• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.375-382
• /
• 1999

In order to investigate the contamination characteristics of the heavy metals in the mine tailings of abandoned gold mine and its surrounding agricultural soils, a sequential extraction procedure of increasing reactivity in the dissolution processes of the heavy metals(Cd, Cu, and Pb) which were associated with solid and/or solution phase in soils was attempted to partition into six particulate fractions : exchangeable, bound to carbonate, bound to Fe-Mn oxides, bound to organic matter, residual, and soluble. Among indigenous heavy metals in the mine tailings, Pb was the most abundant and Cu and Cd were followed by. Fractionation result of Pb obtained from the triplicate samples of the mine tailings were in the order of Fe-Mn oxide> Carbonate> Residual> Organic> Exchangeable> Soluble, while Wolgok series were Exchangeable > Fe-Mn oxide > Carbonate> Organic> Residual> Soluable. However the other heavy metals studied were not followed this trend. The fractionation results of mine tailing and agricultural soils demonstrated that different geochemical fractions were operationally defined by an extraction sequence that generally followed the order of decreasing solubility. Therefore potential mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals as toxic pollution sources can be evaluated when studying the pollution levels of heavy metals in soils.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.36-44
• /
• 2008

Organic forms of arsenic (As) were determined through fractionation procedure of soil organic matter (SOM) in soil, sediments and mine tailing samples from the Myungbong, Dongil, and Okdong mining areas of southern Korea. An alkaline extraction method was applied to soil samples followed by the fractionation procedures of SOM by the DAX-8 and XAD-4 resin adsorption method. Major fraction of organic As species (42% to 98%) was found in acid-soluble fraction, whereas minor fraction (0.1 % to 67.8%) was present in the humic-associated As. In acid-soluble fractions, the transphillic- and hydrophilic-associated As were dominant in addition to As binding with humic and fulvic SOM. Arsenic binding was the strongest between pH 6 to 8 and reduced to about 70% at both low and high pH regions. The amount of both transphillic and hydrophillic associated As was less changed than humic and fulvic-associated As, in both low and high pH regions. This apparently indicates that As has stronger affinity towards hydrophillic rather than hydrophobic organics. From the experimental observation of As-binding SOM in natural soil, the ligand exchange model may be a feasible explanation of transphillic and hydrophillic affinity of As.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
• /
• 2004.04a
• /
• pp.167-174
• /
• 2004

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 and thus disposed an enormous amount of mining wastes without a proper treatment facilities, resulting in water pollution in the downstream areas. AMD and waste 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 solid (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. These parameters of AMD and effluents were considered to be highly polluted as compared to those in the main stream area of the Okdong river and be major pollutants for water and soil in tile downstream area. Pollution indices 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 tailing dams and coal mines flowed into main stream were in tile 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 tile major source to water pollution at the Okdong stream areas.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.535-544
• /
• 2013

Influence of sulfate on the early hydration in the solidification treatment of abandoned mine tailings was characterized. Solidified specimens using hydrated lime as a binder were prepared with various amounts of added $Na_2SO_4$ and different curing days. Unconfined compressive strength measurement, heavy metal leaching test, XRD analysis were performed after 7-, 14- and 28-days curing. According to curing days strength of solidified specimens using only distilled water increased but those with addition of $Na_2SO_4$ decreased. External cracks of specimens developed definitely with increasing $Na_2SO_4$ concentration and curing days. Concentrations of Cu, Cd, Zn, and As in the leached solutions from solidified specimens decreased significantly but Pb was leached readily in cases of hydrated lime dosage more than 10 wt%. Gypsum and $MgSO_4$ were identified in the cracked solidified specimens by XRD analysis, and pillar-shaped crystals of SEM image were identified as gypsum in reference with EDS analysis. Crystallization of sulfate in the process of lime-tailing solidification caused cracking, which should be supplemented for solidification treatment of highly sulfur-contained tailing.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.57-65
• /
• 2008

