• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.445-452
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• 2000

The effects of sludge and fertilizer application on germination and seedling growth of woody plants on heavy metal mine tailings were evaluated by greenhouse experiment. Two different mine tailings (Lead-zinc mine tailings from Kwangmyong, Kyonggi-do and tungsten mine tailings from Sangdong. Kangwon-do). four fertilizer treatments (N +P +K: 20, 40, 60, and 80 kg/m$^3$), and four sewage sludge treatments (5.5, 11, 22.5, and 45 Mg/m$^3$) were used in the experiment. Tested plants were Pinus densiflora, Larix leptolepis, Amorpha fruticosa, and Alnus hirsuta. There were three replicates for each treatment. In addition, vermiculite was used instead of mine tailings to determine the effect of physical amendments. Fifty seeds of a species were sown in a pot (upper diameter 13.5 cm, depth 10 cm) and seedling emergence were recorded daily for 30 days. The highest germination rate was 53% for all treatments. Germination rate of Larix leptolepis was lowest among the four species studied. One month later after seeding, seedlings were thinned and only 5 seedling were left in each pot, and fertilizer and sewage sludge were applied once again. Growth of seedlings were determined for 10 weeks since then. Most plants grew very poorly or died within 5 weeks on lead/zinc mine tailings from Kwangmyong. The analysis of heavy metal contents by the total dissolution method showed that heavy metals generally increased in the order of tungsten mine tailings from Sangdong < sewage sludge from Puchon < lead/zinc mine tailings from Kwangmyong. Growth of woody plants was improved significantly by the fertilizer treatments on tungsten mine tailings. In contrast. survival and growth of woody plants were not affected significantly by the sewage sludge treatment on both tailings. This study shows that fertilizer applied to established seeded stands may provide some benefits in terms of increased ground cover in the field. It is suggested that reclamation should be proceeded by the study of the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of mine tailings.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.41-53
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• 2013

The study is to propose the optimal separation technique of heavy metals (Pb and Zn) contaminated in soil for improving the removal efficiency by various applicable techniques. The heavy metal contaminated soil samples near abandoned mine X-1 and X-2 were used for the study. Firstly, the wet classification process was shown more than 80% of removal efficiency for lead and zinc. Meanwhile, the magnetic separation process was shown low removal efficiency for lead and zincs because those heavy metals were non-magnetic materials. For the next step, the flotation separation process was shown approximately 24.4% of removal efficiency for zinc, while the gravity concentration process was shown approximately 57% of removal efficiency for lead, and 19.9% of removal efficiency for zinc, respectively. Therefore, zinc contaminated in soil would be effectively treated by the combination technique of the wet classification and the flotation technique. Meanwhile, lead contaminated in soil would be effectively treated by the combination technique of the wet classification process and the flotation process. Furthermore, the extraction of organic matter was shown more effective with aeration, 3% of hydrogen peroxide and 3% of lime such as calcium hydroxide.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.147-156
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• 1995

Restoration of ecosystems degraded by heavy metal pollution can be accomplished by soil amendment and selection and utilization of plants tolerant to heavy metals. Two former zinc mine sites, Sambo Mine in Hwasung, Kyonggi-do and the Second Yonhwa Mine in Samchuk, Kangwon-do, were selected for collection of plant samples and for determination of heavy metal tolerant species. Dominant species on mine waste deposits in Hwasung site were Panicum bisulcatum and Echinoch/oa crus-galli, while those in Samchuk site were Aster yomena, Setaria viridis, Artemisia lavandulaefolia and Oenothera odorata. Mean contents of zinc, lead and cadmium in Hwasung soil were 103, 117 and 1 ppm, respectively, while those in Samchuk soil were 23, 6 and 4 ppm, respectively, Zinc contents were higher in Echinochloa crus-galli from Hwasung and in Artemisia lavandulaefolia from Samchuk, while lead contents were higher in Panicum bisulcatum and Echinochloa crus-galli from Hwasung and Lactuca sonchiJolia and Pinus densiJolia from Samchuk. Plant species with higher cadmium contents were Panicum bisulcatum and Lactuca sonchiJolia. Comparison of metal contents between roots and shoots showed that Echinochloa crus-galli was a zinc accumulator, while Panicum bisulcatum, Persicaria hydroPiPer, Pinus densiJlora and Lactuca sonchiJolia were zinc excluders. In addition, Panicum bisulcatum and Persicaria hydroPiPer were proved to be lead excluders. When both heavy metal contents in plant tissues and biomass of individual plants are considered, it can be concluded that Echinochloa crus-galli and Panicum bisulcatum from Hwasung and Artemisia lavandulaefolia and Aster yomena are heavy metal absorbing plants. The effect of heavy metals on seed germination showed that Artemisia princeps var. orientalis had higher germination rates, but no significant difference in concomitant decrease of germination rates among the species investigated were found by increasing heavy metal contents.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.47-57
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• 1969

