• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.90-93
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• 2003

Sampling of waters from each stage of treatment system, SAPS (Successive Alkalinity Producing System), and spring water near the Hanchang coal mine of Kangwon. Province were carried out periodically and analyzed to evaluate the source and possible path of groundwater contamination by acid mine drainage(AMD). Chemical and sulfur isotope compositions showed that spring water was affected by seepage from mine tailings, and seepage of stonewall, a part of treatment system, was affected by both seepage from mine tailings and mine adit drainage. Through the treatment system no appreciable decrease of sulfur content was identified. And almost similar sulfur isotope compositions of water from each stage of the treatment system may suggest incomplete or very poor sulfate reduction by sulfate reducing bacteria.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.481-490
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• 2003

The objectives of this study are (1) to determine the extent and degree of As contamination of the water and sediments influenced by mining activity of the abandoned Au-Ag mines, (2) to examine As speciation In contaminated water, (3) to monitor variation of As contamination in water system throughout the dry and wet seasons, and (4) to investigate the As chemical form in the sediments through the sequential extraction analyses. Natural water(mine water, surface water and groundwater) and sediments were collected in six abandoned Au-Ag mine(Au-bearing quartz veins) areas. The contamination level of As in mine water of the Dongil(524${\mu}m$/L) is more higher than the tolerance level(500 ${\mu}m$/L) for waste water of mine area in Korea. Elevated levels of As in stream water were also found in the Dongil(range of 63.7∼117.6 ${\mu}m$/L.) and Gubong(range of 56.1∼62.9 ${\mu}m$/L) mine areas. Arsenic contamination levels in groundwater used by drinking water were more significant in the Dongil(11.3∼63.5 ${\mu}m$/L), Okdong(0.2∼68.9 ${\mu}m$/L) and Gubong(2.0∼101.0${\mu}m$/L) mine areas. Arsenate[As(V), $H_2AsO_4^-$] is more dominant than arsenite[As(III), $H_3AsO_3$] in water system of the most mine areas. The concentration ratios of As(III) to As(total), however, extend to the 95% in stream water of the Okdong mine area and 70∼82% in groundwater of the Okdong and Dongjung mine areas. As a study of seasonal variation in the water system, relatively high levels of As from the dongil mine area were found in April rather than in September. Sequential extraction analysis showed that As was predominantly present as coprecipitated with Fe hydroxides from sediment samples of the Dongjung and Gubong mine(35.9∼40.5%), which indicates its possibility of re-extraction and inducing elevated contamination of As in the reductive condition. In sediments from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwachon mine area, high percentage(55.2∼83.4%) of As sulfide form was found.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.17-25
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• 2018

The Boroo area in Mongolia is known to have been contaminated with heavy metals due to irregular gold mining activities and the release of mercury from gold extraction process. Soil and mine tailings were collected to analyze contamination patterns of heavy metals in the Boroo area. Analyses revealed that mercury, arsenic and cadmium concentrations exceeded the regulatory standard of the nation (Mongolia National Standard). In case of mercury, about 80% of the survey area was over the limit and the concentration distribution heavily influenced by influx of mercury through water transport. Soil contamination by arsenic was most severe that the concentration exceeded the regulatory limit in almost entire survey area, showing peak concentrations at nearby streams and river along with ore processing facilities. For cadmium, about 20% of the survey area was over the limit with the concentration distribution similar to that of arsenic.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.871-878
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• 2006

Batch experiments were performed to evaluate the applicability of soil washing for heavy metal contaminated soils at Nacdong and Hamchang abandoned mines. The texture of the Nacdong soil was sandy loam. Nacdong abandoned mine soil was almost neutral (pH=6.5). Contaminations of As, Cd, Pb and Zn for Nacdong mine soils were 12,900 mg/kg, 29 mg/kg, 696 mg/kg and 276 mg/kg, respectively. Hamchang abandoned mine soils were acidic (pH=2.6) and the soil texture was loam. The contaminations of As, Cd, Pb and Zn for Hamchang abandoned mine soils were 6,410 mg/kg, 291 mg/kg, 1,300 mg/kg and 1,110 mg/kg, respectively. For the Nacdong abandoned mine soils, oxalic acid was found to be the most effective soil washing extracter for As and Pb while citric acid was the most effective extracter for Cd. For the Hamchang abandoned mine soils, oxalic acid showed the highest extraction efficiencies for As and Pb, whilst citric acid presented the best soil washing efficiencie for Cd. Oxalic acid and EDTA were found to be the most effective soil washing extracter for the Hamchang abandoned mine contaminated soils.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.385-398
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• 1999

