to examine a general geochemical characteristics of the materials. Lots of mine wastes were characterized by very low pH values of 2 to 4 and high lime requirement to control neutralization of the wastes. In addition, elevated levels of heavy metals were found in various mine wastes extracted by both 0.lN HCl and aqua regia. Because the mine wastes can be dispersed into the downstream by clastic movement and wind-blow, it is necessary to control the materials with a proper method for their reclamation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.61-64
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• 1999

산성침출수에 의한 광산폐기물 매립지 근처의 지하 환경의 오염 및 대처 방안의 효과를 수치적으로 예측하였다. 이를 위하여 지하토양에서 Darcy 법칙을 사용한 침출수의 흐름과 이산-분산에 의한 오염물질의 이동현상을 예측하기 위하여 Galerkin 유한요소법을 활용하였다. 토양오염의 지연을 위하여 석회석 차수막을 연직형과 수평형을 도입하여 그 효과를 조사하였다. 수평차수막에서의 수착이 오염물질의 이동을 지연시키는데 상당한 효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 반면에 연직차수막은 지하수의 우회유동으로 인한 오염물질의 확산이 가중되고 있는 것으로 예측되었다. 전반적으로 침출수의 흐름은 광산매립지 제방 근처에서 강하게 일어나는 것으로 나타났다. 이를 근거로 차수막의 효과적인 설치방안이 고안되어야 할 것으로 보인다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Resources Recycling Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.224-227
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• 2005

본 연구에서는 국내 폐금속광산의 대표적인 폐기물 중 상동광산광미를 안정화, 고형화 및 감량화 시키기 위한 일환으로 광미를 실용적인 흙도로 포장재료로 사용하기 위한 모르타르 실험을 실시하였다. 모르타르에 사용된 고화제는 시멘트계 고화제를 사용하였으며, 상동광미는 대상 흙에 대하여 10% 중량비 치환한 경우 강도증진 효과가 있었다 따라서 상동광미를 흙도로용 포장재료로 사용할 수 있는 가능성을 얻을 수 있었다.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 1997

There are approximately 500 abandoned mining sites in Korea. Abandoned mines cause various environmental and safety problems such as landscape damage, soil, groundwater and stream pollution by heavy metal, acid mine drainage and soil erosion. According to the survey, there are significant numbers of mines causing environmental problems in Korea. For a environmentally sound management of abandoned mines, the Soil Pollution Control Act should include the regulation concerning soil pollution and recovery standards of the abandoned mines. Also, comprehensive survey about abandoned mines, setting-up of tile recovery priority, finance for clean-up are necessary.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 2004

The objective of this study is to review of environmental assessment of heavy metals derived from various metalliferous mines in Korea. As a results of national wide research for heavy metal contaminations in the vicinity of metalleferous mines, the main contaminants are mine waste materials including tailings. From the materials, toxic elements including As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn can be dispersed into downstream through wind and water. Thus, soils around the mines contain elevated levels of those elements, which are over the guide values for environmental regulation of soils in Korea. Arsenic is one of the most important elements contaminated by mining activities, to a less extent, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. In spite of remediation works for some metal mines by the government, there are still lots of abandoned mines which are necessary for reclamation of mining sites. This study also includes that metal concentrations in soils and tailings can be varied upon various decomposition methods including 0.1N HC1 and aqua regia and sequential extraction scheme, with differences in each element, too. This may be due to geochemical characteristics of the elements, such as solubility, mobility and chemical forms in the geochemical environment. Finally, it is suggested that a certain organization should be runned by Korean government for management of abandoned mines.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.143-151
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• 2004

This study focused on examining the possibility of recycling mine solid waste as environmental materials, especially for porous media. Basic properties including mineralogical compositions, chemical compositions, and particle size distribution of the tailings from the Sangdong W mine were checked. The mineralogical and chemical compositions of the tailings samples were not much different in depth. According to Korean Standard Leaching Test for Wastes(KSLT), concentrations of heavy metals leached from the tailings were below the standard values. As a result of particle size analysis, the median diameter (d$_{50}$) of the tailings was in the range of 10 to 30 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. The stable tailings slurry made up of 3 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in d$_{50}$ was prepared using Attrition Mill. The milling condition was 40 vol% in slurry concentration, 700 rpm in stirring speed, and 1 hour in milling time. PEI was added as dispersing agent. Concentrated slurry was extended to 3 times by foaming method. In the case of 3 times foamed slurry, the total and open porosity of ceramic supports sintered at 1,075$^{\circ}C$ for 90 minutes was about 80% and 72%, respectively. Pore size was in the range of 30∼350${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. Therefore, the tailings could be recycled starting material for environmental materials such as macroporous ceramic support.