• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.669-676
• /
• 2018

The "pseudo-wedge" failure is a name for a complex instability occurring at the Sarcheshmeh open-pit mine (Iran). The pseudo-wedge failure contains both the rock bridge failure and sliding along pre-existing discontinuities. In this paper, a cross section of the failure area was first modeled using a bonded-particle method. The results indicated development of tensile cracks at the slope toe which explains the freedom of pseudo-wedge blocks to slide. Then, a three-dimensional discrete element method was used to perform a block analysis of the instability. The technique of shear strength reduction was used to calculate the factor of safety. Finally, the influence of geometrical characteristics of the mine wall on the pseudo-wedge failure was investigated. The safety factor significantly increases as the dip and dip direction of the wall decrease, and reaches an acceptable value with a 10-degree decrease of them.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.209-218
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this study was to accumulation of the heavy metals by riparian vegetation throughout analysis of the heavy metal concentration in riparian vegetation, water, and sediment near mine drainage. According to analyzing concentration of the heavy metals in riparian vegetation, water, and sediment the heavy metal was indicated at the leaf significantly. Compared with the concentration of sediment soil, the maximum concentration of the As, Cd, CN, Pb, Zn was higher 2.6, 2.6, 25, non-detect, and 15 times in leaf. Also those concentration have 9.6, 16.6, 25, 1.6, and 25 times in root. As the results, the author can know the sediment has a very relative to vegetation in mine drainage. because, the increasing of concentration of heavy metal in sediment gives the more accumulative concentration of heavy metal in vegetation. Compared with the concentration of conta minated site and non-contaminated site. As, Cd, CN, Pb, Zn the maximum concentration in sediment soil was higher 5.7, 258.1, 10.9, 370.0, and 298.3 times respectively. In case of vegetation, the maximum concentration of the As, Cd, CN, Pb, Zn was higher 5.6, 62.3, 5.0, non-detect, and 30.6 times in leaf. Also those concentration have 8.5, 63.3, 2.6, 60.7, and 62.1 times in root. In this study, the author can surmise that there indicated a lot of adsorption with the heavy metal concentration in contaminated mine drainage.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
• /
• 2000.09a
• /
• pp.147-154
• /
• 2000

The influence of the mined-out caves on the stability of the high speed railway tunnel was investigated with a series of geological logging and in-situ tests on the one hand, and with the rock mass classification using the multiple regression analysis on the other hand. The rock mass in this area can be classified as 'fair', and the condition of the discontinuities plays the most important role in the classification of the rock mass. The results of the analysis obtained by the FLAC showed that the western part of the tunnel locating at 50m above the mine cavities could be affected by subsidence associated with a considerable deformation, the magnitude of which might depend on the properties of the rock mass. Key word : multi regression analysis, subsidence, mine cavities

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.5-11
• /
• 2012

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the most severe environmental problem that results from the oxidation of pyrite $(FeS_2)$ and various other metal sulfides. In this study, the influence of microorganism was tested on the process where AMD was released and the method to inhibit AMD generated by microorganisms at abandoned mine area. The activity and growth rate of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, common microorganisms affecting AMD occurrence, were measured. Chlorine dioxide $(ClO_2)$, NaCl, or surfactant (ASOR-770) was used as an inhibitor for working on activity and growth of microorganism. Among the three inhibitors, 10ppm of chlorine dioxide was the most effective inhibitor for AMD control due to the reduced the activity and growth of microorganisms by 20%.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.503-515
• /
• 2022

The permeability coefficient is an essential parameter for the study of seepage flow in fractured rock mass. This paper discusses the feasibility and application value of using readily available RQD (rock quality index) data to estimate mine water inflow and grouting quantity. Firstly, the influence of different fracture frequencies on permeability in a unit area was explored by combining numerical simulation and experiment, and the relationship between fracture frequencies and pressure and flow velocity at the monitoring point in fractured rock mass was obtained. Then, the stochastic function generation program was used to establish the flow analysis model in fractured rock mass to explore the relationship between flow velocity, pressure and analyze the universal law between fracture frequency and permeability. The concepts of fracture width and connectivity are introduced to modify the permeability calculation formula and grouting formula. Finally, based on the on-site grouting water control example, the rock mass quality index is used to estimate the mine water inflow and the grouting quantity. The results show that it is feasible to estimate the fracture frequency and then calculate the permeability coefficient by RQD. The relationship between fracture frequency and RQD is in accordance with exponential function, and the relationship between structure surface frequency and permeability is also in accordance with exponential function. The calculation results are in good agreement with the field monitoring results, which verifies the rationality of the calculation method. The relationship between the rock mass RQD index and the rock mass permeability established in this paper can be used to invert the mechanical parameters of the rock mass or to judge the permeability and safety of the rock mass by using the mechanical parameters of the rock mass, which is of great significance to the prediction of mine water inflow and the safety evaluation of water inrush disaster management.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 1997.10a
• /
• pp.161-170
• /
• 1997

