Evaluation Of Mining Wastes And Overburden For Reclamation Potential

The development of a successful restoration strategy for any drastically disturbed site is dependent upon a thorough understanding of the chemical properties of the spoils or mining wastes that need to be stabilized. The majority of revegetation research in the USA has been conducted on coal mining spoils and coal preparation wastes, and this paper will focus on these two materials and their modification for plant growth and water quality protection. Potential acidity derived from the oxidation of pyritic (FeS2) materials is the most important chemical factor that must be estimated and managed, but physical properties such as severe compaction or excessively low water holding capacity are also very limiting. Conventional soil fertility tests are very difficult to interpret for mine soils because of their tendency to extract elements from fresh, unweathered surfaces that are soluble in the extract, but not plant-available. A wide array of waste products such as sewage sludge biosolids and coal fly ash are readily available for use as mine soil amendments, but their utilization must be carefully matched against the needs of the post-mining plant community and their potential water quality impacts.