• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 1999

The objectives of this study are to investigate soil contamination in the vicinity of abandoned Au-Ag mine and to apply a remediation technique of liming to tailings. In the study area of the Imcheon Au-Ag mine, soils were sampled in and around the mine the analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry extracted by both 0.1N HCl and aqua regia. Elevated levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations extracted by 0.1N HCl were found in soils taken from tailings site. These high contents directly influenced metal concentrations in soils taken in the vicinity of the site. This is mainly due to clastic movement by wind and effluent of mine waste water. In addition, relatively enriched concentrations of the metals were found in soils extrated by aqua regia due to strong decomposition of the samples compared with 0.1N HCl extration. According to the statistical approach, metal concentrations in soils by 0.1N HCl had a positive correlation with those by aqua regia extraction. Mine waste waters and stream waters were also sampled around the mine in spring and summer and analyzed by AAS for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, and by Ion Chromatography for anions. Like soils developed over tailings, significant levels of metals and sulphates were found in the mine waste waters ranging of 0.2~0.3, 0.5~2.0, 0.2~2.8, 30~50 and 1,240~4,700 mg/l of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and $SO_4^{2-}$, respectively. These elevated levels influenced in the stream waters in the vicinity of the tailings site. In seasonal variation of metal and anion contents, relatively high levels were found in waters sampled on summer due to leaching the metals and anions from tailings by rain. This study also examined the possibility of lime treatment for remediation of acid mine tailings and assumed to be 46 tones of pulverized lime for neutralization of the tailings.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.221-243
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• 2018

Utilization of mine waste rocks and tailings in concrete as aggregates will help in sustainable and greener development. The literature shows the potential use of iron ore tailings as a replacement of natural fine aggregates. As natural sand reserves are depleting day by day, there is a need for substitution for sand in concrete. A comprehensive overview of the published literature on the use of iron ore waste and tailings and other industrial waste in concrete is being presented. The effect of various properties such as workability, compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, durability and microstructure of concrete have been presented in this paper.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.383-392
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• 2019

How to safely and economically dispose mining tailings is a challenge to mine operators. This paper presents an alternative upstream method for tailings dam construction, termed as the template construction method (TCM), which has been successfully implemented at Zhelamuqing tailings impoundment since 2004. By the beginning of 2015, the tailings dam wall had reached 95 m in height for the 46 upstream raises, with the total height of the dam including the starter dyke being 128 m. The proposed TCM is relatively simple and cost-effective and provides a good way for constructing rapidly raising tailings dam based on this case.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.23-31
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• 2016

It was found that there was no problem in recycling by-products (waste rock and tailings) from Yangyang iron mine themselves through matter conversion because they are not hazardous according to results of KSLT method. In case of using tailings as sub-materials of cement, it recommended the use of less than 3% tailings dosage not to exceed 0.6% of total alkali ($R_2O$) content based on standard quality of portland cement (KS L 5201). Non sintered eco-brick corresponding to class 1 quality of recycled clay brick (KS I 3013) can replace 15% of cement with tailings and 100% of general fine aggregate with waste rock from iron mine. As mentioned above, recycling the by-products (waste rock and tailings) as sub-materials of cement and non sintered eco-brick could gain both environmental and economic benefits, that is, reduction of scale and maintenance cost of tailing ponds, decrease of energy use and $CO_2$ emission.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 2004

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of geochemical approaches for investigating and assessing heavy metal contamination in abandoned mine sites. Major sources of contaminants at the abandoned mine sites are mine water, waste rocks, tailings, and chemicals used in beneficiation and mineral processing. Soil, sediment, surface and ground water, and ecological system can be contaminated by heavy metals, which are transported due to erosion of mine waste piles, discharge of acid mine drainage and processed water, and dispersion of dust from waste rocks and tailings. The abandoned mine sites should be characterized using various methods including chemical analysis, mineralogical analysis, acid generation prediction tests, leaching/extraction tests, and field tests. Potential and practical environmental impacts from the abandoned mines should be assessed based on the site characterization.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.411-429
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• 2018

