• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.415-420
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• 2022

It is essential that continual assessments of the impact of mine-derived water as a long-lasting burden on freshwater environments. Abundance-based evaluations of benthic macroinvertebrates have been conducted to evaluate anthropogenic disturbances and devise policies to reduce their impact. In this study, the status of a stream habitat was evaluated based on the body length and biomass weight of benthic macroinvertebrates of the family Baetidae. Following the renewal of the mining water treatment plant, the abundance of Baetidae assemblages recovered to a level comparable to that of a reference site. However, relatively low values were found for both body length and biomass weight in Baetidae species inhabiting the reddened streambed area, suggesting that the habitat has not yet been completely recovered despite the recovery of the abundance of the Baetidae assemblages. Therefore, continuous investigation and evaluation of this disturbed stream are necessary until their growth conditions of the habitat have functionally recovered.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.564-575
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• 2018

Recently, the possibility of promoting inter-Korean economic cooperation is increasing because the tension between South and North Korea is being reduced. Consequently, the interest in North Korea's mine development projects is growing as one of the aspects of inter-Korean economic cooperation. In the promotion of cooperation in mining development, mine hazard risk management should be considered. However, there is a lack of information pertaining to mine hazards in North Korea. To this end, this study was performed to determine the status of mining-related hazards in 12 mines in North Korea by using the image analysis feature of Google Earth. From the results obtained, we observed some mining-related hazards such as tailing dam failures, yellow boy phenomenon, and land subsidence.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.09a
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• pp.1487-1506
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• 2009

A long-term field experiment of the selected stabilization methods(Cover system, full range and upper range treatment) was conducted to reduce the heavy metal mobility in farmland soil which was contaminated by heavy metals around abandoned mine site. Field experiments were established on the contaminated farmland with the wooden plate and filled with treated soil, which was mixed with lime stone and steel reforming slag except on control plot. Soil samples were collected and analyzed during the experiment period(about 4 months) after the installation of the plots. Field demonstration experiments results showed that the cover system and the full range treatment of the selected stabilization methods applied to the application ratio of lime stone 5% and steel refining slag 2% were effective for immobilizing heavy metal components in contaminated farmland soil.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.30 no.A
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• pp.37-43
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• 2010

Polymeric materials in addition to Portland cement and hydrated limes were used to solidify heavy metal contaminated tailings from five abandoned metal mines in Korea. Mine tailings were mixed separately with Portland cement and hydrated lime at a concentration of 20-30 wt% and 6-9 wt%, respectively and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate(EVA) powder was added to each specimen at a ratio of 2.5 and 5.0 wt% to binders. Polymer-added and polymer-free solidified forms were evaluated for their appropriateness in accordance with the suggested test methods. Regardless of addition of polymeric materials, all solidified forms satisfy the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS) requirements(0.35MPa) for land reclamation and show remarkably reduced leaching concentrations of heavy metals such as As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn less than the toxicity criteria of Korean standard leaching test(KSLT). The addition of polymeric materials increased the UCS of solidified forms to improve a long-term stability of solidified mine tailings.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.48-57
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• 2020

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of organic compost for reducing soil loss in 25% sloped farm land. For the study, laboratory and field experiment were performed. After nine weeks monitoring in pot test, hardness of the amended soil with organic compost (1%~3%, w/w) showed two times higher than the control soil. Furthermore, soil loss of that was decreased by 95% under rainfall simulation test. From the result of laboratory experiment, organic compost with 2% (w/w) was applied for field experimental plot. After six month from April to September, the amount of soil loss became 67% of the initial, and the growth of natural vegetation was not hampered. Therefore, organic compost can be used as amendment materials to reduce soil loss in sloped farmland.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2000

