• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.31-33
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• 2002

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.101-113
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• 1994

Geochemical investigations based on measurements of water parameters and sampling of stream sediments have been carried out, in the Okdongcheon stream and its tributaries in the Sangdong area of South Korea. There are two main problems occurring in the Okdongcheon stream: an acid mine drainage in the upper reaches and toxic trace metal contamination of the stream sediments mainly in the lower reaches. Acid mine water originating from coal mining was neutralized at the confluence of the Cheonpyongcheon stream whilst suspended solids due to flocculation of iron in water caused turbidity which was undesirable. Sediments in the Okdongcheon stream have been contaminated by mining activites. Iron was heavily concentrated in sediments in the upper Okdongcheon whilst toxic trace metals including Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, Cd, As and Bi were accumulated in sediments at stations draining metallic mining areas and near the tailings dam. There is now a requrement to neutralise the acid mine drainage and to use site-specific analysis of biological communities to ensure the conservation and preservation of aquatic organisms.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.297-305
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• 2008

Tailings piled up at Okdong mine in Euiseong consists of fine powder, and are mainly composed of pyrite, sphalerite, chlorite, illite, plagioclase, smectite, gypsum, etc. Smectite is concentrated in the upper part of tailings and chlorite is downwardly increased. Gypsum is generally observed on the surface of the mine tailings, suggesting that it was formed by the reaction of Ca and $SO_4$ in leachate after evaporation. Through the electron microscope study of sphalerite within the tailings, it was observed that there is significant weathering both on surface and in the inner part of the sphalerite, suggesting that the reaction of the failings with groundwater for long period of time contributed a significant addition of Zn and $SO_4$ into the leachate.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.481-490
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• 2003

The objectives of this study are (1) to determine the extent and degree of As contamination of the water and sediments influenced by mining activity of the abandoned Au-Ag mines, (2) to examine As speciation In contaminated water, (3) to monitor variation of As contamination in water system throughout the dry and wet seasons, and (4) to investigate the As chemical form in the sediments through the sequential extraction analyses. Natural water(mine water, surface water and groundwater) and sediments were collected in six abandoned Au-Ag mine(Au-bearing quartz veins) areas. The contamination level of As in mine water of the Dongil(524${\mu}m$/L) is more higher than the tolerance level(500 ${\mu}m$/L) for waste water of mine area in Korea. Elevated levels of As in stream water were also found in the Dongil(range of 63.7∼117.6 ${\mu}m$/L.) and Gubong(range of 56.1∼62.9 ${\mu}m$/L) mine areas. Arsenic contamination levels in groundwater used by drinking water were more significant in the Dongil(11.3∼63.5 ${\mu}m$/L), Okdong(0.2∼68.9 ${\mu}m$/L) and Gubong(2.0∼101.0${\mu}m$/L) mine areas. Arsenate[As(V), $H_2AsO_4^-$] is more dominant than arsenite[As(III), $H_3AsO_3$] in water system of the most mine areas. The concentration ratios of As(III) to As(total), however, extend to the 95% in stream water of the Okdong mine area and 70∼82% in groundwater of the Okdong and Dongjung mine areas. As a study of seasonal variation in the water system, relatively high levels of As from the dongil mine area were found in April rather than in September. Sequential extraction analysis showed that As was predominantly present as coprecipitated with Fe hydroxides from sediment samples of the Dongjung and Gubong mine(35.9∼40.5%), which indicates its possibility of re-extraction and inducing elevated contamination of As in the reductive condition. In sediments from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwachon mine area, high percentage(55.2∼83.4%) of As sulfide form was found.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.5 s.174
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• pp.535-545
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• 2005

