• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.651-660
• /
• 2007

Acid drainage has been recognized as an environmental concern in abandoned mine sites for long time. Recently, the environmental and structural damage by acid drainage is a current issue in construction sites in Korea. Here, the author introduces the type of damages by acid drainage in construction sites and emphasizes the importance of geoscience discipline in solving the problem. Metasedimentary rock of Okcheon group, coal bed of Pyeongan group, Mesozoic volcanic rock. and Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic rocks are the major rock types with a high potential for acid drainage upon excavation in Korea. The acid drainage causes the acidification and heavy metal contamination of soil, surface water and groundwater, the reduction of slope stability, the corrosion of slope structure, the damage on plant growth, the damage on landscape and the deterioration of concrete and asphalt pavement. The countermeasure for acid drainage is the treatment of acid drainage and the prevention of acid drainage. The treatment of acid drainage can be classified into active and passive treatments depending on the degree of natural process in the treatment. Removal of oxidants, reduction of oxidant generation and encapsulation of sulfide are employed for the prevention of acid drainage generation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.91-99
• /
• 2005

Acid Rock Drainage(ARD) is the product formed by the atmospheric(i.e. by water, oxygen and carbon dioxide) oxidation of the relatively common iron-sulphur mineral pyrite($FeS_2$). ARD causes the acidification and heavy metal contamination of water and soil and the reduction of slope stability. In this paper the generation characteristics and the prediction of ARD of various cut slopes were studied. An attempt to classify the rocks into several groups according to their acid generation potentials was made. Acid Base Accounting(ABA) tests, commonly used as a screening tool in ARD predictions, were performed. Fourteen rock samples were classified into PAF(potentially acid forming) group and four rock samples into NAF(non-acid forming) group. The chemical analysis of water samples strongly suggested that ARD with high content of heavy metals and low pH could pollute the ground water and/or stream water.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.335-344
• /
• 2008

The acid rock drainage (ARD) production potential of rock was assessed for a tunnel construction area, Kimhae and the damage reduction strategy was discussed based on the ARD risk evaluation. The geology of the studied area consisted of Mesozoic quartz porphyry, sandstone, tuff and granite. Sulfides occurred as a disseminated type in quartz porphyry and granite, and a vein type in sandstone. Quartz porphyry and sandstone with a high content of sulfide were classified as a potentially ARD forming rock. The drainage originated from those rocks may acidify and contaminate the surrounding area during the tunnel construction. Therefore, the drainage should be treated before it is discharged. A slope stability problem due to the ARD was also expected and the coating technology was recommended for the reduction of ARD generation before the application of supplementary work for enhancing slope stability such as shotcrete and anchor. From the ARD risk analysis, those rocks should not be used as aggregate and be used as bank fill material with the system for the minimum contact with rain water and ground-water.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.83-92
• /
• 2005

The aim of this study was to investigate damage conditions of cut slope structures due to acid rock drainage (ARB) and to assess the acid production potential of various rocks. Acid rock drainage is produced by the oxidation of sulfide minerals contained in coal mine zone and mineralization belt of Pyeongan supergroup and Ogcheon group, pyrite-bearing andesite, and Tertiary acid sulfate soils in Korea. Most of cut slopes producing ARB have been treated with shotcrete to reduce ARD. According to the field observations, ARD had an adverse effect on slope structures. The corrosion of shotcrete, anchors and rock bolts and the bad germination and growth diseases of covering plants due to ARD were observed in the field. The concentration of heavy metals and pH of ARD from cut slope exceeded the environmental standard, indicating a high potential of environmental pollution of surrounding soil, surface water and ground water by the ARD. According to acid base accounting (ABA) of the studied samples, hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks, tuffs, coaly shales, tailings of metallic mine had a relatively high potential of acid production but gneiss and granite had no or less acid production potential. It is expected that the number of cut slopes will increase hereafter considering the present construction trend. In order to reduce the adverse effect of ARD in construction sites, we need to secure the data base for potential ARD producing area and to develop the ARD reduction technologies suitable.

