• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.03a
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• pp.984-999
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• 2010

A long-term field demonstration experiment of selected stabilization method to reduce the heavy metal mobility in farmland soil contaminated by heavy metals around abandoned mine site was conducted. Field demonstration experiments were established on the contaminated farmland with the wooden plate(thickness=1cm) which dimension were width=200cm, Length=200cm, height=80cm and filled with treated soil, which was mixed with lime stone and steel refining slag except on control plot. Soil samples in the plots were collected and analyzed during the experiment period(2008. 2~2008. 8) after the installation of the plots. Field demonstration experiments results showed that the application ratio of lime stone 5% was effective for immobilizing heavy metal components in contaminated farmland soil.

• 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.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.2 s.171
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• pp.101-111
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• 2005

The objectives of this study we to assess the extent and degree of environmental contamination and to draw general conclusions on the fate of toxic elements derived from mining activities in Korea. 인t abandoned mines with four base-metal mines and four Au-Ag mines were selected and the results of environmental surveys in those areas were discussed. In the base-metal mining areas, the Sambo Pb-Zn-barite, the Shinyemi Pb-Zn-Fe, the Geodo Cu-Fe and the Shiheung Cu-Pb-Zn mine, significant levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in mine dump soils developed over mine waste materials, tailings and slag. Furthermore, agricultural soils, stream sediments and stream water near the mines were severely contaminated by the metals mainly due to the continuing dispersion downstream and downslope from the sites, which was controlled by the feature of geography, prevailing wind directions and the distance from the mine. In e Au-Ag mining areas, the Kubong, the Samkwang, the Keumwang and the Kilkok mines, elevated levels of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in tailings and mine dump soils. These levels may have caused increased concentrations of those elements in stream sediments and waters due to direct dis-charge downstream from tailings and mine dumps. In the Au-Ag mines, As would be the most characteristic contaminant in the nearby environment. Arsenic and heavy metals were found to be mainly associated with sulfide gangue minerals, and mobility of these metals would be enhanced by the effect of oxidation. According to sequential extraction of metals in soils, most heavy metals were identified as non-residual chemical forms, and those are very susceptible to the change of ambient conditions of a nearby environment. As application of pollution index (PI), giving data on multi-element contamination in soils, over 1.0 value of the PI was found in soils sampled at and around the mining areas.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.4B
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• pp.261-266
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• 2012

In this study, soil environmental impact assessment using risk-based approach was compared with that using concentration-based approach. For this, heavy metal contaminant exposure was characterized in an abandoned mine area. According to the estimated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks, soil ingestion was identified as the most dominant exposure pathway. When contaminant concentrations exceeded the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards, their corresponding risk values also exceeded the Total Soil Risk Standard. Even the cases of satisfying the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards mostly showed higher risk levels than the Total Soil Risk Standard, re-confirming a more sensitivity of the risk-based assessment than concentration-based assessment. However, the in-depth analysis of the estimated non-carcinogenic risk values revealed a few cases for soil contact pathway showing contaminant concentrations higher than the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards although their non-carcinogenic risk values satisfied the level of Hazard Index Standard. The findings from this study support a necessity of shifting policy paradigm from concentration-based approach into risk-based approach for reliable risk assessment in abandoned mine areas, and also suggest a necessity of further fundamental studies regarding risk factors and standards.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.51-52
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• 1999

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.157-165
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• 2023

In Korea, a major contaminant of farmland soils in the vicinity of abandoned mines is arsenic, for which the general soil reclamation method is contaminated soil stabilization and cover the stabilized soil with clean soil at a thickness of 40 cm. In a previous pot experiment study we confirmed the feasibility of a lower thickness (20 cm) of covering soil for such reclamation in abandoned coal mines, where arsenic contamination levels are generally lower than in metal mines. In this subsequent study a field experiment including rice plant cultivation in field test plots was conducted. For over 4 months, the transfer of arsenic from the contaminated soil to the unpolished rice grains was reduced by 44% when a clean soil covering with a thickness of 20 cm was applied. The maximum decrease (56%) was shown when the stabilization process was performed before the covering. These results reveal a lower thickness of clean soil covering has a high feasibility and it can increase cost-efficiency in the reclamation of an abandoned coal mine.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.145-153
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• 2005