The Narim gold mine is located approimately 200km southeast of Seoul within the Muju mineralized district of the Sobaegsan gneiss complex, Korea. Environmental geochemistry were undertaken for various kinds of water (surface, ground and mine water) collected of April, September and November in 1998 from the narim mine creek. Hydrogeochemical compositions of water samples are characterized by the relatively significant enrichment of Na+K, alkali ions, $HCO_{3}$, $NO_{3}$, Cl and F in groundwater, wheras the mine and surface waters are relatively enriched in Ca+Mg, hea표 metals and $SO_{4}$. Therefore, the groundwaters belong to the (Na+Ca)-( $HCO_{3}+SO_{4}$) type, respectively. The pH and EC values of the non-mining creek surfers are relatively lower compared with those of the surface water of the mine and ore dump area. The d values ($\delta$D-8$\delta^{18}$O) of all kinds of water from the Narim mine creek are 5.8 to 13.1 The range of $\delta$D and $\delta^{18}$O values (relative to SMOW) are shown in distinct two groups as follows: for the April waters of -64.8 to -67.8$\textperthousand$ and -9.6 to -10.0$\textperthousand$(d value=10.1 to 13.1), and for the November waters of -65.9 to -70.2$\textperthousand$ and -9.3 to -9.6$\textperthousand$ (d value=5.8 to 7.9), respectively. This range variation indicates that two group water were composed of distinct waters with seasonal difference. Geochemical modeling showed that mostly toxic metals (As, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) may exist largery in the from of metal $(M2^+)$ and metal-sulfate $(MSO_4\;^{2-$\mid$),\; and \;SO_4^{2-$\mid$}$ concentration influenced the speciation of heavy metals in the meteoric water. These metals in the groundwater could be formed of $CO_3 \;and \;(OH)_3$ complex ions. Using computer program, saturation index of albite, calcite, dolomite in meteoric water show undersaturated and progreddively evolved toward the saturation state, however, ground and mine water are nearly saturated. The gibbsited water-mineral reaction and stabilities suggest that the weathering of silicate minerals may be stable kaolinite, illite and Nasmectite. The clay minerals will be transformed to more stable kaolinite owing to the contiunous reaction.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.61-69
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• 2002

Oship stream is located nearby south eastern coasts. This study was performed to find out waters quality modeling and then to predict water quality of Oship stream. Based on survey data, BOD, T-N, T-P calibration and verification result were in good agreement with measured value within mean coefficient variance(MSE) value, which were 13.9%, 9.0%, 26.5% and 19.5%, 12.0%, 16.5%, respectively. Sectional water quality predictions of the main stream of Oship stream are executed on the basis of the following cases 1) with sewage treatment of Dogye-eup 2) reduction of mine wastewater treatment of 80% in th basin. As a result, BOD, T-P improvement rates at down stream of Oship stream, case 1) were appeared 12.2%, 22.2%, case 2) maximum sulfate ion and conductivity reduction removal rate of Oship stream were 58%, 68%. The main pollution sources of Oship-stream were almost domestic wastewater and mine wastewater discharged from Dogye-eup which located in uppers stream. The large effects will appear after the construction of Dogye sewage water treatment plant which remove the organic matter and nutrients in these sewage water. The waste water from mine can not easily to treat for characteristics of effluence and economic problems. However, to achieve the goal of water quality in Oship-stream water system, treatments of those are necessary.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2003

The mineralogy of material left after evaporation of acid mine drainage water is generally dependent on the chemical composition of the source water. The residues formed by the evaporation of acid mine water in the Dong-hae coal mine area consists mainly of gypsum (CaSO$_4${\circ}$2$H_2O$) with mine. amounts of alunogen (Al$_2$(SO$_4$)$_3$${\circ}$17$H_2O$) and hexahydrite (MgSO$_4$${\circ}$<.TEX>6$H_2O$). Gypsum was identified from both of the bottom precipitates and the evaporation residues of acid mine water. Alunogen, an aluminum sulfate hydrate, was also formed by evaporation and occurred as needle-like crystals. Aluminum is derived from chemical dissolution of alumine-silicate mineral such as pyre-phyllite, illite and chlorite in wasted rocks. Hexahydrite in evaporation residues occured as needle-like, fibrous, and acicular crystals and was associated with gypsum and alunogen.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.397-401
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• 2005

Acid mine drainage and waste of abandoned mine area have caused serious water pollution and destruction of an ecosystem because of exposing to environment without an appropriate treatment. Gwang-yang mine area also has a serious problem in the nearby residential area and waterway ecosystems. The objectives of this research are to develop the most suitable remediation system for acid mine drainage by using waste materials, and to diagnose stream environments impacted by acid mine drainage through the new ecological health assessment methodology, and thus ultimately providing a restoring methodology to mining regions. In the water system health assessment, the result of ESHI model, RBP and Karr suggested by US EPA is revised by ecological features of our country, come to ESHI score 13; 'Very poor' at some points. Together with pH value and heavy metal concentration, it's the aggravation of ecological health index caused by chemical disturbances. In the acid mine drainage treatment, we apply marine shells and slags to this system. Slags had the best removal ability for heavy metals, but pH value was more than 10 exceeding the standard for drain water. In case of marine shells, pH of treated water maintained 7 to 8, and concentrations of Fe and Zn decreased significantly after treatment.

• 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 KSEEG Conference
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.9-28
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• 2004

Concern about arsenic is increasing throughout the world, including areas of the United States. Elevated levels of arsenic above current drinking-water regulations in ground and surface water can be the result of purely natural phenomena, but often are due to anthropogenic activities, such as mining and agriculture. The current study correlates arsenic speciation in acid mine drainage and mining influenced water with the important water-chemistry properties Eh, pH, and iron(III) concentration. The results show that arsenic speciation is generally in equilibrium with iron chemistry in low pH AMD, which is often not the case in other natural-water matrices. High pH mine waters and groundwater do not 짐ways hold to the redox predictions as well as low pH AMD samples. The oxidation and precipitation of oxyhydroxides depletes iron from some systems, and this also affects arsenite and arsenate concentrations differently through sorption processes.