• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.24-34
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• 2000

The project for rehabilitation and revegetation of the abandoned coal-mine lands is a very important national environmental restoration project in the view point of rehabilitation and revegetation of denuded forest-lands caused by coal mining as well as restoration of disturbed natural environment and control of the variable pollutions. In Korea, because a large number of coal mines had been developed in order to fill up abundantly consumption of coal as a major energy source in the developing period, a lot of denuded forest-lands caused by coal mining had distributed in the whole country. And, due to the absence of effective rehabilitation and revegetation works on the denuded forestlands caused by coal-mining, most of them had been remained with being damaged. In 1990, area of the abandoned coal-mine lands, requiring the rehabilitation and revegetation works, was about 1,437.1 ha. For the past ten years ('90~'99), about 1,081.8 ha out of them had been rehabilitated and revegetated, and the rehabilitation planning area was about 33.0 ha in 2000. So, remaining area out of abandoned coal-mine lands will be about 322.3 ha after 2000. In principle, after abandoning coal-mine, mine owners must carry out the rehabilitation and revegetation works on the abandoned mine lands by themselves. But, most of mine owners were in financial difficulty after abandoning coal-mine, so that principle couldn't have obtained the desired effects. To solve this problem, from 1995, Coal Industry Promotion Board (CIPB) have carried out the rehabilitation and revegetation works on the abandoned coal-mine lands at government budgets, and they have obtained good results in the construction area. However, due to application of the "conventional erosion control measures and techniques" to the rehabilitation and revegetation measures on the abandoned coal-mine lands, the results and effects of the works excuted have not been successful. Therefore, unique measures and techniques for rehabilitation and revegetation of the abandoned coal-mine lands will have to be developed, especially including development of new techniques on the soil-dressing and soil-covering, seed spray and hydro-seeding measures with seed-fertilizer-soil materials as the mechanized measures, and using of new materials for the tree planting and seedling measures.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2002

This study was carried out to identify the relationship between naturally introduced vegetation on the abandoned coal mine lands and the surrounding forest, and to select the indigenous tree species for the revegetation of the real mine lands in Taeback, Kangwon Province, Korea. The apparent species in the surrounding forest of Sododong were 9 species of tree layer, 13 species of subtree layer, 23 species of shrub layer and 23 species of herb layer, respectively. The dominant species in Sarijae were 6 species of tree layer, 15 species of subtree layer, 31 species of shrub layer and 25 species of herb layer, respectively. The plant species in the abandoned real mine land were 31 species in Sododong and 30 species in Sarijae, respectively. The number of plant species in the abandoned coal mine land was smaller than the surrounding forest. The common species of the coal mine lands and the surrounding forest were 6 species(Betula schimidtii etc.) in Sododong and 4 species(B. costata etc.) in Sarijae. It was considered that the species in the coal mine lands introduced from the species of top layer in the surrounding forest. Especially, B. costata in Sarijae showed the edge effect which regenerates the vegetative community from the boundary area of coal mine land and surrounding forest. Natural revegetation in Sododong was also progressing by the invasion of tree species in surrounding forest, such as B. schmidtii. Consequently, natural revegetation in the disturbed coal mine lands may be related to the species composition of the surrounding forest.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.499-508
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• 1998

The Imgok Creek is located in the Gangreung coal field, which has been known that sulfides are more abundant than other coal fields in Korea, and it has been severly contaminated by acid mine drainage (AMD) discharging from the abandoned coal mines, such as the Youngdong, the Dongduk and the Waryong coal mines. The purposes of this study are to synthetically assess the contamination of natural water, stream sediment and cultivated soils, and to provide the basic data for AMD treatment. Geochemical samples were collected in December, 1996 (dry season) and April, 1997 (after three day's rainfall). TDS of the Youngdong mine water was remarkably higher than those of other mine waters. In the Imgok Creek, concentrations of most elements, except Fe decreased with distance by dilution caused by the inflow of uncontaminated tributaries. From the results of NAMDI and $I_{geo}$ calculation, the Youngdong coal mine was the main contamination source of the study area. Groundwater pollution was not yet confirmed in this study and the paddy and farm land soils were also not yet contaminated by mining activity based on the pollution index ranging from 0.27 to 0.47.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.265-273
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• 2005