Daeyoung mine (also called "Daema mine") produced gold and silver from mainly gold- and silver-bearing quartz veins. The mine tailings are a waste hazard, but most of the tailings were swept away or dispersed throughout the area around the mine long before the tailing dump areas were transformed into agricultural land. Soil liner and protection facilities, such as retaining walls, were constructed in the mine area to prevent the loss of tailings. The content of the tailings is 3,424.41~3,803.61 mg/kg, which exceeds the safety standard by a factor of 45. In addition, contamination was detected near agricultural areas and in the sediments in downstream drainage channels. A high level of As contamination was concentrated near the waste tailings yard; comparaable levels were detected in agricultural areas close to streams that ran through the waste dump yard, whereas the levels were much lower in areas far from the streams. The contamination in stream sediments showed a gradual decrease with distance from the mine waste yard. Based on these contamination patterns, we concluded that there are two main paths that affect the spread of contaminants: (1) loss of mine waste, and (2) the introduction of mine waste into agricultural areas by floods after transportation by streams. The agricultural areas contaminated by mass inflow of mine waste can act as contamination sources themselves, affecting other agricultural areas through the diffusion of contaminants. At present, although the measured effect in minimal, sediments in streams are contaminated by exposed mine waste and surface liners. It is possible for contaminants to diffuse or spread into nearby areas if heavy elements trapped in soil grains in contaminated agricultural areas leach out as soil solution or contaminant particles during diffusion into the water supply.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.781-792
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• 2020

Mine tailings, which are inevitably formed by the development of manganese nodules, manganese crusts, and hydrothermal seafloor deposits, have attracted attention because of their quantity and potential toxicity. However, there is a lack of data on the quantity of mine tailings being generated, their physicochemical properties, and their effects as environmental hazards and on marine ecosystems in general. The importance of treating mine tailings in an environmentally friendly manner has been recognized recently and related reduction/treatment methods are being considered. In the case of deep-sea mineral resource development, if mine tailings cannot be treated aboard a ship, the issue becomes one of the cost of transporting them to land and solving the problem of environmental pollution there. Therefore, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology conducted research on the harmfulness of mine tailings, their effect on marine ecosystem, the diffusion model of contaminated particles, and candidate purification treatment technologies based on five representative controlling factors: 1) effects of pollution /on the environment, 2) effects of environmental/ biological hazards, 3) diffusion of particles, 4) mineral dressings, and 5) reducing/processing mine tailings. The results of this study can provide a basis for minimizing environmental problems by providing scientific evidences of the environmental effects of mine tailings. In addition, it is also expected that these results could be applied to the treatment of pollutants of different origins and at land-based mining waste sites.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.16 no.3 s.81
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• pp.383-390
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• 2004

This study has focused on the possibility for recycling tailings from the Sangdong tungsten mine as admixture for concrete. The XRD(X-ray diffraction analysis) and PSA(Particle size analysis) were performed to find mineralogical characteristics. As a result of XRD analysis, the tailings from the Sangdong tungsten fine were composed of quartz, chlorite, anorthite and cordierite etc. As a result of KSLT for cement mortar mixed with tailings from the Sangdong tungsten mine, most of heavy metals were determined as below the guide line for waste material. In addition, the setting time and compressive strength of cement mortar mixed with tailings from the Sangdong tungsten mine were investigated. It was indicated that the initial and final set were retarded according to increasing replacement of tailings from the Sangdong tungsten mine. The compressive strength of mortar was decreased with increasing replacement of failings from the Sangdong tungsten mine.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.781-786
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• 2003

This study has focused on the possibility for recycling tailings from the Sangdong tungsten mine as admixture for concrete. The XRD(X-ray diffraction analysis) and PSA(Particle size analysis) were performed to find mineralogical characteristics. As a result of XRD analysis, the tailings were composed of quartz, feldspars and muscovites, and C-S-H and quartz were found in cement mortar. As a result of KSLT for cement mortar mixed with tailings, most of heavy metals were determined as below the guide line for waste material. In addition, the setting time and compressive strength of cement mortar mixed with tailings were investigated. It was indicated that the initial and final set were retarded according to increasing replacement. The compressive strength of mortar was decreased with increasing replacement.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2000

Development of an effective liner by utilization of the tailings frm the Imcheon mine and polymer has been tried. The tailings piled in the Imcheon mine, whose true specific gravity is about 2.86, are composed mainly of quartz, alkali-feldspar, muscovite and pyrite, and mostly (93.7% in volume) coarser than sand grain size (50${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$). Strength, leaching and permeability tests have been performed on the test specimens of polymer concrete manufactured with various mixing proportions of tailings, unsaturated polyester resins(UPR), calcium carbonates, stone powder sludges and granite soils. Polymer concrete specimens with stone powder sludges or granite soils as fillers and aggregates indicate 2.5 to 3 fold higher flexural and compressive strengths and lower permeabilities than those with calcium carbonates, which shows their usability as a waterproof liner. Also, the polymer concrete liner with stone powder sludge fillers is more advisable in aspects of utilization of waste sludges than that with other fillers.