Heavy Metals Contamination of Mine Soil, Their Risk Assessment, and Bioremediation

Abstract The objective of this paper is to review three subsubjects on heavy metals contamination in some mine soil in Korea, human risk assessment, and bioremediation of the mine sites. Heavy metals contamination in the areas of abandoned Au-Ag mines and base-metal mines were investigated, and the results of each mine site were compared. The concept of pollution index (PI) of soils gives important information on the extent and degree of multielements contamination, and can be applied to the evaluation of soils before their agricultural use and reclamation. Environmental geochemical surveys were undertaken around some abandoned metal mine areas to assess the risk of adverse health effects on human exposure to heavy metals influenced by previous mining activities. Some case histories on bioremediations are introduced to present their potential for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated field sites.