• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.422-425
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• 2003

This study was carried out to apprehend the variation of quality of mine drainage in the abandoned Samtan coal mine. After closure of coal mine, although still pumping, water level in underground was raised to loom and the concentration of some elements such as Fe and Mn was elevated. At present, the worst pollution source in this area is too the acidic leachate drained from uncovered mine waste impoundment. The flow rate of mine drainage from the adit is ave. about 20,000t/d. If water were flooded and deteriorated due to stopping pumping, the impact of the mine drainage on the stream around the abandoned mine would be more severe. Therefore, It is considered that the prediction of water quality of mine drainage from the adit after stopping pumping will be very important with a view to establishing countermeasures.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.287-293
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• 2007

Heavy metal contamination and biological toxicity of mine drainages and sediments in abandoned mines were studied. Mine drainages had pH at a range of 2.94~7.86, and contained heavy metals at a toxic level. For coal mines, toxicity of mine drainage to Daphnia magna was attributable to acidic pH. In addition to the low pH, suspended heavy metals such as Zn and Cu contributed to toxicity of mine drainages at abandoned metalliferous mines. All mine sediments studied in this work showed biological toxicity to Chironomus riparius, having mortality at a range of 15~60%. However, its relationship with physicochemical properties including heavy metal content of the sediments was not statistically explained. Exceptionally clay ($< 2{\mu}m$ particle) content was negatively correlated with the biological toxicity for sediment samples collected at the same abandoned mines.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.75-89
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• 2001

There are 334 coal mines and about 900 metal mines abandoned. The environmental problems such as acid mine drainage from adits etc. and the subsidence has occurred in the abandoned mines. In addition, soil has been contaminated by tailings. According to analysis of mine drainages, some of them from adits in the abandoned coal and metallic mines were acidic and polluted by heavy metals. Especially, water quality of coal mine drainages were different by areas. Treatment of mine drainage by conventional chemical treatment has the drawback because the operating cost is very expensive. The treatment system used in mine drainage is the natural treatment system such as anoxic limestone drain in adits and the constructed wetland. The method of reclamation for abandoned waste rocks and tailings impoundments are mainly landfilling.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.252-258
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• 2004

This study was performed to evaluate characteristic of acid mine drainages (AMD) from abandoned mines in Kangwon-Do. Youngdong abandoned mine, and Soo and Hambaek abandoned mines in Hamtae were selected for this study. Average pHs of the mine drainages were 3-6.5, and those of Youngdong and Hambaek drainages were very acidic as 3-4. $SO_4^{-2}$ of Youngdong and Hambaek drainages were over 1,600 mg/L, which higher than average value (845 mg/L) of acid mine drainages in nationwide. Cu, Mn, and As concentrations of the drainages were lower than ‘Pollutant Discharge Permission'. Fe concentrations of Youngdong and Hambaek drainages were approximately 96 mg/L, which were two times higher than average value in nationwide. From correlation analysis using SPSS, significant correlation was not discovered between 'contaminants' analyzed in three acid mine drainages.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.365-373
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• 1996

A survey was carried out to investigate the contamination of streams by the acid mine drainage originated from the abandoned coal mines and coal refuse piles. The physico-KDICical characteristics such as pH, sulfate and elements concentrations in the water and sediment in streams were analyzed. Microbial activity in the sediment was evaluated by measuring dehydrogenase activities. At sites contaminated by acid mine drainage, the pH of the water and sediment declined to acidic range from neutral due to the accumulation of sulfate. The dehydrogenase activity ranged from 12 to $170{\mu}g-TPF{\cdot}g-dry\;soil^{-1}{\cdot}24h^{-1}$ at the contaminated sites, whereas uncontaminated sites had activities of 1,176~4,259 ${\mu}g-TPF{\cdot}g-dry\;soil^{-1}{\cdot}24h^{-1}$. The dehydrogenase activity was significantly affected by low pH of the sediment, indicating that high concentration of sulfate inhibited microbial activity. The concentrations of heavy metals such as Pb and Fe in contaminated sdeiment (37~46 ppm Pb; 46,000~464,000 ppm Fe) were much higher than those in the uncontaminated sediment. The concentration of Al in the contaminated water acidfied by coal mine drainage was in the range of 11 to 42 ppm. Compared with those in the uncontaminated sediment, the concentrations of Mn, Mg and Ca in contaminated sediment were low because of the leaching from soil to water by the acidfied stream water.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.560-568
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• 2007

The objectives of this study were to analyze ecological effects on effluents from the Sagok Stream (Chonnam province) as an abandoned mine drainage through necropsy-based health assessments and fish exposure tests, and to conduct In situ field pilot tests for restoration of stream water. Also, we analyzed water quality including general parameters and heavy metals. The tests were performed three times on April 2005, April 2006, and April 2007. Also, we constructed a reactor facility in the outflowing point of the abandoned mine for the remediation of AMD wastewater. In lab test, death rates in all three treatments were ${\geq}50%$ in the experiments. Necropsybased fish tissue assessments using the Health Assessment Index (HAI), indicated that the most frequently damaged tissue was liver (average: 20.8). Values of Health Assessment Index were lower in the control than any other treatments of T1, T2, and T3 and three treatments showed a distinct toxicity impacts by the AMD. In situ lethal test, concentration of Fe, Al and Zn decreased particularly by 85%, 99% and 94%, respectively through the disposal facility. Values of pH, ranged from 3.1 to 7.0, increased by 2.3 fold (mean=5.1) along with the reduction of metal contents. All fishes in P1 cage died 100% on 3 days later after the experimental setting, while all fishes in the P6 died 100% on 9 days later. Overall, these results evidently provide a key methodology for pilot test using the disposal facility and also clarify the toxicity of AMD once again, so this approach used in the pilot facilities here may reduce the acidic and toxic effects in the abandoned mining drainage.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.143-156
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• 2007

