• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.199-207
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• 2016

One of the most significant environmental issues in abandoned coal mine is acidic drainage which gives rise to the many environmental problems that acidifying streams water, sedimentation of iron/aluminium hydroxide, and pollution of water and soil. Water and precipitate samples for experiments were collected from stream and bottom in the pit mouth of Sambong mine. Mine water shows pH range from 7.24 to 7.94 in winter and 3.87 to 5.73 in summer season. The EC shows range from 432 to $897{\mu}S/cm$ at the stream receiving mine water. The highest concentrations of cations such as Mg, Al, Ca, and Mn are showing 15.50, 4.56, 85.30, 12.76 mg/L in the pit mouth, respectively. The reddish brown precipitates (Munsell color 10R-5YR in winter and 2.5YR-5Y in summer) consist mainly of 2-line ferrihydrite and schwertmannite. The precipitates are characterized by rod or cylindrical forms, and coccus or sphere of 0.1 to $0.5{\mu}m$ in diameter.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2016

There have been found mine tailings, wastes, and mining drainage scattered in the area of Nakdong River due to the improper maintenance of the abandoned mines. These contaminants can flow into rivers during the heavy rain periods in summer. Along the study area beginning Seokpo-myeon, Bonghwa-gun of Gyeongsangbuk-do untill Dosan-myeon, Andong-si, there are one hundred five mines including sixty metalliferous mines and forty-five nonmetal mines, which can adversely affect the adjacent rivers. To verify the contamination, we collected sediments, seepage water and surface water for a year both in rainy season and dry season. This study found that sediments, containing high concentrations of heavy metals caused by mining activities, are dispersed throughout the entire river basin (68 sample points with pollution index, based on the concentration of trace element, (PI) >10 among the total of 101 samples). The results of river water analysis indicated the increased concentrations of arsenic and cadmium at branches from Seungbu, Sambo, Okbang and Janggun mine, which concerns that the river water may be contaminated by mining drainage and tailing sediments. However, it is difficult to sort out the exact sources of contamination in sediments and waters only by using the chemical compositions. Thus the control of mining pollution is challenging. To prevent water from being contaminated by mining activities, we should be able to divide inflow rates from each origin of the mines. Therefore, there should be a continued study about how to trace the source of contaminants from mining activities by analyzing stable isotopes.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.79-86
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• 2015

Korean territories has formed about 70% of mountainous areas that have acidified serious level to average pH 4-5. There are a number of abandoned metal mines about 1,000 in Korea. However, mine tailings and waste rock included heavy metals are exposed to long-term environment without prevention facility or treatment system. Thus, ongoing management and monitoring of soil environment are required. Most of abandoned mine scattered in forest areas of slopes. Soil erosion due to continuous rainfall in the slopy areas can cause the secondary pollution by the influence eutrophication of water system and the productivity loss of the plant. Therefore, this study would like to estimate pH leaching rate by artificial rainfall using waste neutralization-agent in lysimeter. Moreover, the potentially of secondary pollution related to precipitation is figured out through the experiments, and the optimal planting methods would examinate after neutralizing treatment in soil. Experiments composed three kinds of lysimeter; lysimeter 1 had filled only acidic soil, lysimeter 2 had neutralized soil, and lysimeter 3 had planting plants after neutralized soil. In the results, lysimeter 2 showed the lowest pH leaching, and there is not specific relativity with pH leaching of the seasonal characteristics.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.347-360
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• 2007

