• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2010

Metals and sulfate can be considerably dissolved at low pH condition in the acid mine drainage(AMD) and it would make an environmental problems. There are only few of acid mine drainage treatment systems in Korea which are operating, but these still have an effect on the surrounding stream. In this study, quantification of indicator microorganisms was conducted to judge the environmental impact of AMD on microflora by quantitative real-time PCR in the drainage samples of four mines and the water samples of each surrounding stream. Two species of iron reducing bacteria(Rhodoferax ferrireducens T118 and Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5) were selected for indicator bacteria based on 16S rRNA cloning analysis, and sulfate reducing bacteria(Desulfosporosinus orientus), iron and sulfur oxidizing bacteria(Acidothiobacillus ferrooxidans) and iron oxidizing bacteria(Leptosprillum ferrooxidans) were included into indicator since these were found in the previous studies on the mining area. Thereafter, the comparative analysis of four mines were established by the microbiological variation index and it was determined that the biological environment effect of AMD is highest in Samtan mine which doesn t contain treatment system by the value.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.86 no.4
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• pp.435-442
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• 1997

The research was carried out to investigate the contamination of stream water by the acid mine drainage originated from the abandoned coal mines and coal waste rock in Keumsan, Chungnam. The pH, sulfate and chemical compositions in the stream water were analyzed. At the polluted sites, the pH of stream water was the strong acid, ranging from 3.46 to 4.29. The pH shows negative correlations with sulfate, manganese, copper, zinc, iron and magnesium concentrations. Sulfate concentrations of the polluted stream water, 236.73-310.53mg/l, had 10 times more than those of the non-polluted stream water. The concentrations of heavy metals, Mn and Fe, in the polluted water were 0.56 - 0.83mg/l and 5.89 - 10.58mg/l, respectively. The Mn concentrations were 20 times higher than those of the non-polluted stream water. Compared with those in the non-polluted stream water, the Mg and Ca concentrations in the polluted stream water were high because of leaching from rock and soil to water by the acidifications. Calculated AMDI(Acid Mine Drainage Index) values are low in the polluted stream water, relative to those of the non-polluted water.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.276-285
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• 2001

This report surveyed degradation of forest environment and rehabilitation in Ashio of Japan. Since 1880, a large scale forestry in this area has been destroyed by sooty smoke, and the local government invested heavily to rehabilitate the damaged forestry and denuded mountains. These degradations are due to complex operations, such as sulfurous acid gas from copper refinery, forest fires, steep slope and disadvantageous climate. The rehabilitation works on degraded forestry(2,399ha) were undertaken by tree planting fur three years from 1897. However, forest degradation and disasters were continued, and the total damaged areas were about 2,400~3,000ha in 1956. A Manual labor method, a Helicopter method and also Combination of manual labor and helicopter method had been adopted to rehabilitation works from 1945 to 1996, while 828.19ha of the degraded mountains was rehabilitated. Total investment for those projects was 80 billion yen. A debris control dam, a soil arresting structure, a vegetation-block, a vegetation sack measures and tree planting have implemented significantly fur the method of rehabilitation. An objective of manual labor works is a complete rehabilitation on each place through 3 stage working. The revived green areas accounted fur 49% of the total, and the entire afforest areas are less than 10%. In coming 25 years, an amount of 21.3 billion yen will be invested to rehabilitate 564ha of degraded mountain lands. However, it is impossible to estimate that how long it will take until the whole degraded mountain lands are completely rehabilitated. Rehabilitation works in Ashio may be applicable to environmental restoration and revegetation in the abandoned coal-mine lands of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2010

The sediments and soils around a mine are likely to be exposed to contamination of arsenic (As) through mining operations. In this study, the factors associated with As movement in soils around a closed zinc (Zn) mine were evaluated by the relationship of As distributions to physico-chemical properties of soils. A sequential extraction scheme, based on a soil P fractionation, was used to assess the As distributionsin solid phases. A significant difference in As distributions was found between paddy and upland soils. While As contents of paddy soils increased with soil depth, those of upland soils decreased with soil depth. In upland soils, As showed additional significant relationships to oxides of Si, Al and Fe. Although a major fraction of As in soils was found to be in the NaOH extractable fraction, As exhibited highly significant relationship to the Zn species that apparently originated from the mine. Therefore, As mobility around Zn mine seems to be governed by mass flow of the particulates containing As-associated Zn in paddy soils, whereas retention reactions such as adsorption, complexation, and precipitation seem to predominate in upland soils.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2018

