• Title/Summary/Keyword: Waste rocks and tailings

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Sustainable use of mine waste and tailings with suitable admixture as aggregates in concrete pavements-A review

  • Gayana, B.C.;Chandar, Karra Ram
    • Advances in concrete construction
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.221-243
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    • 2018
  • Utilization of mine waste rocks and tailings in concrete as aggregates will help in sustainable and greener development. The literature shows the potential use of iron ore tailings as a replacement of natural fine aggregates. As natural sand reserves are depleting day by day, there is a need for substitution for sand in concrete. A comprehensive overview of the published literature on the use of iron ore waste and tailings and other industrial waste in concrete is being presented. The effect of various properties such as workability, compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, durability and microstructure of concrete have been presented in this paper.

Geochemical Approaches for Investigation and Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Abandoned Mine Sites (폐광산지역의 오염특성 조사와 평가를 위한 지구화학적 접근방법)

  • 이평구;조호영;염승준
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.35-48
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    • 2004
  • This paper provides a comprehensive overview of geochemical approaches for investigating and assessing heavy metal contamination in abandoned mine sites. Major sources of contaminants at the abandoned mine sites are mine water, waste rocks, tailings, and chemicals used in beneficiation and mineral processing. Soil, sediment, surface and ground water, and ecological system can be contaminated by heavy metals, which are transported due to erosion of mine waste piles, discharge of acid mine drainage and processed water, and dispersion of dust from waste rocks and tailings. The abandoned mine sites should be characterized using various methods including chemical analysis, mineralogical analysis, acid generation prediction tests, leaching/extraction tests, and field tests. Potential and practical environmental impacts from the abandoned mines should be assessed based on the site characterization.

Environmental Pollution and Reclamation in the Abandoned Mines in Korea (국내 폐 광산 환경오염 실태 및 처리 현황)

  • Cheong Young-Wook;Min Jeong-Sik
    • 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2001.09a
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    • pp.75-89
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    • 2001
  • There are 334 coal mines and about 900 metal mines abandoned. The environmental problems such as acid mine drainage from adits etc. and the subsidence has occurred in the abandoned mines. In addition, soil has been contaminated by tailings. According to analysis of mine drainages, some of them from adits in the abandoned coal and metallic mines were acidic and polluted by heavy metals. Especially, water quality of coal mine drainages were different by areas. Treatment of mine drainage by conventional chemical treatment has the drawback because the operating cost is very expensive. The treatment system used in mine drainage is the natural treatment system such as anoxic limestone drain in adits and the constructed wetland. The method of reclamation for abandoned waste rocks and tailings impoundments are mainly landfilling.

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Seasonal Variations of Water Quality within the Waste Impoundments of Geopung Mine (거풍 폐광산 폐기물 적치장 지하수 및 침출수 수질의 시기별 변화)

  • Ahn, Joo-Sung;Yim, Gil-Jae;Cheong, Young-Wook
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.42 no.3
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    • pp.207-216
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    • 2009
  • In this study, water quality variation in borehole groundwaters and surface leachate waters were investigated on a seasonal sampling and remote monitoring basis within the waste impoundments at the Geopung mine site where previous rehabilitation measures were unsuccessful to prevent acidic drainage. All groundwaters were typical acidic drainage with acidic pH (3.3${\sim}$4.6) and high TDS (338${\sim}$3330 mg/L) values during the dry season, but increases in metal contents (TDS 414${\sim}$4890 mg/L) and decrease of pH (2.7${\sim}$3.6) were observed during the rainy season. Surface leachate waters showed a similar pattern in water quality variation. Surface runoff waters during rain events had acidic pH (3.0${\sim}$3.4) through direct reactions with waste rocks. Good correlations were found between major and trace elements measured in water samples, but no significant seasonal variation in chemical compositions was shown except relative changes in contents. It can be suggested that dissolution of soluble secondary salts caused by flushing of weathered waste rocks and tailings directly influenced the water quality within the waste impoundments. Increases in acid and metal concentrations and their loadings from mine wastes are anticipated in the rainy season. More appropriate cover systems on waste rocks and tailings necessitate consideration of more extreme conditions in the study mine.

