• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the source of U anormaly formed in stream water of the drainage system around the Shinbo talc mine area based on the hydrochemical properties of water masses including surface water and groundwater. The hydrochemical properties of water masses in the Shinbo talc mine area are divide into three types; Type I : $Ca(Mg)SO_4$ type with high U content as shown in the stream water flowout from the mine, Type II : $Ca(HCO_3)_2$ type with high U content as in deep groundwater, Type III : $Ca(HCO_3)_2$, type with low U content as in the other stream water and shallow groundwater. It is necessary to emphasize that in deducing the uranium source, a distinct discrimination between type I and type II is showed in their hydrothermal properties in spite of commonly having a high uranium content, which in turn means the occurrence of a different water-rock interaction processes between both type. All evidences suggest that type II groundwater have acted as a primary media in the transport of uranium and that, as the groundwater flows through the talc mineralization zone, water composition of type II was transformed into that of type I water as the results of a secondary water rock interaction process, caused by imposition of new mineralogically controlled thermodynamic constraints. Consequently, in the viewpoint of hydrochemical exploration, the investigation of the hydrologic circulation system and the hydrogeologic properties for the aquifer of type II groundwater shall be done first of all and will provide a crucial clue on tracing the uranium mineralization zone occurred in the Shinbo talc mine area.

• 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.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.13-26
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• 2018

This research was conducted to elucidate the removal mechanism of heavy metals and sulfate ion from acid mine drainage(AMD) by porous zeolite-slag ceramics (ZS ceramics) packed in a column reactor system. The average removal efficiencies of heavy metals and sulfate ion from AMD by the 1:3(Z:S) porous ZS ceramics in the column reactor under the HRT condition of 24 hours were Al 97.5%, As 98.8%, Cd 86.1%, Cu 96.2%, Fe 99.7%, Mn 64.1%, Pb 97.2%, Zn 66.7%, and $SO_4{^{2-}}$ 76.0% during 121 days of operation time. The XRD analysis showed that the ferric iron from AMD could be removed by adsorption and/or ion-exchange on the porous ZS ceramics. In addition it was known that Al, As, Cu, Mn, and Zn could adsorb or coprecipitate on the surface of Fe precipitates such as schwertmannite, ferrihydrite, or goethite. The EDS analysis revealed that Al, Fe, and Mn, which were of relatively high concentration in the AMD, would be adsorbed and/or ion-exchanged on the porous ZS ceramics and also exhibited that Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn could be precipitated as the form of metal hydroxide or sulfate and adsorbed or coprecipitated on the surface of Fe precipitates. The microscopic results on the porous ZS ceramics and precipitated sludge in a column reactor system suggested that the heavy metals and sulfate ion from AMD would be eliminated by the multiple mechanisms of coprecipitation, adsorption, ion-exchange as well as precipitation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.183-193
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• 2006

Several metalliferous and coal mines, including Seojin and Okdong located at the Kangwon province, were abandoned or closed since 1989 due to the mining industry promotion policy and thus disposed an enormous amount of mining wastes without a proper treatment facilities, resulting in water and soil pollution in the downstream areas. However, no quantitative assessment was made on soil and water pollution by the transport of mining wastes such as acid mine drainage, mine tailing, and rocky waste. In this research, total and fractional concentrations of heavy metals in mining wastes were analyzed and accordingly the degree of water and soil pollutions in the stream area were quantitatively assessed employing the several pollution indices. Concentrations of Ni, Cd, and Pb in soils near the abandoned coal mine areas were 1,240.0, 25.0 and 1,093.0 mg/kg, respectively, and these concentrations were higher than those in soils near the closed metalliferous mine areas. Also Cu concentrations in soils near the tailing dams were about 1967 mg/kg, which is considered as very polluted level. Results demonstrated that soil at the abandoned mine areas were highly contaminated by AMO, tailing, and effluents of the mining wastes. Therefore, a prompt countermeasure on the mining waste treatment and remediation of the codntaminated water and soil should be made to the abandoned or closed metalliferous and coal mines located at the abandoned mine area.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.29-50
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• 2003

Physicochemical Properties of acid mine water of the Chonam-ri Creek and the Sagok-ri Creek in the Kwangyang Au-Ag mine area were determined using geochemical approaches. Metal contamination (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) is more serious in the Chonam-ri Creek than in the Sagok-ri Creek. However, the contents of Al and Fe is higher in the Sagok-ri Creek. Such differences between the two creeks probably reflect the abundance and composition of ore minerals. The attenuation processes for acid mine water in both creeks were investigated. In the Chonam-ri Creek, a small retention pond which contains limestone plays an important role in the removal of heavy metals by adsorption or coprecipitation due to increase of pH. The capacity of metal scavenging in this pond depends on the seasonal variation of inflow volume. Reddish yellow precipitates sampled in the Chonam-ri Creek were analyzed by XRD, SEM-EDS, EPMA, and chemical decomposition. The precipitates mainly consist of goethite and are also enriched in Al, Mn, Cu and Zn. This inditates that precipitation of goethite is important for scavenging those trace elements, possibly due to adsorption or coprecipitation. In the Sagok-ri Creek, on the other hand, hydrologic mixing of uncontaminated tributaries results in removal of heavy metals with iron hydroxides precipitation due to the pH increase. The mechanisms proposed for metal attenuation at the confluence between contaminated mine water and uncontaminated tributary water are also explained by the property-property plots.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.360-371
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• 2007