Chemical properties and heavy metal concentrations of forest soils of four abandoned coal mine lands affected by coal mining activities in the Mungyeong area were investigated to provide basic information for revegetation of abandoned coal mine lands. Soil pH in abandoned coal mine lands ranged from 5.30 to 6.76 it in the control site was 5.23. Contents of organic matter and total N in abandoned coal mine lands were $4.46\~7.19\%\;and\;0.07\~0.15\%$, respectively. Available P contents were 6.54 for A (Samchang), 6.52 for B (Bongmyeong),3.94 fur C (Kabjung), 5.45 mg/kg for D (Danbong coal mine land) and 5.25 mg/kg for the control site, which had a positive correlation with soil pH. Contents of exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na in abandoned coal mile lands averaged 196.1, 88.7, 88.2 and $10.2cmol^+/kg$, with a range of $132.1\~242.1,\;24.2\~138.\; 64.9\~120.8\;and\;8\~12.2cmol^+/kg$, respectively. Those of the control site were 192.8, 95.8, 104 and $21.2 cmol^+/kg$, respectively. Heavy metals such as Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn of forest soil in abandoned coal mine lands have a larger content than those of the control site. Al, Mn and fb content was especially high in abandoned coal mine lands. The Al content of forest soil in abandoned coal mine lands ranged from 397 to 917 ppm, which was considered to be high enough to inhibit tree growth. Therefore, it is suggested that soils of abandoned coal mine lands contaminated by mining activities need to be properly treated for remediation of environmental problems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.59-61
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• 2005

In Korea, hundreds of abandoned and closed coal and metallic mines are present in the steep mountain valleys due to the depression of the mining industry since the late 1980s. From these mines, enormous amounts of coal waste were dumped on the slopes, which causes sedimentation and acid mine drainage (AMD) to be discharged directly into streams causing detrimental effects on soil and water environments. A limestone slurry by-product (lime cake) is produced from the Solvay process in manufacturing soda ash. It has very fine particles, low hydraulic conductivities ($10^{-8}{\sim}10^{-9}cm/sec$), high pH, high EC due to the presence of CaO, MgO and $CaCl_2$ as major components, and traces of heavy metals. Due to these properties, it has potential to be used as a neutralizer for acid-producing materials. A field plot experiment was used to test the application of lime cake for reclaiming coal wastes. Each plot was 20 x 5 m (L x W) in size on a 56% slope. Treatments included a control (waste only), calcite ($CaCO_3$), and lime cake. The lime requirement (LR) for the coal waste to pH 7.0 was determined and treatments consisted of adding 100%, 50%, and 25% of the LR. The lime cake and calcite were also applied in either a layer between the coal waste and topsoil or mixed into the topsoil and coal waste. Each plot was hydroseeded with grasses and planted with trees. In each plot, surface runoff and subsurface water were collected. The lime cake treatments increased the pH of coal waste from 3.5 to 6, and neutralized the pH of the runoff and leachate of the coal waste from 4.3 to 6.7.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.325-328
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• 2005

To estimate presumptive local ground subsidence area near Abandoned Under ground Coal Mine(AUCM) at Samcheok city in Korea, the geological properties of existing ground subsidence area and the geophysical prospecting data were analyzed using GIS. The electrical resistivity survey and seismic reflection survey database were constructed from investigation reports and factors which are related with ground subsidence such as geological map, topological map, land use map, lineament map, groundwater level, RMR (Rock Mass Rating), mining tunnel map and slope database were constructed also to make a comparative study of each parameters. As a result of the spatial analysis of existing ground subsidence area, 9 major factors causing ground subsidence were extracted and a connection between the structure of underground and the ground subsidence was determined from the analysis of geophysical prospecting data. The estimation of presumptive ground subsidence area was performed using the correlation between the result from neural network analysis of 9 factors and the scrutiny of geophysical prospecting data.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.149-155
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• 2003

