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Abstract
Tropical forests are among the most diverse ecosystems in the world, completed by huge biodiversity. An expansion in natural resource extraction through open-pit mining activities leads to increasing land and tropical forest degradation. Proper science-based practices are needed as an effort to reclaim their function. This paper summarizes the existing practice of coal mining, covering the regulatory aspects and their reclamation obligations, the practices of coal mining from various sites with different land characteristics, and the reclamation efforts of the post-mining landscapes in Indonesia. The regulations issued accommodate the difference between mining land inside the forest area and outside the forest area, especially in the aspect of the permit authority and in evaluating the success rate of reclamation. In coal-mining practices, this paper describes starting from land clearing activities and followed by storing soil layers and overburden materials. In this step, proper handling of potentially acid-forming materials is crucial to prevent acid mine drainage. At the reclamation stage, this paper sequentially presents research results and the field applications in rearranging the overburden and soil materials, controlling acid mine drainage and erosion, and managing the drainage system, settling ponds, and pit lakes. Many efforts to reclaim post-coal-mining lands and their success rate have been reported and highlighted. Several success stories describe that post-coal-mining lands can be returned to forests that provide ecosystem services and goods. A set of science-based best management practices for post-coal-mine reforestation is needed to develop to promote the success of forest reclamation and restoration in post-coal-mining lands through the planting of high-value hardwood trees, increasing trees’ survival rates and growth, and accelerating the establishment of forest habitat through the application of proper tree planting technique. The monitoring and evaluation aspect is also crucial, as corrective action may be taken considering the different success rates for different site characteristics.
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Assessment of Land Reclamation Benefits in Mining Areas Using Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12052015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Land reclamation plays a vital role in the ecological improvement and economic development of mining regions. This study aims to conduct a preliminary discussion on the evaluation content, evaluation methods, and evaluation indicators of land reclamation benefits in mining areas. Using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method, land reclamation was assessed. After compiling a model of the land reclamation influencing factors, an evaluation index of land reclamation benefit in the mining area was constructed using the land reclamation monitoring data for the northern part of the mining area over the last decade. In addition, an expert scoring method and a traditional evaluation model were used to estimate the comprehensive benefits of land reclamation at Hanjiawan coal mine in Shendong mining area. Land reclamation markedly improved the land type within the mining region and decreased the amount of damaged land, including subsided and occupied land. Moreover, land reclamation improved the available land area such as agricultural and construction land. The proposed model obtained an overall 63% increase in the land reclamation area. Different degrees of ecological, economic, and social benefits of Hanjiawan coal mine were observed; however, the ecological benefits were the most significant, with a growth rate of 56%. Based on the evaluation criteria, all benefits of the mining area after reclamation were good. Over time, land reclamation will offer greater comprehensive benefits to the mining area. Furthermore, this method can be used for precise evaluation of comprehensive benefits after land reclamation, and the assessment results will provide a reference basis for sustainable development of the mining area.
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