The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977 requires that mine operators reclaim mined land to achieve productivity levels equal to or greater than premined conditions. Presently, the standard for evaluating reforestation success is based solely on tree-seedling survival. This method is an estimator of stand density and not an indication of site productivity. There exists a need to evaluate mine soils based on their capability of growing merchantable timber. This model would aid the reclamation process by providing a means for assessing mine soils based on their quality and productivity. / Master of Science

Surface mining operations require a comparison of post-mining erosion rates with pre-mining soil loss to ascertain if remedial measures are needed. In this study the Universal Soil-Loss Equation (USLE) was modified to reflect conditions of western rangelands to develop a procedure for estimating pre-mining soil loss rates. The modification used back-calculation for the C-Factor and an adjusted R-Factor based on storm size. Soil loss simulation based on stochastic precipitation patterns is appropriate to the site--the La Plata mine area in northern New Mexico--and increases the flexibility of the USLE as a soil loss predictor for western rangelands.

Southwestern Indiana has numerous lakes developed in abandoned coal mine spoils which support recreational sports fisheries. Some lakes, due to exposure to acid mine drainage from coal wastes and pyritic spoils, are unsuitable habitats for fisheries development. This study examines a publicly owned acid mine lake with an area of approximately 51 ha, following reclamation and elimination of acid producing areas in its drainage basin. Fifteen physico-chemical sample collections were made over a thirteen month period (1991-1992). Parameters sampled included pH, total acidity, iron, manganese, and aluminum. Comparisons were made to historic pre-reclamation water quality data and to established models of acid mine lake recovery. Due to the local topography and exposure to prevailing winds, the lake was generally well mixed throughout the study. Virtually no summer stratification was found, but typical winter season stratification occurred. The water column was well oxygenated throughout the study. Secchi disk transparency varied from 2.5 m to clear to lake bottom (6 m). This study found no significant change in lake water pH (2.9-3.0 to 3.0-3.2 s.u.) since reclamation activities in 1988. However, changes in total acidity and total metal concentrations had occurred since reclamation which suggested that the lake was in early recovery stages. No trends in water quality improvement were determined which could assist in planning toward the eventual establishment of a sports fishery. / Department of Biology

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2008. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Feb. 26, 2009). Thesis advisor: Mark Littmann. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MScFor)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Namaqualand has a very unusual diversity of plant life, with many endemic plant species. The fundamental question of this thesis is how this system, damaged by strip-mining activities, can be rehabilitated. The aim was to base the rehabilitation methods on ecological processes. In order to answer this question an overview of the relevant literature was needed in order to identify possible research needs and also to evaluate the work that has been done in the field of strip-mine rehabilitation in arid areas. An understanding of community and ecosystem dynamics would help to establish aims and methods for site-specific rehabilitation. In Namaqualand, South Africa, there is also a need for experimentation to establish which of the many factors is most limiting to long-term ecosystem recovery. It is important to have a good knowledge of the successional processes and disturbance history of the land which needs to be rehabilitated. The vegetation on unmined areas and mined areas of different ages and treatments after mining, were sampled. It was shown that some areas could be expected to show a large degree of recovery in the space of a few years, whilst others would show little or no recovery over a period of decades. It is important to recognise rehabilitation as a gradual process that takes place at different rates in different areas and in different years. The planting of Atriplex nummularia and sowing of Atriplex semibaccata did not facilitate the return of indigenous, perennial species, but rather seem to inhibit their return. In view of the importance of topsoil in terms of the fertility of the soil and the seed bank present in the topsoil, the influence of topsoil removal and stockpiling due to strip-mining activities were tested. The soil fertility was tested by means of radish bioassays and soil laboratory analysis, whilst species diversity and richness were tested with seedling emergence trials. As expected a higher plant species diversity was found on the unmined soils and radishes grew larger on these soils. The topsoil deteriorated in terms of plant species richness, diversity and soil fertility whilst it was stockpiled. Direct replacement of topsoil would ensure