The geochemical partitioning of arsenic in contaminated soils from a of wet land and tailing of the abandoned mine is examined. Chemical analysis and sequential extraction method by ultrasound-sonication extraction are applied to investigate the mobility and chemical existence conditions of arsenic as well as heavy metals. The results of this study showed that heavy metals concentration of tailings showed as a following order: Fe > As > Cu > Pb > Cr. The highest metal concentration was recognized in samples less than $63\;{\mu}m$ fraction in their particle sizes. Exchangeable and carbonate fractions in soil samples showed following Cu > As > Pb > Fe > Cr for tailings, and Fe > Pb > Cu > As > Cr for reservoir soils, respectively. Arsenic was bound as exchangeable fraction in tailings and its concentration appeared higher than those of the other metals. Thus, As can be easily dispersed into soil and water environments. The obtained results can be used to design soil remediation plan in the study area and require further detailed study to investigate severe environmental pollution of surface water as well as rivers with respect to heavy metals in terms of speciation analysis of toxic elements such as As and Cr.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.69-77
• /
• 1992

In this study, a talc flotation was fundamentally carried out with dolomite origin talc ore produced in Dong Yang Talc Mine at Chung-Ju. This ores are mainly composed with talc as a valuable mineral, dolomite as a gangue mineral and other minor minerals of hornblende, tremolite, actinolite, chlorite, calcite, epidote and iron oxide. In order to obtain some of fundamental data for the talc flotation from low grade dolomitic talc tailings which were abandoned -25mm +17 mm size, after the treatment of crude talc ores by screening and hand -picking at the mine, flotation characteristics of the pure talc and dolomite in this ores were first investigated by measuring floatability of the minerals at some experiment conditions. Furthermore, Several times of batch flotations for talc were performed experimentally to recover talc from the low grade dolomitic talc tailings. From the results obtained in this experiment, the conclusions can be summarized as follows ; 1) In the flotation of pure talc, the use of Dowfroth 250 as frother was the most effective in various kinds of frother and the proper addition amount was about 50 mg/${\ulcorner}$(200g/t) at the condition of this experiment. 2) In the flotation of pure talc, the use of kerosene as collector was not adequate, at the addition over 50mg/l of Dowfroth 250. 3) The adequate pH of pulp ranged from pH6 to pH9 in the talc flotation using Dowfroth 250 as frother. 4) The use of Quebracho as depressant for dolomite was not adequate for the recovery of talc, and more selective depressant was required. 5) In the talc flotation on D sample(dolomitic talc tailing), the suitable number of cleaning time was about 3. 6) At this experimental conditions for the talc flotation on D sample, the talc flotation concentrates of 1. 40% CaO and 84.5 whiteness could be recovered with the talc recovery of about 53%.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.73-86
• /
• 2004

In order to estimate the post-ingestion bioavailability of heavy metals and to assess the risk of adverse health effects on human exposure to toxic heavy metals, environmental geochemical surveys were undertaken around the Dogok Au-Ag-Cu and the Hwacheon Au-Ag-Pb-Zn mine sites. Human risk assessment of toxic heavy metals was performed with the results of the SBET(simple bioavailability extraction test) analysis for soil and chemical analytical data for crop plant and water. Arsenic and other heavy metals were highly elevated in tailings from the Dogok(218 As mg/kg, 90.2 Cd mg/kg, 3,053 Cu mg/kg, 9,473 Pb mg/kg, 14,500 Zn mg/kg) and the Hwacheon(72 As mg/kg, 12.4 Cd mg/kg. 578 Pb mg/kg, 1,304 Zn mg/kg) mines. These significant concentrations can impact on soils and waters around the tailing dumps. The quantities of As, Cd and Zn extracted from paddy soils in the Hwacheon mine using the SBET analysis were 55.4%, 20.8% and 26.4% bioavailability, respectively, and for farmland soils in the Dogok mine, 40.8%, 37.6% and 33.0% bioavailability, respectively. From the results of human risk assessment, HI(Hazard Index) value exceeded 1.0 for As in the Hwacheon mine and for Cd in the Dogok mine. Thus, toxic risks for As and Cd exist via exposure(ingestion) of contaminated soil, water and rice grain in these mine sites. The cancer risk for As by the consumption of rice and groundwater in the Hwacheon mine area was 8E-4 and 1E-4, respectively. This risk level exceeds the acceptable risk(1 in 100,000) for regulatory purpose. Therefore, regular ingestion of locally grown rice and ground-water by the local population can pose a potential health threat due to long-term arsenic exposure.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.38 no.5 s.174
• /
• pp.535-545
• /
• 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
• /
• v.38 no.5 s.174
• /
• pp.499-512
• /
• 2005