Distribution of heavy metal contamination in soils and sediments in the vicinity of the Hwacheon Au-Ag-Pb-Zn mine

  • Lee Sung-Eun;Lee Jin-Soo;Chon Hyo-Taek
    • 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2003.11a
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    • pp.529-531
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    • 2003
  • In order to investigate the level of heavy metal contamination and the seasonal variation of metal concentrations in soils and sediments influenced by past mining activities, tailings, soil and sediment samples were collected from the Hwacheon mine in Korea. The main pollution sources in this mine site are suggested as tailings and mine waste rocks. Elevated levels of Cd, Pb and Zn were found in soils and sediments. In a study of seasonal variation on the heavy metals in soils and sediments, heavy metals were higher enriched collected from before rainy season ($2^{nd}$ sampling) than after rainy season ($1^{st}$ sampling). Also, in order to estimate the microbial effects on Cd speciation in sediments, bacteria which can adsorb Cd was isolated and Cd adsorption characteristics of isolated bacteria in Cd solution was evaluated. The Cd bioremoval efficiency in Cd solution (5 ppm) by bacteria was more than $90\%$. Bioremoval efficiency in single metal solution was higher than that in mixed metal solution of Pb and Zn.

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An analytical solution for estimating the stresses in vertical backfilled stopes based on a circular arc distribution

  • Jaouhar, El-Mustapha;Li, Li;Aubertin, Michel
    • Geomechanics and Engineering
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.889-898
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    • 2018
  • Backfilling of mine stopes with waste rocks or tailings is commonly done to enhance ground stability. It is also an alternative for mining wastes disposal. A successful application of underground backfilling requires an accurate evaluation of the stress distribution in stopes. Over the years, various analytical solutions have been proposed to assess these stresses. Most of them were based on the arching theory, considering uniform stresses across horizontal layer elements. The vertical and horizontal stresses in vertical stopes are principal stresses only along the vertical center line, but not close to the walls where there is rotation of the principal stresses. A few solutions use arc layer elements that follow the iso-contours of the minor principal stresses, based on numerical solutions. In this paper, a modified analytical solution is developed for the stresses in vertical backfilled stopes, considering a circular arc distribution. The proposed solution is calibrated with a few numerical modeling results and then validated by additional numerical simulations under different conditions.

Mechanisms of Immobilization and Leaching Characteristics of Arsenic in the Waste Rocks and Tailings of the Abandoned Mine Areas (폐광산 지역 폐광석 및 광미에서 비소의 고정 메커니즘과 용출특성)

  • Kang Min-Mu;Lee Pyeong-Koo
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.38 no.5 s.174
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    • pp.499-512
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    • 2005
  • EPMA determined that Fe(Mn)-(oxy)hydroxides and well-crystallized Fe-(oxy)hydroxides and could contain a small amount of As $(0.3-11.0\;wt.\%\;and\;2.1-7.4\;wt.\%\;respectively)$. Amorphous crystalline Fe-(oxy) hydroxide assemblages were identified as the richest in As with $28-36\;wt.\%$. On the ternary $As_2O_5-SO_3-Fe_2O_3$ diagram, these materials were interpreted here as 'scorodite-like'. Dissolved As was attenuated by the adsorption on Fe-(oxy) hydroxides and Fe(Mn)-(oxy) hydroxides and/or the formation of an amorphous Fe-As phase (maybe scorodite: $FeAsO_4\cdot2H_2O$). Leaching tests were performed in order to find out leaching characteristics of As and Fe under acidic conditions. At the initial pHs 3 and 5, As contents dissolved from tailings of the cheongyang mine significantly increased after 7 days due to the oxidation of As-bearing secondary minerals (up to ca. $2.4\%$ of total), while As of Seobo mine-tailing samples was rarely released (ca. $0.0-0.1\%$ of total). Dissolution experiments at an initial pH 1 liberated a higher amount of As (ca. $1.1-4.2\%$ of total for Seobo tailings, $1.5-14.4\%$ of total for Cheongyang tailings). In addition, good correlation between As and Fe in leached solutions with tailings was observed. The kinetic problems could be the important factor which leads to increasing concentrations of As in the runoff water. Release of As from Cheongyang tailings can potentially pose adverse impact to surface and groundwater qualities in the surrounding environment, while precipitation of secondary minerals and the adsorption of As are efficient mechanisms for decreasing the mobilities of As in the surface environment of Seobo mine area.