• Proceedings of the Petrological Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2009.05a
• /
• pp.95-97
• /
• 2009

• Geotechnical Engineering
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.18-25
• /
• 2014

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.561-572
• /
• 2021

Aggregate collection is taking place in many areas in Korea, resulting in large cut slopes or large amounts of cut rocks. If the development site for such aggregate collection is a stratum accompanied by sulfide minerals, Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) may occur, which may cause environmental pollution in the development site and surrounding areas. As a result of the study on forest aggregate samples, most of the samples were classified as acid-forming potential samples, and among them, some samples from Gwangju, Goyang, and Sokcho were classified as potential acid-generating samples. This can be expected to affect the quality of aggregates when a large amount of aggregate is used in the future. Therefore, it is judged that these forest aggregates need to be managed when they are used. By predicting the occurrence of ARD through the acid-generating ability test, it is expected that economic losses that may occur in the future can be reduced, and it is judged that the problem of surrounding environmental pollution can be further alleviated.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.46 no.5
• /
• pp.411-424
• /
• 2013

Assessment and damage reduction strategy of acidic rock drainage were conducted in a section of ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ highway construction site. The geology of the studied section consists of Icheonri sandstone and intermediate to acidic volcanic rocks. Sulfides occur as a disseminated type in sandstone and volcanics which were altered by the hydrothermal solution of granite intrusion. Volcanics and sandstone with a high content of sulfide were classified as a potentially acid rock drainage(ARD) forming rock. The drainage originated from those rocks may acidify and contaminate the surrounding area during the highway construction. Therefore, the drainage should be treated before it is discharged. A slope landslide hazard due to the ARD was also expected and the coating technology was recommended for the reduction of ARD generation as a preemptive measure before reinforcement work for enhancing slope stability such as shotcrete and anchor. According to the ARD risk analysis, those rocks should not be used as cement aggregate, but only to be used as a bank fill material of a filling-up system that allows minimal contact with rainfall and groundwater.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.55-66
• /
• 2002

There are several abandoned coal mines around Donghae mine area in the Taebaek coal field. Two major creeks, Soro and Sanae, are contaminated with the colored precipitates formed from the coal mine drainages. Bed rocks of the study area consist of limestone, shale, and sandstone. Limestone consisted mainly of calcite and dolomite, and shale of quartz, pyropyllite and chlorite, and sandstone of quatz and illite. Coal coal spoil dumps composed mainly of pyrite and chlorite. The oxidative dissolution of sulfide minerals leads to acid mine drainage and adds the metal ions in the stream water. The ion concentrations of Fe, Ca, Mg, Al, Si, SO$_{4}$in the stream polluted by AMD are generally higher than those in the unpolluted stream water. High concentrations of Ca and Mg, Al and Si can be resulted from dissolution of carbonate minerals such as calcite, dolomite and aluminosilicates such as chlorite, pyrophyllite. Although the Fe, Al, Si, SO$_{4}$ contents are considerbly high in the acid water released from the mine adits, they become decreased downstream due to dilution of unpolluted water and precipitation of oxide/hydroxide and sulfate minerals on the bottom of stream.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.577-586
• /
• 2008

The formation of acid mine drainage is closely related to water chemistry and ochreous sprecipitates formed at the bottom of creeks because it is initially derived from the possible water-rock interaction in abandoned waste metals at the mine. According to analyses on water, precipitates, and alteration characters of ore metals in Dalseone mine, whitish precipitates formed at pHs above 5 while schwertmannite formed at pH $3{\sim}4$. Water chemistry vary with seasons. The water chemistry of the treatment site measured ir Octoter 2002 is characterized by lower pH, and higher Al, Zn, Cu contents relative to those in March, 2003. In the latter case, As and Cl contents are very high. $^{27}Al$ MAS NMR data show the presence of predominant octahedral Al in whitish precipitates. Metal ore minerals dissolve at margins, cleavage, or comer of crystals where reactive sites are potential. Pyrite dissolves, forming etch pits or smooth faces on the edge.