Environmental survey from some abandoned metal mine areas was undertaken on to assess the risk of adverse health effects on human exposure to arsenic influenced by past Au-Ag mining activities. Elevated levels of As were found in tailings from the studied mine areas. This high concentration may have a impact on soils and waters around the tailing piles. In order to perform the human risk assessment, chemical analysis data of soils, rice grains and waters fur As have been used. The HQ values fer As via the rice grain and groundwater consumption were significantly higher compared with other exposure pathways in all metal mine areas. However, there were minimal soil and water dermal contact risks. The resulting Hl values of As from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwacheon mine areas were higher than 5.0, and their toxic risk due to drinking water and rice grain was strong in these mine areas. The cancer risk of being exposed to As by the rice grain route from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwacheon mine areas was $5.2\times10^{-4},\;6.0\times10^{-4}\;and\;8.1\times10^{-4}$, respectively. The As cancer risk via the exposure pathway of drinking water from these mine areas exceeded the acceptable risk of 1 in 10,000 fer regulatory purposes. Thus, the daily intakes of groundwater and rice grain by the local residents from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwacheon mine areas can pose a potential health threat if exposed by long-term arsenic exposure.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.743-753
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• 2020

This study analyzed heavy metal concentration, mineral composition, and spectral characteristics of heavy metal contaminated soil samples of cropland and rice field located in downstream of abandoned Okdong coal mine. X-ray fluorescence analysis detected heavy metal elements including cadmium, copper, arsenic, lead, zinc and nickel in the soils. Both cropland and rice field samples were severely contaminated with arsenic showing higher concentration over the concerned standard. The pollution index of cropland samples was higher than that of rice field samples. X-ray powder diffraction analysis identified that the mineral composition of cropland and rice field samples is similar with quartz, calcite, kaolinite, illite, smectite, magnetite and hematite. The range of organic matter content were more widely distributed in cropland samples. The spectral analysis showed that the reflectance spectra and the absorption features of cropland and rice field samples were alike. The absorption features that appeared near 490nm and 900nm were attributed to the ferric iron, and clay minerals such as kaolinite and smectite caused the absorption features at 1410nm, 1910nm and 2200nm. The reflectance of the soil spectral decreased with an increase in organic content. The absorption depths of both types of soil samples decreased with higher organic matter content at 490nm and 1916nm as well as higher heavy metal concentration.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to assess the applicability of acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS) pellets for the arsenic (As) stabilization and to suggest an evaluation method for arsenic stabilization efficiency in soil around abandoned coal mines. The soil samples were collected from the agricultural field around Ham-Tae, Dong-Won, Dong-Hae, and Ok-Dong coal mine. The As concentration in soil was exceeding the criteria of soil pollution level, except for Ham-Tae coal mine. The AMDS pellets are more appropriate to use by reducing dust occurrence during the transport and application process than AMDS powder. In addition, AMDS pellets were maintained the As stabilization efficiency. The application of AMDS pellets for the As stabilization in soil was assessed by column experiments. The AMDS pellets were more effective than limestone and steel slag, which used as the conventional additives for the stabilization process. The As extraction by $0.43M\;HNO_3$ or $1M\;NaH_2PO_4$ solution were appropriate evaluation methods for evaluation of As stabilization efficiency in the soil.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.25-36
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• 2005

Several metalliferous and coal mines, including Myungjin, Seojin and Okdong located at the upper watershed of Okdong stream, were abandoned or closed since 1988 due to the mining industry promotion policy. Thus these disposed an enormous amount of mining wastes without a proper treatment facilities, resulting in water pollution in the downstream areas. Acid mine drainage (AMD) and waste water effluents from the closed coal mines were very strongly acidic showing pH ranges of 2.7 to 4.5 and had a high level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) showing the ranges of 1,030 to 1,947 mg/L. Also heavy metal concentrations in these samples such as Fe, Cu, Cd and anion such as sulfate were very high. Concentrations of water soluble heavy metals in the Okdong streams were in the orders of Fe>Al>Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb>Cd, indicating Fe from the AMD and waste water effluents contributed greatly to the quality of water and soil in the lower watershed of Okdong stream. Copper concentrations in the effluents from the tile drainage of mine tailings dams were highest during the raining season. Water Pollution Index (WPI) of the surface water at the upper stream of Okdong river where AMD of the abandoned coal mines was flowed into main stream were in the ranges of 16.3 to 47.1. On the other hand, those at the mid stream where effluents from tailings dams and coal mines flowed into main stream were in the WPI ranges of 10.6 to 19.5. However, those at the lower stream were ranged from 10.6 to 14.9. These results indicated that mining wastes such as AMD and effluents from the closed mines were the major source to water pollution at the Okdong stream areas.