• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1994.10a
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• pp.111-114
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• 1994

This study is aimed for reusing the mine wastes as aggregates for concrete. In this part, the test results by analyzing the several properties in case of reusing the mine waste as mortar and concrete aggregates show that compressive strength has the similar value, although there are a little differences according to the mines and producing areas.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 1999

The objectives of this study are to investigate soil contamination in the vicinity of abandoned Au-Ag mine and to apply a remediation technique of liming to tailings. In the study area of the Imcheon Au-Ag mine, soils were sampled in and around the mine the analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry extracted by both 0.1N HCl and aqua regia. Elevated levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations extracted by 0.1N HCl were found in soils taken from tailings site. These high contents directly influenced metal concentrations in soils taken in the vicinity of the site. This is mainly due to clastic movement by wind and effluent of mine waste water. In addition, relatively enriched concentrations of the metals were found in soils extrated by aqua regia due to strong decomposition of the samples compared with 0.1N HCl extration. According to the statistical approach, metal concentrations in soils by 0.1N HCl had a positive correlation with those by aqua regia extraction. Mine waste waters and stream waters were also sampled around the mine in spring and summer and analyzed by AAS for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, and by Ion Chromatography for anions. Like soils developed over tailings, significant levels of metals and sulphates were found in the mine waste waters ranging of 0.2~0.3, 0.5~2.0, 0.2~2.8, 30~50 and 1,240~4,700 mg/l of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and $SO_4^{2-}$, respectively. These elevated levels influenced in the stream waters in the vicinity of the tailings site. In seasonal variation of metal and anion contents, relatively high levels were found in waters sampled on summer due to leaching the metals and anions from tailings by rain. This study also examined the possibility of lime treatment for remediation of acid mine tailings and assumed to be 46 tones of pulverized lime for neutralization of the tailings.

• 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 Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.93-108
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• 2013

This study is aimed to prepare the effective detail survey methods(Phase II) of abandoned metal mines through the contamination assessment for mine types and facilities in the abandoned metal mine areas. The study sites of 12 abandoned mines are located in Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do and those were chosen among 310 sites that the Phase II survey was conducted from 2007 to 2009 after considering the results of Phase I for abandoned mines scattered all over the country. 12 study sites were classified into four types; Type I sites only have pit mouth. Type II sites have pit mouth and mine-waste field. Type III sites have pit mouth and tailing sorting field. Type IV sites have pit mouth, tailing sorting field and concentrator(s). In forest land, paddy soil and farm land of Type I, As and Cd were showed average concentration, and Cu and Pb were high on the pit mouth area in one mines where the pit mouth was developed within 500 m. In the mines of Type II, Cu and Pb were showed average concentration too, but As and Cd were slightly high in pit mouth and mine-waste field. The mines of Type III which had grinding particle process through physical separation milling or hitting showed similar tendency with Type II. However, mines of Type IV pit mouth, mine-waste field and showed various results depending on defining the contamination sources. For example, if contamination source was pit mouth, the mixed results of Type I, II, II were showed. In tailing sorting field which was regarded as the most important source and having high mobility, however, if there were no facilities or it was difficult to access directly, field sampling was missed occasionally during phase I and phase II survey. For that reason, the assessment for tailing sorting field is missed and it leads to completely different results. In the areas of Type I mines, the concentration of heavy metals exceeded precautionary standards of soil contamination or not within 1,000 meters of pit mouth. Nickel(Ni) was the largest factor of the heavy metal contamination in this type. The heavy metals except Arsenic(As) were shown high levels of concentration in Type II areas, where pit mouth and mine-waste field were operated for making powder in upriver region; therefore, to the areas in the vicinity of midstream and downstream, the high content of heavy metals were shown. The tendency of high level of heavy metals and toxic materials contained in flotation agent used during sorting process were found in soil around sorting and tailing field. In the abandoned-pit-mouth area, drygrinding area and tailing sorting field area, the content of Cupper(Cu) and Zinc(Zn) were higher than other areas. Also, the contaminated area were larger than mine reclamation area(2,000 m) and the location of tailing sorting field was one of the important factors to estimate contaminated area.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.11-20
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• 2003

