• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.254-263
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• 1998

A worker employed in a serpentine mine was found developed mesothelioma as the first case of Korea in 1997. Asbestos was known as a causative agent for mesothelioma. Thus, asbestos contamination in mines could be a big health threat to those workers who were unknowingly exposed. However, there was no report that any minerals found in Korea contained asbestos. This study was carried out to find the presence of any asbestiform fibers in minerals which could be obtained in Korean mines. We examined fifteen minerals from 44 mines which were suspected contaminated with asbestiform fibers. Asbestiform analysis was done with high resolution transmission electron microscope(TEM), with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope(EDX) and X-ray diffraction(XRD) analyses. Among asbestiform fibers, chrysotile was found in chrysotile, serpentine, talc and pyrophylite specimens from 11 mines. Tremolite was found in tremolite and talc specimens from three mines. Mordenite was found in zeolite specimens from two mines. Wallastonite and sepiolite were found in wallastonite and sepiolite specimens respectively. Crocidolite, antigorite and actinolite were found from talc specimens. But no asbestiform fiber contaminants were found in doromite, vermiculite, limestone, marble, gypsum, kaolin, and clary specimens. Thus, these asbestiform fibers such as such as chrysotile, tremolite, mordenite, crocidolite, antigorite and actinolite could be the responsible agents for the health hazards such as mesothelioma and other cancers.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.511-524
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• 2015

Groundwater causing subsidence in limestone mines is uncommon, and thus relatively poorly investigated. This case study investigated the cause and possibility of future subsidence through an evaluation of ground stability at the Samsung limestone mine, Chungcheongbuk-do. The ground near the mine area was evaluated as unstable due to rainfall permeation, and subsidence in the unmined area resulted from groundwater level drawdown. Future subsidence might occur through the diffusion of subsidence resulting from the small thickness of the mined rock roof, fracture rock joints, and poor ground conditions around the mine. In addition, the risk of additional subsidence by limestone sinkage in corrosion cavities, groundwater level drawdown due to artificial pumping, and rainfall permeation in the limestone zone necessitates reinforcements and other preventative measures.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.701-714
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to show the possibility of 3-dimensional modeling of open-pit limestone mine by using a rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle, a drone, and to estimate the amount of mining before and after mining of limestone by explosive blasting. Analysis of the image duplication of the mine has shown that it is possible to achieve high image quality. Analysis of each axis error at the shooting position after analyzing the distortions through camera calibration was shown the allowable range. As a result of estimating the amount of mining before and after explosive blasting, it was possible to estimate the amount of mining of a wide range quickly and accurately in a relatively short time. In conclusion, it is considered that the drone of a rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle can be usefully used for the monitoring of open-pit limestone mines and the estimation of the amount of mining. Furthermore, it is expected that this method will be utilized for periodic monitoring of construction sites and road slopes as well as open-pit mines in the future.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.389-392
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• 2003

Coalfields in Korea have been grouped into thirteen based on mainly geographycal and geological structure, ten out of which have been developed. To classify the phisico-chemical characteristics of mine drainage from each coalfield and, if possible, to clarify the intrinsic reasons of them. Sampling of waters from 59 mines in eight coalfields has been carried out. Higher pH of drainage water from the mines of the Cungchung coalfield belong to the Beading system, Mesozoic era than those belong to the Pyungan system, Proterozoic era is due to the low content of sulfides of neighboring strata. The drainage from coal beds overlying limestone bed mostly show high pH. Waters from the Gangrung and Samchuck coalfields coal beds are located within black shale formation which contains a lot of sulfides showed mostly very high metal and S $O_{4}$$^{2-}$ concentrations.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.480-507
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• 2019

This paper aims at optimizing the auxiliary ventilation system in large-opening limestone mines with unducted fans. An extensive CFD and also site study were carried out for optimization at the blind entries. The fan location, operating mode, and layout are the parameters for optimization. Since the jet stream discharged from the auxiliary fan is flowing faster than 15 m/s in most of the cases, the stream collides with floor, sides or roof and even with the jet stream generated from the other fan placed upstream. Then, it is likely to lose a large portion of its inertial force and then its ventilation efficiency drops considerably. Therefore, the optimal fan installation interval is defined in this study as an interval that maximizes the uninterrupted flowing distance of the jet stream, while the cross-sectional installation location can be optimized to minimize the energy loss due to possible collision with the entry sides. Consequently, the optimization of the fan location will improve ventilation efficiency and subsequently the energy cost. A number of different three-dimensional computational domains representing a full-scale underground space were developed for the CFD study. The velocity profiles and the CO concentrations were studied to design and optimize the auxiliary ventilation system without duct and at the same time mine site experiments were carried out for comparison purposes. The ultimate goal is to optimize the auxiliary ventilation system without tubing to provide a reliable, low-cost and efficient solution to maintain the clean and safe work environment in local large-opening underground limestone mines.