Objectives of this research were to fractionate heavy metals in soil samples in the upper Okdong River basin and to assess the potential pollution index of each metal fraction. Soil samples were collected from cultivated land soils and analyzed for physical and chemical properties. pH of cultivated soils ranged from 5.2 to 7.6. Contents of total kelhaldal nitrogen and loss on ignition were in the ranges of 0.6∼2.5%, and 1.9∼12.9%, respectively. Heavy metals in the cultivated land soils were higher in the abandoned closed coal mine near field soils than those in the paddy soils. Total concentrations of metals in the cultivated land soils were in the orders of Zn > Pb > Ni > Cu > Cd, exceed the corrective action level of the Soil Environment Conservation Law and higher than the naturals were abundance levels reported from uncontaminated cultivated land soils. Mobile fractions of metals were relatively small compared to the total concentrations. Soil Pollution Assesment Index(SPAI) values of each fraction of metals were leveled from Non polluted to Moderately polluted based on total concentrations. SPAI values of mobil fractions were lower than those of immobile fractions. Results on metal fractions and SPAI values of the cultivated land soils indicate that field soils samples were contaminated with heavy metals and had potential to cause a detrimental effects on plants. A prompt countermeasure to prevent field soils in the abandoned closed coal mine near fields are urgently needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.61-67
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• 2012

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of soil covering and vegetation base materials implementation on the growth of Lespedeza cyrtobotrya Miq. in abandoned coal mine land. We compared the biomass of L. cyrtobotrya at the study plots of four different soil covering depth (control, 10cm, 20cm, and 30cm) and four different compounds of vegetation base materials composed of soil conditioner (S), erosion control (E), and peat moss (P) (control, S+P, E+P, and S+E+P). The result showed that the biomass of L. cyrtobotrya was higher in the study plots implemented with soil covering than control plot, although the increase in biomass was not constant with soil covering depth. In case of the vegetation base materials treatments, the biomass was highest in S+E+P plot, and S+P and E+P plots showed higher biomass than control plot.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.3 s.184
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• pp.295-306
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• 2007

In this study, we predicted areas vulnerable to ground subsidence near abandoned underground coal mine at Sam-cheok City in Korea using a probability (frequency ratio) model with Geographic Information System (GIS). To extract the factors related to ground subsidence, a spatial database was constructed from a topographical map, geo-logical map, mining tunnel map, land characteristic map, and borehole data on the study area including subsidence sites surveyed in 2000. Eight major factors were extracted from the spatial analysis and the probability analysis of the surveyed ground subsidence sites. We have calculated the decision coefficient ($R^2$) to find out the relationship between eight factors and the occurrence of ground subsidence. The frequency ratio model was applied to deter-mine each factor's relative rating, then the ratings were overlaid for ground subsidence hazard mapping. The ground subsidence hazard map was then verified and compared with the surveyed ground subsidence sites. The results of verification showed high accuracy of 96.05% between the predicted hazard map and the actual ground subsidence sites. Therefore, the quantitative analysis of ground subsidence near abandoned underground coal mine would be possible with a frequency ratio model and a GIS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.99-107
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• 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of soil covering depth and vegetation base materials on the competition between Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc. and Lespedeza cyrtobotrya Miq., which were grown in an abandoned coal mine land for three years after seeding, by comparing their growth and stem density. The study site was consisted of sub-plots with four different soil covering depths (0cm, 10cm, 20cm, and 30cm) and four different compounds of vegetation base materials (peat moss (control), soil conditioner+peat moss (S+P), erosion control material+peat moss (E+P), and soil conditioner+erosion control material+peat moss (S+E+P)). Results of this study showed opposite pattern between P. densiflora and L. cyrtobotrya with different soil covering depth and compounds of vegetation base materials in general. P. densiflora showed the highest growth and stem density in plots with 10cm and 0cm depths of soil covering, respectively, while the lowest was shown in plots with 20cm depth of soil covering. In contrast, L. cyrtobotrya showed the highest growth and stem density in plots with 20cm depth of soil covering, while the lowest was shown in plots with 0cm depth of soil covering. In case of vegetation base materials, P. densiflora showed the highest growth and stem density in control plots and plots treated with S+P, respectively, while the lowest was shown in plots with S+E+P treatment. On the other hand, L. cyrtobotrya showed the highest growth and stem density in plots treated with S+E+P, while the lowest was shown in control plots. These results suggested the competition between two plants as a major cause of opposite patterns, which is induced by the suppressed growth and stem density of P. densiflora by fast growing L. cyrtobotrya. Despite the suppression of L. cyrtobotrya on P. densiflora, L. cyrtobotrya can play a positive role in improving soil quality, and thus it would be more desirable for restoring abandoned coal mine land to manage the growth of L. cyrtobotrya periodically, rather than eliminate them.