This paper presents an application of drainage control and slope stability by GIS-based hydrological modeling to control the surface water from an operational point of view. This study was carried out on a region of Pasir open-pit coal mine, Indonesia. A detailed topographical survey was performed at the study area to generate a reliable DEM (Digital Elevation Model). Hydrology tools implemented in ArcGIS 9.1 were used to extract the characteristics of drainage system such as flow direction, flow accumulation and catchment area from DEM. The results of hydrological modeling and spatial analysis showed that current arrangement of pumping facility is not suitable and some vulnerable places to erosion exist on the bench face due to concentrated surface runoff. Finally, some practical measures were suggested to optimize the design of drainage system and to monitor the slope stability by the surface water management at the study region during heavy rainfall.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.325-337
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• 2002

We examined the contamination of stream water and stream sediments by heavy metal elements with respect to distance from the abandoned Backun Au-Ag-Cu mine. High contents of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Mn, and Fe) and aluminum in the waters connected with mining and associated deposits (dumps, tailings) reduce water quality. In the mining area, Ca and SO$_4$ are predominant cation and anion. The mining water is Ca-SO$_4$ type and is enriched in heavy metals resulted from the weathering of sulfide minerals. This mine drainage water is weakly acid or neutral (pH; 6.5-7.1) because of neutralizing effect by other alkali and alkaline earth elements. The effluent from the mine adit is also weakly acid or neutral, and contains elevated concentrations of most elements due to reactions with ore and gangue minerals in the deposit. The concentration of ions in the Backun mining water is high in the mine adit drainage water and steeply decreased award to down stream. Buffering process can be reasonably considered as a partial natural control of pollution, since the ion concentration becomes lower and the pH value becomes neutralized. In order to evaluate mobility and bioavailability of metals, sequential extraction was used for stream sediments into five operationally defined groups: exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to FeMn oxide, bound to organic matter, and residual. The residual fraction was the most abundant pool for Cu(2l-92%), Zn(28-89%) and Pb(23-94%). Almost sediments are low concentrated with Cd(2.7-52.8 mg/kg) than any other elements. But Cd dominate with non stable fraction (68-97%). Upper stream sediments are contaminated with Pb, and down area sediments are enriched with Zn. It is indicate high mobility of Zn and Cd.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.499-508
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• 1998

The Imgok Creek is located in the Gangreung coal field, which has been known that sulfides are more abundant than other coal fields in Korea, and it has been severly contaminated by acid mine drainage (AMD) discharging from the abandoned coal mines, such as the Youngdong, the Dongduk and the Waryong coal mines. The purposes of this study are to synthetically assess the contamination of natural water, stream sediment and cultivated soils, and to provide the basic data for AMD treatment. Geochemical samples were collected in December, 1996 (dry season) and April, 1997 (after three day's rainfall). TDS of the Youngdong mine water was remarkably higher than those of other mine waters. In the Imgok Creek, concentrations of most elements, except Fe decreased with distance by dilution caused by the inflow of uncontaminated tributaries. From the results of NAMDI and $I_{geo}$ calculation, the Youngdong coal mine was the main contamination source of the study area. Groundwater pollution was not yet confirmed in this study and the paddy and farm land soils were also not yet contaminated by mining activity based on the pollution index ranging from 0.27 to 0.47.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.81-90
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• 2010

In this study, primary investigation for evaluation of abandoned metal mine effect on watershed has been done. 64 abandoned mines have been selected for primary investigation through literature and field survey. 216 soil and 90 water samples were collected and metal pollution concentrations were analyzed. 24 mines have mine water in the pits and acid water below pH 5 was not observed. Soils from 35 mines were over the soil basis of concern and 16 mines were over the soil basis of action. Arsenic average concentration was 188 times of average concentration of the natural background. Drinking water samples from 3 mines were over the drinking water standard and surface water samples from 12 mines were over the river water standard. Integrated pollution index, which was resulted from the integration of field survey, soil and water pollution concentration, showed that, abandoned metal mines had affected on watershed greatly in the order of Samgeum, Daedeok, Cheongdalgeum, Heungsin, Yeongdae and Myeongbong mines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.546-552
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• 2018

Although there are differences in the history of mining development by country, geographical conditions, and economic status, there are various problems such as water pollution caused by acid mine drainage from past mine development, soil and water pollution caused by mine tailing, and landslides caused by slope failure. Thus, human life is threatened by ground subsidence caused by collapses. Some countries have technology and legal systems that are different from those of others. In countries where mine reclamation is underway, or has to begin, there is a need for institutional arrangements and technical support. Countries trying to start mine reclamation require help from the international community. Technically and institutionally advanced nations need to recover from mine reclamation through cooperation with countries that are beginning to undertake reclamation.