In this study, the Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM) was investigated to utilize the bottom ash and fly ash generated in the Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustor (CFBC). It was confirmed that the CFBC fly ash (CFBC-F) and CFBC bottom ash (CFBC-B) had an irregular particle shape through SEM measurement. According to the results of the hazard analysis, it was also confirmed that they were environmentally safe. In the case of mixing with CFBC-F, the unit quantity was increased. Regarding the rate of change of length, shrinkage in the range of -0.05~0.50% occurred in the air dry curing condition and expansion in the range of 0.1~0.6% in the sealed curing condition. Compressive strength was increased in the sealed curing condition compared to the air dry curing condition because there was enough moisture for hydration reaction in the long term. Therefore, the results of this study are likely be used as basic research data of mine filler materials.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.80-88
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• 2017

Globally, there has been a lot of research related to recycling coal ash from power plant stations. This research is happening because there is a considerable shortage of sites for reclamation of increased coal ash every year. In addition, a variety of environmental pollutants have appeared because of mining activity. Abandoned coal mine, pits, and mine tailing piles caused pollutants to come to the surface resulting in serious damage for humans and the environment. Therefore in this study, we investigated whether or not coal ashes have the ability to prevent several environmental problems by mining in Korea and a manageable form recycling coal ashes. In overseas countries, there is a sufficient field of applicable cases where coal ash is used for neutralizing AMD (Acid Mine Drainage), covering of the waste materials, grouting, and soil amendments. However in Korea, since the coal ash is classified as a 'waste', there is an insufficient field applicable cases so far. Therefore it is necessary to establish a specific standard and management system for the utilization of coal ash based on the relevant precedent cases applied abroad in order to prevent environmental pollution caused by mining activity in Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.251-256
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• 2017

This study presents measures to enhance the efficiency of Successive Alkalinity Producing Systems(SAPS), a natural biological purification method that prevents environmental pollution arising from the release of Acid Mine Drainage(AMD) from abandoned mines into rivers and groundwater. The treatment of AMD using SAPS is based on biological processing technology that mostly involves sulfate reducing bacteria(SRB). It has been proven effective in real-world applications, and has been employed in various projects on the purification of AMD. However, seasonal decrease in temperature leads to a deterioration in the efficiency of the process because sulfate-reducing activity is almost non-existent during cold winters and early spring even if SRB is able to survive. Against this backdrop, this study presents measures to enhance the activity of the SRB of the organic layer by integrating light emitting diode(LED)s in SAPS and to maintain the active temperature using LEDs in cold winters. Given that mine drainage facilities are located in areas where power cannot be easily supplied, solar cell modules are proposed as the main power source for LEDs. By conducting further research based on the present study, it will be possible to enhance the efficiency of AMD treatment under extreme cold weather using solar energy and LEDs, which will serve as an environmentally-friendly solution in line with the era of green growth.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2009

Alumina powder was prepared from heat-treatment of artificial marble waste fine aggregate containing $Al(OH)_3$ for the purpose of the feasibility of its recycling. Artificial marble waste was heat-treated between $500^{\circ}C$ and $1000^{\circ}C$ and XRD, BET surface area, BJH pore size distribution and adsorption of As were analyzed for heat-treated powder. It was found that the adsorption efficiency of As was significantly affected by phase composition of alumina powder rather than its physical characteristic. Heat-treated powder compact was sintered to produce the pellet. Alumina pellet with porosity more than 60% could be obtained after sintering below $1200^{\circ}C$ and also the addition of glass powder as a sintering aid had a positive effect on lowering sintering temperature, led to the high porosity near 60% and adsorption of As over 60% even at $900^{\circ}C$.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.61-69
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• 2010

S.M.C (DSME), only operating gold mine in Korea, is processing about 160 ton/day to recover gold and more than 150 ton/day of tailing is produced. Some portion of the tailings are used as a filler material after drying, but most of them are stored on the tailing dam. As a result of chemical analysis by a fire assay method, it contained Au 1.5~2.0 g/ton and 225~300 g per day of gold is getting discarded. It is urgent to develop a technology to recover and reutilize Au. In the present study, flotation tests were carried out to recovery gold for the tailings. Test results show that products with gold grade 21.31 g/ton(Au grade) and 62.73% (Au recovery) were obtained under the optimal conditions including KAX addition rate 97.2 g/ton, frother AF 65 (0.248 l/ton) and depressant sodium silicate (4 kg/ton), it's possible to recover one of the most valuable metal Au, by re-feeding to rougher flotation.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 1998

This study investigates the contamination mechanism of soil by drainages including acid rains around mining waste sites, and suggests the quantitative methods of prevention against soil contaminations and its alternatives. For these purposes, the dissolution of arsenic in soils, which is one of toxic heavy metals, has been examined experimentally using the artificial acidic solution. Also, in order to prevent dissolution of arsenic by acid rain, the effects of limestone for the neutrality method on the soil were investigated. The arsenic in soil specimen was dissolved by strong acidic solution below pH1.0. The maximum amount of dissolved arsenic increased with decreasing pH value. Furthermore, it was found very effective to use limestones for the neutrality method. The neutralization of limestones in acidic solution was found to follow the equation of chemical reaction-controlling formulation in unreacted-core models.