Restoration Planning of Mining Wastelands

Abstract

Mining plays an important role in the economic development of a country. But the consequences of the mining can be seen in the form of degradation of soil, water, and native vegetation, which ultimately results in the disturbance of the local ecosystem. The ecological restoration of such disturbed ecosystems involves the reclamation of soil, conservation of water, erosion control, and re-vegetation of native vegetation. This can be achieved by improving the physical properties of soil, enhancing the nutrient status of soil, selecting appropriate plant species for re-vegetation, providing provision of irrigation facilities for re-vegetated mining wasteland, and so on. The present study was conducted in the Kota district of Rajasthan, where stone mining is one of the major industrial activities. The paper provides a scientific assessment of the existing vegetation of limestone mining wastelands through field surveys and physicochemical analysis of soil and water. Loss of natural vegetation and excessive stoniness of the substratum were major hurdles that restrict the easy recovery of vegetation on mining wastelands but there is almost no negative impact on the water quality. The study summarizes the holistic technology including the vegetational approach to the restoration of mining wastelands and puts forward some existing problems and their solutions.