• 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.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2011

This study focused on health risk assessment via multi-routes of As exposure to establish a target cleanup level (TCL) in abandoned mines. Soil, ground water, and rice samples were collected near ten abandoned mines in November 2009. The As contaminations measured in all samples were used for determining the probabilistic health risk by Monte-Carlo simulation techniques. The human exposure to As compound was attributed to ground water ingestion. Cancer risk probability (R) via ground water and rice intake exceeded the acceptable risk range of $10^{-6}{\sim}10^{-4}$ in all selected mines. In particular, the MB mine showed the higher R value than other mines. The non-carcinogenic effects, estimated by comparing the average As exposure with corresponding reference dose were determined by hazard quotient (HQ) values, which were less than 1.0 via ground water and rice intake in SD, NS, and MB mines. This implied that the non-carcinogenic toxic effects, due to this exposure pathway had a greater possibility to occur than those in other mines. Besides, hazard index (HI) values, representing overall toxic effects by summed the HQ values were also greater than 1.0 in SD, NS, JA, and IA mines. This revealed that non-carcinogenic toxic effects were generally occurred. The As contaminants in all selected mines exceeded the TCL values for target cancer risk ($10^{-6}$) through ground water ingestion and rice intake. However, the As level in soil was greater than TCL value for target cancer risk via inadvertent soil ingestion pathway, except for KK mine. In TCL values for target hazard quotient (THQ), the As contaminants in soil did not exceed such TCL value. On the contrary, the As levels in ground water and polished rice in SD, NS, IA, and MB mines were also beyond the TCL values via ground water and rice intake. This study concluded that the health risks through ground water and rice intake were greater than those though soil inadvertent ingestion and dermal contact. In addition, it suggests that the abandoned mines to exceed the risk-based TCL values are carefully necessary to monitor for soil remediation.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.419-424
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• 2007

The contents were investigated by the monitoring survey from the soils and tailings caused by numerous abandoned mines in Korea. Cause heavy metals due to abandoned metal mines are raising significant environmental problems. But it is an important key such as a leaching and a transfer mechanism to evaluate contamination levels caused by abandoned mines. In this study the column test was carried in order to calculate a leaching level from soils and tailings. It was demonstrated that the leaching of Pb, Cd and Mn was expressed with similar behaviors and that of As and Cu was expressed with similar behaviors. For Zn, the leaching behavior was shown a serious leaching level with 40 mg/kg during the 45days. This was explained by Zn high contents of soils Zn in a natural world and ORP conditions where the leaching of Zn was occurred easily. Hence it was necessary that the survey of ORP was a key as well as total contents for the management of abandoned metal mines. We could estimate the chemical forms of heavy metals using the physical index such as ORP and pH and reduce the risk from heavy metals caused by abandoned metal mines.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.239-244
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals contamination of soils in the vicinity of abandoned mines in South Korea has been investigated. However, PAHs contamination rarely has been studied. Both heavy metals and PAHs concentrations have been measured in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: The samples of soil and sediment were collected from the vicinities of three abandoned coal mines and two abandoned metal mines for analysis of heavy metals contaminants and PAHs concentration from April to September 2012. After preparation of these samples following the Korean standard test method for soils, the concentrations of heavy metals contaminants and PAHs were measured using ICP-OES and GC-MS, respectively. It was observed that the concentration of Arsenic was above the concern level based on 'area 1' suggested by Korean soil conservation law, resulting that Arsenic is the main contaminant in these areas. Also Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were observed as a partial contaminants. The concentrations of other investigated components including benzo(a)pyrene were less than the concern level. CONCLUSION: The correlation observed between Arsenic (as main contaminant) and PAHs concentrations suggested that the contaminant source and pathway are different for each other. The effect of mine activity on PAHs concentration was rarely observed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.465-472
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• 1993

The heavy metal contents are more abundant in stream waters, paddy soils and rice plants in the vicinity of abandoned mines compared to the surrounding areas in the Kyungpook province. However, these contents tend to decrease with distance from mines, and show some variation under different geological and geochemical environments. The Sin-stream waters have high contents of Cu=4.9 ppm, Pb=0.1 ppm, Zn=3.5 ppm and other heavy metals (Ni, Co, Cd) at Dalsung abandoned mine and low contents of Cu=0.4 ppm, Pb=0.1 ppm, Zn=0.1 ppm and other metals= 0.002 ppm in the surrounding area. The high contents decrease in the downstream in the area of calcareous sedimentary rocks. The paddy soils have high contents of approximately Cu=51 ppm, Pb=83 ppm, Zn=211 ppm, and Cd=11.3 ppm in the vicinity of Gunwi abandoned mine but low contents of Cu=4.5 ppm, Pb=2.9 ppm, Zn=60 ppm and Cd=0.4 ppm in the surrounding area. The Dadeog abandoned mine also shows similar trends to Gunwi mine. The contents of heavy metals of rice plants are high in the roots but trends to decrease through stem+leaf and become low in brown rices.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2011