Limestone mine waste was used as a aggregate far permeable concrete. Void ratio, continuous void ratio, coefficient of permeability, compressive strength and flexural strength of concrete were measured and then the relationship between porosity and strength properties was investigated. Void ratio, continuous void ratio and strength properties of permeable concrete were greatly influenced by the grain size of aggregate and void filling ratio in comparison with the containing ratio of limestone mine waste. Furthermore, void ratio showed a good relation with continuous void ratio, and porosity of permeable concrete indicated a good relation with strength properties also. The coefficient of permeability of permeable concrete using limestone waste was over 0.2 cm/sec and was excellent result in comparison with normal concrete. Therefore, it could be expected that the limestone mine waste would be utilized as aggregate for pavement concrete, green concrete and water resource specie concrete in the results of this study.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.9-18
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• 2012

This study was carried out to leach valuable metal ions from the mine waste ore using the adapted indigenous bacteria. In order to tolerance the heavy metals, the indigenous bacteria were repeatedly subcultured in the adaptation-medium containing $CuSO_4{\cdot}5H_2O$ for 3 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively. As the adaptation experiment processed, the pH was rapidly decrease in the adaptation-medium of 6 weeks more than the 3 weeks. The result of bioleaching with the adapted bacteria for 42 days, the pH value of leaching-medium in the 3 weeks tend to increased, whereas the pH of the 6 weeks decreased. In decreasing the pH value in the adaptation-medium and in the leaching-medium, it was identified that the indigenous bacteria were adapted $Cu^{2+}$ the ion and the mine waste ores. The contents of Cu, Fe and Zn in the leaching solution were usually higher leached in 6 weeks than 3 weeks due to the adaptation. Considering the bioleaching rates of Cu, Fe and Zn from these leaching solutions, the highest increasing the efficiency metal ion were found to be Fe. Accordingly, it is expected that the more valuable element ions can be leached out from the any mine waste, if the adapted bacteria with heavy metals will apply in future bioleaching experiments.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.59-61
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• 2005

In Korea, hundreds of abandoned and closed coal and metallic mines are present in the steep mountain valleys due to the depression of the mining industry since the late 1980s. From these mines, enormous amounts of coal waste were dumped on the slopes, which causes sedimentation and acid mine drainage (AMD) to be discharged directly into streams causing detrimental effects on soil and water environments. A limestone slurry by-product (lime cake) is produced from the Solvay process in manufacturing soda ash. It has very fine particles, low hydraulic conductivities ($10^{-8}{\sim}10^{-9}cm/sec$), high pH, high EC due to the presence of CaO, MgO and $CaCl_2$ as major components, and traces of heavy metals. Due to these properties, it has potential to be used as a neutralizer for acid-producing materials. A field plot experiment was used to test the application of lime cake for reclaiming coal wastes. Each plot was 20 x 5 m (L x W) in size on a 56% slope. Treatments included a control (waste only), calcite ($CaCO_3$), and lime cake. The lime requirement (LR) for the coal waste to pH 7.0 was determined and treatments consisted of adding 100%, 50%, and 25% of the LR. The lime cake and calcite were also applied in either a layer between the coal waste and topsoil or mixed into the topsoil and coal waste. Each plot was hydroseeded with grasses and planted with trees. In each plot, surface runoff and subsurface water were collected. The lime cake treatments increased the pH of coal waste from 3.5 to 6, and neutralized the pH of the runoff and leachate of the coal waste from 4.3 to 6.7.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2015

