Mining Concessions Research Articles

Patterns of infringement, risk, and impact driven by coal mining permits in Indonesia

Coal mining is known for its contributions to climate change, but its impacts on the environment and human lives near mine sites are less widely recognised. This study integrates remote sensing, GIS, stakeholder interviews and extensive review of provincial data and documents to identify patterns of infringement, risk and impact driven by coal mining expansion across East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Specifically, we map and analyse patterns of mining concessions, land clearing, water cover, human settlement, and safety risks, and link them with mining governance and regulatory infractions related to coal mining permits. We show that excessive, improper permit granting and insufficient monitoring and oversight have led to deforestation, widespread overlaps of concessions with settlements, extensive boundary and regulatory violations, lacking reclamation, and numerous deaths. As the world’s largest thermal coal exporter, Indonesia’s elevated coal infringements, risks, and impacts translate to supply chain, sustainability, and human rights concerns for global coal markets.

Comparative Analysis of Actual Conditions and Results of Technical Calculations Using Gumbell Method in Mine Dewatering System: A Case Study on Calculation of Rainfall and Runoff Water Discharge

This research was conducted at PT. Antareja Mahada Makmur on the mining concession owned by PT. Multi Harapan Utama which is located in Sungai Payang Village, Loa Kulu District, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan Province. The rainfall data used is for 10 years (2012-2021) which comes from the Dewatering Mining Engineering Department. Data analysis was performed by statistically calculating rainfall data using the Gumbell method to obtain the planned rainfall value. Then the calculation of runoff water discharge is carried out to analyze the existing mine drainage system by comparing the actual conditions and the results of technical calculations. Based on the results of the research for rainfall data for 2012 – 2021, Gumbell's calculations plan to collect rainfall of 94.23 mm/day, rainfall intensity of 14.74 mm/hour with a return period of 5 years and a hydrological risk of 89.26%. The total for the Gumbell method runoff discharge is obtained for runoff water entering the Sump 90 Besar of 2.19 m3/second, runoff water entering the Sump 90 Lorong of 3.03 m3/second, and for water discharge runoff that goes into Sump 100 is 3.68 m3/second. The three open channels in the form of trapezoids and culverts have met the theoretical calculation dimensions, with dimensions that are still able to accommodate and drain runoff water discharge. For three dimensions of the actual sump that is currently smaller than the theoretical calculation of the well volume, the sump capacity calculation obtained a recommended sump volume of 47,045 m3 for a 100 sump, for a sump 90 lorong of 43,012 m3, and for a sump 90 besar of 40,635 m3, with recommended dimension improvements. The operating speed of the pump needs to be increased for the Multiflow MF - 420 pump on a sump 90 lorong from 1159 m3/hour to 1224 m3/hour with an efficiency of 65%, Multiflow MF - 420 pump on a sump 90 besar from 1123 m3/hour to 1269 m3/hour with an efficiency of 70 %, for the Multiflow MF - 420 pump at sump 100 from 1282 m3/hour to 1584 m3/hour with an efficiency of 65%.

ESTIMASI CADANGAN KARBON PADA TANAH BEKAS TAMBANG EMAS DI KABUPATEN DHARMASRAYA, SUMATERA BARAT

Climate change, deforestation, and substantial loss of agricultural land within gold mining concessions in Dharmasraya greatly affect soil carbon stocks (Cs). This study used a survey method with purposive random sampling based on variations in ex-gold mining areas in each region, at depths of 0-20 and 20-40 cm with three to five replicates with a total of 54 samples. The estimation of Cs in ex-gold mining soil was highest at a depth of 20-40 cm (5.89E2), compared to a depth of 0-20 cm (1.38E2), where bulk density (BD), soil organic carbon (SOC), and total Hg in ex-gold mining soil at a depth of 0-20 and 20-40 cm were 1.46 and 1.39 g cm-3; 0.03 and 0.05%; 4.11 and 4.25 mg kg-1, respectively. The Cs in ex-gold mining soil at a depth of 0-20 cm is very significant by BD (r=-0.522** or Cs=-628.03(BD)+1055.1; R²=0.275) and SOC (r=0.948** or Cs=4896.8(SOC)-6.4673; R²=0.8996) and total Hg (r=0.518** or Cs=81.373(Hg)-196.43; R²=0.2688). However, at a depth of 20-40 cm, it was very significant by SOC (r=0.836** or Cs=16666(SOC)-196.03; R²=0.699).

