Effects of Soil Nutrient Restoration Aging and Vegetation Recovery in Open Dumps of Cold and Arid Regions in Xinjiang, China

Zhongming Wu, Weidong Zhu, Haijun Guo, Yong Zhang, Chaoji Shen, Jing Guo, Ming Liu, Tuanwei Zhao, Hu Teng, Wanli Zhu, Yongfu Kang, Gensheng Li () and Weiming Guan ()
Additional contact information
Zhongming Wu: Collaborative Innovation Center of Green Mining and Ecological Restoration for Xinjiang Mineral Resources, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
Weidong Zhu: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Haijun Guo: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Yong Zhang: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Chaoji Shen: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Jing Guo: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Ming Liu: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Tuanwei Zhao: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Hu Teng: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Wanli Zhu: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Yongfu Kang: Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd., Turpan 838100, China
Gensheng Li: Collaborative Innovation Center of Green Mining and Ecological Restoration for Xinjiang Mineral Resources, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
Weiming Guan: Collaborative Innovation Center of Green Mining and Ecological Restoration for Xinjiang Mineral Resources, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-16

Abstract: Open-pit coal mining inevitably damages the soil and vegetation in mining areas. Currently, the restoration of cold and arid open-pit mines in Xinjiang, China, is still in the initial exploratory stage, especially the changes in soil nutrients in spoil dumps over time. Dynamic remote sensing monitoring of vegetation in mining areas and their correlation are relatively rare. Using the Heishan Open Pit in Xinjiang, China, as a case, soil samples were collected during different discharge periods to analyze the changes in soil nutrients and uncover the restoration mechanisms. Based on four Landsat images from 2018 to 2023, the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) and fractional vegetation cover (FVC) were obtained to evaluate the effect of mine restoration. Additionally, the correlation between vegetation changes and soil nutrients was analyzed. The results indicated that (i) the contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and organic matter (OM) in the soil increased with the duration of the restoration period. (ii) When the restoration time of the dump exceeds 5 years, N, P, K, and OM content is higher than that of the original surface-covered vegetation area. (iii) Notably, under the same restoration aging, the soil in the artificial mine restoration demonstration base had significantly higher contents of these nutrients compared to the soil naturally restored in the dump. (iv) Over the past five years, the RSEI and FVC in the Heishan Open Pit showed an overall upward trend. The slope remediation and mine restoration project significantly increased the RSEI and FVC values in the mining area. (v) Air humidity and surface temperature were identified as key natural factors affecting the RSEI and FVC in cold and arid open pit. The correlation coefficients between soil nutrient content and vegetation coverage were higher than 0.78, indicating a close and complementary relationship between the two. The above results can clarify the time–effect relationship between natural recovery and artificial restoration of spoil dumps in cold and arid mining areas in Xinjiang, further promoting the research and practice of mine restoration technology in cold and arid open pits.

Keywords: mine restoration; cold and arid open pit; open dump; RSEI; FVC (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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