Geochemical Elements in Tailings from Abandoned Metal Mines

Yo Seb Kwon; Inho Hwang; Jeong Wook Kim; Myung Chae Jung; Uikyu Choi

doi:10.32390/ksmer.2023.60.6.516

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2023 Vol.60, Issue 6 Preview Page Next Page

Technical Report

Geochemical Elements in Tailings from Abandoned Metal Mines 폐금속광산 광물찌꺼기의 지구화학적 원소 함량 평가

31 December 2023. pp. 516-528

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Abstract

A total of 30 tailings were sampled at abandoned metal mines, and 70 geochemical elements were analyzed. Among the alkali metals, lithium, rubidium, and cesium were detected in high concentrations, compared to the average content in the earth’s crust (CRC values), in the tailings from iron-tungsten mines. Among the boron group elements, all mines presented high concentrations of indium. Regarding high-melting-point metals, the vanadium in iron mines registered about a 12-times higher concentration than its CRC value, and relatively higher concentrations of molybdenum, tungsten, and manganese were found in the tailings from base metal mines. As for rare earth elements, while terbium, thulium, and ruthenium were detected in higher concentrations than the CRC values in some tailings, others had a generally low presence. Regarding metalloids, bismuth and antimony were contained in high concentrations in gold–silver as well as tungsten mines, compared to CRC values.

Keywords

abandoned metal mine

tailings

geochemical elements

rare metals

abundance of elements in Earth’s crust

본 연구에서는 국내 30개소의 폐금속광산에서 광물찌꺼기를 채취하여 70개 지구화학적 원소의 함량을 화학 분석하였다. 알칼리 금속 중 리튬(Li), 루비듐(Rb) 및 세슘(Cs)이 중석과 철을 생산한 광산의 광물찌꺼기에서 지각 내 평균 함유량 대비 높은 농도로 검출되었으며, 보론족 원소 중 인듐(In)은 모든 광종의 광물찌꺼기에서 높은 농도로 검출되었다. 고융점 금속 중 바나듐(V)은 철을 생산한 광물찌꺼기에서 지각 내 평균 함유량 보다 약 12배 높은 농도로 검출되었으며, 몰리브덴(Mo), 텅스텐(W), 망가니즈(Mn)은 중석광산, Base metal 광산에 많은 함유량으로 부존하였다. 희토류는 일부 시료에서 터븀(Tb), 튤륨(Tm) 및 루테늄(Lu)이 지각 내 평균 함유량 대비 높은 농도로 검출되었으나, 이외 항목의 함유량은 대체로 낮은 것으로 평가되었다. 준금속 중 비스무트(Bi)와 안티모니(Sb)가 일부 금, 은 및 중석을 생산한 광산의 광물찌꺼기에서 지각 내 평균 함량 대비 높은 농도가 검출되었다.

키워드

폐금속광산

광물찌꺼기

지구화학적 원소

희유금속

지각 내 원소 함유량

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Information

Publisher :The Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
Publisher(Ko) :한국자원공학회
Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
Journal Title(Ko) :한국자원공학회지
Volume : 60
No :6
Pages :516-528
Received Date : 2023-11-08
Revised Date : 2023-12-11
Accepted Date : 2023-12-27
DOI :https://doi.org/10.32390/ksmer.2023.60.6.516

Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers ISSN:2288-0291(Print) 2288-2790(Online) 한국자원공학회지

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