• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.409-419
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• 2023

Acid mine drainage(AMD) treatment is classified as both passive and active treatment. During the treatment, about 5,000 tons of neutralization sludge is generated as a by-product per year in Korea. This study was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of sludge generated from physico·chemical treatment processes as an active treatment from 5 different sources (D, H, S, T, Y) and the possibility of the sludges being recycled. The sludges have a pH range of 5.86 ~ pH 7.89, and a water content range of 51% ~ 82%. Most of particle sizes were less than 25 ㎛. In analysis of inorganic elements, the concentration of Al, Fe, and Mn were between 1,189 mg/kg ~ 129,344 mg/kg, 106,132 mg/kg ~ 338,011 mg/kg, and 3,472 mg/kg ~ 11,743 mg/kg, respectively. The concentration of As and Zn in sludge-T, Cd in sludge-D, Ni in sludge-H, Zn in sludge-S, and Cd in sludge-Y exceeded the soil contamination standards of Korea. The results from 2 separate kinds of leaching test, the Korea Standard Leaching Test(KSLT) and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure(TCLP), showed that all the sludges met the Korea groundwater standards. From the XRD and SEM-EDS analysis, the peaks of calcite and quartz were found in the sludges. The sludge also had a high proportion of Fe and O, and the majority of the composition was amorphous iron hydroxide.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.70-79
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• 1996

The Friar Tuck Abandoned Coal Mine site is one of the most complexly disturbed areas in the midwestern United States. The deposits of gob and tailings contain high concentrations of pyrite, whose oxidation contributes to the acidification of soil and water and prevents the growth of vegetation. In an effort to quantitatively evaluate the effects of reclamation techniques, detailed monitoring program was performed. Water samples were collected from surface water, groundwater, and pore water from the unsaturated zone during a period of five years. According to the results, The spoil deposits are a relatively minor source of contamination and gob piles are the source of severe contamination to surface water and groundwater. But, loess and till beneath the gob piles effectively prevent the contaminated water migration from the source. Surface layers of the gob piles and the tailing deposits are less toxic than the interior of the deposits as a consequence of weathering over several decades. Acid mine drainage is in a post-peak stage and acid formation potential is probably situated in the unsaturated zone of refuse.

• 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.33 no.5
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• pp.367-377
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the source of U anomaly formed in stream water of the drainage system around the Shinbo talc mine area based on the O, H, S and Sr isotopic characteristics of water masses and wall rocks. The ${\delta}$D and ${\delta}^{18}O$ of surface and ground waters show highly restricted range and plotted on the same meteoric water line, indicating that they are all originated from the meteoric water. The ${\delta}^{34}S$value of the ground water containing high U shows slightly negative (-0.2${\textperthousand}$) and quite distinct from those of the other surface and ground waters that are similar to those of wall rocks (>5.8${\textperthousand}$), indicating that they have a different S isotopic fractionation or less probably, source. The $^{87}Sr/^{86}{Sr}$ratios of water masses around the Shinbo talc mine area show a variable range from 0.724325 to 0.744928, but tend to increase with increasing U concentration of water mass. Although it is not possible to determine precisely the source rock of U anomaly formed in the hydrologic system around the Shinbo talc mine, the evidence obtained from the Sr isotopic compositions strongly suggests that coal schist and/or pegmatite vein could be the most likely candidate for the source rock.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 1994

To determine the apparent equilibrium constants, K$_{ad,app}$, for the adsorption reactions of trace metals on amorphous iron oxyhydroxide (AIO) in the Taebag coal mine area, time-adsorption and pH-adsorption experiments were performed for a selected bottom sediment mainly comprised of AIO from the study area. The results from the adsorption experiments indicate that most of the trace metals, except Pb, achieve equilibrium states with AIO and thus, the calculated K$_{ad,app}$ may represent the true apparent equilibrium constants. K$_{ad,app}$ and the stoichiometric coefficients of proton, x, of the adsorption reactions between the trace metals and AIO were respectively calculated from the intercepts and slopes of the regression lines of log($\Gamma$/ ［M］$_{aq}$)against pH provided by pH-adsorption experiments. The calculated K$_{ad,app}$ this study has the values of the range from 10$^{－4.5}$ to 10$^{2.75}$ , which is much different from the reported values by other investigators for simple experimental systems. K$_{ad,app}$ of this study is more or less close but not exactly pertinent to the estimated values for the other natural systems. It indicates that K$_{ad,app}$ for the adsorption reactions in the aquatic system in the study area is unique and thus should be determined befor the adsorption modelling. The calculated x of this study has the values of the range from -0.3 to 0.7, which is also much different from what most geochemists generally accept. The discrepancy in x may be due to the competition among different kinds of ionic species on the adsorption site or simulataneous occurrence of different kinds of adsorption reactions. The results from this study should help construct an appropriate adsorption model for the aquatic systems polluted by the coal mine drainage in the Taebag area. With the constructed model, one can describe the concentration variations of trace metals due to the adsorption in the system, which is an essential part of the investigation on the water quality affected by coal mine drainage in the Taebag coal field.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.27-32
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• 2009