Navigating access to golden lands: Gender roles and constraints of women in artisanal and small‐scale mining operations in north‐western Ghana

AbstractThe daily lives of female artisanal and small‐scale miners revolve around an array of complex and labour‐driven activities. The complexities and labour demands vary depending on the type of artisanal and small‐scale mining involved, the underground pit (ghetto) or surface mining. Few studies have explored how gender roles manifest in the two major mining types to inform policy on the creation of a gendered mining environment for women. This paper fills the lacuna in the literature by investigating gender roles and the consequential effects on female artisanal miners' daily lives and practices along the underground pit and surface mining. The liberal feminist theoretical lens is employed as a framework. Data were sourced through field observations and in‐depth interviews with 13 lead miners (men) and 67 female miners in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Findings show that sociocultural marginalisation of women is predominant in underground pit/ghetto mining. Women are content to work in surface mining operations and can form gangs to operate independently; nevertheless, sociocultural framings have limited women's space and access to mineralised concessions. The study argues that steps towards promoting gender equality in artisanal and small‐scale mining should explore a gendered mineralised concessions distribution; thus, the distribution of mining concessions under the community mining project by the government of Ghana should be gender‐sensitive.

ANALISIS PERUBAHAN TUTUPAN LAHAN DI HUTAN LINDUNG NGGALAK REGO PASCA KONSESI PERTAMBANGAN DI KECAMATAN REOK KABUPATEN MANGGARAI PROVINSI NUSA TENGGARA TIMUR

The mining concession in the Protected Forest Area that occurred in 1994 resulted in forest ecological damage. The damage occurs by dismantling trees and soil to take the manganese in them. This research was conducted in the Nnggalak Rego RTK 103 Protected Forest Area, Reok District, Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province with the aim of the research being to explain changes in land cover before and after mining in the Protected Forest Area. Data analysis used in this study is a quantitative analysis that utilizes remote sensing data using satellite imagery interpretation techniques. The method used in this research is OBIS (Object Based Image Segmentation) were analyzed to determine the area of ​​land cover in 1992, 2002, 2012 and 2022 as well as changes in land cover from 1992 to 2022 in mining concession areas. The results showed that there were changes in the area of ​​protected forest in 2002, 2012 and 2022. In 1992 the mining class was 0 Ha, the mining concession entered in 1994 the forest area changed, and in 2002 the mining class was 22.14 Ha or 3.87% , in 2012 61.69 Ha or 10.78%, in 2022, 15.45 Ha or 2.70%. The cessation of mining activities in 2013 to 2022 will result in a change in land cover class, namely the dense forest class will experience an increase in area due to succession and climate that occurs in the Manggarai district. Efforts to restore protected forests to their main function, it is suggested that reclamation and rehabilitation of post-mining land should be carried out.

Analyzing a deadly confrontation to understand the roots of conflict in artisanal and small-scale mining: A case study from Arequipa, Peru

Conflicts around large-scale mining are common and widely researched, but artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) features sparingly in the mining conflict literature, despite the prevalence of ASM conflicts. This paper examines ASM conflicts, focusing on a central case study from Arequipa, Peru, where violence between rival ASM groups and a mining company resulted in 15 deaths between 2020 and 2022. We leverage this extraordinary case to illuminate underlying issues. The central research question is: what structural factors around ASM in Peru set the stage for disputes, conflicts, and violence? We focus on three factors, concluding that (1) ASM's near-exclusion from owning mining concessions leads to informal arrangements and/or unauthorized access that catalyse many conflicts; (2) formalization models for ASM have done little to resolve access disputes, instead muddying the waters; and (3) multifaceted state weakness in relation to ASM contributes to perpetuation of might-makes-right dynamics. The research focuses on a single conflict from southern Peru, but the insights derived hold relevance throughout Peru and in other countries with significant ASM sectors and associated conflicts.

