• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.73-86
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• 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
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• v.38 no.2 s.171
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• pp.135-142
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• 2005

In order to investigate the contamination level and seasonal variation of heavy metals and evaluate the bioavailability of toxic elements, environmental geochemical survey was undertaken at the Dogok Au-Ag-Cu mine area. The main pollution sources in the area were suggested as tailings, mine waste materials and mine water. Elevated levels of $140{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg{\;}As,{\;}107{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg{\;}Cd,{\;} 3017{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg{\;}Cu,{\;}12926{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg{\;}Pb,{\;}9094{\cal}mg/{\cal}kg$ Zn(before rainy season) were found in mine tailings. Concentrations of heavy metals in farmland soils exceeded normal level in nature soil (Bowen, 1979). The highest level of heavy metals was found in water samples near the mine tailing dumps regarded as a main pollution source of toxic elements in the area. These concentrations decreased to downstream due to the effect of dilution. From the results of sequential extraction analyses for tailings and soils, non-residual forms of heavy metals were found, which indicate the contamination to be progressing by continuing weathering and oxidation. Cadmium and Zn would be of the highest mobility in all samples. The bioavailability of Cd, Cu, Zn and As using SBET analysis from paddy soils was $53.3{\%},{\;}46.5{\%},{\;}41.0{\%}$ and $37.0\%$, respectively. The farmland soil sample(S3) showed the highest total concentration and bioavailability of heavy metals.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.375-388
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ore genesis and occurrence of the Wondong polymetallic mineral deposits. The Pb-Zn, Fe and W-Mo mineralizations are found in skarn zones which formed mainly in or along the fault shear zones with the $N25-40^{\circ}W$ and $N10-50^{\circ}E$ directions, whereas the Cu-Mo mineralization is appeared hydrothermal replacement zone. The skarn minerals consist mainly of garnet and epidote, which were the last alteration phases between pneumatolytic and hydrothermal stages. The mineral paragenesis toward the late stage are as follows: arsenopyrite, scheelite, magnetite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite and molybdenite. Average ore grades are 0.33 g/t Au, 46.29 g/t Ag, 0.06% Cu, 4.4% Pb, 2.61% Zn and 29.39% Fe in tunnels, and 0.31 % Cu, 0.52% Pb, 6.29% Zn, 29.29% Fe, 0.03% Mo and 0.12% $WO_3$ in drill cores. Fluid inclusion data shows that Type I (liquid-rich), Type II (vapor-rich) and Type III (halite-bearing) inclusions are coexisted and their homogenization temperatures are quite similar. This indicates that boiling conditions have been reached during the mineralization. It is also likely that the ore solutions were evolved through the mixing between magmatic and meteoric waters. Rhyolite and quartz porphyry far the mineralization probably are not responsible of the Wondong polymetallic mineral deposits.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.222-231
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• 2005

Most of the tailings have been left without any management in abandoned metalliferous mines and have become the main source of heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils and crops in the these areas. To compare of environmental assessment of heavy metals in tailings derived from various 25-metalliferous mines in Korea, 3 different analysis methods such as water soluble, 0.1 M-HCl extractable, and total acid digestion method (aqua regia) were used. The chemical composition of water soluble in mine tailing were in the order ${SO_4}^{2-}>Ca^{2+}>Mn^{2+},\;Na^+,\;Al^{3+}>Mg^{2+},\;Fe^{3+}>Cl^-$. Specially, pH, EC, ${SO_4}^{2-},\;and\;Ca^{2+}$ concentrations in tailing varied considerably among the different mines. The average total concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As in tailing were 31.8, 708, 4,961, 2,275 and 3,235 mg/kg, respectively. Specially, the contents of Cd, Zn and As were higher than those of countermeasure values for soil contamination (Cd : 4, Zn : 700 and As : 15 mg/kg in soil) by Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. The rates of water soluble heavy metals to total contents in tailings were in the order Cd > Zn > Cu > Pb > As. The rates of 0.1M-HCl extractable Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As (1M-HCl) to total content were 17.4, 10.2, 6.5, 6.8 and 11.4% respectively. The enrichment factor of heavy metals in tailings were in the order As > Pb > Cd > Cu > Zn. The pollution index in tailing Au-Ag mine tailing were higher than those of other mine tailing. As a results of enrichment factor and pollution index for heavy metal contaminations in mine tailing of metalliferous mines, the main contaminants are mine waste materials including tailings.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.267-278
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• 2013

The East African Rift System(EARS) is known to be hosted epithermal Au-Ag deposits, and the best-known example is Main Ethiopian Rift Valley(MER) related to Quaternary bimodal volcanism. Large horst-graben system during rifting provides open space for emplacement of bimodal magmas and flow channel of geothermal fluids. In recent, large hydrothermally altered zones(Shala, Langano, and Allalobeda) and hot spring related to deeply circulating geothermal water have been increasing their importance due to new discoveries in MER and Danakil depression. The hot springs in Shala and Allalobeda occur as boiling pool and geyser on the surface, whereas some areas didn't observe them due to decreasing ground water table. The host rocks are altered to quartz, kaolinite, illite, smectite, and chlorite due to interaction with rising geothermal water. The hot springs in MER are neutral to slightly alkaline pH(7.88~8.83) and mostly classified into $HCO_3{^-}$ type geothermal water. They are strongly depleted in Au, and Ag, but show a higher Se concentration of up to 26.7 ppm. In contrast, siliceous altered rocks around hot springs are strongly enriched in Pb(up to 33 ppm, Shala), Zn(up to 313 ppm, Shala), Cu(up to 53.1 ppm, Demaegona), and Mn(up to 0.18 wt%t, Shala). In conclusion, anomalous Se in hot spring water, Pb, Zn, Cu, and Mn in siliceous altered rocks, and new discoveries in MER have been increasing potential for epithermal gold mineralization.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.389-394
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• 1995

