• Resources Recycling
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.12-27
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• 2011

DOWA group has been working on metal recycling applying the smelting and refining process of KOSAKA Smelter. DOWA has developed it's metal recycling technologies through the treatment of black ore(complex sulfide ores) that contain many kinds of non-ferrous metals. In addition to these special technologies, DOWA has strengthened its hydrometallurgical process of precious metals and ability to deal with low-grade materials such as used electrical appliances or vehicles. On the other hand, JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation(JX-NMMC) carries out its metal recycling and industrial waste treatment businesses employing advanced separation, extraction and refining technologies developed through its extensive experience in the smelting of non-ferrous metals. JX-NMMC collects approximately 100,000t/y of copper and precious metal scraps from waste sources such as electronic parts, mobile phones, catalytic converters, print circuit boards and gold plated parts. These items are recycled through the smelting and refining operations of Saganoseki smelter and Hitachi Metal-recycling complex(HMC). In this like, metal recycling industries combined with environmental business service in Japan have been developed through excellent technologies for mineral processing and non-ferrous smelting. Also, both group, Dowa and JX-NMMC, were contributed to establish Japan's recycling-oriented society as the typical leading company of non-ferrous smelting. Now. it is an important issue to set up the collection system for e-waste.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2013

This study was conducted to analyse the effectiveness of shading on growth and arsenic absorption of Pteris multifida, known as hyperaccumulator of arsenic, from paddy soils contaminated with heavy metals. Study was carried out in paddy soil polluted by arsenic near the former Janghang smelter. P. multifuda in the same growth stage was planted with $20{\times}20cm$ intervals in each experimental plot ($2{\times}2m$), and cultivated for 24 weeks. The growth of P. multifuda according to shading conditions was evaluated, the accumulated amount of arsenic in plants and arsenic variation in the soil was analyzed using ICP. In the result of this study, the growth of P. multifida cultivated under shading treatment was vigorous than non-shading. Accumulated amount of arsenic in aerial parts of P. multifida cultivated under non-shading ($169.8mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$) was slightly higher than shading ($140.9mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$), and those in underground part were almost the same. But the growth was great in 70% shading treatment. Therefore, arsenic contents absorbed from soils was much higher in shading treatment. Arsenic translocation rate (TR) of P. multifida was very high (0.87~0.89) regardless of shading conditions. So arsenic in soil could be efficiently eliminated by removal of aerial parts.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.61-74
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• 2021

The objective of this study was to evaluate the community's capacity and hindrance factors affecting the community's activities by exploring the process of restoring the community's environmental pollution. This study examined the community activities related to the restoration of pollution that occurred at the former Janghang smelter in Seocheon-gun. The results of this study showed that leaders, cooperative resources, and the media were elements positively influencing the recovery of the community. The starting point that became the driving force for community activities was the presence of a leader who had a small stake in it. Moreover, it required cooperation such as the continuous interest of local active groups and residents to continue this effort. Above all, the media publicized the incident and amplified the activities of members. Meanwhile, there were various conflicts hindering the activities of local communities in the process of restoring the pollution such as the internal conflicts of community groups, conflicts between residents and active groups, and conflicts with the government. The behaviors that appeared in the process of restoring the pollution revealed a form of united governance. Moreover, they changed from an initial "supportive" character to "resistant" and "defensive" activities. Later, it was transformed into "subjective" and "creative" activities.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.89-97
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• 2017

In this study, we evaluated effect of particle size on arsenic solid-state speciation and bioaccessibility in soils highly contaminated with arsenic from smelting and mining. Soils were partitioned into six particle size fractions ($2000-500{\mu}m$, $500-250{\mu}m$, $250-150{\mu}m$, $150-75{\mu}m$, $75-38{\mu}m$, <$38{\mu}m$), and arsenic solid-state speciation and bioaccessibility were characterized in each particle size fraction. Arsenic solid-state speciation was characterized via sequential extraction and XRD analysis, and arsenic bioaccessibility was evaluated by SBRC (Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium) method. In smelter site soil, arsenic was mainly present as arsenic bound to amorphous iron oxides. Fine particle size fractions showed higher arsenic concentration, but lower arsenic bioaccessibility. On the other hand, arsenic in mine site soil showed highest concentration in largest particle size fraction ($2000-500{\mu}m$), while higher bioaccessibility was observed in smaller particle size fractions. Arsenic in mine site soil was mainly present as arsenolite ($As_2O_3$) phase, which seemed to affect the distribution of arsenic and arsenic bioaccessibility in different particle size fractions of the mine soil.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.187-199
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• 2006

The Kuroko-type seafloor massive sulfide deposits found in the western Pacific have been considered to have potentials for economic recovery of Au, Ag, Cu, Zn, and Pb. In this study, a preliminary model was developed for the technical and economic evaluation of them. The FRSC site on Lau Basin in the Tonga EEZ was selected as a target. In this study, no construction In for the metallurgical processing subsystem was accounted for. Instead, it was assumed to sell the Cu, Zn, and Pb concentrates to the existing sulfide customer smelter. The low total investment costs for the development make the venture very attractive. However, the result of the economic feasibility evaluation is still less attractive with the mean metal yield of the Kuroko on land. It is considered that commercial mining may be plausible if the richer metal yields are applied to the development. Quantitative information for metal yield is necessary for a more accurate evaluation. However, the important resource potential information regarding the amount of ore body, the inside structure, and the metal yields have not yet been clarified sufficiently. h addition, the flotation of ore body using seawater has not been tested yet. It is necessary to solve these problems through the experimental R&D and a survey.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.475-482
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• 2010