Impacts of Fines at Morupule Coal Mine, Botswana

Morupule Coal Mine (MCM) classifies fines as coal particles that are less than 3.35 mm in size. Fines are one of the problems MCM is facing and have occasionally led to penalties from some customers. This paper quantifies the fines generated in MCM from the working face to the run-of-mine stockpile and its economic and environmental impacts. Data about the wash plant's production losses were collected through an examination of missed deadlines, stoppages due to tail-end blockages, and conveyor belt breakdowns using company reports. Data on coal dust concentrations were obtained from the mine. It was found that the overall haulage system generates about 27% of the fines of the coal produced monthly. The total monetary loss per shift from production and the wash plant is BWP 418,285. Coal dust concentration underground is kept within acceptable limits due to strict engineering control measures while it exceeds the required levels on the surface and is difficult to control as it is exposed to the atmosphere. As a result, the vegetation around the mining concession is affected by coal dust.
 
 Fine generation; Dust production; Coal degeneration; Economic impact; environmental impact.

Environmental valuation of raya lati petangis park using the travel cost method in Paser District, East Kalimantan

The Lati Petangis Forest Park is a forest area that was previously a mining concession area of PT BHP Kendilo Coal which has ended its operations and was later developed into a tourism area. The purpose of this study was to determine the aspects that influence the level of visits to the Lati Petangis Grand Forest Park, Paser Regency, East Kalimantan and to analyze the Willingness to Pay (WTP) value of the Lati Petangis Grand Forest Park. The method used is the Travel Cost Method and Consumer Surplus. The results of the calculation of the environmental valuation of Nature Tourism Forest Park Raya Lati Petangis, Batu Engau District, Paser Regency, East Kalimantan using the Travel Cost Method can be concluded that the average WTP value is known to be Rp. 247,959, so that the economic value of the Lati Petangis Grand Forest Park is Rp. Rp. 725,614,497.06 per year, the consumer surplus value is Rp. Rp. 1,820,671,342.3. From the regression analysis it was found that the independent variables in the form of travel costs (X1), Age (X2), Education (X3), Income Level (X4), Cleanliness Quality (X5), and Visitor Satisfaction Level (X6) have a significant effect on the economic value of Tahura Lati Petangis which can be characterized by the high number of visits.

Una ecología política de minería indígena responsable: Dilemas, disputas y desafíos en la comunidad Shuar de Congüime de la Amazonía ecuatoriana

Desde 2016, la comunidad indígena Shuar de Congüime en la Amazonía ecuatoriana tiene la concesión para extraer oro en su territorio mediante su empresa comunitaria Exploken Minera. Con su misión de una minería socio-ecológicamente responsable, invirtiendo los ingresos en la comunidad y sin usar químicos o metales pesados, este modelo único se contrasta con la extracción minera transnacional e ilegal en territorios indígenas. Con inspiración teórica y metodológica de la ecología política, justicia ambiental y el post-desarrollo, así como la conceptualización de utopías reales, este estudio etnográfico trata de las experiencias de gobernanza y justicia socioambiental de la empresa comunitaria y los dilemas, disputas y desafíos que emergen en la comunidad con esta nueva situación. El resultado indica que varios desafíos estructurales siguen sin resolverse. Si bien las experiencias de responsabilidad socioecológica de Exploken constituyen una opción ante el extractivismo destructivo y considerando la mejora de las condiciones de vida de muchas familias Shuar, surgieron nuevas tensiones sociales en Congüime, incluso transformaciones de las estructuras de poder social

Assessment of the impact of blasting operations on the riparian environment of the Sangarédi bauxite mine (CBG mining concession)

Assessment of the impact of blasting operations on the riparian environment of the Sangarédi bauxite mine (CBG mining concession)

Struggles over Resource Decentralisation: Legislative Reform, Corporate Resistance and Canadian Aid Partnerships in Burkina Faso

In attempting to counter the various negative correlations associated with the mining–development nexus in the global South (for example, the ‘resource curse’ or ‘enclave economies’), the global mining sector experienced a mushrooming of ethical norms, practices and policies during the past three decades, many of them intended to strengthen local communities. In addition to the launch of various initiatives from the corporate world (ranging from multi-stakeholder partnerships on the global level to corporate social responsibility programmes in mining concessions), a number of West African countries have reformed their liberal mining legislation in recent years, thereby introducing new mechanisms for a more just local redistribution of mining revenues. In this spirit, the mining code of Burkina Faso, reformed in 2015, provides the implementation of a Mining Fund for Local Development (FMDL) to which multinational corporations are legally required to contribute 1 per cent of their national turnover (before tax). This chapter investigates multi-scalar policies for decentralised mining revenue allocation in and around Burkina Faso’s gold mining sector by engaging with and contributing to debates in post-structural geography and political ecology. It explores how ‘resource decentralisation’ became a priority of both the national government and of Canadian aid projects in Burkina Faso, while facing political resistance from mining companies. I argue that struggles for local profits from mining transcend specific scales (‘the global’, ‘the national’, or ‘the local’) in resource governance and focus either on promoting the various voluntary engagements of the corporate world or on calling for the state-centred enforcement of legal requirements. In Burkina Faso’s mining areas this has ambivalent outcomes: It leads to a reshuffling of responsibility for the (re-)distribution of mining revenues from corporate agents to municipal decision makers, on the one hand. On the other, it serves to engineer (potential) community unrest, and thus to eventually make large-scale mining feasible in the first place.