a planting medium closer to the pre-disturbance level that could lead to fairly rapid and successful recolonization of the mined area. Successful plant recruitment also depends on the microsites to which seeds are dispersed. The effect that different microsites had on seed germination, seedling growth and survival was tested. It was found that micro catchments always yielded the highest numbers. The establishment and survival of seedlings in the other microsite types (under single shrubs, under clumped shrubs and in the open) varied, depending on the amount of rainfall received in the particular year. Lastly, I experimented with the translocation of three local, indigenous, succulent plant species. These plants were transplanted either in clumps of three together or alone, since I hypothesized that planting them together would facilitate their survival. However, it was found that it depended largely on the morphology of the plant and the amount of rainfall received in a particular year, whether these plants will compete with each other for limiting resources or facilitate each other's survival. The thesis contributes to the understanding of vegetation dynamics in the Succulent Karoo after strip-mining has taken place. Guidelines are provided based on ecological processes, for strip-mine rehabilitation in the Succulent Karoo. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Namakwaland is bekend vir sy ongewone diversiteit van plante, met baie endemiese spesies. Die fundamentele vraag wat deur hierdie tesis gevra word is hoe hierdie sisteem, wat beskadig is deur oppervlak mynbou, gerehabiliteer kan word. Die doel is om die rehabilitasie metodes te baseer op ekologiese prosesse. 'n Oorsig van die relevante literatuur was nodig om moontlike areas van verdere navorsing te identifiseer en ook die navorsing wat reeds gedoen is oor rehabilitasie van oppervlak myne in ariede gebiede, te evalueer. 'n Goeie begrip van gemeenskap en ekosisteem dinamika sal help om doelwitte en metodes daar te stel vir die rehabilitasie van spesifieke areas. Dit is ook nodig om in Namakwaland, Suid -Afrika, uit te vind watter van die baie faktore, die lang-termyn herstel van 'n ekosisteem, die meeste verhinder. Dit is baie belangrik om In goeie kennis te hê van die versteurings geskiedenis van die area wat gerehabiliteer moet word, asook die suksessionele prosesse wat werksaam is. Plantegroei van areas wat op verskillende tye gemyn en verskillend behandel is, asook ongemynde areas is ondersoek. Sekere areas het In groot mate van herstel gewys in 'n tydperk van 'n paar jaar, terwyl ander, min of geen hersteloor 'n periode van dekades getoon het nie. Dit is belangrik om rehabilitasie as 'n geleidelike proses te sien, wat teen verskillende tempos plaasvind tydens verskillende jare en in verskillende areas. Daar is bevind dat die plant van Atriplex nummularia asook die saai van Atriplex semibaccata nie die terugkeer van inheemse, meerjarige spesies bevoordeel nie, maar dit eerder inhibeer. Aangesien die bo-grond so belangrik is in terme van die grondvrugbaarheid en ook die saadbank wat teenwoordig is, word die invloed van die verwydering en opberging van die bogrond getoets. Die grondvrugbaarheid was bepaal deur groei-toetse op radyse en laboratorium analise op die grond te doen. Die plant spesie diversiteit en rykheid was bepaal met In saad ontkieming studie. In ooreenstemming met die verwagte uitkoms, was die plant spesie diversiteit hoër op die ongemynde bo-grond en die radyse het groter geword op dieselfde grond. Dit kom voor asof die plant spesie diversiteit en rykheid, asook die grond vrugbaarheid afneem met tyd wat die bo-grond geberg word. Die direkte verspreiding van die bo-grond nadat dit verwyder is, sal In medium vir die plante verseker wat nader is aan die vlak voordat die grond versteur is. Dit sal oak sorg vir redelike vinnige en suksesvolle terugkoms van plante op die gemynde grond. Die suksesvolle vestiging van plante hang ook af van die mikro areas (klein areas in terme van die grootte van 'n saad, wat In eie mikro-klimaat vorm), waarna saad versprei word. Die effek van sulke mikro-gebiede op die ontkieming van saad, die groei van die saailinge en die oorlewing van die saailinge was bepaal. Mikro-water- opvanggebiede het in al drie bogenoemde gevalle die hoogste syfers getoon. Die vestiging en oorlewing van saailinge in die ander mikro-gebiede (die area onder enkel struike, die area onder groepe struike en oop areas) het gevarieer afhangend van die hoeveelheid reënval wat ontvang is in die spesifieke jaar. Laastens, is daar ge-eksperimenteer met die oorplant van drie plaaslike, inheemse, sukkulente spesies. Hierdie plante was alleen geplant of in groepies van drie, bymekaar. Die hipotese was dat huloorlewingskanse beter sal wees as hulle saam geplant word. Dit was egter bevind dat die hoeveelheid reënval in 'n spesifieke jaar en die morfologie van die plant, bepaal of hulle sal kompeteer vir die beperkte bronne en of hulle deur saam te groei huloorlewingskanse sal verhoog. Hierdie tesis dra by tot die verstaan van die plantegroei dinamika in die Sukkulente Karoo nadat oppervlak mynbou plaasgevind het. Riglyne vir die rehabilitasie van oppervlak myne, gebasseer op ekologiese prosesse, word ook voorgestel.

