Environmental Effects on the Hydrologic and Ecologic System around the Wasted Ore Dump of the Moak Gold-Silver Mine

모악 금·은광산에 방치된 폐석이 주변 수계 및 생태계에 미치는 환경적 영향

The heavy metal contents and their dispersion patterns in stream water, stream sediments, land plants and aquatic larvae collected from the hydrologic system flowing via the wasted ore dump of the Moak Au-Ag mine were investigated systematically in order to evaluate the environmental impacts of the abandoned metal mine. The heavy metal content increases abruptly in the vicinity of the wasted ore dump, then attenuated with increasing distance from the mine area. Attenuating rates were stream water > stream sediments > land plants > aquatic larvae. On the other hand, the cumulative content of heavy metals was stream sediments >aquatic larvae > land plants > stream water. Each element tends to be enriched selectively according to media; Zn > Cu > Cd > Pb in stream water, Zn > Pb > Cu > Cd in stream sediments and land plants, and Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd in aquatic larvae. These results show that the degree of enrichment and dispersion of pollutant extruded from the wasted ore dump are different according to elements and media, and that the circulation system of materials of each medium is different. The heavy metals, especially Cu, Pb and Zn, of polluted downstream sediments occur in high proportions of Fe-Mn oxides and organic bounded forms, which show high potential of a secondary pollution source. The content of heavy metals and their dispersion patterns in stream sediments are different from those of ten years ago; pollution levels of heavy metals were degraded in various ranges. The Zn and Cu-polluted areas were widened whereas Fe and Pb-polluted areas were reduced. In crops collected from the farm lands in downstream area, the pepper was more concentrated in all heavy metal than rice. The pepper showed some contaminated level in Cu(9.7ppm) and Zn(149ppm), and the rice in Zn(90ppm). However, both crops showed no significant level in Cd(<0.2ppm) and Pb(<0.5ppm).