In order to evaluate the degree and extent of heavy metal pollution and the environmental impacts of abandoned Cu mines in Goseong-gun, soils and paddies were collected from the mine area and have been analysed for heavy metal contents. The heavy metal contents were much higher in mountain soils than in paddy soils. Total content of heavy metals decreased in order of Cu>Zn>Pb>As>Cr>Cd in mountain soils whereas Zn>Pb>Cu>Cr>As>Cd in paddy soils. The extractable amount of heavy metals by 0.1/1N HCl decreased in order of Cu>Pb>Zn>As>Cd>Cr in mountain soils whereas Pb>Cu>Zn>As>Cd>Cr in paddy soils. Although the extraction ratios were highly various depending on the sampling site, their average values were in order of Cd(16%)>Pb(10%)>Cu(9%)>As(4.5%)>Zn-Cr(${\le}2.5%$). The soils investigated were enriched in heavy metals relative to the averages of earth crust as In order of $As{\ge}Cd$>Pb>Zn>Cu>Cr. Pollution index calculated from total or extractable heavy metals of soils indicated that the heavy metal pollution was restricted to mountain soils around abandoned Cu mines, especially the Samsan I mine. The metal contents of brown rice showed no significantly contaminated level as follows; As $nd{\sim}0.87mg/kg,\;Cd\;0.02{\sim}0.34mg/kg,\;Cu\;1.01{\sim}6.25mg/kg,\;Mn\;13.4{\sim}43.2mg/kg,\;Pb\;0.09{\sim}2.83mg/kg,\;and\;Zn\;16.5{\sim}79.1mg/kg$. From the extraction and dispersion properties of heavy metal with the soil pH ($4.5{\sim}7.8$), it can be deduced the conclusion that the heavy metal pollution is spreading in the study area mainly by the detrital migration of waste ore and gangue minerals rather than the dissolution and circulation of heavy metal.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.44-55
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• 1998

Imgok creek is the most severly polluted one out of the streams which have been being polluted by acid drainages from the abandoned coal mines in the Gangdong-Myeon area, the central part of the so called Gangreung coal field. Imgok creek is being mainly polluted by the drainage from Youngdong coal mine, which supplies such pollutants as Mg, Fe, Al, Si, Ca, Mn, and SO$_4$as major dissolved components and Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Cd, Pb, and U as minor dissolved components. After the influx, the pollutants migrate mainly as dissolved solid, rather than as suspended solids along Imgok creek. The suspended solids in Imgok creek are very rich in Fe and Al, indicating that they mainly consist of the precipitates of present and past from the polluted water. Most of the dissolved components in the stream waters of Imgok creek removed from the aqueous phase by precipitation and dilution before reaching the East Sea, so that water quality of the downstreams of Imgok creek is very similar to that of unpolluted tributaries. It suggests that Imgok creek itself is now being severly polluted by the acid drainages from the abandoned coal mines, but the East Sea is relatively safe from the same pollution. The estuary and sea waters around the Goonseon estuary, which accepts Imgok creek water, certainly show no significant difference in chemical compositions from the mean oceanic water. The bottom sediments at the sampling sites of the sea waters also show no significant trend of their component variation, especially the variations of Fe, SO$_4$ and Al concentrations. These facts again supper that the acid mine drainage is not considerablly polluting the East Sea. However, the tributaries supplying the fresh water to the Imgok creek will be certainly polluted by the acid mine drainage as time passes and pollutants will have more chance to migrate in significant amount to the downstream area, which all can be a real threats to the East Sea on the pollution possibility. Therefore, it is suggested that urgently required are not only water quality and environmental improvement of the severely polluted Imgok creek but also preparation of the measures on the possible future pollution of the East Sea by the acid drainage from the abandoned coal mines in the area, while the East Sea is still not much affected by the pollution of the same kind.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.100-101
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• 2004