The Appalachian coal mining region is subject to a number of environmental and economic problems; many are a result of the steeply sloping topography. The extensive surface mining activities in the area appear to offer the opportunity to produce more favorable landforms at minimum marginal costs. Yet, despite this apparent opportunity and the success of research efforts to develop improved mine soil construction and revegetation techniques, the majority of the mining and reclamation activities in the Virginia coal region are carried out using conventional methods: reconstructing steeply sloping mining areas to their approximate original contours. The purpose of this research was to estimate the costs of coal surface mine reclamation methods designed to prepare mined lands for improved use in areas of steeply sloping topography. During the course of this research, a computer-based mining and reclamation cost estimating system was developed. COSTSUM is a set of seven programs designed to analyze data from active surface mining sites to determine spoil handling and reclamation costs. OPSIM is a surface mining simulator designed to estimate the differences in spoil handling costs among reclamation and postmining landform alternatives. This cost-estimating system was utilized during an intensive study of mining and reclamation costs at a surface mining site in Wise County, Virginia, where a number of improved reclamation practices were implemented. At this site, a steeply sloping premining topography was transformed to a postmining landform containing an extensive near-level area covered with deep, uncompacted, potentially productive mine soils. Analysis of daily records of operations revealed that the cost of mining and reclaiming this site was comparable to industry average costs in the area in spite of departure from conventional methods. The results of simulation procedures indicated that the cost of mining so as to produce this landscape was less than than the estimated cost of conventional mining methods. Since the topography of the site is typical of surrounding areas, there are opportunities to produce near-level landforms with deep, productive soils as a byproduct of coal surface mining activities. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MScAgric (Soil Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the occurrence of specific soil properties that may be important for vegetation functioning and the possible effect of the loss of or changes in these properties on rehabilitation success on the sandy coastal plains of the West Coast, South Africa. The study area covered approximately 9 400 ha on the Namaqualand coast in the vicinity of Brand-se-Baai (31º18'S 17º54'E), approximately 350 km north of Cape Town and 70 km north-west of the nearest town, Lutzville. A soil survey was done to reveal the presence of important pedological features. The 20 soil profiles surveyed are situated within six vegetation communities. Pedological features such as surface water repellency, permeable apedal subsurface horizons, subsurface impediments such as cemented (calcrete or dorbank) hardpans and significantly more clayey (cutanic, luvic) horizons were identified. A comparative study between rehabilitated and natural soils indicates that mining operations result in the formation of saline sand tailings, stripped of a large portion of the clay and organic matter fraction. The natural leaching of solutes, over a period of 25 months, is sufficient to lower salinity of the tailings to levels comparable to natural soils. This leaching can also results in lowering of soil fertility. Removal of the dorbank and the dense neocutanic horizon in the western side of the mine, loss of topographical features such as small dune systems and heuweltjies, destruction of natural soil profile morphology and the lowering of organic carbon and clay plus silt fraction can have detrimental effects on attempts at rehabilitation of this area to a natural condition similar to that which preceded the mining operation. Infiltration fingering and deep percolation results in the development of an aquifer below the reach of shallow-rooted desert shrubs. A method of water acquisition by vegetation through water distillation is investigated as a possible solution to the apparent discontinuum between the shallow root systems and deeper-lying aquifer. Volumetric water content measurements indicated that precipitation of 29.5 mm, over a period of 10 days, did not result in any variation at 235 mm, 360 mm and 900 mm depths. An average volumetric water content increase of 0.4 mm per night was measured in the first 23.5 cm of soil surface. This amount is a significant source of water that can explain the shallow root distribution. Water vapour movement due to temperature gradients can explain the diurnal