• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.123-134
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• 1998

To analyse the stability of a slope composed of waste material produced in a closed lead mine, numerical modeling has been carried out in two dimension using FLAC, finite difference program. The research was focused on the effect of the earthquake as well as a rise of water table upon slope stability. The numerical results have shown that the slope would not be safe against earthquake event and that the increase of pore pressure due to a rise of water table up to the ground level may result in a failure of the slope. On the basis of numerical analyses and site investigation, two sorts of measures have been taken. In short term, removal of a part of materials deposited on the top of the pile is required to increase immediately safety factor of the slope even a little. In ling term, it is necessary to repair drainage facilities and dam which covers waste material so that the slope is prevented from failure in a radical manner. It has been confirmed by numerical analyses that an improvenment of the stability can be in a great extent expected after such measures have been performed.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

New technologies are providing unprecedented knowledge into microbial community structure and functions. Even though nucleic acid based approaches provide a lot of information, metaproteomics could provide a high-resolution representation of genotypic and phenotypic traits of distinct microbial communities. Analyzing the metagenome from different microbial ecosystems, metaproteomics has been applied to seawater, human guts, activated sludge, acid mine drainage biofilm, and soil. Although these studies employed different approaches, they elucidated that metaproteomics could provide a link among microbial community structure, function, physiology, interaction, ecology, and evolution. These approaches are reviewed here to help gain insights into the function of microbial community in ecosystems.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.199-222
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• 1970

One of the biggest sulfide metallic (Cu, Pb, Zn) ore deposits of South Korea is located in the area of Seo-myeon, Shiheung-gun, Gyeonggi-do. Geology of the region is mostly composed of metasediments of biotite schist, graphite schist, injection gneiss, sericite schist, limesilicate and quartzite from bottom, those are applicable to so-called Yeoncheon System of Pre-Cambrian, and granodiorite, quartz porphyry, basic dykes are outcroped in a small scope as intrusives. The origin of the ore deposit is pyrometasomatic contact deposits due to hydrothermal replacement and the ore bodies are imbedded in lower bed of limesilicate formation as impregnation and ore minerals are galena, sphalerite, marmatite, chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, covellite, and the later two minerals are both hypogene and supergene. Gangue minerals are mostly skarn minerals those hornblende, diopside, epidote, hedenbergite, chlorite, garnet and quartz except primary calcite and quartz. Boundary plane (NS strike) between schists and limesilicate seemed to be primary opening of ore solution and fractures bearing $N50^{\circ}{\sim}80^{\circ}W$ are secondary structural control for localization of ore minerals and the third structural controls are both irregular gashes and schistosity in small scale. Photogeological study was carried with vertical aerial photo scaled 1: 38,000 and enlarged 1 : 10,000 under stereoscope. The study on the area convinced the fact that the geologic boundaries between rocks, limesilicates and quartzites, are traced easily by their typical topographic feature and drainage, and the main fracture patterns which derived from the result of fracture traces, that photogeologic lineament observed under stereoscope, are those bearing (1) $N20^{\circ}W$, (2) $N58^{\circ}W$, (3) $N76^{\circ}W$, (4) EW, (5) $N20^{\circ}W$, (6) $N62^{\circ}W$, (7) $N77^{\circ}W$. Among the written fractures, (5) (not schistosity, in case of fault) (6) (7) are post-mineral faults and others are pre-mineral faults and others are pre-mineral structures, and (2) (3) (6) (7) are coincided with statistical figure of 208 fractures surveyed in underground. By the result of the study, mineralized zone, are presumed to extend north and southward, total length about 4km.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.3-21
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• 2002

