Management of Topsoil: the Key Element in Reclamation of Mining Areas

Mineral extraction process must ensure the return of the productivity of the affected land. This monograph develops a new concept of shelf life period up to which mine soil can maintain its sustainability for suitable plant growth. Topsoil preservation is extremely important for the geo-environmental reclamation of damaged land due to mining. The issue is the preservation of topsoil in such a manner as to protect its productivity for later use in restoration of mined land. This problem is very much acute and large areas are continually being biologically unproductive every year. Efforts to grow vegetation on overburden dumps and degraded mined lands as a part of biological reclamation are not being successful. This concept reveals a hypothesis that if the biological reclamation is not done within the shelf life period the soil will become biologically sterile and it will be difficult to revive its productivity. This research identifies that the reason behind the biological sterility is the lack of knowledge of shelf life concept. Significance in the field of environmental protection this Monograph are immense and it will help to reclaim the degraded mine land effectively.