Forest and tree species distribution on the ultramafic substrates of New Caledonia

ABSTRACT About a third of New Caledonia is covered with ultramafic soils (UM) which hosts a rich flora (endemism > 85%) threatened by mining activities. This combination makes the ultramafic vegetation a floristic hotspot within a biodiversity hotspot. UM soils are distributed from sea level to 1618 m elevation with about two-thirds forming a large continuous unit while the remaining forms numerous relatively small isolated units. Here, we provide a synthesis of the distribution of forest and tree species across 22 UM units. We compiled an extensive tree occurrence dataset (109,896 occurrences and 1,065 species) and a new expert-based forest map at a 1:3000 spatial resolution. Only 10% of these species represented more than 50% of the occurrences, while 10% of the species had only one or two occurrences. A quarter of the UM area did not contain any occurrences, and we estimated that on average a quarter of the species remained to be inventoried in the 22 units. Forest covers about one-third of the UM areas with forest coverage ranging from 1.7% to 72.3% in the different UM units. Forest coverage increased from 14.6% on sea level to 93.3% at 1,200 m of elevation. About 30% of the forest and 90% of the species were located within mining concessions, while 14.5% and 73%, respectively, were located within protected areas. We recommend setting up new protected areas on ultramafic substrate, specially in the Northern province, to protect more forest and the diversity it harbours.

Study of certain technical aspects of the rehabilitation of bauxite mining sites operated at the Sangarédi mine (Parawi deposit, Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée mining concession; CBG)

The fatal consequences of open-cast mining are first and foremost the considerable degradation of the earth's surface. Soil disturbed during mining operations must be rehabilitated in line with the progress of the extraction work, to promote environmental protection. Restored areas contribute to the oxygen balance, rainfall and soil regeneration. The aim of this work is to highlight the development techniques used in areas affected by mining operations. To carry out this research work, we used technical restoration, which consists of rehabilitating disturbed soils with a view to their subsequent use for the needs of the population, and biological restoration, which consists of implementing appropriate measures to protect the environment and allow flora and fauna to flourish. This includes creating a fertile layer after logging, developing nurseries and seedlings, transplanting and protecting wooded areas. For forest and fruit restoration in our study area, we have planned: 395,760 cashew seedlings because of their resistance to unfavorable climatic conditions and 168,375 acacia seedlings for firewood, charcoal, furniture and construction. Mine rehabilitation is a more complex discipline, involving the use of native plants to mimic the natural ecosystem, rather than simple revegetation actions. In general, complete reclamation is impossible, but careful restoration and rehabilitation can create a favorable ecosystem.

The influence of land cover variation on soil erosion vulnerability around coal mining concession areas in South Borneo

The availability of information about soil erosion vulnerability is necessary as a primary consideration to determine the effort of soil conservation, particularly in the coal mining area. This study aimed to estimate the potential risk of soil erosion from land cover variation in a coal mining concession site in South Borneo. Data were taken from 18 stations of soil erosion monitoring which were evenly distributed in each land cover. Soil erosion vulnerability was quantified using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) method. The comparison mean of soil erosion among land cover types was evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test and followed by the Nemenyi test with a significant level of 5%. Results found that the potential risk of soil erosion was significantly different among land covers (p<0.05). The highest soil erosion vulnerability was noted in the reclamation area of 1,012.3 t ha<sup>-1</sup> year<sup>-1,</sup> while the lowest risk of soil erosion was observed in plantation forests of 47.9 t ha<sup>-1</sup> year<sup>-1</sup>. Surprisingly, the potential risk of soil erosion in natural forests was four times higher than in oil palm plantations. Besides being located in hilly areas with high slope levels, the vegetation density in natural forests was relatively low. However, our study recorded there were two critical factors that highly correlated to soil erosion vulnerability, i.e., soil erodibility (R = 0.89; p<0.05) and slope length and steepness (R = 0.85; p<0.05).

