• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2004

This study was investigated the distribution characteristics of heavy metal concentrations in soils around abandoned mines in Pochon city. The abandoned mines were Youngjung, Yongsog and Pochon. The results were as follows: 1) Heavy metal mean concentrations in minewastes were detected Cr 100.119 mg/kg, Cu 189.400 mg/kg in Youngjung mine, Cr 198.440 mg/kg, As 160.480 mg/kg in Yongsog mine and Cr 84.680 mg/kg, Zn 50.280 mg/kg in Pochon mine. 2) The mean concentrations in soils which is around mines were Cu 62.351 mg/kg in Youngjung mine, and As 95.024 mg/kg, Hg 11.279 mg/kg in Yongsog mine. All materials in Pochon mine were detected low level. 3) The concentrations of heavy metal showed low or not detected in water system (groundwaters, streams and sediments).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.24-27
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• 2005

This study has focused on investigation on As and heavy metal contamination derived from metalliferous mining activities in the Choongbuk Province in Korea. Soil, mine effluent, surface water and ground water samples were taken in and around 27 abandoned metal mines, and analyzed for As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn using AAS and anions in water samples using IC. In general, the heavy metal concentrations in soils decreased with Increasing distance from the each mine audit. Tailings and mine waste soils from several mines contained over the guideline of Soil Conservation Act in Korea. Soil samples from the Seobo, Honga, Daehwa, Jeungjadong, Youngbo and Munbaek mines contained over the action levels of the metals due to intensive mining activities. Therefore, a proper remediation work needs to control the metal dispersion around the mines.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.227-235
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• 2022

Background: Abandoned metal mines are classified as vulnerable areas with the highest level of soil contamination among risk regions. People living near abandoned metal mines are at increased risk of exposure to toxic metals. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between soil contamination levels in areas around abandoned metal mine and the blood lead levels of local residents. Moreover, we assess the possibility of using soil contamination levels as a predictive indicator for human exposure level. Methods: Data from the Survey of Residents around Abandoned Metal Mines (2013~2017, n=4,421) and Investigation of Soil Pollution in Abandoned Metal Mines (2000~2011) were used. A random coefficient model was conducted for estimation of the lower level (micro data) of the local resident unit and the upper level (macro data) of the abandoned metal mine unit. Through a fitted model, the variation of blood lead levels among abandoned metal mines was confirmed and the effect of the operationally defined soil contamination level was estimated. Results: Among the total variation in blood lead levels, the variation between abandoned mines was 18.6%, and the variation determined by the upper-level factors such as soil contamination and water contamination was 8.1%, which was statistically significant respectively. There was also a statistically significant difference in the least square mean of blood lead concentration according to the level of soil contamination (p=0.047, low: 2.32 ㎍/dL, middle: 2.38 ㎍/dL, high: 2.59 ㎍/dL). Conclusions: The blood lead concentration of residents living near abandoned metal mines was significantly correlated with the level of soil contamination. Therefore, in biomonitoring for vulnerable areas, operationally defined soil contamination can be used as a predictor for human exposure level to hazardous substances and discrimination of high-risk abandoned metal mines.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2014

Conventional handheld metal detectors use a single induction coil to detect the metallic parts of explosive objects, and the detector generates an acoustic signal from its magnetic response to a metallic object so that an operator can confirm the existence of mines. Though metal detectors have very useful detection mechanisms to find mines, it is easy to cause a high false alarm ratio due to the detection of non-explosive metallic items such as cans, nails and other pieces of metal, etc. Also, because of the physical characteristic of a metal detector it is hard to detect non-metallic objects such as mines made of wood or plastic. Furthermore, the operator must move it to the left and right slowly and repeatedly to attain enough sensor signals to confirm the existence of mines using only a monotonous acoustic signal. To resolve the disadvantages of handheld detectors, many new approaches have been attempted, such as an arrayed detector and a visualization algorithm based on metal/non-metal sensor. In this paper, we introduce a visualization algorithm with a metal/non-metal complex sensor, an arrayed metal/non-metal sensor and the their testing and evaluation.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.41-48
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• 2009

The risk assessment for heavy metal pollutions were analyzed by using statistical techniques including correlation and cluster analyses. The contamination data in this investigation obtained were from the Chungcheongnam-do abandoned mines. The descriptive statistical analysis showed that the values of Pb and Zn were relatively higher than other heavy metal values. The detection of heavy metals by distance from abandoned mines within 1,000m were mostly As, Cd, Pb, and Zn. It was noted, especially, that Zn was even detected at 4,000m The results of coefficient correlation showed that Zn to Cd was the highest values. The cluster and dendogram analyses were generated. The results showed the two clear groups by heavy metal characteristics.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.81-90
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• 2010

