• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.667-676
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• 2012

This research investigated to reduce mass of heavy metals in AMD(acid mine drainage) by microbial mats formed on the channel bed. As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn components were monitored in water and microbial mats, at three points (AMD1, AMD2 and AMD3), in a total of six times. Average daily discharge mass of heavy metals was highest in July, Fe component contained more than 76% of total discharge mass. Discharge mass of heavy metals of AMD and heavy metal contents in microbial mats decreased with downstream at channel. Heavy metal components that average daily discharge mass is over 0.5 kg were Fe, Cu and Zn, and they were highest in July. Average removal efficiency of heavy metals in AMD was highest about 21% in Fe, this microbial mats were due to form from precipitation of Fe component in AMD by aerobic iron bacteria. Relative content for As component in microbial mats than AMD was over 16 times, this As components were due to absorb at iron oxide and iron hydroxide on the surface of microbial mats.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.475-484
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to develop model for estimating biodegrability of organic sludge (sewage and papermill) in various environmental conditions. to assume degradable degree with operating time of SRB reactor. and evaluate duratior of organic sludge as carbon source. Average TCOD was 28.7~63.2mg/L in effluent. organic sludge did not much supply carbon source for experimental period. But in point of durability. it seemed that organic sludge was efficient because it was not consumed by degradation of much organic matter within short period. With increasing $SO_4{^{2-}}$ reduction rate. Pb and Fe was removed 77~82% and 33~59%. respectively. Because Al was precipitated as a hydroxide. its removal rate wa,. about $54{\pm}2%$ in R-l~R-3 maintaining low pH but about 78% in R-4 maintaining high pH. Because Mn was large in solubility. it showed to be much lower than other heavy metals. Considering supportable capacity or durability of orgainc matter for initial SRB mixing ratio of sewage/papermill 0.5 was regarded as appropriate substituting material and at this time. it estimated that carbon source continued about 3.08 year but safety factor must apply to be thought over. because various factors had an effect on degradation of organic sludge.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.09a
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• pp.37-47
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• 2004

In Korea, over three hundreds of the coal mines were closed or abandoned due to the depression of the mining industry since the late 1980s. Many of them locate in the steep mountain valleys and the coal mine wastes had been disposed without a proper treatment From these mines, enormous amounts of coal mine overburdens have been abandoned in the slopes and the ample amounts of acid mine drainage (AMD) from either portal or overburdens have been discharging directly to the streams, causing the detrimental effects on soil and water qualities. Objectives of this research were to reclaim the coal mine overburdens using the lime waste cake from the soda ash production by stabilizing the overburden slopes, introducing the vegetation alleviate the environmental problems caused by the closed coal mines. The percentages of the grass distribution ratio (%) and the surface coverage ($\textrm{cm}^2$) in each treatment plot were determined during June to August after seed spraying grasses such as orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L), Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and Eulalia (Miscanthus sinensis Anderss) at the end of May. The grasses covered only 15.5 % of the coal overburden plot at the early stage but the coverage was increased with time to 33% in August. Growth of such grasses was enhanced with the combined treatments of lime waste and topsoil resulting in the increased surface coverage by the grasses. The Increment of the surface coverage from June to August was higher with lime waste treatments. The distribution percentages and surface coverage were highest when the lime wastes were treated at 25 % of the lime requirement. This might be related with the high salt contents in the hire wastes. Results demonstrated that the amounts of lime wastes at 25% of the lime requirement were sufficient for neutralizing the acidic coal overburden and introducing the re-vegetation. Either layering between the coal waste and topsoil or mixing with coal overburdens could be adopted as the lime waste treatment method. The combined treatment of lime wastes and topsoil was recommended for re-vegetation in the coal overburden slopes. The lime wastes from the soda ash production might have a potential to be recycled for the reclamation of the abandoned coal mines to alleviate the environmental problems associated with coal mine waste.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.66-73
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• 2019

Approximately 80% of the mines are vacated or abandoned mines and are mostly left without suitable environmental treatment facilities. In the area around the abandoned mine site, problems such as drainage of acidic city drainage and leakage of leachate occur, and ground subsidence caused by this can cause a safety accident due to sink hole occurrence. In this study, flow, compressive strength, water uptake, pore and hydration characteristics were investigated to investigate the basic properties of liner and cover material based on the replacement ratio of nano silica and silica fume in the existing blast - furnace slag fine powder. As a result, as the substitution ratio of nano silica and silica fume increased, the flow and compressive strength of nano silica specimens increased and the absorption rate decreased. In the case of pore characteristics, the amount of pores decreased as the substitution ratio of nano silica and silica fume increased. Especially, the capillary porosity of 10-1,000 nm diameter decreased. Ray diffraction analysis and SEM measurement showed that the peak positions of the hydration products were almost the same when compared with the 5% alternative test samples of Plain and silica fume.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.695-708
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• 2008

In order to evaluate the geochemical behaviors of elements with waste rocks in the abandoned Jangpoong Cu mine area, total concentration analysis and leaching experiments were performed. The content of elements within waste rocks compared with background values decreased in order of As>>Cu>Pb>Cd>Co. Leaching experiments were carried out at various extraction environments, considering the acid rain ($0.00001{\sim}0.001N\;HNO_3$) and the acid mine drainage ($0.001{\sim}0.1N$ HNO3). After 24 hours of reaction with different acidic solution, the leaching characteristics of waste rocks were classified into three types according to final pH of leaching solution. Type I refers to the case that the final pH of leaching solution was lower than that of the reaction solution due to the dissolution of acidic minerals from rocks, while type 2 and 3 refer to the case that the final pH maintained higher than that of the reaction solution. Theses types include in acid buffering minerals such as clay minerals and carbonate minerals. The leaching characteristics of the elements after the reaction could be categorized into As-Co-Fe, Cu-Mn-Cd-Zn, and Pb. As-Co-Fe started to get leached under 2.5 of pH regardless of changes in the final pH, and Cu-Mn-Cd-Zn showed different initial leaching pH according to the types of final pH changes. Based on the pH value where leaching started regardless of leaching concentration, the relative mobility of each element was in the order of Mn Zn>Cd>Cu>>Fe Co>As>Pb. Thus, more higher mobility elements(Zn, Mn and Cu) were leached by reacting with acid rain water. Acid mine drainage may result in distributions of elements having relatively less mobility(As, Fe, Co and Pb).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2001