This study has researched the management status and the pollution level of water, soil, stream sediments of 11 abandoned coal mines out of a total of 12 within Obong-Dam area except Bukyung mine, which was submerged when constructing Obong-Dam, and selected areas which are in needs to have pollution control facilities in the first place. From the results of examination on the runoff at the waste rock pile and mineheads, the runoff from Sueun mine (pH, Fe, Al), Samwon mine (pH, Al), Wangdo mine (pH, Al), Mose mine (pH, Fe, Al) and Daeryeong mine (pH) exceeded the permissible discharge standards of the water quality, but the water at merging point with Obong-Dam after joined with Doma branch satisfied both Water Quality Standards and Drinking Water Quality Standards. In regard to groundwater contamination, it is found that areas where exceeded the Drinking Water Quality Standards are Wangdo mine (pH), Jangjae mine (pH, Zn), Daeryeong mine (pH) whereas all areas satisfied Soil Contamination Warning Standards of Soil Environmental Conservation Law. When comparing a research result on underwater sediments of branches of abandoned mines to the EPA Guidelines for classification of great lakes harbor sediments, Dongguk Gaerim (Fe), Jungwon mine (Fe), Daebo mine (Mn), Samwon mine (Mn) and Daeryeong mine (Mn) showed mid-level of contamination, whereas Sueun (Fe, Mn), Daebo mine (Fe), Woosung mine (Fe, Mn), Wangdo mine (Fe, Mn), Mose mine (Fe) and Daeryeong mine (Fe) showed high-level of contamination. In addition, contamination levels of underwater sediments in Wangsan and Doma branch where abandoned mine's branches merge together, Wangsan branch showed no contamination at all whereas Doma branch shows mid-level of contamination which reflect the Doma branch is affected by waste rock pile and minehead runoff of the abandoned mines in the Doma branch area. It is concluded that Mose mine and Sueun mine required treatment of acid mine drainage. and Wangdo, Jungwon, and Samwon mines were in need of mine tailing and erosion control work. The Samwon mine additionally required a control system for closed minehead runoff. Although the Samwon mine reached a high concentration of Al, Mn $Ca^{2+}$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ in the runoff, the levels decreased after it was combined with a tributary. It has been concluded that after further monitoring of the cause of pollution, a preventive measure system may be needed to be built.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.265-273
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• 2011

Bacterial diversity based on the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene sequences was determined for soil samples from two abandoned mine sites and the corresponding enrichment cultures using soil sample as key inoculum. Sequencing analysis of DGGE bands obtained from both the soil samples matched mostly with sequences of uncultured and newly described organisms, or organisms recently associated with the acid mine drainage environment. However, the enrichment of soil samples in ferrous sulfate and elemental sulfur media yielded sequences that were consistent with well-known iron- and sulfur-oxidizing acidophilic bacteria. Analysis of enrichment cultures of soil samples from Dalsung mine revealed abundant ${\gamma}$-$Proteobacteria$, whereas that of Gubong mine sample displayed acidophilic groups of ${\gamma}$-$Proteobacteria$, ${\alpha}$-$Proteobacteria$, $Actinobacteria$ and $Firmicutes$. Chemical elemental analysis of the mine samples indicated that the Dalsung site contained more iron and sulfate along with other toxic components as compared with those of the Gubong site. Biogeochemistry was believed to be the primary control on the acidophilic bacterial group in the enrichment samples.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.63-75
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• 1999

This study was performed to investigate applicabilities of sewage sludge and papermill sludge as carbon sources in biologically treating abandoned acidic mine drainage, and effects of limestone. In spite of ranging average 3.3 in influent pH, SRB(Sulfate Reducing Bacteria) was well grown. because effluent pH was maintained by alkalinity a little under for whole stages. TCODcr was high in effluent with washing out in early stage. but its concentration was low with passed time and did not cause the problem of secondary pollution. Removal rate of Mn was remarkably low, but in case of heavy metals such as Fe, the fixation trends showed high as the volume of ${SO_4}^2$ reduction increased. In case of mixing sewage sludge and papermill sludge, when their mixing ratio were 1 : 1 and 2 : 1 respectively, rate of ${SO_4}^2$ reduction and removal rate of heavy metals were high. The mixing ratio 1 : 1 was considered as the most appropriate, because degradability of swewage sludge under short time was higher than that of papermill sludge. As a result of investigating efficiencies of limestone and biological treatment, biological treatment excelled limestone in neutralization and removal rate of heavy metals.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.189-194
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• 1998

Geochemical study was carried out to find out the distribution of metals and cyanide in soil in the vicinity of the abandoned Keum-Jung mine. Chemical analysis showed that content of As in soil around tailings exceeded 15mg/kg, Korean standard of soil contamination in the farm land. That means the contamination of soil by As is due to input of tailings. According to total decomposition of tailings, As was highly concentrated in tailings. However the water in tailings impoundment was changed to acidic and contaminated by metal and sulfate because the tailings in the top of the tailings impoundment had been oxidized. Acid mine drainage contaminated the water course in the vicinity of the paddy soils. The proper measures are required to prevent contamination of the soil and water in the vicinity of the Keum-Jung mine.