Many researches in Korea have been performed to understand the pollution of stream waters by acid mine drainage. However, few studies have been conducted regarding the effect of particulate and colloidal fractions on the transport of trace metals. To estimate harmful effects of trace metals, it is important to evaluate the particulate and colloidal metals as well as dissolved metals, because particulate and colloidal fractions of trace metals play an important role in transport of trace metals and may adversely affect habitats and organisms in riverine system. Colloids are solids with effective diameters in size range from 0.001 $\mu$m to 1 $\mu$m. According to Jone et al. (1974), metals in surface water, like Al, Fe, and Mn, require filtration with pore-size membranes smaller than 0.45 $\mu$m to define dissolved concentrations. The main objective of this study is to understand the effects of particulate, colloidal, and truly dissolved fractions on the transport and fate of trace metals in acid mine drainage. This study was conducted for the Onjeong creek in the Uljin mine area. Sampling was carried out in 13 sites, spatially covering the area from mine dumps to the downstream Onjeong reservoir. To examine the metal partitioning between particulate, colloidal, and truly dissolved fraction, we used successive filtration techniques consisting of conventional method (using 0.45 $\mu$m membranes) and tangential-flow ultrafiltration (using 0.001 $\mu$mm membranes). Ultrafiltration may seperate much smaller particles from aqueous phase (Josephson, 1984; Hernandez and Stallard, 1988). The analysis of metals were performed by inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES: model Perkin Elmer OPTIMA3000XL). Anions such as SO$_4$, Cl and NO$_3$ were measured with ion chromatograph (IC: model Dionex 120). Sample analysis is still in progress. The preliminary data show that the studied creek is severely polluted by Al, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn. Toward upstream sites with relatively lower pH, less than 50% of Al and Fe occur in the sorbed form on particles or colloids, whereas more than 80% of Al and Fe occur in the sorbed form in downstream sites or tributaries with relatively higher pH. Less than 30% of Zn is present in particle or colloidal forms in the whole range of creek. Truly dissolved fraction of trace metals is negatively correlated with pH. The Kd values for Al, Fe and Zn consistently increase with increasing pH and decrease with increasing particle concentration.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 1997

Cadmium occurs as a minor element in sphalerite ((Zn, Fe)S) from the Boseong-Jangheung gold-silver mine district. We analyzed the abundance of cadmium in sphalerite using an electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA) and discussed the natural sources of cadmium in terms of bedrock geochemistry, in order to preliminarily reconnoiter the potential cadmium contamination in mine districts. Cadmium contents of sphalerites from the Au-Ag mines (Bodeok, Mundeok, Jeonbo, Boknae, Keumsan) in the Boseong-Jangheung district are considerably high, compared with cadmium contents of sphalerites (average = 0.5 wt.% Cd, maximum = 4.4 wt.% Cd) in the world. Sphalerites from the Keumsan mine (average = 9.49 wt.% Cd, maximum=11.22 wt. Cd) are highly enriched in cadmium. Our data suggest that the Boseong-Jangheung area is an important potential site of cadmium contamination in Korea. Based on bedrock geochemistry, natural causes of cadmium enrichment in sphalerite from the mine district are thought to be the mixing of cadmium leached from organic-rich, metasedimentary rocks (including coal) and/or black shales. From this study, we propose that the pinpointing of potential sites of pollution by toxic heavy metals can be done effectively through detailed reconnaisance study on mineralogical compositions of ore minerals such as sphalerite from the mine area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 1996