Objectives: This study assessed the factors that have an influence on the residents exposed to heavy metals, and we utilized the findings to establish the proper management of abandoned metal mines in the future. Methods: For a total of 258 residents who lived close to abandoned mines in Gangwon-province and Gyeonggi-province, the exposure factors and biomarkers in their blood and urine were comparatively analyzed via multiple regression analysis. Results: The blood levels of lead and mercury and the cadmium levels in urine were found to be higher in the study group than that in the average Korean. For the blood levels of heavy metals according to each exposure factor, all of them were found to be significantly higher in both of the group residing for a longer period of time and the group living closer to the source of pollutants. Multiple regression analysis disclosed that all the heavy metals, except lead, in their blood were significantly reduced in proportion to the increased distance of inhabitancy from the mines. Their other biomarkers were within the normal ranges. Conclusions: We found that the distance between the residential village and the mines was a factor that affects the blood level of heavy metals in the villagers. This finding could be an important factor when developing a management model for the areas that surround abandoned metal mines. (ED note: I much like this important study.)

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.297-302
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• 2008

The main reason of the pollution caused by soils and tailings located at discussed mines is heavy metals and AMD(acid mine drainage). Human health is affected by these pollutants which are spreaded from the abandoned mines. In this study, we try a mathematical approach to predict the pollution level of heavy metals caused by the surrounding soils of abandoned mines. The new approach is established with the correlation between the distance and pH, ORP. The change of pH and ORP can be described by the rate of initial values to experimental values. We demonstrate a realistic possibility of the mathematical approach to assess an environmental impact from disused mines cause the rate range is 0.95 to 1.03 for 60 days. Therefore our proposed approach will be useful as a few promising method for the management of heavy metals in many mines.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.297-311
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• 2020

Objective: We compared the level of blood cadmium exposure with health impacts by using data from a survey of residents near an abandoned mine and a national health survey. Methods: For this study, we used data from 7,046 individuals who participated in the Health Effects Survey of Abandoned Metal Mines (AMS, 2008-2011) and 6,871 individuals who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV-VI (KNHANES, 2008-2013). To evaluate the health impacts, the quartiles (S1 to S4) were classified according to blood cadmium concentration, and then the odds ratios of S2 to S4 over S1 for exceeding the reference values of renal function, blood pressure, and bone density were compared. Similarly, the odds ratio of AMS over KNHANES was confirmed. Results: In the AMS, adjusted for general characteristics, the geometric mean of blood cadmium concentration was 1.34 ㎍/L, which was statistically significantly higher than that of the KNHANES 1.22 ㎍/L (p<0.001). In the integrated data of AMS and KNHANES, the estimated odds ratio of S4 over S1 for exceeding the reference value was found to be 1.70 for serum creatinine, 1.71 for hypertension, and a T-score 2.02 for the tarsal bone. They were all statistically significant. Conclusion: Residents around abandoned metal mines had a higher blood cadmium concentration than the general population, and the odds for exceeding the reference values were higher for some health indicators. Continuous biomonitoring should be conducted for vulnerable areas such as around abandoned metal mines, and measures to reduce cadmium exposure and management of chronic diseases are needed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.369-379
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• 2015

Objectives: The lack of reliable information on environmental pollution and health impacts related to asbestos contamination from abandoned mines has drawn attention to the need for a community health study. This study was performed to evaluate asbestos-related health symptoms among residents near abandoned asbestos mines located in the Chungcheong Provinces. In addition, exposure assessment for asbestos is needed although the exposure to asbestos was in the past. Methods: Past exposure to asbestos among inhabitants near abandoned asbestos mines was estimated by using surface sampling of deposited dust in indoor and outdoor residences. A total of 54 participants were divided into two groups with (34 cases) and without (20 controls) diseases related to asbestos. Surface sampling of deposited dust was carried out in indoor and outdoor residences by collecting 105 samples. Deposited dust for sampling was analyzed by polarization microscope (PLM) and scanning electron microscope?energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) to detect asbestos. Subsequently, the elements of the deposited dust with asbestos were analyzed by SEM-EDX to assess the contribution of sources such as abandoned mines, slate and soil. Results: Among the 105 samples, asbestos was detected by PLM in 29 (27.6%) sampling points, and detected by SEM in 56 (48.6%) sampling points. Asbestos in indoor residences was detected by PLM in four sampling points, and by SEM in 12 sampling points. Asbestos detection in indoor residences may be due to ventilation between indoors and outdoors, and indicates long-term exposure. The asbestos detection rate for outdoor residences in the case group was higher than that in the control group. This can be explained as the case group having had higher exposure to asbestos, and there has been continuous exposure to asbestos in the control group as well as the case group. Conclusion: Past residential asbestos exposure may be associated with asbestosis among local residents near abandoned asbestos mines. Odds ratios were calculated for asbestos detection in outdoor residence by logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio between asbestos detection and asbestosis pulmonum was 3.36 (95% CI 0.90-12.53) (p=0.072), adjusting for age, sex, smoking status and work history with multi-variable logistic regression by PLM analysis method.