• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.695-708
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• 2008

In order to evaluate the geochemical behaviors of elements with waste rocks in the abandoned Jangpoong Cu mine area, total concentration analysis and leaching experiments were performed. The content of elements within waste rocks compared with background values decreased in order of As>>Cu>Pb>Cd>Co. Leaching experiments were carried out at various extraction environments, considering the acid rain ($0.00001{\sim}0.001N\;HNO_3$) and the acid mine drainage ($0.001{\sim}0.1N$ HNO3). After 24 hours of reaction with different acidic solution, the leaching characteristics of waste rocks were classified into three types according to final pH of leaching solution. Type I refers to the case that the final pH of leaching solution was lower than that of the reaction solution due to the dissolution of acidic minerals from rocks, while type 2 and 3 refer to the case that the final pH maintained higher than that of the reaction solution. Theses types include in acid buffering minerals such as clay minerals and carbonate minerals. The leaching characteristics of the elements after the reaction could be categorized into As-Co-Fe, Cu-Mn-Cd-Zn, and Pb. As-Co-Fe started to get leached under 2.5 of pH regardless of changes in the final pH, and Cu-Mn-Cd-Zn showed different initial leaching pH according to the types of final pH changes. Based on the pH value where leaching started regardless of leaching concentration, the relative mobility of each element was in the order of Mn Zn>Cd>Cu>>Fe Co>As>Pb. Thus, more higher mobility elements(Zn, Mn and Cu) were leached by reacting with acid rain water. Acid mine drainage may result in distributions of elements having relatively less mobility(As, Fe, Co and Pb).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2001

Stream water chemistry in the abandoned Boeun Jeil coal mine area was studied for a period of 3 months, including rainy and dry season. The stream waters were a nearly neutral and slightly alkali condition, and $Mg-SO_4$ type with Mg>Ca>Na>K and $SO_4>HCO_3>Cl>NO_3$. Chemical composition of the stream water was quite irregular during the experimental period. Concentrations of Na, K, $HCO_3$, U, Sr, and Cr decreased by $10{\sim}30%$ during rainy season, caused by dilution effects with rain. The concentration of Ca, Mg, $NO_3$, Cd, and Co increased during the rainy season, caused by more easily dissolved from bedrocks or mine drainage with slightly acidic condition than dry season. The stream water was enriched in Mg, Ca, $HCO_3$, $SO_4$, Al, Fe, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr, Cd, Sr and U. Concentrations of Na, Mg, Ca, $SO_4$, $HCO_3$, Fe, Zn, Ni, Sr, and U decreased linearly with distance from the mine adit. These elements were strongly controlled by dilution of unpolluted water influx and/or adsorption on the clay minerals and iron oxyhydroxide precipitates. This mine area exhibited two main weathering processes ; 1) oxidation with acidification derived from Fe sulphides, and 2) pH buffering due to Ca and Mg carbonate dissolution. This weathering processes were followed by adsorption of metals on iron oxyhydroxides and precipitation.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.557-576
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• 2015

Groundwaters in granite, gneiss, and two-mica granite formations, including faults, in the Hoengseong area are examined to determine the relationship between their uranium and radon-222 contents and rock types. The chemical compositions of 38 groundwater samples and four surface water samples collected in the study area were analyzed. Sixteen of the samples showing high uranium and radon-222 contents were repeatedly analyzed. Surface radioactivities were measured at 30 points. The uranium and radon-222 concentrations in the groundwater samples were in the ranges of 0.02-49.3 μg/L and 20-906 Bq/L, respectively. Four samples for uranium and 35 samples for radon had concentrations exceeding the alternative maximum contaminant level of the US EPA. The chemical compositions of groundwaters indicated Ca(Na)-HCO₃ and Ca(Na)-NO₃(HCO₃+Cl) types. The pH values ranged from 5.71 to 8.66. High uranium and radon-222 contents in the groundwaters occurred mainly at the boundary between granite and gneiss, and in the granite area. The occurrence of uranium did not show any distinct relationship to that of radon-222. The radon-222, an inert gas, appeared to be dissolved in the groundwater of the aquifer after wide diffusion along rock fractures, having been derived from the decay of uranium in underground rocks. The results in this study indicate that groundwater of neutral or weakly alkaline pH, under oxidizing conditions and with a high bicarbonate content is favorable for the dissolution of uranium and uranium complexes such as uranyl or uranyl-carbonate.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.38-39
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• 2001

