• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2020

Soil in mine waste-rock fields, and at the pithead, sediments and farmlands around an abandoned mine in the Chungcheong Province of South Korea were investigated to assess the distribution of metallic elements and to understand the scope of the pollution. Reddening was observed from the mine up to a distance of 61 m. Losses of waste rock around the mine were assessed over a section of 1800 ㎥. Yellowish precipitates on the bottom of a stream were identified as ferrihydrite and goethite. For anions, a mean sulfate ion level over 773.6 mg/L was found during August in the river water samples. Mine drainage at the site was shown to have a pH of 4.9 and a sulfate concentration of 1557.8 mg/L during the August rainy season. A possible cause of the metallic element contamination in the mine is waste-rock loss, because mine waste-rock is located on the slope in this area. In conclusion, the total soil area to be treated, based on the amount that exceeded the recommended Korean soil pollution levels, was assessed to be 10,297 ㎡.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.297-302
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• 2011

Acid drainage generated by pyrite oxidation has caused the acidification of soil and surface water, the heavy metal contamination and the corrosion of structures in abandoned mine and construction sites. The applicability of Na-acetate (Na-OAc) buffer and/or Na-silicate solution was tested for suppressing pyrite oxidation by reacting pyrite containing rock and treating solution and by analyzing solution chemistry after the reaction. A finely ground Mesozoic andesite containing 10.99% of pyrite and four types of reacting solutions were used in the applicability test: 1) $H_2O_2$, 2) $H_2O_2$ and Na-silicate, 3) $H_2O_2$ and 0.01M Na-OAc buffer at pH 6.0, and 4) $H_2O_2$, Na-silicate and 0.01M Na-OAc buffer at pH 6.0. The pH in the solution after the reaction with the andesite sample and the solutions was decreased with increasing the initial $H_2O_2$ concentration but the concentrations of Fe and $SO_4^{2-}$ were increased 10 - 20 times. However, the pH of the solution after the reaction increased and the concentrations of Fe and $SO_4^{2-}$ decreased in the presence of Na-acetate buffer and with increasing Na-silicate concentration at the same $H_2O_2$ concentration. The solution chemistry indicates that Na-OAc buffer and Na-silicate suppress the oxidation of pyrite due to the formation of Fe-hydroxide and Fe-silicate complex and their coating on the pyrite surface. The effect of Na-OAc buffer and Na-silicate on reduction of pyrite oxidation was also confirmed with the surface examination of pyrite using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The result of this study implies that the treatment of pyrite containing material with the Na-OAc buffer and Na-silicate solution reduces the generation of acid drainage.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a laboratory test on arsenic reduction efficiency for ARD (Acid Rock Drainage) using limestone and apatite, and to design an apatite drain system. As a result of the laboratory test, results of this study show that pH, arsenic removal ratio, and dissolution amount of limestone ＆ apatite are inversely proportional to flow rates, and apatite removes 100％ of arsenic at 0.6 ml/min/kg flow rate. It is supposed that dissolution rate of apatite is ten times higher than that of limestone. The arsenic compounds are assumed to be Johnbaumnite, and/or Ca-arsenic hydrate. According to the results of the laboratory test, apatite drain system is designed as follow; Sixty two tons of apatite will be needed per one year and six months, and the precipitates will be removed from the precipitation pond per 3 months.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2004

Metallic deposits in Korea have a variety of genetic types such as hydrothermal veins, skarns, hydrothermal replacement and alaskite deposits and so on. Geological, mineralogical and geochemical features including host rock, wall-rock alteration, ore and gangue mineralogy, mineral texture and secondary mineralogy related to weathering process control the environmental signatures of mining areas. The environmental signatures of metallic deposits closed from early 1970s to late 1990s in Korea show complicate geochemistry and mineralogy due to step weathering of primary and secondary minerals such as oxidation-precipitation-remobilization. The potentiality of low pH and high heavy metal Concentration s from acid mine drainage is great in base-metal deposits associated with polymetallic mineralization, breccia-pipe type and Cretaceous hydrothermal Au veins with the amount of pyrite whereas skam, hydrothermal replacement, hydrothermal Cu and Au-Ag vein deposits are in low contamination possibility. The geoenvironmental models reflecting the various geologic features closely relate to disuibution of sulfides and carbonates and their ratios and finally effect on characteristics of environmental signatures such as heavy metal species and their concentrations in acid mine drainage.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.524-540
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• 2005

