Soil Issue in Mining

What is open pit mining?

• the process begins by removing topsoil and vegetation form the area

• it is suitable for extracting minerals that aren’t very bar below the surface

• lower operating costs due to straight forward extraction

What is underground mining?

• involves creating tunnels to access mineral deposits located deep beneath the earth’s surface

• suitable for mineral deposits located at greater depths

• More expensive due to complex infrastructure required

• it has a smaller environmental footprint on the surface making it a preferred choice in environmentally sensitive areas

What is open pit mining?

• the process begins by removing topsoil and vegetation form the area

• it is suitable for extracting minerals that aren’t very bar below the surface

• lower operating costs due to straight forward extraction

What is underground mining?

• involves creating tunnels to access mineral deposits located deep beneath the earth’s surface

• suitable for mineral deposits located at greater depths

• More expensive due to complex infrastructure required

• it has a smaller environmental footprint on the surface making it a preferred choice in environmentally sensitive areas

What are the negative impacts of mining?

1. soil degradation

2. sinkholes

3. deforestation

4. water pollution

5. effect on biodiversity and terrestrial organisms

6. waste material

Why is there mining regulations

they are dangerous

• mine openings

• deadly gases

• unsafe structures

• unstable explosives

• highwalls

Key Rehabilitation and Mine Closure Issues

1. Acid and Metalliferous Drainage

   • formed by the natural oxidation of sulfide minerals

2. Dispersive Materials

   • tunnel erosion that can lead to gully erosion

3. Mine pit lake

4. Radioactivity

   • uranium

What is rehabilitation?

is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed

What are the restoration practices?

1. ecological restoration

2. reclamation

3. rehabilitation

4. remediation

5. repurposing

6. revegetation

Define Ecological Restoration

Assisting in the recovery of an ecological system to the previous condition that it was as if degradation hasn’t occurred

Define Reclamation

Relates to the process of reconverting distributed land to its former to other productive uses

Define Rehabilitation

management actions that aim to reinstate a level of ecosystem productivity or functioning on degraded sites, where the goal is renewed and ongoing provision of ecosystem services

Define Remediation

Management actions that aim to remove degradation to achieve safe, stable and non polluting landscapes

Define Repurposing

The process of identifying a new use for a mine site, either in whole or in part that takes advantage of site characteristics to provide economic or social activity post-closure

Standards for Ecological Restoration Activities

• Planning

• Implementation

• Monitoring

• Evaluation

Stockpile

During mining soil is stored in stockpiles, ideally the topsoil and subsoil is separated. After mining stockpiled top and subsoil are replaced in pedological order

Direct Return

Direct return of topsoil avoids the need for stockpiling. Placing topsoil straight into a rehabilitation site

Erosion Types

Rain Splash Erosion- Soil washed away

Tunnel Erosion- water causes subsoil to disperse

Rill Erosion- Small channels up to 300mm formed

Gully Erosion- Eroding channels greater then 300mm

Erosion Control Measures

1. erosion control blanket

2. bonded fibre matrix

3. gypsum application on exposed sodic soils

Erosion control measures

1. gravelling and rock mix

2. mulching

3. surface roughening

Define monitoring

The gathering, analysis and interpretation of information for the assessment of the progress and completion of rehabilitation