• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.375-385
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• 2008

Hydraulic analysis in a dam that has a single outlet of water can be made through a simple comparison between the total precipitation and the volume of discharged water. In case of tailing dams this estimation could yield an error because several drainage facilities are worked independently as well as simultaneously. In this research, a capability of the drainage system in the tailing dam of the old Sangdong Mine was analysed by the means of GIS technic. As a result of this study, it was expected that in the normal working condition of the whole drainage system, the flooding of water over the dam should not occur in spite of the consecutive precipitation during one hour with an intensity of 80.31 mm/hr, a probable precipitation within 100 years. It was, however, revealed that, if the drainage system did not work completely, the water could flood over the dam when the total precipitation reached 251.1 mm.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.328-336
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• 2008

Metal mining district drainage is a well recognized source of environmental contamination. Oxidation of metal sulfides produces acidic and metal-rich waters that contaminate local surface water and ground water in mines, mine dumps, and tailing impoundments. This monitoring study was carried out to investigate the stream water quality and pollution as affected by the Sambo mine drainage in relation to the relative distance from the mine. It obvious that pH values of the mine drainage ranged from 5.8 to 6.9, while the average concentrations of the dissolved chemical constituents for EC, $SO_4^{2-}$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were $1.77\;dS\;m^{-1}$, 929, 14.6, 263.3, and 46.9 mg/L in mine drainage discharged from the main waste rock dumps (WRD), respectively. Furthermore, EC values and sulfate concentrations exceeded the critical toxicity levels in agricultural water for rice plant ($1.0\;dS\;m^{-1}$ for EC and 54.0 mg/L for $SO_4^{2-}$). Also, the average of dissolved cadmium concentrations ($0.016{\sim}0.021\;mg/L$) was higher than water quality standard (0.01 mg/L) for agricultural water in Korea, in addition to Zn, Fe and Mn were higher than trace metals maximum concentrations which recommended by FAO for irrigation water. The results indicate that mine drainage discharged from the Sambo mine affected stream water at least to distance of 1 km downstream of the mine water discharge point. EC values, $SO_4^{2-}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations in discharged water positively correlated with dissolved Cd, Zn, Al and Mn concentrations, while the pH values negatively correlated. In addition, EC values, $SO_4^{2-}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations were negatively correlated with pH values.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.97-102
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• 2007

An environmental survey from three abandoned metal mine areas was undertaken on to assess the risk of adverse health effects on human exposure to heavy metals influenced by past mining activities. Tailings contained high concentrations of heavy metals may have a impact on soils and waters around the tailing piles. In order to perform the human risk assessment, chemical analysis data of soils, rice grains and waters for As, Cd, Cu and Pb have been used. The HQ values for heavy metals via the rice consumption were significantly higher compared with other exposure pathways in all metal mine areas. The resulting HI values in three mine areas were higher than 9.0, and their toxic risk due to rice ingestion was strong in these mine areas. The cancer risk of being exposed to As by the rice consumption from the A, B and C mine areas was $5.1\;{\times}\;10^{-3}$, $6.8\;{\times}\;10^{-3}$ and $3.1\;{\times}\;10^{-3}$, respectively. The As cancer risk via the exposure pathway of rice ingestion from these mine areas exceeds the acceptable risk of 1 in 10,000 set for regulatory purposes. Thus, the daily intakes of rice by the local residents from these mine areas can pose a potential health threat if exposed by long-term As exposure.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.5 s.174
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• pp.535-545
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• 2005

Environmental survey from some abandoned metal mine areas was undertaken on to assess the risk of adverse health effects on human exposure to arsenic influenced by past Au-Ag mining activities. Elevated levels of As were found in tailings from the studied mine areas. This high concentration may have a impact on soils and waters around the tailing piles. In order to perform the human risk assessment, chemical analysis data of soils, rice grains and waters fur As have been used. The HQ values fer As via the rice grain and groundwater consumption were significantly higher compared with other exposure pathways in all metal mine areas. However, there were minimal soil and water dermal contact risks. The resulting Hl values of As from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwacheon mine areas were higher than 5.0, and their toxic risk due to drinking water and rice grain was strong in these mine areas. The cancer risk of being exposed to As by the rice grain route from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwacheon mine areas was $5.2\times10^{-4},\;6.0\times10^{-4}\;and\;8.1\times10^{-4}$, respectively. The As cancer risk via the exposure pathway of drinking water from these mine areas exceeded the acceptable risk of 1 in 10,000 fer regulatory purposes. Thus, the daily intakes of groundwater and rice grain by the local residents from the Dongil, Okdong and Hwacheon mine areas can pose a potential health threat if exposed by long-term arsenic exposure.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 1997

At the tailings dam of the disused Brukunga pyrite mine in South Australia, reaction of groundwater with the tailings causes the formation and discharge of sulphuric acid. There is a need to improve remediation efforts by decreasing groundwater flow through the tailings dam. Geophysical methods have been investigated to determine whether they can be used to characterise variations in depth to watertable and map preferred groundwater flow paths. Three methods were used: transient electromagnetic (TEM) soundings, direct current (DC) soundings and profiling, and self potential (SP) profiling. The profiling methods were used to map the areal extent of a given response, while soundings was used to determine the variation in response with depth. The results of the geophysical surveys show that the voltages measured with SP profiling are small and it is hard to determine any preferred channels of groundwater flow from SP data alone. Results obtained from TEM and DC soundings, show that the DC method is useful for determining layer boundaries at shallow depths (less than about 10 m), while the TEM method can resolve deeper structures. Joint use of TEM and DC data gives a more complete and accurate geoelectric section. The TEM and DC measurements have enabled accurate determination of depth to groundwater. For soundings centred at piezometers, this depth is consistent with the measured watertable level in the corresponding piezometer. A map of the watertable level produced from all the TEM and DC soundings at the site shows that the shallowest level is at a depth of about 1 m, and occurs at the southeast of the site, while the deepest watertable level (about 17 m) occurs at the northwest part of the site. The results indicate that a possible source of groundwater occurs at the southeast area of the dam, and the aquifer thickness varies between 6 and 13 m. A map of the variation of resistivity of the aquifer has also been produced from the TEM and DC data. This map shows that the least resistive (i.e., most conductive) section of the aquifer occurs in the northeast of the site, while the most resistive part of the aquifer occurs in the southeast. These results are interpreted to indicate a source of fresh (resistive) groundwater in the southeast of the site, with a possible further source of conductive groundwater in the northeast.

• 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.