The seasonal changes in pH, Fe, Al and SO$_4$$\^$2-/ contents of acid drainage released from coal mine dumps play a major role in precipitation of metal hydroxides in the Taebaek coal field area, southeastern Korea. Precipitates in the creeks underwent a cycle of the color change showing white, reddish brown and brownish yellow, which depends on geochemical factors of the creek waters. White precipitates consist of Al-sulfate (basaluminite and hydrobasaluminite) and reddish brown ones are composed of ferrihydrite and brownish yellow ones are of schwertmannite. Goethite coprecipitates with ferrihydrite and schwertmannite. Ferrihydrite formed at higher values than pH 5.3 and schwertmannite precipitated below pH 4.3, and goethite formed at the intermediate pH range between the two minerals. With the pH being increased from acid to intermediate regions, Fe is present both as schwertmannite and goethite. From the present observation, the most favorable pH that basauluminte can precipitate is in the range of pH 4.45-5.95. SEM examination of precipitates at stream bottom shows that they basically consist of agglomerates of spheroid and rod-shape bacteria. Bacteria species are remarkably different among bottom precipitates and, to a less extent, there are slightly different chemical compositions even within the same bacteria. The speciation and calculation of the mineral saturation index were made using MINTEQA2. In waters associated with yellowish brown precipitates mainly composed of schwertmannite, So$_4$ species is mostly free So$_4$$\^$2-/ ion with less AlSo$_4$$\^$+/, CaSo$\sub$(aq)/, and MgSo$\sub$4(aq)/. Ferrous iron is present mostly as free Fe$\^$2+/, and FeSo$\sub$4(aq)/ and ferric iron exists predominantly as Fe(OH)$_2$$\^$+/, with less FeSo$\sub$4(aq)/, Fe(OH)$_2$$\^$-/, FeSo$_4$$\^$-/ and Fe$\^$3+/, respectively Al exists as free Al$\^$3+/, AlOH$_2$$\^$-/, (AlSo$_4$)$\^$+/, and Al(So$_4$)$\^$2-/. Fe is generally saturated with respect to hematite, magnetite, and goethite, with nearly saturation with lepidocrocite. Aluminum and sulfate are supersaturated with respect to predominant alunite and less jubanite, and they approach a saturation state with respect to diaspore, gibbsite, boehmite and gypsum. In the case of waters associated with whitish precipitates mainly composed of basaluminite, Al is present as predominant Al$\^$3+/ and Al(SO$_4$)$\^$+/, with less Al(OH)$\^$2+/, Al(OH)$_2$$\^$+/ and Al(SO$_4$)$\^$2-/. According to calculation for the mineral saturation, aluminum and sulfate are greatly supersaturated with respect to basaluminite and alunite. Diaspore is flirty well supersaturated while jubanite, gibbsite, and boehmite are already supersaturated, and gypsum approaches its saturation state. The observation that the only mineral phase we can easily detect in the whitish precipitate is basaluminite suggests that growth rate of alunite is much slower than that of basaluminite. Neutralization of acid mine drainage due to the dilution caused by the dilution effect due to mixing of unpolluted waters prevails over the buffering effect by the dissolution of carbonate or aluminosilicates. The main factors to affect color change are variations in aqueous geochemistry, which are controlled by dilution effect due to rainfall, water mixng from adjacent creeks, and the extent to which water-rock interaction takes place with seasons. pH, Fe, Al and SO$_4$ contents of the creek water are the most important factors leading to color changes in the precipitates. A geochemical cycle showing color variations in the precipitates provides the potential control on acid mine drainage and can be applied as a reclamation tool in a temperate region with four seasons.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.311-330
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• 2023

Development of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technique is becoming increasingly important as a method to mitigate the strengthening effects of global warming, generated from the unprecedented increase in released anthropogenic CO₂. In the recent years, the characteristics of basaltic rocks (i.e., large volume, high reactivity and surplus of cation components) have been recognized to be potentially favorable in facilitation of CCS; based on this, research on utilization of basaltic formations for underground CO₂ storage is currently ongoing in various fields. This study investigated the feasibility of underground storage of CO₂ in basalt, based on the examination of the CO₂ storage mechanisms in subsurface, assessment of basalt characteristics, and review of the global research on basaltic CO₂ storage. The global research examined were classified into experimental/modeling/field demonstration, based on the methods utilized. Experimental conditions used in research demonstrated temperatures ranging from 20 to 250 ℃, pressure ranging from 0.1 to 30 MPa, and the rock-fluid reaction time ranging from several hours to four years. Modeling research on basalt involved construction of models similar to the potential storage sites, with examination of changes in fluid dynamics and geochemical factors before and after CO₂-fluid injection. The investigation demonstrated that basalt has large potential for CO₂ storage, along with capacity for rapid mineralization reactions; these factors lessens the environmental constraints (i.e., temperature, pressure, and geological structures) generally required for CO₂ storage. The success of major field demonstration projects, the CarbFix project and the Wallula project, indicate that basalt is promising geological formation to facilitate CCS. However, usage of basalt as storage formation requires additional conditions which must be carefully considered - mineralization mechanism can vary significantly depending on factors such as the basalt composition and injection zone properties: for instance, precipitation of carbonate and silicate minerals can reduce the injectivity into the formation. In addition, there is a risk of polluting the subsurface environment due to the combination of pressure increase and induced rock-CO₂-fluid reactions upon injection. As dissolution of CO₂ into fluids is required prior to injection, monitoring techniques different from conventional methods are needed. Hence, in order to facilitate efficient and stable underground storage of CO₂ in basalt, it is necessary to select a suitable storage formation, accumulate various database of the field, and conduct systematic research utilizing experiments/modeling/field studies to develop comprehensive understanding of the potential storage site.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.449-468
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• 2000