Although the Dongjin Au-Ag-Cu mine had been abandoned since about forty years ago, the results of this study on the dispersion patterns and contamination level of heavy metals in the hydrologic system flowing via the waste rump show that the environmental impacts from the mine wastes are still significant. The stream water in the vicinity of the waste rump is severely acidified (pH 3.8 to 4.4) and highly enriched in various dissolved heavy metals. The heavy metal contents of the stream water and stream sediments are systematically attenuated with increasing distance from the mine area. However, it is worth to note that continuous attenuation of heavy metal contents in both media were reenriched in downstream area more than 800 m apart from the mine because it can be acted as a secondary source of heavy metal pollution. The heavy metals, especially Cd, Cu and Zn of polluted downstream sediments mainly occur in Fe-Mn oxides and organic materials, which indicates that these elements are the main pollutants from the waste rump of the Dongjin mine. The heavy metal contents of crops, such as sesame, perilla, red Pepper and brown rice, collected from the polluted farm land in the downstream area are lower than those of land plants from stream sides, but significantly higher in Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn than those from the unpolluted farm land. Especially, almost all of the crops in polluted farm land have been severly contaminated by Cd (>0.4 ppm). On the other hand, the heavy metal contents of the crops collected from refreshed farm land by means of a soil addition method shows significantly lowered level comparing with those of polluted area, which indicates that a soil addition method was effective for the refreshment of polluted farm land by toxic metallic pollutants. Wormwoods from this area showed very high contents in a11 the heavy metals even in unpolluted area (Cd > 1 ppm, Cr > 1 ppm, Cu > 11 ppm, Pb> 4 ppm, Zn > 55 ppm), indicating that a special caution must be payed when one takes ingest them.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: Mine drainage from metal mining districts is a well-recognized source of environmental contamination. Oxidation of metal sulfides in mines, mine dumps and tailing impoundments produces acidic, metal-rich waters that can contaminate the local surface water and soil. METHODS AND RESULTS: This experiment was carried out to investigate the pollution assessment of heavy metal on the water quality of mine drainage, paddy soils and sediment in lower watershed affected by mine drainage of the Sambo mine. The average concentrations of dissolved Cd (0.018~0.035 mg/L) in mine drainage discharged from the main waste rock dumps(WRD) was higher than the water quality standards (0.01 mg/L) for agricultural water in Korea. Also, the average concentrations of dissolved Zn, Fe and Mn were higher than those of recommended maximum concentrations (Zn 2.0, Fe 5.0, Mn 0.2 mg/L) of trace metal in irrigation water proposed by FAO (1994). The average contents of Pb and Zn in paddy soils was higher than those of standard level for soil contamination(Pb 200, Zn 300 mg/kg) in agricultural soil by Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. Also, the concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn in sediment were higher than those of standard level for soil contamination (Cd 10, Pb 400, Zn 600 mg/L) in waterway soil by Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. The enrichment factor (EFc) of heavy metals in stream sediments were in the order as Cd>Pb>Zn> As>Cu>Cr>Ni. Also, the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) of heavy metals in stream sediments were in the order as Zn>Cd>Pb>Cu>As>Cr>Ni, specially, the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) of Zn (Igeo 3.1~6.2) were relatively higher than that of other metals in sediment. CONCLUSION(s): The results indicate that stream water and sediment were affected by mine drainage discharged from the Sambo mine at least to a distance of 1 km downstream (SN-1, SN-2) of the mine water discharge point.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.2 s.171
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• pp.101-111
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• 2005

The objectives of this study we to assess the extent and degree of environmental contamination and to draw general conclusions on the fate of toxic elements derived from mining activities in Korea. 인t abandoned mines with four base-metal mines and four Au-Ag mines were selected and the results of environmental surveys in those areas were discussed. In the base-metal mining areas, the Sambo Pb-Zn-barite, the Shinyemi Pb-Zn-Fe, the Geodo Cu-Fe and the Shiheung Cu-Pb-Zn mine, significant levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in mine dump soils developed over mine waste materials, tailings and slag. Furthermore, agricultural soils, stream sediments and stream water near the mines were severely contaminated by the metals mainly due to the continuing dispersion downstream and downslope from the sites, which was controlled by the feature of geography, prevailing wind directions and the distance from the mine. In e Au-Ag mining areas, the Kubong, the Samkwang, the Keumwang and the Kilkok mines, elevated levels of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in tailings and mine dump soils. These levels may have caused increased concentrations of those elements in stream sediments and waters due to direct dis-charge downstream from tailings and mine dumps. In the Au-Ag mines, As would be the most characteristic contaminant in the nearby environment. Arsenic and heavy metals were found to be mainly associated with sulfide gangue minerals, and mobility of these metals would be enhanced by the effect of oxidation. According to sequential extraction of metals in soils, most heavy metals were identified as non-residual chemical forms, and those are very susceptible to the change of ambient conditions of a nearby environment. As application of pollution index (PI), giving data on multi-element contamination in soils, over 1.0 value of the PI was found in soils sampled at and around the mining areas.