Two hundred seventy-four microorganisms were isolated from the soil of abandoned mines around for selecting the heavy metal-degrading strains and their microbial diversity was analyzed. The specimens of macrofungi were isolated from the soil of abandoned mines around for selecting the heavy metal-degrading strains. Eunseong and Dogok in Gyeongsangbuk-do, for selecting the heavy metal-degrading strains. Soil was also collected from same location. Contents of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, and As) were determined spectrometically in fruiting bodies of forty eight wild macrofungi specimens with soils. When the analysed their transfer factor from soil to fruiting body, Amanita volvata have the highest transfer factor of cadmium and arsenic. And Mycena pura showed the highest in mercury, Marasmius pulcherripes in zinc, Laccaria laccata in nickel, and Collybia confluens in chrome. When compare the population of mushrooms between the contaminated mines and Mt. Chiak as the healthy area, Genus Russula and Collybia were collected both area, but Leucocoprinus, Coprinus, Suillus, Lepiost, Gyroporus, Lepista, Microstoma, Stropharia, and Agrocybe were only in the contaminated mine area.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.28 no.B
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• pp.65-69
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• 2008

The tailings piled in abandoned mines are well-known potential sources of soil contamination. Hydrated limes were applied as cementing materials to solidify heavy metal contaminated tailings for the purpose of reducing their toxicity and migration rates. The optimum mixing ratio of tailings, hydrated lime, and water was determined through a preliminary test. The mixtures of mine tailings and hydrated lime solidified through pozzolanic reaction were tested for their durability against repeated freezing and thawing processes. After repeated freezing and thawing, the uniaxial compressive strengths of all the solidified mixture specimens decreased in comparison with those before test but still higher than $3.5kgf/cm^2$, the standard recommended for land reclamation solids by EPA(Environmental Protection Agency), which suggested that hydrated lime be a potential material to treat the abandoned mine tailings for the environmental purpose.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.51-60
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• 2017

In this study, the concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in agricultural soils across a region of South Korea (Buyeo County) were investigated. Their pollution sources were assessed using multivariate statistical analysis, and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology was used to determine the distribution of these elements. Surface soil samples were collected from 114 locations across the agricultural fields in the study site. Cu and Zn were derived from natural sources (i.e., parent rocks of the soil), whereas As, Cd, and Pb were found to be originated from abandoned mines. The results of this study clearly show that the transport of anthropogenic As, Cd, and Pb is governed mostly by the specific environment of the paddy soil. Our approach was effective in clearly identifying the sources of metals and analyzing their contamination characteristics. We believe this study will provide useful information to future studies on soil pollution by anthropogenic sources.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2006

This study was carried out to select the Eco-tree for successful phytoremediation of abandoned metalliferous mines. We examined vegetation and heavy metal concentrations of woody plants in abandoned mining areas, and also conducted seed germination and seedling growth experiment on contaminated soils from Gahak and Geumjeong mines. Pinus densiflora, Robinia pseudoacacia, Lespedeza bicolor and Alnus japonica showed high frequency in the survey areas and had high heavy metal concentrations compared to other species. Heavy metal concentrations were higher in roots than in leaves and stems. The seed germination rate was in the order of P. densiflora, L. bicolor, R. pseudoacacia, and Alnus japonica from the incubactor and greenhouse experiment. In the incubator experiment germination rate was highest in the control soil for P. densiflora and A. japonica. Germination rate of P. densiflora was highest on the 100% contaminated soil for Gahak mine while germination rate decreased with increased percentage of contaminated soil for Geumjeong mine. In the greenhouse experiment germination rate was lowest on the 40% contaminated soil for Gahak mine while germination rate was lowest on the 20% contaminated soil for Geumjeong mine and increased with increased percentage of contaminated soil. Shoot growth was highest for L. bicolor while root growth was highest for R. pseudoacacia except for 20% contaminated soil in Geumjeong mine.