This study evaluates tripolyphosphate's ability to treat AMD (Acid Mine Drainage). Based on the batch test results for reaction between tripolyphosphate and AMD obtained from Munkyung coal mine, $4.7{\times}10^{-3}$ mole is the optimum dosage of tripolyphosphate for AMD treatment. $Ca^{2+}$ concentration is decreased from $16.4mg/{\ell}$ to $5.6mg/{\ell}$, in other words, the removal rate of $Ca^{2+}$ is 65.9%. $Fe^{3+}$ concentration is decreased from $3.7mg/{\ell}$ to $0.02mg/{\ell}$, that is, the removal rate of $Fe^{3+}$ is 99.5%. $SO{_4}^{2-}$ concentration ranges from $526.8mg/{\ell}$ to $566.5mg/{\ell}$, which shows no obvious decrease. After dosing up tripolyphosphate, $Na^+$ concentration in AMD ranges from $549.8mg/{\ell}$ to $599.3mg/{\ell}$ and orthophosphate concentration in AMD ranges from $6.82mg/{\ell}$ to $7.60mg/{\ell}$. It was found that the precipitate in the order of amount is Apatite${\gg}{\beta}$-tricalcium phosphate > $Fe(OH)_3$ from SEM, XRF, XRD analyses. Consequently, the treatment by tripolyphosphate is effective in pH buffering and in the removal of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Fe^{3+}$.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.315-323
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• 1996

An apatite drain was constructed on September 30, 1994 at the Green Valley Abandoned Coal Mine site near Terre Haute in west central Indiana. The primary objective of this experiment is to evaluate the long-term ability of the apatite drain to mitigate acid mine drainage (AMD) under field conditions. The drain 9 m long, 3.3 m wide, and 0.75 m deep, contain 95 rum to No. 30 mesh-size apatite ore (francolite) and receive AMD seepage from reclaimed gob piles, and designed according to the laboratory testing. The apatite drain was covered with limestone riprap and filter fabric to protect the drainage system from stormwater and siltation. The drain consists of about 50 metric tons of apatite ore obtained from a phosphate mine in Florida. A gabion structure was constructed downstream of the apatite drain to create a settling pond to collect precipitates. Apatite effectively removed iron up to 4,200 mg/l, aluminum up to 830 mg/l and sulfate up to 13,430 mg/l. The pH was nearly constant for the influent and effluent, ranging between 3.1 and 4.3. Flow rate measured at the gabion structure ranged from 3 to 4.5 l/m. Precipitates of iron and aluminum phosphate (yellow and white suspendid solids) continued to accumulate in the settling pond.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.125-138
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• 2023

Most of previous cesium (Cs) sorbents have limitations on the treatment in the large-scale water system having low Cs concentration and high ion strength. In this study, the new Cs sorbent that is eco-friendly and has a high Cs removal efficiency was developed by improving the coal mine drainage treated sludge (hereafter 'CMDS') with the addition of Na and S. The sludge produced through the treatment process for the mine drainage originating from the abandoned coal mine was used as the primary material for developing the new Cs sorbent because of its high Ca and Fe contents. The CMDS was improved by adding Na and S during the heat treatment process (hereafter 'Na-S-CMDS' for the developed sorbent in this study). Laboratory experiments and the sorption model studies were performed to evaluate the Cs sorption capacity and to understand the Cs sorption mechanisms of the Na-S-CMDS. The physicochemical and mineralogical properties of the Na-S-CMDS were also investigated through various analyses, such as XRF, XRD, SEM/EDS, XPS, etc. From results of batch sorption experiments, the Na-S-CMDS showed the fast sorption rate (in equilibrium within few hours) and the very high Cs removal efficiency (> 90.0%) even at the low Cs concentration in solution (< 0.5 mg/L). The experimental results were well fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model, suggesting the mostly monolayer coverage sorption of the Cs on the Na-S-CMDS. The Cs sorption kinetic model studies supported that the Cs sorption tendency of the Na-S-CMDS was similar to the pseudo-second-order model curve and more complicated chemical sorption process could occur rather than the simple physical adsorption. Results of XRF and XRD analyses for the Na-S-CMDS after the Cs sorption showed that the Na content clearly decreased in the Na-S-CMDS and the erdite (NaFeS₂·2(H₂O)) was disappeared, suggesting that the active ion exchange between Na⁺ and Cs⁺ occurred on the Na-S-CMDS during the Cs sorption process. From results of the XPS analysis, the strong interaction between Cs and S in Na-S-CMDS was investigated and the high Cs sorption capacity was resulted from the binding between Cs and S (or S-complex). Results from this study supported that the Na-S-CMDS has an outstanding potential to remove the Cs from radioactive contaminated water systems such as seawater and groundwater, which have high ion strength but low Cs concentration.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.25-36
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• 2005

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. Thus these disposed an enormous amount of mining wastes without a proper treatment facilities, resulting in water pollution in the downstream areas. Acid mine drainage (AMD) and waste water 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 Solids (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. Concentrations of water soluble heavy metals in the Okdong streams were in the orders of Fe>Al>Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb>Cd, indicating Fe from the AMD and waste water effluents contributed greatly to the quality of water and soil in the lower watershed of Okdong stream. Copper concentrations in the effluents from the tile drainage of mine tailings dams were highest during the raining season. Water Pollution Index (WPI) 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 tailings dams and coal mines flowed into main stream were in the WPI 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 the major source to water pollution at the Okdong stream areas.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.65-81
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• 1996

Friar Tuck, an Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) site, is located on the Greene-Sullivan county line in southwest Indiana. Prior to the on-going reclamation, Friar Tuck was one of the Indiana's largest and most environmentally adverse abandoned mine lands. The direct vegetation method was used to reclaim tailing ponds. Grading, capping, and revegetalon using agricultural limestone, fertilizer, mulch and seed were applied to the gob piles to abate acid mine drainage (AMD) and off-side sedimentaion. Erosion control structures such as terrace, diversion ditch, and gabion structures were also constructed to minimize erosion at slopes. A new method for treatment of AMD using apatite was tested in the laboratory and field. Apatite effectively removed iron, aluminum and sulfate while maintaining an almost constant pH. Apparently, this method can be applied to control AMD from mining refuse materials, even those containing high concentrations of iron and aluminum ions.