A Study on the Heavy Metal Contamination of paddy Soil in the Vicinity of the Seosung Pb-Zn Mine (서성 연-아연광산 주변 농경지 토양의 중금속 오염 연구)

  • 황은하;위수민;이평구;최상훈
    • Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.67-85
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    • 2000
  • Fifty seven soil samples were collected from the paddy soil filled with tailings in the vicinity of the Seosung Pb-Zn mine. Those samples were analyzed for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in order to investigate heavy metal pollution levels in the paddy soil. Analyses of the soil samples were carried out using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry(ICP-AES) . Paddy soils show pH range from 6.55 to 8.26. X-ray diffraction analyses of the paddy soil indicate that the soils consist predominantly ankerite, siderite, quartz, mica, and clay minerals with minor amounts of amphibole and chlorite. The mineral composition of the waste rocks consists of massive galena, sphalerite, and minor amounts of pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, calcite, siderite, Pb-sulfosalt, and marcasite. The paddy soils were significantly contaminated by heavy metals(average concentrations, As: 334.4 ppm, Cd: 37.6 ppm, Co: 15.7 ppm, Cu: 214.1 ppm, Pb: 4,612 ppm, and Zn: 4,468 ppm).

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Arsenic environmental contamination, chemical speciation and its behaviour in the water system from some abandoned Au-Ag mines, Korea

  • Yi Ji-Min;Chon Hyo-Taek;Lee Jin-Soo
    • 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2003.11a
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    • pp.522-525
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    • 2003
  • Mine waters, surface waters and groundwaters were sampled around seven Au-Ag mine areas (Dongil, Okdong, Dongjung, Songcheon, Ssangjeon, Dogok and Gubong Au-Ag mines). The main contamination sources of As in these abandoned Au-Ag mines can be suggested as mine tailings and waste rocks including the sulfide gangue minerals (arsenopyrite). The relatively high concentration of As in mine waters was shown in the Dongil (524 ${\mu}g/L$) and the Dogok (56 ${\mu}g/L$) mine areas. Arsenic concentrations in stream waters from the Dongil ($0.9\~118{\mu}g/L$), the Songchon ($0.8\~63{\mu}g/L$), the Ssangjeon ($1.6\~109{\mu}g/L$) and the Gubong ($3.6\~63{\mu}g/L$) mine areas exceeded the permissible level for stream water in Korea. Groundwaters collected from the Dongil ($0.9\~64{\mu}g/L$ ), the Okdong ($0.2\~69{\mu}g/L$) and the Gubong ($0.5\~101{\mu}g/L$) mine areas contained high As concentration to cause the arsenicosis in these areas. In As speciation, the concentration ratios of As(III) to As(total) present up to $75\%$ and $100\%$ in stream waters from the Okdong and the Songcheon mines, and $70\%$ in groundwaters from the Okdong and the Dongjung mines. Arsenic concentration decreases downstream from the tailing dump correlatively with pH and Fe concentration. Highly elevated As concentrations are found in the dry season (such as April and March) than in the wet season (September) due to the dilution effect by heavy rain during summer in stream waters from the Dongil and the Songcheon mine areas.

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Application of geophysical and geochemical methods to investigation of AMD environment (AMD 환경평가를 위한 지구물리${\cdot}$지구화학탐사의 적용사례)

  • Kim Jisoo;Han Soohyung;Choi Sanghoon;Lee Pyeongkoo
    • 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2005.05a
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    • pp.267-272
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    • 2005
  • Geophysical surveys were performed in three abandoned mines: Jangpoong, Kwangyang, Imchon. The main objectives of the researches include delineating the pathways of leachate from acid mine drainage(AMD), mapping buried rock wastes and tailings, detecting drainage pipes, and investigating the gallery and membrane, if they exist, Geophysical responses were well correlated with the results from water sample data(i.e., pH, EC, heavy metal contents, $SO_4^{-2}$). Main pathways of the leachate were successfully detected in electrical resistivity sections and self-potential(SP) profiles, whereas waste rocks, drainage pipes, and membranes were effectively located by incorporating seismic refraction, electrical resistivity and GPR methods.

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