New Approach for Mining Site Reclamation Using Alternative Substrate Based on Phosphate Industry By-Product and Sludge Mixture

Yao Kohou Donatien Guéablé, Youssef Bezrhoud, Haitam Moulay, Lhoussaine Moughli, Mohamed Hafidi, Mohamed El Gharouss and Khalil El Mejahed
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Yao Kohou Donatien Guéablé: Agricultural Innovation and Technology Transfer Center (AITTC), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
Youssef Bezrhoud: Digital for Research (D4R), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
Haitam Moulay: Agricultural Innovation and Technology Transfer Center (AITTC), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
Lhoussaine Moughli: Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat 16000, Morocco
Mohamed Hafidi: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnologies, Agrosciences and Environment (BioMAgE), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
Mohamed El Gharouss: Agricultural Innovation and Technology Transfer Center (AITTC), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
Khalil El Mejahed: Agricultural Innovation and Technology Transfer Center (AITTC), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: Mining soils are generally characterized by soils having a coarse texture and low fertility, which makes revegetation a very difficult and delicate operation, especially in arid and semi-arid zones. The main objective of this work is to evaluate different substrates that can both contribute to the successful reclamation of phosphate mining soils and the valorization of phosphate by-product and sewage sludge. The study was carried out in pots under a greenhouse on Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum ). The experimental design is a randomized complete block with ten treatments, four repetitions from five substrates: phosphogypsum (PG), phosphate sludge (PS), sewage sludge (SS), topsoil from mining (TS) and phosphate waste rocks (PWR); this corresponds to soil after rock phosphate extraction. Nitrogen fertilization was applied to treatments after soil depletion in treatments not receiving sludge. An aerial biomass measurement and nutrient analysis were carried out for the three cuts. The results showed that a proportion of 65% of PG enriched the substrate in phosphorus by improving the crop yield. The addition of 5% of SS contributed to a significant improvement of ryegrass aerial biomass. In the absence of SS application, the addition of nitrogen is required to maintain crop growth. For large-scale application, TS can be mixed with PS, SS and PG for mine site reclamation.

Keywords: phosphate; mining site; reclamation; by-product; ryegrass (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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