This study has focused on the amount of evaporites and geochemical characteritics of evaporites from the acid mine drainage and on the variation of constituents in acid mine drainage during evaporation. The various colors of evaporites are frequently observed at the rock surfaces contacting acid mine drainage. In order to produce evaporites in the laboratory, acid mine drainages were sampled from the abandoned mine areas (GTa, GTb, GH and GB) and air-dried at room temperature. During the evaporation of acid mine drainages, TDS, EC values and the concentrations of major and minor ions increased, whereas ER and DO values decreased with time. The concentration of Fe increased gradually with evaporation time in the GTb and GB, whereas GH founded in one day but rapidly not detected in the other day after due to removal of Fe by formation-precipitation of amorphous Fe hydroxide. The amounts of the evaporites were produced in amounts of 4 g (GTa), 5 g (GB), 15 g (GH), and 24 g (GTb) from 4 liter of acid mine drainage after 80 days of the evaporation, respectively. In linear analysis from the products with the parameters which are the EC, TDS, salinity, ER, DO and pH contents in field, the determination coefficients were 0.98, 0.99, 0.98, 0.88, 0.89, and 0.25 respectively. If we measure the parameters in field, it would be easy to estimate the amount of evaporites in acid mine drainage. Gypsum and epsomite were identified in all of the evaporites by x-ray powder diffraction studies. Evaporite (GTb) was heated at 52, 65, 70, 95, 150, 250, and 350oC for one hour in electrical furnaces. Gypsum, $CaSO_4\cdot1/2H_2O$ and kieserite were identified in the heated evaporite by XRD. With increased heating temperature, the intensity of the peak at $7.66/AA$ (diagnostic peak of gypsum), the peak at 5.59A ($CaSO_4{\cdot}1/2H_2O)$ and the peak at $4.83{\AA}$ (kieserite) decreased in x-ray diffraction due to dehydration. In the SEM and EDS analysis for the evaporite, gypsum of well-crystallized, radiating cluster of fibrous, acicular, and columnar shapes were observed in all samples. Ca was not detected in the EDS analysis of the flower structures of GTb. Because of that, the evaporite with flower structures is thought to be eposmite.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.425-436
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• 2010

We established a stochastic 3-D fracture network system for fractured rock masses located in Il-Gwang Mine, Busan, to explore the relationship between the acidity of mine drainage and fracture geometry. A field scanline survey and borehole image processing were performed to estimate the best probability distributions of fracture geometry parameters. The stochastic 3-D fracture network system constructed for the rock masses was validated and deemed to be successful. The 3-D fracture network model was suitable for developing conceptual ideas on fluid flow in fractures at a field experimental site. An injection well and three observation wells were drilled at the field experimental site to monitor the acidity of mine drainage induced by the injection of fresh water. The field experiment, which was run for 29 days, yielded a significant relationship (with a high coefficient of determination) between the fracture geometry parameters and the acidity of mine drainage. The results show that pH increased with increasing relative frequency of fracture strike, and decreased with increasing fracture density. The concentration of $SO^{2-}_4$ decreased with increasing relative frequency of fracture strike, and increased with increasing fracture density.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.25-36
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• 2010

Tertiary unconsolidated mudstones spread throughout the eastern coast area. The demand for high quality filling materials in these areas is increasing due to harbors and large-scale residential land development. Rock produced in-situ or near site has been used as road subbase construction or reclamation materials for economical reason, but it is hard to decide appropriateness of quality specification because of its characteristics. The test results showed that unconsolidated rocks are diversely considered according to a different method of the applied geotechnical investigation. Therefore, the site of tertiary unconsolidated mudstones, the classification of rock and evaluation of rock properties that must be evaluated by objective criteria and apply a different set of criteria are needed. In addition, the environmental impact must be considered due to acid mine drainage.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.2 s.48
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• pp.71-80
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• 2006