volumetric water content fluctuations observed. Further studies are necessary to determine to what extent the depth of water infiltration influences the capacity of subsurface dew to provide plants with a nocturnal water source. Findings of this study can be summarised into two concepts namely: • Heuweltjies, small dune systems, and variation in depth of cemented hardpans are the main features that contribute to pedosphere variation and possibly to biodiversity. • Pedogenic features such as topsoil hydrophobicity, and cemented dorbank and dense more clayey (cutanic, luvic) subsurface horizons are important components of a soil water distillation process that could be a driving force behind vegetation functioning in this region. Mine activities result in the loss of certain pedogenic features and soil properties that that could be key ingredients to ecosystem functioning. The inability to recognise their significance and ignorance thereof when planning rehabilitation methods might prevent sustainable restoration of the environment.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Exxaro Namakwa Sands heavy mineral sands mine at Brand-se-Baai, on the west coast of South Africa, is an important source of income, development and job-creation in the region. However, this comes at a great environmental cost, as strip mining causes large scale destruction of ecosystems through the complete removal of vegetation and topsoil. This is particularly problematic in an environment, such as Namaqualand, where the arid and windy climate, as well as saline and nutrient-poor soils, hamper rehabilitation. These environmental constraints create the need to develop a site-specific rehabilitation program. At Namakwa Sands the objective of rehabilitation is to “rehabilitate and re-vegetate disturbed areas and establish a self-sustaining Strandveld vegetation cover in order to control dust generation, control wind and water erosion, as well as restore land capability. In general, vegetation will be rehabilitated to a minimum grazing standard capable of supporting small stock (sheep) grazing.” In order to achieve this Namakwa Sands conducted rehabilitation experiments with topsoil replacement, seeding of indigenous species and translocation of mature plants. Monitoring is an important part of the rehabilitation process as it allows rehabilitation practitioners to evaluate success and to adapt their management strategies and rehabilitation methods, as well as to evaluate and, if necessary, change their rehabilitation objectives. This study forms part of the monitoring process at Namakwa Sands. It assesses the success of sites that were experimentally rehabilitated in 2001 and a site that was rehabilitated in 2008, using current practice, in order to identify possible management requirements on rehabilitated sites as well as improvements on rehabilitation objectives, methods and monitoring. This study also tests the Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) as rehabilitation monitoring tool by correlating LFA indices with traditional measurements of biophysical variables or their surrogates. Results showed that experimental sites were not successful in returning vegetation cover and plant species richness to the required levels, but did achieve the grazing capacity objective. These sites will need adaptive management to achieve the vegetation cover and plant species richness objectives. The recently rehabilitated site achieved the three-year vegetation cover and plant species richness objectives, as well as the grazing capacity objective, within two years after rehabilitation. Namakwa Sands should therefore continue using the current rehabilitation method. However, rehabilitation should be done in multiple stages in future to decrease the mortality of nursery cuttings and to facilitate the return of late successional species to rehabilitated sites. The sustainability of small stock farming on rangeland with the grazing capacity that is identified as the minimum objective is questionable and this merits further investigation. LFA can be a useful tool to monitor nutrient cycling and soil stability at Namakwa Sands, provided that enough replicates are used. However, LFA cannot be used as is to assess water infiltration at Namakwa Sands, due to assumptions in the calculation of this index that do not hold for the Namaqualand environment. Landscape functioning should be monitored annually to complement vegetation surveys. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Exxaro Namakwa Sands swaarminerale-sandmyn by Brand-se-Baai, aan die weskus van Suid-Afrika, is ‘n belangrike bron van inkomste, ontwikkeling en werkskepping in die streek. Daar is egter negatiewe omgewingsimpakte aan verbonde, aangesien die strookmyntegniek grootskaalse vernietiging van ekosisteme veroorsaak deur die algehele verwydering van die plantegroei en bogrond. Dit is veral problematies in ‘n omgewing, soos Namakwaland, waar die droë en winderige klimaat, asook die souterige en voedingstof-arme grond, rehabilitasie belemmer. Hierdie beperkings wat deur die omgewing veroorsaak word skep die behoefte om ‘n rehabilitasieprogram te ontwikkel wat spesifiek is tot die terrein. Die doel van rehabilitasie by Namakwa Sands is om te rehabiliteer en herplant op versteurde gebiede en om selfonderhoudende Strandveld plantbedekking te vestig om sodoende stofgenerering te beheer, om wind- en watererosie te beheer, en om grondgebruik-vermoë te herstel. In die algemeen sal plantbedekking gerehabiliteer word tot ‘n minimum weidingskapasiteit wat kleinveeweiding (skaapweiding) kan onderhou. Om dit te bereik het Namakwa Sands rehabilitasie-eksperimente uitgevoer met terugplasing van bogrond, saai van inheemse spesies en oorplanting van volwasse inheemse plante. Monitering is ‘n belangrike deel van die rehabilitasieproses, aangesien dit rehabilitasie-praktisyns in staat stel om sukses te evalueer en om bestuurstrategieë en rehabilitasiemetodes aan te pas, sowel as om rehabilitasiedoelwitte te evalueer en, indien nodig, aan te pas. Hierdie studie vorm deel van die moniteringsproses by Namakwa Sands. Dit assesseer die sukses op persele wat eksperimenteel gerehabiliteer is in 2001 en ‘n perseel wat in 2008 gerehabiliteer is, volgens die huidige praktyk, om moontlike bestuursbehoeftes op gerehabiliteerde persele en verbeteringe aan rehabilitasiedoelwitte, -metodes en –monitering te identifiseer. Hierdie studie toets ook die geskiktheid van die Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) as ‘n rehabilitasie-moniteringsinstrument deur LFA-indekse met tradisionele metings van biofisiese veranderlikes of hul surrogate te korreleer. Resultate dui daarop dat eksperimentele persele nie suksesvol was om plantbedekking en plantspesies-rykdom tot die vereiste vlakke te herstel nie, maar wel die weidingskapasiteit-doelwit bereik het. Hierdie persele benodig aanpassingsbestuur om plantbedekking- en plantspesiesrykdom-doelwitte te bereik. Die perseel wat onlangs gerehabiliteer is, het binne twee jaar na rehabilitasie die drie-jaar plantbedekking- en plantspesiesrykdom-doelwitte, sowel as die weidingskapasiteitdoelwit bereik. Daarom moet Namakwa Sands voortgaan om die huidige rehabilitasiemetode te gebruik. Rehabilitasie moet egter in die toekoms in veelvoudige stadiums gedoen word om die mortaliteit van kwekery-steggies te verminder en om die terugkeer van laatsuksessionele spesies na gerehabiliteerde persele te fasiliteer. Die volhoubaarheid van kleinveeboerdery op weiveld met die minimum vereiste weidingskapasiteit word betwyfel en vereis verdere ondersoek. LFA kan ‘n bruikbare instrument wees om siklering van voedingstowwe en grondstabiliteit te monitor by Namakwa Sands indien genoeg repliserings gebruik word. LFA kan egter nie in die huidige vorm gebruik word om waterinfiltrasie by Namakwa Sands te assesseer nie, aangesien daar aannames in die berekening van die indeks is wat nie juis is in die Namakwaland omgewing nie. Landskapfunksionering behoort jaarliks gemoniteer te word om plantopnames aan te vul.

Thesis (MSc (Earth Sciences))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This study aims to provide a practical tool for the prediction and management of dust generated by the activities of an opencast mining operation. The study was conducted on opencast gypsum mines in the semi-arid environment of the Bushmanland, 90 km north of Loeriesfontein in the Northern Cape Province from April 2000 to October 2007. The vertical and horizontal components of wind transported sediment were sampled and a dust settling model was designed to predict the settling pattern of dust generated by opencast mining operations. The model was applied to soil samples collected from an area surrounding a mine. The influence sphere of the mining operation was predicted by the application of the model and then mapped. Once the influence sphere is mapped, the dust influence can be managed with the aid of an onsite weather station. By further applying the predictions based on climatic data, the influence sphere can be modelled. The model is not only applicable to the planning phase of an opencast mine to plan the position of dust sensitive areas like the living quarters, office buildings and workshops etc., but also to indicate the historical impact that a mining operation had once a quarry on an active mine is worked out and rehabilitated or a mine is closed. The model application can also aid with the explanation and visual or graphic representation of the predicted impact of planned mining operations on communities or neighbouring activities to them and thus avoid later penalties.

No description available.