The Yeonhwa Lead and Zinc Mine is located in northern part of Kyeongsang-Buk-Do, Korea, and is economically most important mine because it produces most part of the output of lead and zinc minerals in the country. Ore deposits of the mine are localized in the Pungchon Formation and several limestone seams of upper Myobong Formation in Cambrian Age. Ore solution ascended along the fractures of N-S, NE-SW or NW-SE trends and along slate and limestone boundary, and then replaced selectively limestone to make ore bodies. Skarn minerals are consisted of hedenbergite, diopside, and main sulfide mineral orebodies are composed of galena, zincblende, pyrrhotite, pyrite and a minor amounts of arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite. Metal ratio, ${\rho}_{Pb}={\frac{Pb(%)}{Pb(%)+Zn(%)}}{\times}100$, illustrates the zona I arrangements of some ore bodies. It will be inferred the flow trending of ore solution and the process reaction with adjacent country rocks. The sub-divided formations of the Pungchon limestone and Myobong slate are very useful as a criteria for detecting probable ore location. Rhodochrosite veins are good evidence for searching of ore location, especially on Pb-rich ore bodies.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.479-484
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• 2007

Bacterial communities at 10 cm, 100 cm, and 200 cm depths in a 100-year-old lead-zinc tailing heap were evaluated by constructing 16S rRNA gene libraries. In total, 98 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified from 193 clones at a 3% sequence difference level. The OTU number and species richness decreased with the depth. Species composition was significantly different between the three libraries. Fifty-seven percent of the examined clones were Acidobacteria and 27% belonged to Proteobacteria. Other sequences included Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Chlamydiae, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Nitrospira, and three unclassified OTUs. Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria were mainly distributed in the rhizosphere of naturally colonizing plants; however, Deltaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi tended to inhabit the deeper tailings (below the 100 cm-depth).

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 1977

During the period of 1975-76, a survey was carried out to find out zinc indicators in the natural vegetation in Korea. The symptoms fo chlorosis were observed in flowering plants in the areas of zinc outcrop of Wolgok-A, Seokgok-9, and Sowolgok. Although 28 species were found to be chlorotic, the total quantity of chlorotic foliage observed was small. Reasons for chlorosis in the areas of zinc are deposits is considered as effects of zinc, lead, copper and calcium ions. Sedum sp. and Dianthus sinensis were confined to soil containing more than exchangeable zinc of 30 ppm and to accumulation in the plants contained at least 1,300-14,000 ppm of zinc. Therefore Sedum sp. and Dianthus sinensis might be used as zinc indicators in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 1986

The distribution of giant duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) and small duckweed (Lemna aequinoctialis) was investigated at lead-zinc mine area and the limiting factors for their distribution were studied by laboratory experiments. The metal investigated of water affected on the growth of giant duckweed and small duckweed. Under filed conditions, both giant duckweed and small duckweed did not persist at more acidic conditions than pH 4.8 or at conditions more than 0.30 ppm of Cd concentration. Giant duckweeds were intolerable, under conditiions with less than 0.30 ppm of Cd and above than 0.07ppm of Zn, but small duckweeds were tolerable under conditions of more than 0.07 ppm of Zn concentration. However, neither can live above 7.50ppm of Zn concentration. These field observations corresponded with the results of the laboratory experiments.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.46-55
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• 2013

The main objective was to evaluate the efficiencies of different separation techniques, such as gravity separation, magnetic separation, and aerial separation. Zinc and cadmium removal efficiencies by gravity separation and magnetic separation were 28.3~29.3% and 19.1%, respectively, and were higher than the efficiency obtained by aerial separation. Results showed that the combination of gravity separation and magnetic separation in series which was to maximize the removal efficiencies gave removal efficiency of 21.5~38.7% for zinc and 22.1~23.4% for cadmium. The mass of soil meeting the regulation standards for zinc and cadmium after retrieval from the combined separation process accounted for approximately 80% of the treated soil that would be reusable without the pre-treatment procedure as the neutralization process using in the soil washing method. Physical separation techniques utilizing heavy metal properties are the alternative method to remediate heavy-metal contaminated soils in environmental and economic aspects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.120-125
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• 1999

This study was carried out to enhance the efficiency of bioleaching of heavy metals. copper and zinc from the soil samples obtained from mine tailings in Cho-il Mine located in Dan-Yang, Choong-Buk. The effects of medium (9 K) composition on the leaching efficiency were investigated by changing concentrations of the dominant components. phosphorus, nitrogen source. and energy source which are the most important factors governing the growth and multiplication of microorganism. The results of the bioleaching test at different phosphorus concentrations of medium, 0 mM. 3.0 mM, and 6.0 mM showed that leaching efficiency for zinc and copper was 98.8% and 47.5% respectively at 0 mM and decreased at higher phosphorus concentration 6.0 mM. In the bioleaching test of zinc and copper at 0 mM, 45 mM, and 90 mM nitrogen concentrations, the Highest efficiency of 85% and 46.4% was obtained for zinc and cooper respectively at 45 mM and the lower efficiency observed for 90mM nitrogen addition. The zinc and copper leaching with variation of energy source dosage showed the highest removal efficiency, 93% for zinc in the absence of energy source and 46.4% for copper at 160mM energy source.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.5-11
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• 2010

Abandoned mines release acid mine drainage and cause the contamination of soil and crops around the mine area. The objective of current study is to evaluate effect of mine on the soil and crop contamination. Soils, water, and crops were collected and analyzed, and the heavy metal data were classified into types of the soil, types of crops, and distance from the minehead. Surface soils of the mine area were highly contaminated with heavy metals, especially with zinc and lead. Tailings and cultivated paddy soils were also highly contaminated. Heavy metal concentrations upon distance from minehead decrease steadily as the distance from the minehead increase. The correlation between heavy metals was extracted from soils and the content in the rice samples showed a positive relation for arsenic and cadmium but not a meaningful relation for other metals.