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Resources and Sustainable Materials
Published in Stanley E. Manahan, Environmental Chemistry, 2022
Because of past mining practices, surface mining got a well-deserved bad name. With strip mining, the common practice was to dump waste overburden in rather randomly constructed spoil banks consisting of poorly compacted, steeply sloped piles of finely divided material. The rock and soil on spoil banks was highly susceptible to erosion and physical and chemical weathering. No effort was made to replace topsoil on the surface of the spoil banks, and that which was there quickly eroded away, so that vegetation on these unsightly piles was sparse. Now, however, with modern reclamation practices, topsoil is first removed and stored to place on top of overburden that is replaced such that it has gentle slopes and proper drainage. Topsoil spread over the top of the replaced spoil, often carefully terraced to prevent erosion, is seeded with indigenous grass and other plants, fertilized, and watered, if necessary, to provide vegetation. The end result of carefully done mine reclamation projects is a well-vegetated area suitable for wildlife habitat, recreation, forestry, and other beneficial purposes.
Utilization of Coal Mine Waste in Vegetation
Published in Karra Ram Chandar, B. C. Gayana, P. Shubhananda Rao, Mine Waste Utilization, 2022
Chaitanya Vikas, Karra Ram Chandar
Mine reclamation and ecological restoration have become very important as a part of sustainable development strategy for the mining industry in many countries. Many case studies have been undertaken on mine reclamation addressing the soil fertility, structure, microbial populations, top soil management and nutrient cycling in order to retain the land to beneficial and as self-sustaining ecosystem.
Activities of Mining Enterprises for Repair of the Natural Environment in the Light of Applicable Legal Regulations
Published in Artur Dyczko, Andrzej M. Jagodziński, Gabriela Woźniak, Green Scenarios: Mining Industry Responses to Environmental Challenges of the Anthropocene Epoch, 2022
Edyta Sierka, Beata Pabiszczak
Ecological restoration and mine reclamation have become important parts of the sustainable development strategy in many countries. Good planning and environmental management will minimize the impacts of mining on the environment and will help in preserving eco-diversity (Rosa et al. 2020). The steps are taken to reduce the nuisance of areas transformed by mining activities and restore their ecological functions. A reconstruction planning framework for such regions should include an integrated analysis of the ecosystem services and socio-ecological system, provided to facilitate community involvement and deliver social benefits (Woźniak et al. 2018). Ecological restoration and mine reclamation have become important parts of the sustainable development strategy in many countries.
Comprehensive evaluation of land reclamation and utilisation schemes based on a modified VIKOR method for surface mines
Published in International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 2018
Wei Zhou, Wenying Yin, Xiaoqing Peng, Fuming Liu, Fei Yang
Reclaiming land damaged by mining is an important and challenging task. Depending on social needs and the natural local conditions of a surface mine, reclamation may be achieved through measures such as planting, forestry, grass plantation, construction or fishing industry. In the case of a surface mine, for example, the intermontane basin in which it is situated benefits the meteoric water supply and contributes to the growth of plants and animals in the area. Owing to the large population and shortage of arable land in China, abandoned mines are usually expected to be reclaimed as agricultural land. Meyer and Voll opined that land redistribution could help the rural poor and help to meet the growing need for agricultural land caused by the growing population [30,31]. Against this background, planting, forestry and grass plantation may be appropriate programmes for a surface mine. However, decision-makers need to consider how to choose the best scheme and how to address the related evaluation indexes.