Mapeamento de ecossistemas de canga ameaçados no Cerrado brasileiro utilizando deep learning segmentação U-Net e imagens Sentinel-2: um primeiro passo para o planejamento de conservação

Abstract Canga ecosystems are iron-rich habitats and pose a challenge for conservation and environmental governance in Brazil. They support high levels of biodiversity and endemism and, at the same time, have suffered intense losses and degradation due to large-scale iron ore mining. The Peixe Bravo River Valley in the Brazilian savanna is one of the last natural canga areas that has yet to face the irreversible impacts of mining. However, there are vast gaps in data on the vegetation cover, location, spatial distribution, and area of occurrence of this ecosystem. Therefore, more information is needed on the appropriate scale, without which it is difficult to establish conservation planning and strategies to prevent, mitigate or compensate for impacts on canga ecosystems. In this study, we provide the first map of canga ecosystems in Brazil using the U-Net deep learning model and Sentinel-2 images. In addition, we estimate the degree of direct threat faced by ecosystems due to the spatial overlap of the mapped cangas and the location of mining concession areas for iron ore exploitation. The deep learning algorithm identified and segmented 762 canga patches (overall accuracy of 98.5%) in an area of 30,000 ha in the Peixe Bravo River Valley, demonstrating the high predictive power of the mapping approach. We conclude that the direct threat to canga ecosystems is high since 99.6% of the observed canga patches are included in mining concession areas. We also highlight that the knowledge acquired about the distribution of cangas through the application of an effective method of artificial intelligence and the use of open-source satellite images is especially important for supporting conservation strategies and environmental public policies.

ОЦІНКА РОЗВИТКУ ДЕФОРМАЦІЙ ЗЕМНОЇ ПОВЕРХНІ НА ШАХТНОМУ ПОЛІ СТЕБНИЦЬКОГО КАЛІЙНОГО РОДОВИЩА ЗА ДАНИМИ ГІДРОГЕОЛОГІЧНОГО МОНІТОРИНГУ

The paper presents the data generalization of the observations of hydrogeological monitoring of mining sites on the dynamics of groundwater level. The processing of hydro-regime studies conducted in 2009-2021 in the area of the mine bypass of the № 2 pit was carried out. Hydrogeological sections reflecting changes in water levels over time were prepared. The most important factor in the lowering of the ground surface is salt karst development. The evaluation of the intensity of karst collapse processes was based on the interpretation of the results of the dynamics of the subsurface water level. The site network consists of more than 30 observation wells drilled into suprasaline and Quaternary aquifers. The main causes of deformation of the salt rock massif and the earth's surface have been identified. These are a decrease in the geomechanical strength of the rock due to its hydration and subsequent subsidence under the geostatic load of the overlying rock, and subsidence of the clay layer covering the salt rock due to the karst process. Based on the observed data, hydrogeologically oriented spatial zoning of the mining concession was performed. As a result of the development of a complex depression in the area of influence of the karst drainage, a drop in the water level in the gypsum-clay horizons was observed over the entire area in 2009-2019. The depression funnel runs in a northwesterly direction, indicating the development of a karst channel in the salts. Significant inflow of suprasaline water in the southwestern and central parts of the mine field combined with intense karstification of the salt massif and gypsum-clay cap deposits within the depression funnel resulted in significant deformation of the earth's surface, formation of karst funnels, and technogenic and ecological threats to critical infrastructure objects. To prevent a man-made ecological catastrophe, it is urgent to develop a scientific rationale for the maximum permissible changes in the environmental parameters of the man-made geological system of the № 2 mine of the Stebnytsky potash deposit during the post-mining phase.

Litigating Indigenous Rights in Mexico: The Juba Wajiín in San Miguel del Progreso Case

In June 2017, the Júba Wajiín were the first Mexican indigenous peoples to reverse a decision by the Ministry of Finance, which had authorized the granting of approximately 80% of their territory to mining concessions. This significant victory of the Júba Wajiín was achieved in a Mexican court. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness about the struggle of the Júba Wajiín, an indigenous Me’phaa people in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. The article will analyze how the community organized itself socially and legally to protect its rights before courts, concluding with some possible lessons of this case for other Indigenous Peoples in Mexico and Latin America.