Hydrothermal deposits on deep-sea floors are expected to provide potential metal resources for future demands. Korea was recently granted a prospecting licence to undertake exploration for hydrothermal metal deposits in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Kingdom of Tonga in the Pacific Ocean. The Korean Deep Seabed Mining Group (KDSMG), which consists of four Korean companies involved in marine technologies, oil and gas shipping, and smelter industries, has conducted research to evaluate the region's resource potential in cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) of Korea. Here we present and reflect on the exploration results of these companies and their strategic plans. We also evaluate Research and Development (R&D) progress for the commercial development of seafloor hydrothermal deposits. Our own strategies and prospects for the commercial development of this potential resource are also outlined. We do acknowledge that other potentially important information regarding the amount of ore body, the inside structure, and the metal yields have not yet been clarified sufficiently. As such it is necessary to address these problems through experimental R&D and surveys.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.147-166
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• 2020

Industrial cooling towers are often ageing infrastructure that is expensive to maintain and operate. A novel approach is introduced in which a heat pump circuit is incorporated to reduce the load upon the towers by extracting low-grade energy from the stream sent to the towers and repurposing in on-site processing operations. To demonstrate the concept, a model was constructed, which uses industrial data on cooling towers linked to a smelter's sulphuric acid plant, to allow direct economic and environmental impact comparison between different heat recovery and repurposing scenarios. The model's results showed that implementing a heat pump system would significantly decrease annual operating costs and achieve a payback period of 3 years. In addition, overall CO₂ emissions could be reduced by 42% (430,000 kg/year) and a 5% heat load reduction on the cooling towers achieved. The concept is significant as the outcomes introduce a new way for energy intensive industrial sectors, such as mineral processing, to reduce energy consumption and improve long-term sustainable performance.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.16 no.3 s.77
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• pp.27-33
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• 2007

It is very important in the view point of resource recycling to recover valuable metals such as copper and tin from waste electric and electronic scrap. The waste electric and electronic scrap contains significant amounts of copper, tin, and so on. In this study, a new process for extracting copper and tin contained in the waste electric and electronic scrap using waste copper slag which is generated from the melting furnace of copper smelter was presented. Advantage of the proposed process is to reuse waste copper slag instead of new fluxes as slag formatives. In each experiment, the waste electric and electronic scrap and waste copper slag were melted inputting suitable amount of CaO as an additional flux. Up to 95% of copper and 85% of tin in the raw material were extracted in a Cu-Fe-Sn alloy phase.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.59-70
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• 2012

In this study, to select the best stabilizer for the heavy metals-contaminated soil from a smelter area during phytoremediation, a plant uptake experiment and a soil stabilization were simultaneously applied using Pteris multifida Poir. and five pre-screened stabilizers(zeolite, Mn dioxide, slag, Ca oxide, and magnetite). The extracted heavy metal was measured and compared using a 3 step sequential extraction for the soil samples. The growth rate of the plant was also evaluated. The stabilizers stabilized heavy metals in soil and reduced the extraction rate. Magnetite and calcium oxide showed better results than other stabilizers. The stabilizers enhanced the growth of the plant. All the heavy metals except for arsenic were concentrated in roots while arsenic was concentrated in leaves of the plant. It is concluded that the stabilizers can minimize the heavy metal release from the contaminated soil during phytoremediation and stimulated the growth of plant. These effects of stabilizers could compensate for some weak points of phytoremediation such as reaching of heavy metals by rainwater.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2014

This study was carried out not only to identify the optimum concentrations of sulfur powder and citric acid treated for improving arsenic absorption of Pteris multifuda known as hyperaccumulator of arsenic, but also to develop arsenic purification model in the forest soil. After applying sulfur powder (0, 30, 45, $60g{\cdot}m^{-2}$) and citric acid (0, 200, 400, $800g{\cdot}m^{-2}$) in the forest soil contaminated with heavy metals, P. multifuda was planted and cultivated for 16 weeks. And then the growth and arsenic contents of plants were analyzed. In the result of research, the growth of P. mulifuda, except plant width, cultivated in soils treated with sulfur powder and citric acid was relatively lower than control. The accumulated amount of arsenic in aerial parts of P. multifuda ($1822.2mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$) cultivated in soils treated with $200g{\cdot}m^{-2}$ citric acid was improved 62.5% against the control. And the accumulated amount of arsenic per 1 $m^2$ ($20.1mg{\cdot}m^{-2}$) was the greatest in $200g{\cdot}m^{-2}$ citric acid treatment. Translocation rate (TR) was higher in all acid treatment compare to control, and was the best in $200g{\cdot}m^{-2}$ citric acid treatment (0.95) especially. It showed that the arsenic absorbed in underground parts was transferred fast to aerial parts. Therefore, $200g{\cdot}m^{-2}$ citric acid treatment in the soil is recommended for arsenic purification using P. multifuda.