• 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.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.230-237
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• 1999

Production of limestone for cement in Kangwon and Chungbuk areas reaches over 80 million tonnes per year. However, many regulatory activities for preservation of the environment against potential hazardous impacts from the open pit mining make it difficult for the industry. With recent improvement of the mining methods and working conditions, the regulations related to the quarrying of limestone may need to be revised. Methods for reducing environmental hazards are proposed in this paper, with some suggestions concerning the revision of related regulations. This study is expected to serve as a practical solution for the cement industry in balance of preservation and development.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.194-199
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• 1998

This research was aimed to figure out the trend of dust diffusion at open pit limestone mine for assessing the environmental impacts on the high voltage power transmission line. It is rather easy to assess the dust generation and size distribution of limestone dust at the blasting site, but it is very hard to assess the expected area of dust diffusion and amount of dust fall by the distances from the dust source. In this research, a 3-dimensional fluid dynamic simulation software (3D-Flow) was used for analysing the above mentioned matters to assess the impacts to the insulators on the transmission tower by the blasting dust. It was verfied that the 3D-Flow is reliable tool for simulating dust movement, and the limestone dust is not much hazardous to the power transmission line.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1983

The Yeonhwa (I, II) and Keodo mines, neighboring in the middle part of the Taebaegsan mineral belt, contain three distinct classes of skarn deposits: the zinc-lead skarn at Yeonhwa (I, II), the iron skarn at Keodo south (Jangsan orebodies), and the copper skarn at Keodo north (78 orebodies). The present study characterizes the three classes of skarn deposits mainly in terms of skarn/ore associations examined from chemical compositional point of view, and applies existing quantitative phase diagrams to some pertinent mineral assemblages in these mines. At Yeonhwa I the Wolam I orebody shows a vertical variation in skarn minerals ranging from clinopyroxene/garnet zone on the lower levels through clinopyroxene (without garnet) zone on the intermediate levels, and finally to rhodochrosite veins on the upper levels and surface. Ore minerals, sphalerite and galena, associate most closely with the intermediate clinopyroxene zone. At Keodo, the Jangsan iron skarn hosted in quartz monzodiolite as a typical endoskarn, shows a skarn zoning, from center of orebody to outer side, magnetite zone, magnetite/garnet zone, garnet clinopyroxene zone, and clinopyroxene/epidote/plagioclase zone. The 78 copper skarn in the Hwajeol limestone indicates a zoning, from quartz porphyry side toward limestone side, orthoclase/epidote zone, epidote/clinopyroxene zone, and clinopyroxene/garnet zone; chalcopyrite and other copper sulfides tend to be in clinopyroxene/garnet zone. Mioroprobe analyses of clinopyroxenes and garnets from the various skarn zones mentioned above revealed that the Yeonhwa zinc/lead skarns are characterized by johansenitic clinopyroxene (Hd 25-78, Jo 15-23) and manganoan andraditic garnet (Ad 13-97, Sp 1-24), whereas the Jangsan iron skarn at Keodo by Mn-poor diopsidic clinopyroxene (Di 78-93, Jo 0.2-1.0) and Mn-poor grossularitic grandite (Gr 65-77, Sp 0.5-1.0). The 78 copper skarn at Keodo is characterized by Mn-poor diopsidic-salite (Di 66-91, Jo 0.2-1.1) and Mn-poor andraditic grandite(Ad 40-74, Sp 0.5-1.1). The compositional charateristics of iron, copper, and zinc-lead skarns in the Yeonhwa-Keodo mines are in good correlations with those of the foreign counterparts. Compiling a $T-XCO_2$ phase diagram for the Jangsan endoskarns, a potential upper limit of temperature of the main stage of skarn formation is estimated to be about $530^{\circ}C$, and a lower limit to be $400^{\circ}C$ or below assuming $XCO_2=0.05$ at P total=1kb. Applying a published log $fS_2$-log $fo_2$ diagram to the Keodo 78 and Yeonhwa exoskarns, it is revealed that copper sulfides and zinc-lead sulfides do not co-exist stably below log $fS_2=-4$ and log $fO_2=-23$ at $T=400^{\circ}C$ and ${\times}CO=1$ atm.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.247-251
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• 1985

The sulfide and carbonate mineral samples for sulfur and carbon isotope studies were collected from Sangdong, Geodo, Yeonhwa, Shinyemi and Janggun mines which are distributed in the Metallogenetic Province of the Taebaeg Mt. Region. The ${\delta}S^{34}$ values of molybdenite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and galena from the above mines are similar and within the range of +1.66 to +6.77‰ with the exception of chalcopyrite from Geodo mine ranging from -1.58 to 1.96‰, while the sulfide minerals are dominated by positive values between +3.05 and +5.08‰. It is suggested that the major sulfur source is genetically related to the Cretaceous granitic activity. The average ${\delta}C^{13}$ values of calcite from limestone, calcite from calcite vein in ore bodies and granite, and rhodochrosite from ore bodies are -0.60‰, -2.69‰ and -6.00‰, respectively. The data on carbon isotope compositions indicate that the calcite from limestone originated in marine environment, the rhodochrosite in hydrothermal solution, and calcite from calcite vein and granite in the mixing condition of marine and hydrothermal waters. The temperatures of mineralization by the sulfur isotopic composition coexisting pyrite-pyrrhotite from Yeonhwa No.1, sphalerite-galena from Weolam and Dong-jeom of Yeonhwa No.1 mine, sphalerite-galena and pyrite-galena from Janggun mine were $273^{\circ}C$, $460{\sim}511^{\circ}C$, $561{\sim}690^{\circ}C$, $341^{\circ}C$ and $375^{\circ}C$, respectively.