• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.195-205
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• 2015

Barricade failures generally occur at the early times of paste backfill when it is fresh in the stopes. The backfill strength increases and need for barricading pressure decreases as a result of the hydration reactions. In this study, paste backfill barricades of Cayeli copper mine were investigated to design cemented mineral processing plant tailings as barricade body concrete. Paste backfill in sub-level caving stopes of the mine needs to be barricaded for only four or five days. Therefore, short term strength and workability tests were applied on several cemented tailings material designs. Barricade failure mechanisms, important points of barricade designing and details of the new concrete material are explained in this work. According to the results obtained with this experimental study, the tailings were assessed to be used in concrete applied as temporary supports such as cemented paste backfill barricades.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.297-305
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• 2008

Tailings piled up at Okdong mine in Euiseong consists of fine powder, and are mainly composed of pyrite, sphalerite, chlorite, illite, plagioclase, smectite, gypsum, etc. Smectite is concentrated in the upper part of tailings and chlorite is downwardly increased. Gypsum is generally observed on the surface of the mine tailings, suggesting that it was formed by the reaction of Ca and $SO_4$ in leachate after evaporation. Through the electron microscope study of sphalerite within the tailings, it was observed that there is significant weathering both on surface and in the inner part of the sphalerite, suggesting that the reaction of the failings with groundwater for long period of time contributed a significant addition of Zn and $SO_4$ into the leachate.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.53-61
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• 2011

This study examined evaluation on stabilization of major and trace elements in tailings by various surface water-preventing materials. Six columns were filled with tailings of the Sinlim mine, then covered with tailings only, compacted soils, clay, soil-bentonite mixture, pozzolan and bentonite mat. After injection of artificial rain water, the leachate was sampled with times (3, 6, 9 and 12 pore volume) and analysed for major (Ca, Na, Mg, K) and trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) by ICP-AES. With exception to pozzolan type, the pH values of leachate from the other types became stabilized from 5.5 to 7.5, and EC (electric conductivity) of leachate from them decreased with times. For the pozzolan type, however, the pH and EC of leachate increased with time due to its alkalinity producing system. Concentrations of most major and trace elements in leachate decreased and stabilized with time. Consequently, soil-bentonite mixed cover shows the best ability of water-preventing and reducing mobility of elements in tailings site.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.808-816
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• 2008

In the present paper, a study has been performed on remediating mine tailings around abandoned mine contaminated with high concentrations of arsenic and heavy metals using the technique of soil washing. Through the removal experiment of arsenic, the optimal conditions in the type and concentration of washing reagent, mixing ratio of mine tailings and washing reagent, and washing time were derived. Results showed that the most effective washing reagents to remove arsenic from mine tailings were oxalic acid(72% removal efficiency) and phosphoric acid(65%), while the oxalic acid(89%) was the most effective in removing the heavy metals containing Cu. In addition, the most economical and efficient washing concentration was 0.25 M and the most suitable washing time was 30 minutes. The optimal mixing ratio of mine tailings and washing reagent was 1 : 20(mass/vol) from the viewpoint of minimization of wastewater produced after the washing, as well as the washing effectiveness. Although the mixture of washing reagents did not help in removal of arsenic, it could lead to much elevated synergy effect on removing Cu and Zn, compared with the single reagent.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 1999

This geochemical study was carried out to find out the distribution of metals and cyanide in the soils around the Keum-Jung abandoned mine. Chemical analysis showed that extractable As contents in the soils near the mine exceeded 15mg/kg, Korean standard of soil contamination for farm land. The Results suggests that As contamination is due to input of tailings in the soils. According to total decomposition of tailings, As was highly concentrated in tailings. The water in a tailings impoundment was changed to acidic and contaminated by metals and sulfate which were released through oxidation of impoundment. Acid mine drainage from the tailings impoundment distribution channels directed to the paddy soils. The proper measures are required to prevent contamination of the soil and water in the vicinity of the Keum-Jung mine.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 1997

Removal of the Arsenic components from the closed mine tailings has been attempted by the alkali-leaching method. Two tailings collected from the Daduck and Yuchon mine which were already closed many years ago were leached with caustic soda solutions. The Arsenic components in the leach liquor resulted from the alkali treatment of tailings could be removed fairly well in the form of insoluble calcium-Arsenic compound by the precipitation with calcium chloride. As a result, the extraction of about 60~90% Arsenic from the tailings could be obtained depending on the leaching conditions and the influence of temperature and the slurry density on the extraction of Arsenic was also found to be very small at the NaOH concentration more than 0.5N. In addition, it seemed that a caustic soda solution over 0.5N NaOH could be used repeatedly for the leaching of tailings since the consumption of NaOH was not so great in a leaching of them. As far as the precipitation of Arsenic components was concerned, more than 99% of Arsenic could be precipitated within 10 minutes by the addition of 2wt% CaC12 in to the leach liquor.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.143-151
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• 2004