In this study, primary investigation for evaluation of abandoned metal mine effect on watershed has been done. 64 abandoned mines have been selected for primary investigation through literature and field survey. 216 soil and 90 water samples were collected and metal pollution concentrations were analyzed. 24 mines have mine water in the pits and acid water below pH 5 was not observed. Soils from 35 mines were over the soil basis of concern and 16 mines were over the soil basis of action. Arsenic average concentration was 188 times of average concentration of the natural background. Drinking water samples from 3 mines were over the drinking water standard and surface water samples from 12 mines were over the river water standard. Integrated pollution index, which was resulted from the integration of field survey, soil and water pollution concentration, showed that, abandoned metal mines had affected on watershed greatly in the order of Samgeum, Daedeok, Cheongdalgeum, Heungsin, Yeongdae and Myeongbong mines.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.287-293
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• 2007

Heavy metal contamination and biological toxicity of mine drainages and sediments in abandoned mines were studied. Mine drainages had pH at a range of 2.94~7.86, and contained heavy metals at a toxic level. For coal mines, toxicity of mine drainage to Daphnia magna was attributable to acidic pH. In addition to the low pH, suspended heavy metals such as Zn and Cu contributed to toxicity of mine drainages at abandoned metalliferous mines. All mine sediments studied in this work showed biological toxicity to Chironomus riparius, having mortality at a range of 15~60%. However, its relationship with physicochemical properties including heavy metal content of the sediments was not statistically explained. Exceptionally clay ($< 2{\mu}m$ particle) content was negatively correlated with the biological toxicity for sediment samples collected at the same abandoned mines.

• Journal of the Speleological Society of Korea
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• no.92
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• pp.9-18
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• 2009

A number of closed metal mines act as point sources of contamination on nearby streams, soils and plants in our country. The contamination of twelve decomposed samples had earned from nine closed metal mines had been evaluated by TEA-3000. The contents of heavy metal with ion fraction exchange and carbonate fraction forms had been showed that the speciation of heavy metals represented with easy solubility, mobility and bioavailable of plants, and in case of sulfide compounds and organic residuals forms are related with the speciation of metals which may be stable forms because of strong bindable capacity. Also heavy metals elements in mosts of mines got with relative stable within crystal lattice, but results of trace element analyser showed that, in the most of tailings from mine areas, large portions of concentration of heavy metals were explained as stable from, sulfides/ organics and residual. In tailing from Imchun mines, the concentrations extracted by water were relatively high as compared with other mine areas whose total concentrations were very high because of large quantities of exchangeable ions and carbonates and low soil pH. Danger Index (D.I.) suggested in this study was based on the cumulative concentrations of step 1 and 2 from the result of trace element analyser. When the soil pH was considered, this index became better indicator to determine the priority for the remediation of mine area.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2002

To know a degree of pollution in agricultural products cultivated around 4 unworked mines located in Chollanam-Do, we investigated a concentration of heavy metal and trace metal to provide the basic data for its residual limits. 28 samples of seven kinds of agricultural products(lettuce, onion, potato, radish, pepper, pumpkin, bean) collected from 4 unworked mines located in Chollanam-Do in 2001 were analyzed by Mercury Analyzer for mercury and Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer for Pb, As, Cd, Cu, Mn, and Zn. Hg contents were detected N.D. ∼trace level(0.01 ppm and less) and As content were detected N.D. ∼ 0.029 lpm but most of same)leE were not detected. Cd contents were detected N.D∼0.124 ppm. The results of Hg, As, Pb and Cd content showed that for all the 7 species of agricultural products studied, none have accumulated levels dangerous enough to Pose health problems. The average contents of Cu were 3.070 ∼ 7.825 ppm in bean, the Mn were 3.688 ∼23.935 ppm in lettuce ailed the Zn were 5.690 ∼21.171 ppm in bean, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2016

Heavy metal pollution in agricultural fields at the abandoned metal mines has been serious problems in Korea. In order to manage heavy metal pollution in surface water and soil, numerous remediation strategies have been established. Therefore, main purpose of this research was to examine feasibility of ecological toxicity assessment for establishing management strategy in heavy metal polluted agricultural fields. Heavy metal concentration in surface water and soil was monitored along with ecotoxicity experiment with Daphnia magna and Eisenia fetida. Result showed that high toxicity was observed in heavily polluted agricultural field with heavy metals. In case of mortality of Daphnia magna (85%) and Eisenia fetida (6.7%), the highest ratio was observed when heavy metal concentration in surface and soil was high. Calculated ecotoxicity index (EI) ranged 0.06-0.30 and the highest EI was observed in heavily polluted sites among 5 abandoned metal mines. Overall, ecological toxicity assessment is necessary to evaluate heavy metal pollution in agricultural fields near at the abandoned metal mines along with chemical concentration analysis.