We examined the mineralogical composition of pyrite-bearing rocks by quantitative powder X-ray diffraction analysis using the matrix-flushing method and ROCKJOCK (a full pattern fitting computer program). The neutralization potential (NP) and acid generating potential (AP) were calculated on the basis of mineralogical compositions. The mineralogical AP was compared with the conventional AP calculated from bulk sulfur concentration to assess the applicability to the prediction of acid rock drainage(ARD). The pyrite content calculated by matrix-flushing method showed a high positive correlation($r^2$=0.95) with those by ROCKJOCK. The pyrite contents by matrix-flushing method was 1.45 times larger than those by ROCKJOCK. The pyrite content and mineralogical AP obtained by the matrix-flushing method had a better correlation($r^2$=0.98) with those by the total sulfur concentrations in the all samples except KB sample. The mineralogical NPs of YJ sample were 23.0 and 34.0(kg $CaCO_3$ equivalent per tonne) by matrix-flushing method and ROCKJOCK, respectively. The AP calculated by matrix-flushing method and ROCKJOCK program were 47% and 72% of those by the conventional ABA test. We hereby suggested that the quantitative analysis using XRD data can be applied to prediction of ARD. For more reliable calculation of the mineralogical NP and AP, other sulfide and carbonate minerals such as pyrrhotite, dolomite, ankerite, siderite, rhodochrosite which can affact the mineralogical NP and AP should be considered.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2003

Geophysical surveys(electrical resistivity, self-potential, seismic refraction, GPR) were conducted to investigate the physical properties of the subsurface, and to delineate the flow channel of leachate from a AMD(acid mine drainage), buried rock wastes and tailings, and drainage pipes at an abandoned mine(Kwangyang mine). Especially in rainy season the sites appear to be abundant in AMD leachate, characterized by electrical conductivities of 0.98-1.10 ms/S. Electrical resistivity sections indicate that the leachate flows running in two directions at southern part rise up through the narrow fracture zones at the central part and contaminates the surrounding soil and stream. Such schematic features at the anomalous zone are well correlated with negative peaks in self-potential data, the limited penetration depth in GPR data and low velocity zone in seismic refraction data. Shallow high-resistivity zone is associated with the buried rock wastes which cause the diffractions in GPR image. In addition, the events at depth of approximately 1-1.25 m in GPR sections must be the metal pipes through which AMD is drained off to the inner bay.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.130-143
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• 1997

To investigate geochemical characteristics and the sources of the dissolved ion species in the river water in the Han river drainage basin, samples were collected at 60 sites from the Han river drainage basin. The data for. pH, conductivity, TDS (total dissolved solid), temperature, and concentrations of dissloved ions were obtained as follows : (1) The geochemical characteristics of the surface water in the South and North Han river drainage basins are mainly controlled by bed rock geology in the drainage basin and in the main stream of the Han river considerably affected by anthropogenic pollution. The South Han river water samples have high concentrations of $Ca^{2＋}$ (ave. 15.42 ppm), $Mg^{2＋}$ (ave. 2.74 ppm), HC $O_3$$^{[-10]}$ (ave. 51.9 ppm), which evidently indicates that the bed rock geology in a limestone area mainly controls the surface water chemistry. The concentration of S $O_4$$^{2-}$ is remarkably high (SHR10-2 : 129.9 ppm) because of acid mine drainage from the metal and coal mines in the upper reaches of the South Han river. (2) The South Han river and the North Han river join the Han river. in the Yangsuri, Kyounggido and flow through Seoul metropolitan city. The mixing ratio is about 60:40 at the meeting point (sample number HRl0). (3) The result of factor analysis suggests that the pollution factor accounts for about 79% and the bed rock type factor accounts for about 7% of the data variation. This means that the geochemical characteristics of the Han river water mainly controlled by anthropogenic pollution in the South Han river and main stream of the Han river drainage basin. (4) The chemical data for four tributaries such as the Wangsukcheon, the Tancheon, the Zunuangcheon, and the Anyangcheon show that the concentration of pollution elements such as N $O_2$, C $l^{－}$, P $O_4$$^{3-}$, S $O_4$$^{2-}$ and Mn are high due to municipal waste disposal.