Articulating sedimented subjectivities: Extractive subject formation in eastern DRC

In this contribution, we examine how people living around industrial gold mining concessions in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) view themselves in relation to the extractive industries. We apply Hall’s notion of articulation to grasp the layering of extractive subject formation in time and space, or what we call the “sedimentation of subjectivities”. The lens of articulation allows for a better understanding of how people engage with the subject positions they are interpellated into. Specifically, it helps uncover how this engagement is imprinted by subjects’ socio-economic position and historically shaped forms of social identification. The notion of sedimentation, in turn, enables us to trace how the crystallization of subjectivities in one particular conjuncture influences subsequent processes of subject formation – a dynamic with distinct spatial dimensions. People’s sense of place, including how they relate to the soil and subsoil, is an important vector of these historical influences. In sum, the notion of sedimented subjectivities captures the spatio-temporal dimensions of subject formation over the longue durée. It therefore helps establish the enduring influence of “colonial residue” on contemporary subject formation. In addition, our approach sheds further light on the overall modest imprint of the governmental schemes of extractive corporations on extractive subject formation. We ascribe this to the heterogeneity and sedimentation of the elements that shape subject formation and the dispersed nature of processes of interpellation. These observations further underscore the pertinence of a spatio-temporal perspective on subject formation.

Indirect impacts of commercial gold mining on adjacent ecosystems

Mining is important for economic development in many tropical countries, but mining can have serious impacts on biodiversity, both directly through operations at extraction sites, and indirectly via wider social-economic development. However, mitigation efforts by large-scale mining operators focus almost exclusively on extraction sites. We provide a rare assessment of mining impacts on vegetation structure and biodiversity with increasing distance from three commercial gold mines of varying ages in Tanzania (0 years, 8 years, and 19 years since establishment).We show that mining is associated with impacts that manifest largely outside operational lease boundaries. At the two older mine sites, aboveground carbon and tree stem density are significantly higher within lease boundaries compared to outside, while there is no such effect at the new site. Further, tree stem density, aboveground carbon, and tree and butterfly species richness all decrease with increasing distance from extraction sites, with these effects again increasing with mine age. Frugivorous bird species richness is lower outside older mines, while abundance declines in frugivorous and granivorous birds are associated with declines in tree stem density, which may have implications for forest regeneration.These impacts result from new and expanding settlements around mining concessions between 2000 and 2019 and associated demand for timber and fuelwood. We recommend rigorous, integrated impact assessments and conservation planning in mining landscapes, to pre-empt the development of settlements and secondary industries around mining sites and so balance outcomes across the mining sector, natural resource-based and other livelihoods, and conservation agendas.

A comparison of soil characteristics from four land covers around a coal mining concession area in South Kalimantan

Understanding soil characteristics is important to determine the alternative strategies of land management, particularly those related to the scheme of soil and water conservation. This study investigated soil characteristics from four land covers around the coal mining concession area located in South Kalimantan. A soil survey was conducted using a purposive sampling method with three replicates in each land cover. Soil samples that were taken at depths of 0-10 cm, 11-20 cm, and 21-30 cm, were composited before being brought to the laboratory to quantify their characteristics, such as texture and organic carbon content. Data analysis was processed using a non-parametric test with a significant level of 5%. Comparison average of soil characteristics between land covers was evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test and followed by Nemenyi-test. Results found that soil characteristics from four land covers significantly differed in texture and organic carbon content. The highest sand fraction was noted in shrubs (67.23±0.86%), while the greatest silt fraction was recorded in plantation forests (29.71±2.84%). Compared to other land covers, the clay content in plantation forests and reclamation area was relatively equal by around 53-54%. On another side, The highest soil organic carbon was found in plantation forests with ranging of (4.44±0.14%) followed by natural forests (4.24±0.62%), shrubs (3.38±0.09%), and reclamation area (1.14±0.09%). These findings indicated there were high variations of soil characteristics from different land covers around the coal mining concession area. Therefore, it is recommended for managers to apply adaptive strategies in supporting soil conservation efforts based on the soil characteristics in each site.