The Ordovician Chongson Limestone deposited in the carbonate ramp to the rimmed shelf shows diverse diagenetic features. The marine diagenetic feature appears as isopachous cements surrounding ooids and peloids. Meteoric diagenetic features are recrystallized finely and coarsely crystalline calcite, evaporite casts filled with calcite, and isopachous sparry calcite surrounding ooid grains. Shallow burial diagenetic features include wispy seam, microstylolite, and dissolution seam whereas deep burial features include stylolite, burial cements. blocky calcite with twin lamellae, and poikilotopic calcite. Dolomites consist of very finely to finely crystalline mosaic dolomite formed as supratidal dolomite, disseminated dolomite of diverse origin, patchy dolomite formed from bioturbated mottles, and saddle dolomite of burial origin. Silicified features include calcite-replacing quartz and fracture-filling megaquartz. Burial cements characterized by poikilotopic texture show ${\delta}^{18}$O value of -10.4 %$_o$ PDB, ${\delta}^{13}$C value of -1.0%$_o$ PDB and 504ppm Sr, 3643ppm Fe, and 152ppm Mn concentrations. Finely and coarsely crystalline limestones show similar ${\delta}^{18}$O and ${\delta}^{13}$C value to those of burial cements; however, they show lower Sr and higher Fe and Mn concentrations than burial cements. This suggests that very finely and coarsely crystalline limestones were recrystallized in freshwater and then they were readjusted geochemically in the burial setting whereas the burial cements were formed in relatively high temperature and low water/rock ratio conditions. Very finely and finely crystalline mosaic dolomites with ${\delta}^{18}$O value of -8.2%$_o$ PDB, ${\delta}^{13}$C value of -1.9 %$_o$ PDB, and 213ppm Sr, 3654ppm Fe, and 114ppm Mn concentrations, respectively are interpreted to have been formed penecontemporaneously in supratidal flat and then recrystallized in the low water/rock ratio burial environment. Geochemical data suggest that the low water/rock ratio burial environment was the dominant diagenetic setting in the Chongson Limestone. The Chongson Limestone has experienced marine and meteoric diagenesis during early diagenesis. With deposition of Haengmae and Hoedongri formations part of the Chongson Limestone was buried beneath these formations and it experienced shallow burial diagenesis. During the Devonian the Chongson Limestone was tectonically deformed and subaerially exposed. During the Carboniferous to the Permian about 3.3km thick Pyongan Supergroup was deposited on the Chongson Limestone and the Chongson Limestone was in deep burial depths and stylolite, burial cements, blocky calcite and saddle dolomite were formed. After this burial event the Chongson Limestone was subaerially exposed during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic by three periods of tectonic disturbance including Songnim, Daebo and Bulguksa disturbance. Since the Bulguksa disturbance during Cretaceous and early Tertiary the Chongson Limestone has been subaerially exposed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.377-388
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• 2022

Laboratory-scale experiments were performed to identify the As removal mechanism of the residual slag generated after the mineral carbonation process. The residual slags were manufactured from the steelmaking slag (blast oxygen furnace slag: BOF) through direct and indirect carbonation process. RDBOF (residual BOF after the direct carbonation) and RIBOF (residual BOF after the indirect carbonation) showed different physicochemical-structural characteristics compared with raw BOF such as chemical-mineralogical properties, the pH level of leachate and forming micropores on the surface of the slag. In batch experiment, 0.1 g of residual slag was added to 10 mL of As-solution (initial concentration: 203.6 mg/L) titrated at various pH levels. The RDBOF showed 99.3% of As removal efficiency at initial pH 1, while it sharply decreased with the increase of initial pH. As the initial pH of solution decreased, the dissolution of carbonate minerals covering the surface was accelerated, increasing the exposed area of Fe-oxide and promoting the adsorption of As-oxyanions on the RDBOF surface. Whereas, the As removal efficiency of RIBOF increased with the increase of initial pH levels, and it reached up to 70% at initial pH 10. Considering the PZC (point of zero charge) of the RIBOF (pH 4.5), it was hardly expected that the electrical adsorption of As-oxyanion on surface of the RIBOF at initial pH of 4-10. Nevertheless it was observed that As-oxyanion was linked to the Fe-oxide on the RIBOF surface by the cation bridge effect of divalent cations such as Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Fe²⁺. The surface of RIBOF became stronger negatively charged, the cation bridge effect was more strictly enforced, and more As can be fixed on the RIBOF surface. However, the Ca-products start to precipitate on the surface at pH 10-11 or higher and they even prevent the surface adsorption of As-oxyanion by Fe-oxide. The TCLP test was performed to evaluate the stability of As fixed on the surface of the residual slag after the batch experiment. Results supported that RDBOF and RIBOF firmly fixed As over the wide pH levels, by considering their As desorption rate of less than 2%. From the results of this study, it was proved that both residual slags can be used as an eco-friendly and low-cost As remover with high As removal efficiency and high stability and they also overcome the pH increase in solution, which is the disadvantage of existing steelmaking slag as an As remover.