EPMA determined that Fe(Mn)-(oxy)hydroxides and well-crystallized Fe-(oxy)hydroxides and could contain a small amount of As $(0.3-11.0\;wt.\%\;and\;2.1-7.4\;wt.\%\;respectively)$. Amorphous crystalline Fe-(oxy) hydroxide assemblages were identified as the richest in As with $28-36\;wt.\%$. On the ternary $As_2O_5-SO_3-Fe_2O_3$ diagram, these materials were interpreted here as 'scorodite-like'. Dissolved As was attenuated by the adsorption on Fe-(oxy) hydroxides and Fe(Mn)-(oxy) hydroxides and/or the formation of an amorphous Fe-As phase (maybe scorodite: $FeAsO_4\cdot2H_2O$). Leaching tests were performed in order to find out leaching characteristics of As and Fe under acidic conditions. At the initial pHs 3 and 5, As contents dissolved from tailings of the cheongyang mine significantly increased after 7 days due to the oxidation of As-bearing secondary minerals (up to ca. $2.4\%$ of total), while As of Seobo mine-tailing samples was rarely released (ca. $0.0-0.1\%$ of total). Dissolution experiments at an initial pH 1 liberated a higher amount of As (ca. $1.1-4.2\%$ of total for Seobo tailings, $1.5-14.4\%$ of total for Cheongyang tailings). In addition, good correlation between As and Fe in leached solutions with tailings was observed. The kinetic problems could be the important factor which leads to increasing concentrations of As in the runoff water. Release of As from Cheongyang tailings can potentially pose adverse impact to surface and groundwater qualities in the surrounding environment, while precipitation of secondary minerals and the adsorption of As are efficient mechanisms for decreasing the mobilities of As in the surface environment of Seobo mine area.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.33-44
• /
• 2009

The objective of the study was to develop a hybrid technology integrating biological and physicochemical technologies to efficiently remediate arsenic contaminated lands such as abandoned mine area. The tailing soil samples contaminated with As at a high level were obtained from Songchon abandoned mine, and the content of arsenic and heavy metals as well as physicochemical properties and mineral composition were investigated. In addition, two sets of sequential extraction methods were applied to analyze chemical speciations of arsenic and heavy metals to expect their leachability and mobility in geoenvironment. Based on these geochemical data of arsenic and heavy metal contaminants, column-type experiments on the bioleaching of arsenic were undertaken. Subsequently, experiments on the hybrid process incorporating bioleaching and electrokinetics were accomplished and its removal efficiency of arsenic was compared with that of the individual electrokinetic process. With the results, finally, the feasibilty of the hybrid technnology was evaluated. The arsenic removal efficiencies of the individual electrokinetic process (44 days) and the hybrid process incorporating bioleaching (28 days) and electrokinetics (16 dyas) were measured 57.8% and 64.5%, respectively, when both two processes were operated in an identical condition. On the contrary, the arsenic removal efficiency during the bioleaching process (28 days) appeared relatively lower (11.8%), and the result indicates that the bioleaching process enhanced the efficacy of the electrokinetic process as a result of mobilization of arsenic rather than removed arsenic by itself. In particular, the arsenic removal rate of the electrokinetics integrated with bioleaching was observed over than 2 times larger than that obtained by the electrokinetics alone. From the results of the study, if the bioleaching which is considered a relatively economic process is applied sufficiently prior to electrokinetics, the removal efficiency and rate of arsenic can be significantly improved. Consequently, the study proves the feasibility of the hybrid process integrating both technologies.