국내의 휴ㆍ폐탄광 수는 2002년 현재 230여 개에 이르고 있다. 이에 따라 갱도, 폐석적치장 및 광산 시설물들은 방치상태로 남게 되며 광해의 주요인자가 되고 있다. 광해현상은 이들로부터 유출되는 산성광산배수(Acid Mine Drainage : AMD), 폐석 및 오염토양의 유실 및 하류부 퇴적, 채굴적 상부 및 인접지역의 지반침하 등이다. AMD는 pH가 6.0 미만이고 총산도(total acidity)가 총알카리도(total alkalinity)를 초과하는 물로서 노천광이 가행되었던 지역, 가행중이거나 휴광 또는 폐광된 광산에서 유출된다. 또한 도로사면 절개부나 지하철 터널에서도 황철석(pyrite)이나 백철석(marcasite)등을 함유하는 층이 공기 중에 노출되면 산성수가 침출되어 나오기도 한다. AMD에 의한 하천수의 오염이 매우 극심하여 때로는 미생물마저도 그 속에 살 수 없게 된다. AMD에 의해 오염된 하천수의 오염범위는 산성수의 양, 농도, 하천에 유입되는 산성수의 분포, 상류에서 흘러드는 오염되지 않은 물의 양, 지류에서 유입되는 물의 양에 따라 좌우된다. AMD 오염이 문제시되고 있는 나라는 미국을 포함하여 호주, 일본, 한국, 러시아, 남아연방 등이다. AMD를 처리하기 위해 여러 기술이 도입 적용되었으며 일부 기술들은 현재도 사용되고 있다. 각 기술마다 일장일단이 있으므로 경비의 과다, 유지 및 관리에 대한 지속성 여부, 공간의 확보 여부, 지역적 특수성에 맞춰 가장 적합한 방법을 채택하여야 하며 꾸준히 채택한 기술의 개량 및 새로운 기술의 첨가가 요구되고 있다. 따라서, AMD 오염지대에 대해 획일적으로 같은 처리방법을 채택하여 사용하는 것보다 각 지역 또는 AMD가 유출되어 나오는 광산폐기물의 특성 등을 고려하여 거기에 맞는 기술들을 복합적으로 또는 단독으로 사용하되 처리방법 채택 시 신중을 기할 것이 요망된다. 우리나라에서도 폐탄광을 복원하기 위하여 여러 시도가 있었으나 시간적, 경제적으로 충분히 고려하지 않아 시행착오을 범하고 있다. 따라서, 복원 대상광산에 대한 실제적인 조사, 평가 및 복구설계의 과정을 예로 들어 적절한 처리과정을 토의하고자 한다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.534-544
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• 2014

The effects of microbial iron reduction and oxidation on the immobilization and mobilization of copper were investigated in a high concentration of sulfate with synthesized Fe(III) minerals and red earth soils rich in amorphous Fe (hydr)oxides. Batch microcosm experiments showed that red earth soil inoculated with subsurface sediments had a faster Fe(III) bioreduction rate than pure amorphous Fe(III) minerals and resulted in quicker immobilization of Cu in the aqueous fraction. Coinciding with the decrease of aqueous Cu, $SO_4{^{2-}}$ in the inoculated red earth soil decreased acutely after incubation. The shift in the microbial community composite in the inoculated soil was analyzed through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Results revealed the potential cooperative effect of microbial Fe(III) reduction and sulfate reduction on copper immobilization. After exposure to air for 144 h, more than 50% of the immobilized Cu was remobilized from the anaerobic matrices; aqueous sulfate increased significantly. Sequential extraction analysis demonstrated that the organic matter/sulfide-bound Cu increased by 52% after anaerobic incubation relative to the abiotic treatment but decreased by 32% after oxidation, indicating the generation and oxidation of Cu-sulfide coprecipitates in the inoculated red earth soil. These findings suggest that the immobilization of copper could be enhanced by mediating microbial Fe(III) reduction with sulfate reduction under anaerobic conditions. The findings have an important implication for bioremediation in Cu-contaminated and Fe-rich soils, especially in acid-mine-drainage-affected sites.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.02a
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• pp.29-48
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• 2001

일반적인 폐수처리 시 여러 광물들이 사용되는 데 예를 들면, 수산화칼슘 및 탄산나트륨은 중화제, 점토는 응집제, 알룸(alum) 및 염화철은 인 제거제로 사용되고 있다. 산성광산배수인 경우에는 알칼리성의 중화제로 석회 (CaO), 석회석 (CaCO$_3$), 가성소다 (NaOH), 탄산나트륨 (NaCO$_3$) 등이 사용된다. 그러나, 설비비 및 유지비가 많이 들어 몇 십년 동안 계속해서 침출되는 산성광산배수를 처리하기에는 문제가 있다. 산성광산배수 (Acid Mine Drainage, AMD)는 pH가 6.0 미만이고 총산도 (totalacidity)가 총알카리도 (total alkalinity)를 초과하는 물로서 노천광이 가행되었던 지역, 가행중이거나 휴광 또는 폐광된 광산에서 유출된다. 또한 도로사면 절개부나 지하철 터널에서도 황철석(pyrite)이나 백철석 (marcasite)을 함유하는 층이 공기 중에 노출되면 산성수가 침출되어 나오기도 한다. 산성광산배수에 의한 하천수의 오염이 매우 극심하여 때로는 미생물마저도 그 속에 살 수 없게 된다. 산성광산배수에 의해 오염된 하천수의 오염범위는 산성수의 양, 농도, 하천에 유입되는 산성수의 분포, 상류에서 흘러드는 오염되지 않은 물의 양, 지류에서 유입되는 물의 양에 따라 좌우된다. 산성광산배수 오염이 문제시되고 있는 나라는 미국을 포함하여 호주, 일본, 한국, 러시아, 남아연방 등이다. 산성광산배수는 환원환경에서 생성된 석탄층 및 접촉교대 또는 열수에 의해 생성된 금속광이 공기 및 물에 노출되어 생성되는 자연적인 현상이다. 그러나 국지적인 지역에서 인간이 이 광상들을 환경영향을 고려하지 않고 대규모로 개발할 때 인간 생활에 심각한 영향을 미치는 것이다. 광산산성배수를 처리하기 위해 상기와 같이 여러 기술이 도입 적용되었으며 일부 기술들은 현재도 사용되고 있다. 각 기술마다 일장일단이 있으므로 경비의 과다, 유지 및 관리에 대한 지속성 여부, 공간의 확보 여부, 지역적 특수성에 맞춰 가장 적합한 방법을 채택하여야 하며 꾸준히 채택한 기술의 개량 및 새로운 기술의 첨가가 요구되고 있다. 따라서, 산성광산배수 오염지대에 대해 획일적으로 같은 처리방법을 채택하여 사용하는 것보다 각 지역 또는 광산산성폐수가 유출되어 나오는 광산폐기물의 특성 등을 고려하여 거기에 맞는 기술들을 복합적으로 또는 단독으로 사용하되 처리방법 채택 시 신중을 기할 것이 요망된다.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.25-36
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• 2010