Yugu-Kwangcheon Au-Ag Province is connected to the southwestern part of the Cheonan Province and includes the Gubong (one of the biggest gold mine in past), Daebong and Samgwang mines. Cadmium concentrations in sphalerite of Yugu-Kwancheon Province is higher than those of other Au-Ag provinces and could be the source of the heavy metal contaminations. Heavy metals are present in rock-soil-plant-human system from natural geological materials, and dietary intake through this system makes a significant contribution to the ingestion of heavy metals by man. In order to examine the degree and extent of heavy metal contaminations in the Gubong, Daebong and Samgwang mine areas of Yugu-Kwangcheon Province, soil, stream water, sediment and crop plant samples were taken and analyzed for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). Cadmium and Pb concentrations in paddy/farm soils and stream sediments from the Gubong and Samgwang mine areas are higher than those in uncontaminated soils. Lead concentrations in crop plants cultivated in these soils are high up to $0.38{\mu}g/g$ in rice grain and $4.5{\mu}g/g$ in sesame. In these mine areas, regular consumption of crop plants by the local population would seem to pose a potential health problems from long-term Pb exposure. The biological absorption coefficient in rice grain for heavy metals varies in the order $C_d=Zn>Cu>Pb$ and the relationship between Cd concentrations in soils and crop plants is expressed by the equation $Cd_{plant}=0.11245\;Log\;Cd_{soil}+0.13472$.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.47-62
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• 2024

Abu Gurdi area is located in the South-eastern Desert of Egypt which considered as volcanic massive sulfide deposits (VMS). The present work aims at investigating the ore mineralogy of Abu Gurdi region in addition to the effectiveness of the hydrometallurgical route for processing these ores using alkaline leaching for the extraction of Zn, Cu, and Pb in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, has been investigated. The factors affecting the efficiency of the alkaline leaching of the used ore including the reagent composition, reagent concentration, leaching temperature, leaching time, and Solid /Liquid ratio, have been investigated. It was noted that the sulfide mineralization consists mainly of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, galena and bornite. Gold is detected as rare, disseminated crystals within the gangue minerals. Under supergene conditions, secondary copper minerals (covellite, malachite, chrysocolla and atacamite) were formed. The maximum dissolution efficiencies of Cu, Zn, and Pb at the optimum leaching conditions i.e., 250 g/L NaCO₃ - NaHCO₃ alkali concentration, for 3 hr., at 250 ℃, and 1/5 Solid/liquid (S/L) ratio, were 99.48 %, 96.70 % and 99.11 %, respectively. An apparent activation energy for Zn, Cu and Pb dissolution were 21.599, 21.779 and 23.761 kJ.mol^-1, respectively, which were between those of a typical diffusion-controlled process and a chemical reaction-controlled process. Hence, the diffusion of the solid product layer contributed more than the chemical reaction to control the rate of the leaching process. High pure Cu(OH)₂, Pb(OH)₂, and ZnCl₂ were obtained from the finally obtained leach liquor at the optimum leaching conditions by precipitation at different pH. Finally, highly pure Au metal was separated from the mineralized massive sulfide via using adsorption method.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.93-96
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• 2003

국내 휴ㆍ폐금속광산 주변지역을 대상으로 광산활동으로 인한 독성 중금속 원소들의 주변 환경 유출과정 및 정도를 규명하여 생활에 미치는 환경오염의 가능성을 조사하는 환경지구 화학적 연구가 지속적으로 이루어지고 있다. 이들 중의 대부분은 적절한 환경복원시설이 설치되지 않아, 방치된 광미와 폐석에 의해 주변지역의 환경오염이 발생되는 것으로 보고되고 있다. 국외의 경우 광산활동의 주요한 폐기물인 광미와 폐석에 대한 매립 및 처리 모델 개발, 침출수 관리 등 다양한 환경오염 방지 및 복구 연구가 수행되고 있다. (중략)

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.293-299
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• 1994

Fifty ancient Korean coins originated in Choson period have been determined for 11 elements such as Sn, Fe, As, Au, Co, Sb, Ir, Os, Ru and Ni by destructive and non-destructive neutron activation analysis as well as for 3 elements such as Cu, Pb and Zn by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The multivariate data have been analyzed by principal component mapping method. The spread of sample points in the eigenvector polt has been attributed to common origins of some elements.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.409-412
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• 2003

Total extraction of stream sediments in the Kwangyang mine area shows their significant pollution with most trace metals such as Cr, Co, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn and Cd, due to sulfide oxidation in waste dumps. Calculations of enrichment factor shows that Chonam-ri creek sediments are more severely contaminated than Sagok-ri sediments. Using the weak acid (0.1N HCl) extraction and sequential extraction techniques, the transport and sediment-water partitioning of heavy metals in mine drainage were examined for contaminated sediments in the Chonam-ri and Sagok-ri creeks of the Kwangyang Au-Ag mine area. Calculated distribution coefficient (Kd) generally decreases in the order of Pb $\geq$Al > Cu > Mn > Zn > Co > Ni $\geq$ Cd. Sequential extraction of Chonam-ri creek sediments shows that among non-residual fractions the Fe-Mn oxide fraction is most abundant for most of the metals. This indicates that precipitation of Fe hydroxides plays an important role in regulating heavy metal concentrations in water, as shown by field observations.