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.243-255
• /
• 2010

The slope design of an open-pit mine must consider economical efficiency and stability. Thus, the overall slope angle is the principal factor because of limited support or reinforcement options available in such a setting. In this study, slope displacement, as monitored by a GPS system, was analyzed for a coal mine at Pasir, Indonesia. Predictions of failure time by inverse velocity analysis showed good agreement with field observations. Therefore, the failure time of an unstable slope can be roughly estimated prior to failure. A GIS model that combines fuzzy theory and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was developed to assess slope instability in open-pit coal mines. This model simultaneously considers seven factors that influence the instability of open-pit slopes (i.e., overall slope gradient, slope height, surface flows, excavation plan, tension cracks, faults, and water body). Application of the proposed method to an open-pit coal mine revealed an enhanced prediction accuracy of failure time and failure site compared with existing methods.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.173-182
• /
• 2018

The precipitation and phase transformation processes of iron minerals in acid mine drainage have a great influence on the behavior of trace elements in drainage. However, it is not easy to accurately trace these processes in natural environments, and therefore, most studies have carried out in the laboratory to obtain the information on the precipitation and transformation of those minerals. In this study, the precipitation of minerals and the changes of trace elements in drainage water were investigated at different pH values in actual acid mine drainage collected from the Dalsung mine. The amount of some precipitated minerals was not enough for the mineral identification. However, from the minerals identified, amorphous minerals were formed first, and then goethite was precipitated probably from schwertmannite. When the pH of the sample was high (10), amorphous phases of minerals were still observed at even high pH (pH 10). With increasing time, the pH values decreased by precipitation and transformation of minerals. All the elements showed low concentrations at high pH (8, 10), which might be due to the precipitation of minerals at high pH and the effect of surface charge, and the concentrations of elements gradually increased with time. In the case of sulfur, it also increased in water due to the transformation of schwertmannite to goethite.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.687-694
• /
• 2020

Two oxidizing agents (KMnO4, H2O2), and one neutralizing agent (NaOH) were applied to evaluate Mn removal in mine drainage. A Mn2+ solution and artificial mine drainage were prepared to identify the Fe2+ influence on Mn2+ removal. The initial concentrations of Mn2+ and Fe2+ were 0.1 mM and 1.0 mM, respectively. The injection amount of oxidizing and neutralizing agents were set to ratios of 0.1, 0.67, 1.0, and 2.0 with respect to the Mn2+ mole concentration. KMnO4 exhibited a higher removal efficiency of Mn2+ than did H2O2 and NaOH, where approximately 90% of Mn2+ was removed by KMnO4. A black MnO2 was precipitated that indicated the oxidation of Mn2+ to Mn4+ after an oxidizing agent was added. In addition, MnO2 (pyrolusite) is a stable precipitate under pH-Eh conditions in the solution. However, relatively low removal ratios (6%) of Mn2+ were observed in the artificial mine drainage that included 1.0 mM of Fe2+. The rapid oxidation tendency of Fe2+ as compared to that of Mn2+ was determined to be the main reason for the low removal ratios of Mn2+. The oxidation of Fe2+ showed a decrease of Fe concentration in solution after injection of the oxidizing and neutralizing agents. In addition, Mn7+ of KMnO4 was reduced to Mn2+ by Fe2+ oxidation. Thus, the concentrations of Mn increased in artificial mine drainage. These results revealed that the oxidation method is more effective than the neutralization method for Mn removal in solution. It should also be mentioned that to achieve the Mn removal in mine drainage, Fe2+ removal must be conducted prior to Mn2+ oxidation.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 1997

Removal of the Arsenic components from the closed mine tailings has been attempted by the alkali-leaching method. Two tailings collected from the Daduck and Yuchon mine which were already closed many years ago were leached with caustic soda solutions. The Arsenic components in the leach liquor resulted from the alkali treatment of tailings could be removed fairly well in the form of insoluble calcium-Arsenic compound by the precipitation with calcium chloride. As a result, the extraction of about 60~90% Arsenic from the tailings could be obtained depending on the leaching conditions and the influence of temperature and the slurry density on the extraction of Arsenic was also found to be very small at the NaOH concentration more than 0.5N. In addition, it seemed that a caustic soda solution over 0.5N NaOH could be used repeatedly for the leaching of tailings since the consumption of NaOH was not so great in a leaching of them. As far as the precipitation of Arsenic components was concerned, more than 99% of Arsenic could be precipitated within 10 minutes by the addition of 2wt% CaC12 in to the leach liquor.