Reclamation of Mine–impacted Land for Ecosystem Recovery

Mining activities significantly impact the environment; they generate huge quantities of spoil, promote deforestation and the loss of agricultural production, as well as releasing contaminants that result in the loss of valuable soil resources. These negative impacts are now being recognized and this book shows how corrective action can be taken.

The introduction of sustainable mining requires mitigation strategies that start during the mine planning stage and extend to after mineral extraction has ceased, and post–closure activities are being executed.

Reclamation of Mine–impacted Land for Ecosystem Recovery covers: methods of rejuvenation of mine wasteland including different practices of physical, chemical and ecological engineering methods; benefits of rejuvenation: stabilization of land surfaces; pollution control; aesthetic improvement; general amenity; plant productivity; and carbon sequestration as well as restoring biodiversity and ecosystem function; best management practices and feasible solutions to the impacts of mining which will reduce the pollution load by reducing the discharge rate and the pollutant concentration; reduce erosion and sedimentation problems, and result in improved abandoned mine lands; and ecosystem development.

The authors explain how mining impacts on soil properties and how soil carbon reserves/soil fertility can be restored when mining has ceased. Restoration involves a coordinated approach that recognizes the importance of key soil properties to enable re–vegetation to take place rapidly and ecosystems to be established in a low cost and sustainable way. 

This book s unique combination of the methods for reclamation technologies with policies and best practice worldwide will provide the background and the guidance needed by scientists, researchers and engineers engaged in land reclamation, as well as by industry managers.

Nimisha Tripathi is anAustralian Endeavour Fellow, working as a visiting academic at the University of Greenwich, UK. Her broad area of research includes restoration, microbial ecology of damaged terrestrial ecosystems and waste utilisation. She has worked as a Project Leader on the rejuvenation of contaminated mine wastelands and has carried out pioneering work in Australia on modified chitosan for soil remediation and carbon sequestration. Having good publishing records, she has won a number of national and international awards.

Raj S. Singh is Principal Scientist and Associate Professor at CSIR–Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad, India. He specializes in restoration ecology and has extensive research experience on restoration of alternate land uses and damaged ecosystems, remediation of contaminated wastelands, environmental impact assessment and management plans. His publication record is extensive and has given him international and national recognition, and awards – including the Commonwealth Fellowship, UK.

Colin D. Hills is Professor of Environment and Materials Engineering and the Director, Centre for Contaminated Land Remediation at the University of Greenwich, UK. He has an extensive research and publishing record on the treatment and valorisation of hazardous wastes and contaminated soils and has authored national guidance on stabilisation/solidification technology for the Environment Agency. His work has attracted international recognition, has won a number of national and regional awards and led to innovative treatments for the management of difficult wastes.