It has been more than ten years since Dukun mine was abandoned. Tailings of waste deposits and slime dumps in the abandoned Dukum mine have been left to be deserted for fifty years. The results of fifty years of neglecting are nothing short of major environmental problems. Slime dumps have been exposed to air and water in the mine over ten years and then soil profile has been formed well. Soil in the upper layer (A horizon) is the light gray color due to the leaching of cations. Soil in the lower layer (A2 horizon, 0.2∼0.3m)is tinted with reddish brown and yellowish brown color due to the development of iron oxides and iron hydroxides. Soil in the lower part of B horizon of (1.0∼3.0m) with the growth of copper and zinc oxides exposes to the bluish green, light blue, and dark gray. Ranging from 3m to 8m in depth, 85 samples were taken from 22 sampling sites with 50m intervals located on the slime dump area with hand auger and trench (open cut). As tailings was distributed, heavy metal elements extracted by the process of surface water and ground water move and disperse in to the hydrosphere. Waste dumps were distributed in and around the mine and water draining from those dumps be a potential source of contamination. Soils, thus, can be dispersed into downslope and downstream through wind and water by clastic movement. These materials may be deposited in another horizon if the water is withdrawn, or if the materials are precipitated as a result of differences in pH, or other conditions in deeper horizons. These were primarily associated with acid mine drainage. The characteristics and rate of release of acid mine drainage are influenced by various chemical and biological reactions at the source of acid generations. Prolonged extration of heavy metal elements has a detrimental effect on the agricultural land and residental area. Twenty soil samples were collected from the agricultural land in the area (0∼30 cm). Seventeen samples were also taken from the sediment in the stream running alongside the dumps. The dispersion patterns of heavy metal elements are as follows: The content of As ranged 2∼6 ppm in a horizon, 20∼125 ppm in B horizon with large amount of clay mineral is concentrated and the content of Cd ranged 1∼2 ppm in A horizon, 4∼22 ppm in B horizon. Like Cd, the content of As, Cu, Zn, Pb in B horizon is higher than that in A horizon (approximately 5∼100 times). When soil formation proceeds in stages, it is necessary to investicate the B horizon with the concentration of heavy metal and preventive measures will have to established.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.411-429
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• 2018

Daeyoung mine (also called "Daema mine") produced gold and silver from mainly gold- and silver-bearing quartz veins. The mine tailings are a waste hazard, but most of the tailings were swept away or dispersed throughout the area around the mine long before the tailing dump areas were transformed into agricultural land. Soil liner and protection facilities, such as retaining walls, were constructed in the mine area to prevent the loss of tailings. The content of the tailings is 3,424.41~3,803.61 mg/kg, which exceeds the safety standard by a factor of 45. In addition, contamination was detected near agricultural areas and in the sediments in downstream drainage channels. A high level of As contamination was concentrated near the waste tailings yard; comparaable levels were detected in agricultural areas close to streams that ran through the waste dump yard, whereas the levels were much lower in areas far from the streams. The contamination in stream sediments showed a gradual decrease with distance from the mine waste yard. Based on these contamination patterns, we concluded that there are two main paths that affect the spread of contaminants: (1) loss of mine waste, and (2) the introduction of mine waste into agricultural areas by floods after transportation by streams. The agricultural areas contaminated by mass inflow of mine waste can act as contamination sources themselves, affecting other agricultural areas through the diffusion of contaminants. At present, although the measured effect in minimal, sediments in streams are contaminated by exposed mine waste and surface liners. It is possible for contaminants to diffuse or spread into nearby areas if heavy elements trapped in soil grains in contaminated agricultural areas leach out as soil solution or contaminant particles during diffusion into the water supply.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 1999

This geochemical study was carried out to find out the distribution of metals and cyanide in the soils around the Keum-Jung abandoned mine. Chemical analysis showed that extractable As contents in the soils near the mine exceeded 15mg/kg, Korean standard of soil contamination for farm land. The Results suggests that As contamination is due to input of tailings in the soils. According to total decomposition of tailings, As was highly concentrated in tailings. The water in a tailings impoundment was changed to acidic and contaminated by metals and sulfate which were released through oxidation of impoundment. Acid mine drainage from the tailings impoundment distribution channels directed to the paddy soils. The proper measures are required to prevent contamination of the soil and water in the vicinity of the Keum-Jung mine.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.39-47
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• 1997

Geochemical study was carried out to find out the distribution of metals and cyanide in soil in the vicinity of the abandoned Daduck mine and the reason for acid mine drainage occurrence in the tailings impoundment. 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, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and S were highly concentrated in tailings. However the water in tailings impoundment was changed to acidic and contaminated by metals 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 Daduck mine.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2024

In Korea, the common remedial process for reclamation of agricultural soils nearby abandoned mines involves chemical soil stabilization followed by covering with clean soil. This study investigated the chemical properties of cover soils and the validity of HCl extraction method in assessing the degree of As and heavy metal stabilization in stabilized soils collected from 14 plots where mine reclamation had been completed. The results revealed there were no major differences in contaminants extraction rate between the stabilized soils and contaminated soils, suggesting HCl extraction procedure is a less feasible method to determine the efficiency of the stabilization. Soil quality indicators including OM, SiO₂, P₂O₅, etc. of the land-covering soils were generally lower than those of stabilized soils that used to be the cultivation layer before the stabilization. Nonetheless, the value of those indicators didn't meet the regulatry limits of agricultural soil. Therefore, future strategy for mine reclamation should concentrate not only on contaminant concentration but also on soil quality parameters for agricultural use of the reclaimed soil.