Tertiary unconsolidated mudstones spread throughout the eastern coast area. The demand for high quality filling materials in these areas is increasing due to harbors and large-scale residential land development. Rock produced in-situ or near site has been used as road subbase construction or reclamation materials for economical reason, but it is hard to decide appropriateness of quality specification because of its characteristics. The test results showed that unconsolidated rocks are diversely considered according to a different method of the applied geotechnical investigation. Therefore, the site of tertiary unconsolidated mudstones, the classification of rock and evaluation of rock properties that must be evaluated by objective criteria and apply a different set of criteria are needed. In addition, the environmental impact must be considered due to acid mine drainage.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2012

The $AsO_4$ ion in acid mine drainage has been known to substitute for $SO_4$ in schwertmannite and prevent schwertmannite from being converted to goethite. There have been studies on the heavy metal sorption on schwertmannite, but no experimental results have been reported on the characteristics of heavy metal sorption on $AsO_4$-substituted schwertmannite. In this study, we conducted sorption experiments of Cu, Pb, and Zn on the $AsO_4$-substituted schwertmannite at pH 4 and 6 in the solution of 3, 10, 30, and 100 mg/L concentrations. For all heavy metals, the sorbed heavy metals significantly increase at pH 6 compared with at pH 4. At both pH 4 and 6, Pb shows the highest sorption capacity and those of Cu and Zn are similar. With increasing time, the sorbed heavy meal contents increase too. However, in the case of Zn, the most sorptions occur at the initial stage and no significant increase is observed with time. Among the concentration ranges in which we conducted the experiment, the increasing trend is clear in high concentrated solutions such as 100 mg/L. We applied several sorption kinetic model and it shows that the diffusion process may be the most important factor controlling the sorption kinetics of Cu, Pb, and Zn on $AsO_4$-substituted schwertmannite. Considering the previous results that pure schwertmannite has similar sorption capacity for all three heavy metals at pH 6 and has higher sorption capacity for Cu and Pb than Zn at pH 4, our experiments indicates that substitution of $AsO_4$ for $SO_4$ on schwertmannite changes surface and sorption characteristics of schwertmannite. It also shows that $AsO_4$ contributes not only to the stability of schwertmannite, but also to the mobility of heavy metals in acid mine drainage.

• 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.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.95-108
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• 2015

Nano-sized iron colloids are formed as acid mine drainage is exposed to surface environments and is introduced into surrounding water bodies. These iron nanomaterials invoke aesthetic contamination as well as adverse effects on aqueous ecosystems. In order to control them, the characteristics of their behaviour should be understood first, but the cumulative research outputs up to now are much less than the expected. Using zero-valent iron (ZVI) and magnetite, this study aims to investigate the behaviour of iron nanomaterials according to the change in the composition and pH of background electrolyte and the concentration of natural organic matter (NOM). The size and surface zeta potential of iron nanomaterials were measured using dynamic light scattering. Characteristic behaviour, such as aggregation and dispersion was compared each other based on the DLVO (Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek) theory. Whereas iron nanomaterials showed a strong tendency of aggregation at the pH near point of zero charge (PZC) due to electrostatic attraction between particles, their dispersions became dominant at the pH which was higher or lower than PZC. In addition, the behaviour of iron nanomaterials was likely to be more significantly influenced by cations than anions in the electrolyte solutions. Particularly, it was observed that divalent cation influenced more effectively than monovalent cation in electrostatic attraction and repulsion between particles. It was also confirmed that the NOM enhanced the dispersion nanomaterials with increasing the negative charge of nanomaterials by coating on their surface. Under identical conditions, ZVI aggregated more easily than magnetite, and which would be attributed to the lower stability and larger reactivity of ZVI.