Stream water chemistry in the abandoned Boeun Jeil coal mine area was studied for a period of 3 months, including rainy and dry season. The stream waters were a nearly neutral and slightly alkali condition, and $Mg-SO_4$ type with Mg>Ca>Na>K and $SO_4>HCO_3>Cl>NO_3$. Chemical composition of the stream water was quite irregular during the experimental period. Concentrations of Na, K, $HCO_3$, U, Sr, and Cr decreased by $10{\sim}30%$ during rainy season, caused by dilution effects with rain. The concentration of Ca, Mg, $NO_3$, Cd, and Co increased during the rainy season, caused by more easily dissolved from bedrocks or mine drainage with slightly acidic condition than dry season. The stream water was enriched in Mg, Ca, $HCO_3$, $SO_4$, Al, Fe, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr, Cd, Sr and U. Concentrations of Na, Mg, Ca, $SO_4$, $HCO_3$, Fe, Zn, Ni, Sr, and U decreased linearly with distance from the mine adit. These elements were strongly controlled by dilution of unpolluted water influx and/or adsorption on the clay minerals and iron oxyhydroxide precipitates. This mine area exhibited two main weathering processes ; 1) oxidation with acidification derived from Fe sulphides, and 2) pH buffering due to Ca and Mg carbonate dissolution. This weathering processes were followed by adsorption of metals on iron oxyhydroxides and precipitation.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.25-36
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• 2005

Several metalliferous and coal mines, including Myungjin, Seojin and Okdong located at the upper watershed of Okdong stream, were abandoned or closed since 1988 due to the mining industry promotion policy. Thus these disposed an enormous amount of mining wastes without a proper treatment facilities, resulting in water pollution in the downstream areas. Acid mine drainage (AMD) and waste water effluents from the closed coal mines were very strongly acidic showing pH ranges of 2.7 to 4.5 and had a high level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) showing the ranges of 1,030 to 1,947 mg/L. Also heavy metal concentrations in these samples such as Fe, Cu, Cd and anion such as sulfate were very high. Concentrations of water soluble heavy metals in the Okdong streams were in the orders of Fe>Al>Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb>Cd, indicating Fe from the AMD and waste water effluents contributed greatly to the quality of water and soil in the lower watershed of Okdong stream. Copper concentrations in the effluents from the tile drainage of mine tailings dams were highest during the raining season. Water Pollution Index (WPI) of the surface water at the upper stream of Okdong river where AMD of the abandoned coal mines was flowed into main stream were in the ranges of 16.3 to 47.1. On the other hand, those at the mid stream where effluents from tailings dams and coal mines flowed into main stream were in the WPI ranges of 10.6 to 19.5. However, those at the lower stream were ranged from 10.6 to 14.9. These results indicated that mining wastes such as AMD and effluents from the closed mines were the major source to water pollution at the Okdong stream areas.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.68-76
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• 2002

In this study, we have investigated the geochemical behavior and fate of heavy metals in acid rock drainage (ARD). The ARD was collected from the area of the former Dongrae pyrophyllite mine. The Dongrae Creek waters were strongly acidic (pH : 2.3~4.2) and contained high concentrations of $SO_4$, Al, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd, due to the influence of ARD generated from weathering of pyrite-rich pyrophyllite ores. However, the water quality gradually improved as the water flows downstream. In view of the change of mole fractions of dissolved Fe, Al and Mn, the generated ARD was initially both Fe- and AA-ich but progressively evolved to more Al-rich toward the confluence with the uncontaminated Suyoung River. As the AR3 (pH 2.3) mixed with the uncontaminated waters (pH 6.5), the pH increased up to 4.2, which caused precipitation of $SO_4$-rich Fe hydroxysulfate as a red-colored, massive ferricrete precipitate throughout the Dongrae Creek. Accompanying the precipitation of ferricrete, the Dongrae Creek water progressively changed to more Al-rich toward downstream sites. At the mouth of the Dongrae Creek, it (pH 3.4) mixed with the Suyoung River (pH 6.9), where pH increased to 5.7, causing precipitation of Al hydroxysulfate (white precipitates). Neutralization of the ARD-contaminated waters in the laboratory caused the successive formation of Fe precipitates at pH<3.5 and Al precipitates at higher pH (4~6). Manganese compounds were precipitated at pH>6. The removal of trace metals was dependent on the precipitation of these compounds, which acted as sorbents. The pHs for 50% sorption ($pH_{50}$) in Fe-rich and Al-rich waters were respectively 3.2 and 4.5 for Pb, 4.5 and 5.8 for Cu, 5.2 and 7.4 for Cd, and 5.8 and 7.0 for Zn. This indicates that the trace metals were sorbed preferentially with increasing pH in the general order of Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn and that the sorption of trace metals in Al-rich water occurred at higher pH than those in Fe-rich water. The results of this study demonstrated that the partitioning of trace metals in ARD is not only a function of pH, but also depends on the chemical composition of the water.