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2026 Vol.63, Issue 3

Research Paper

Pilot-Scale Evaluation of a Modular Acid Mine Drainage Treatment System Using Filtration-Separation Processes

여과분리공정을 적용한 모듈형 산성광산배수 처리시스템의 파일럿 규모 평가

Dong Kwan Kim12
,
Mun Ho Jung1
,
Seung Ho Lee13
,
In Jae Yang1
,
Won Hyun Ji4*
김 동관12
,
정 문호1
,
이 승호13
,
양 인재1
,
지 원현4*
1Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation (KOMIR), Wonju, Korea
2Department of Environmental Engineering, Hoseo University, Asan, Korea
3Department of New Energy and Mining Engineering, Sangji University, Wonju, Korea
4Department of General Education for Human Creativity, Hoseo University, Asan, Korea
1한국광해광업공단
2호서대학교 일반대학원 환경공학과
3상지대학교 일반대학원 에너지자원환경공학과
4호서대학교 창의교양학부
*Corresponding Author
30 June 2026. pp. 277-285
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Abstract

In Korea, acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned mines is often generated in mountainous areas where conventional sedimentation facilities are limited. In this study, we developed a modular AMD treatment system using rake- and belt-type filtration processes as alternatives to sedimentation and evaluated its performance at the WR mine in Gangneung. A pilot-scale system with a treatment capacity of 30 m3/d was operated under field conditions and compared with a conventional aeration–neutralization–settling process. All systems achieved removal efficiencies above 99% for Fe2+ and total Fe and above 94% for Al, while Mn removal ranged from 47% to 67%. The sludge water content of the rake filter, belt filter, and settling tank was 95.0%, 99.0%, and 98.8%, respectively. Economic analysis showed that the filtration-based system reduced the required area, construction costs, and annual operating costs by 18.6%, 30.4%, and 10.3%, respectively, demonstrating its feasibility for AMD treatment in land-constrained mining areas.

Keywords
acid mine drainage (AMD)
filtration separation
rake-type filter
belt-type filter
modular treatment system

국내 폐광산에서 발생하는 산성광산배수(AMD)는 대부분 산악지형에서 발생하여, 원형침전조 설치를 위한 부지 확보에 어려움이 있다. 본 연구에서는 침전공정을 레이크 여과기 및 벨트형 여과기로 대체하는 모듈형 여과분리 시스템을 개발하고, 강릉시 소재 폐광산의 갱내수를 대상으로 30 m3/d 규모의 파일럿 실증을 수행하였다. 레이크 및 벨트형 여과공정과 기존 산화중화-침전 공정의 처리 성능을 비교한 결과, 3가지 공정 모두 주요 오염원인 Fe와 Al에 대해 99%, 94% 이상의 높은 제거율을 달성하여 침전공정 대체 가능성을 확인하였다. 슬러지 함수율은 레이크 95.0%, 벨트형 99.0%, 원형침전조 98.8%로 나타났으며, 경제성 분석 결과 모듈형 여과분리 시스템이 기존 대비 부지 조성면적 18.6%, 시설 설치비 30.4%, 연간 운영비 10.3%의 절감 효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구는 파일럿 규모 평가를 통해 AMD 처리공정에서 기존 원형침전조를 여과·분리 공정으로 대체할 수 있는 적용성을 검증하였으며, 처리효율을 유지하면서 시설면적과 설치비·운영비를 절감할 수 있음을 확인하였다.

키워드
산성광산배수
여과분리
레이크 여과기
벨트형 여과기
모듈형 여과분리 시스템
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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 : 63
  • No :3
  • Pages :277-285
  • Received Date : 2026-06-16
  • Revised Date : 2026-06-23
  • Accepted Date : 2026-06-23
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.32390/ksmer.2026.63.3.277
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