This study focused on examining the possibility of recycling mine solid waste as environmental materials, especially for porous media. Basic properties including mineralogical compositions, chemical compositions, and particle size distribution of the tailings from the Sangdong W mine were checked. The mineralogical and chemical compositions of the tailings samples were not much different in depth. According to Korean Standard Leaching Test for Wastes(KSLT), concentrations of heavy metals leached from the tailings were below the standard values. As a result of particle size analysis, the median diameter (d$_{50}$) of the tailings was in the range of 10 to 30 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. The stable tailings slurry made up of 3 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in d$_{50}$ was prepared using Attrition Mill. The milling condition was 40 vol% in slurry concentration, 700 rpm in stirring speed, and 1 hour in milling time. PEI was added as dispersing agent. Concentrated slurry was extended to 3 times by foaming method. In the case of 3 times foamed slurry, the total and open porosity of ceramic supports sintered at 1,075$^{\circ}C$ for 90 minutes was about 80% and 72%, respectively. Pore size was in the range of 30∼350${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. Therefore, the tailings could be recycled starting material for environmental materials such as macroporous ceramic support.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.473-484
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• 2016

This study aims to establish a monitoring method for managing the effective maintenance of tailings dams. The monitoring of a tailings dump area involves several parameters and their investigation through a selection of evaluation items. The extents of defects and progressive failures also need to be effectively estimated. Therefore, the monitoring items can be subdivided into categories relating to the retaining wall structure (concrete wall, reinforcing stone wall, mesh gabions) and general facilities (liner, covering soil, slope, tailings, rain protection facility, leachate, planting), and quantitative evaluations can then be conducted for each condition. In doing so, we developed a systematic monitoring method that assesses the dam maintenance condition with grades and scores. The field application of the monitoring method results showed it to provide a more detailed evaluation than existing monitoring methods: the method detected an additional 16 defects missed by conventional methods. The evaluation gave scores of 89.3, 22.2, and 27.8 to the Geumjang mine tailings dam, the Gupoong mine tailings dam, and the Hwachun mine tailings dam, respectively. The advanced method can provide quantitative evaluation and perform detailed monitoring of the dams. This quantitative evaluation can be used to decide on maintenance priorities, select the main management items, and establish schedules of maintenance.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2016

Mine tailings generated during mining activity often contain high concentrations of heavy metals, with pyrite-containing mine tailings in particular being a major cause of environmental problems in mining areas. Chemical cell technology, or fuel cell technology, can be applied to leach heavy metals in pyrite-containing mine tailings. As pyrite dissolves through spontaneous oxidation (i.e. galvanic oxidation) in the anode compartment of the cell, $Fe^{3+}$, sulfuric acid are generated. A decrease in pH due to the generation of sulfuric acid allows heavy metals to be leached from pyrite-containing mine tailings. In this study, pyrite was dissolved for 4 weeks at $23^{\circ}C$ in an acidic solution (pH 2) and in a galvanic reactor, which induces galvanic oxidation, and total Fe leached from pyrite and pH were compared in order to investigate if galvanic oxidation can facilitate pyrite oxidation. The change in the pyrite surface was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Comparing the total Fe leached from the pyrite, there were 2.9 times more dissolution of pyrite in the galvanic reactor than in the acidic solution, and thus pH was lower in the galvanic reactor than in the acidic solution. Through SEM analysis of the pyrite that reacted in the galvanic reactor, linear-shaped cracks were observed on the surface of the pyrite. The study results show that pyrite dissolution was facilitated through the galvanic oxidation in the galvanic reactor, and also implied that the galvanic oxidation can be one remediation option for pyrite-containing mine tailings.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.331-339
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• 2008

In the upstream of Nakdong river in Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, certain areas of riverside were found to be covered by weathered mine tailings which were assumed to be migrated and deposited by flood. This study was conducted to investigate the formation and characteristics of the secondary minerals from tailings and related leaching behavior of heavy metals in the severely weathered tailing deposits by river waters. Quartz, feldspar, micas, chlorite, hornblende, talc, pyroxene (johannsenite), pyrite, and calcite were identified as primary minerals by XRD. Kaolinite can be formed by the weathering of tailings, but considering the short period of weathering time, kaolinite in the deposits is considered to be from unweathered tailings or moved from soils. The secondary minerals such as goethite, gypsum, basanite, and jarosite were also identified. The formation of the secondary minerals was affected by the species of primary minerals and pH conditions. The weathering of pyrite produced sulfate minerals such as gypsum, basanite, jarosite, and also goethite. Mn oxide was also identified by SEM, coated on the primary minerals such as quartz. This Mn oxide was poorly crystalline and thought to be the weathering product of johannsenite (Mn-pyroxene). The Fe and Mn oxides are the main minerals determining the brown/red and black colors of weathered tailings. EDS results showed that those oxides contain high concentrations of Pb, Zn, and As, indicating that, in the river, the formation of Fe and Mn oxides can control the behavior and leaching of heavy metals by co-precipitation or adsorption.