The aim of this study was leaching valuable metal ions from mine waste rocks which were abandoned mine site using indigenous aerobic bacteria. In order to tolerate the the indigenous aerobic bacteria to the heavy metal ions they were repeatedly adapted in $CuSO_4{\cdot}5H_2O$ environment. As the repeated generation-adaptation progressed, the pH values of the growth-medium were gradually decreased. During bio-leaching experiments with indigenous aerobic bacteria raised in a heavy metal ion environment for 42 days, the pH of the leaching solution was decreased while increasing the adaptation period. The indigeous bacteria were much more active on the surface of Younhwa waste rocks which contained relatively few the chalcopyrite and Cu content than the Goseong mine waste rocks, and also the amount of Cu and Fe ions were leached more in the Younhwa sample(leaching rate of 92.79% and 55.88%, respectively) than the Goseong sample(leaching rate of 66.77% and 21.83%, respectively). Accordingly, it is confirmed that valuable metal ions can be leached from the mine waste rocks, if any indigenous bacteria which inhabits a mine environment site for a long time with heavy metal ions can be used, and these bacteria can be progressively adapted in the growth-solutions containing the target heavy metals.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.771-779
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• 2020

This study was performed to develop a priority list for post-managements of leachates from 64 mine waste dump sites in Korea. For this, leachate quality, leachate quantity, and other factors were considered as evaluation criteria and the weights of 10 subfactors were calculated using Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) based on a survey from 20 experts in the field of mining environment. Calculated weights were 0.769, 0.147 and 0.084 for leachate quality, leachate quantity, and others, respectively, indicating that experts consider leachate quality as most important. Based on this approach, we classified the 64 mine waste dump sites into five grades from Grade I to Grade V. Ten were classified as Grade I, 1 as Grade II, 1 as Grade III, 33 as Grade IV, and 19 as Grade V.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.143-156
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• 2007

This study has researched the management status and the pollution level of water, soil, stream sediments of 11 abandoned coal mines out of a total of 12 within Obong-Dam area except Bukyung mine, which was submerged when constructing Obong-Dam, and selected areas which are in needs to have pollution control facilities in the first place. From the results of examination on the runoff at the waste rock pile and mineheads, the runoff from Sueun mine (pH, Fe, Al), Samwon mine (pH, Al), Wangdo mine (pH, Al), Mose mine (pH, Fe, Al) and Daeryeong mine (pH) exceeded the permissible discharge standards of the water quality, but the water at merging point with Obong-Dam after joined with Doma branch satisfied both Water Quality Standards and Drinking Water Quality Standards. In regard to groundwater contamination, it is found that areas where exceeded the Drinking Water Quality Standards are Wangdo mine (pH), Jangjae mine (pH, Zn), Daeryeong mine (pH) whereas all areas satisfied Soil Contamination Warning Standards of Soil Environmental Conservation Law. When comparing a research result on underwater sediments of branches of abandoned mines to the EPA Guidelines for classification of great lakes harbor sediments, Dongguk Gaerim (Fe), Jungwon mine (Fe), Daebo mine (Mn), Samwon mine (Mn) and Daeryeong mine (Mn) showed mid-level of contamination, whereas Sueun (Fe, Mn), Daebo mine (Fe), Woosung mine (Fe, Mn), Wangdo mine (Fe, Mn), Mose mine (Fe) and Daeryeong mine (Fe) showed high-level of contamination. In addition, contamination levels of underwater sediments in Wangsan and Doma branch where abandoned mine's branches merge together, Wangsan branch showed no contamination at all whereas Doma branch shows mid-level of contamination which reflect the Doma branch is affected by waste rock pile and minehead runoff of the abandoned mines in the Doma branch area. It is concluded that Mose mine and Sueun mine required treatment of acid mine drainage. and Wangdo, Jungwon, and Samwon mines were in need of mine tailing and erosion control work. The Samwon mine additionally required a control system for closed minehead runoff. Although the Samwon mine reached a high concentration of Al, Mn $Ca^{2+}$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ in the runoff, the levels decreased after it was combined with a tributary. It has been concluded that after further monitoring of the cause of pollution, a preventive measure system may be needed to be built.