THE PROCESS OF RECLAIMING TECHNOGENIC LANDFORMS ON COAL WASTE DUMPS USING POTASSIUM-RICH SECONDARY MINERALS

Abstract

Land reclamation is vital for restoring areas disturbed by mining activities. Studying alternative methods to improve soil fertility and restore vegetation is as important as applying conventional approaches. Secondary mineral products derived from industrial waste can serve as soil ameliorants during reclamation. The study area is the Kizel Coal Basin (KCB) in Perm Krai. Although mining at this site ceased in the early 20th century, its adverse environmental impact persists due to acidic drainage, which also originates from waste rock dumps. Reclamation of these dumps reduces the volume of such drainage. Lithostrates from the reclaimed dumps of the Kizel Coal Basin were examined. Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of NPK fertilizers and a secondary mineral potassium-containing product (SMP) in enhancing the biological properties of lithostrates. The SMP is derived from clay-salt waste generated by potash production. Standard analytical methods were used to examine the chemical properties of the soils. Catalase activity was assessed using the permanganate method of Johnson and Temple, and invertase activity was measured using the Bertrand method followed by colorimetric analysis. Cress was used as the test crop in phytotesting. The amount of organic matter in lithostrates did not exceed background values. The addition of SMP led to reduced acidity. The height and biomass of the test crop were considerably higher in treatments with fertilizers compared to those with SMP addition or the control group (without any additives). Invertase activity decreased in response to SMP application. The findings indicate that to achieve a beneficial outcome, the incorporation of a secondary mineral potassium-containing product to lithostrates should be complemented by nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.

Keywords

Coal dumps, reclamation, lithostrates, phytotesting, secondary mineral potassium-containing product

References

1. Feng Y., Wang J., Bai Z., Reading L. Effects of surface coal mining and land reclamation on soil properties: A review. Earth-Science Reviews. 2019;(191):12-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.02.015.
2. Jahan I., Reza A.H.M. S., Haque M.M., Reza Md.S., Hasan Md.I. Soil pollution and elemental sources along Barapukuria coal mine, Bangladesh: Implications for eco-environmental and health risk assessment. Heliyon. 2024;10(12):e32620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32620.
3. Wang H., Zhang C., Ding Y., Li F., Liu W., Ma Y., Guo Y., Banerjee B., Li J. Spatiotemporal dynamics and key climatic influences on vegetation resilience in opencast coal mine dumps after restoration. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation. 2025;(141):104646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2025.104646.
4. Semina I.S., Androkhanov V.A., Kulyapina E.D. Experience of using coal enrichment waste for reclamation of disturbed areas. Mining information and analytical bulletin. 2020;(9):159-175. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.25018/0236-1493-2020-9-0-159-175.
5. Petrova T.A., Rudzish E. Utilization of sewage sludge as an ameliorant for reclamation of technogenically disturbed lands. Journal of Mining Institute. 2021;(251):767-776. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.31897/PMI.2021.5.16.
6. Бондарчук Е.А., Ганнова Ю.Н. Биологическая рекультивация породных отвалов угольных шахт Донбасса с использованием осадка сточных вод / Материалы 5-й Международной научно-практической конференции «Инновационные перспективы Донбасса». Донецк. 2019. Том 4. С. 101-105. Bondarchuk E.A., Gannova Yu.N. Biological reclamation of coal mine waste dumps in Donbass using sewage sludge. Proceedings of the 5th International Scientific and Practical Conference "Innovative Prospects of Donbass". Donetsk. 2019. Vol. 4. P. 101-105. (In Russ.).
7. Blinov S.M., Menshikova Е.А. Utilisation the Industrial Wastes in Perm Region. Bulletin of Perm University. Geology (Earth Sciences). 2019;18(2):179-191. (In Russ.).
8. Angst G., Carsten W. Mueller, ?arka Angst, Martin Pivokonsky, Jennifer Franklin, Peter D. Stahl, Frouz J. Fast accrual of C and N in soil organic matter fractions following post-mining reclamation across the USA. Journal of Environmental Management. 2018;(209):216-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.12.050.
9. Yuan Y., Zhao Z., Niu S., Bai Z. The reclaimed coal mine ecosystem diverges from the surrounding ecosystem and reaches a new selfsustaining state after 20-23 years of succession in the Loess Plateau area, China. Science of The Total Environment. 2020;(727):138739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138739.
10. Akanova N.I., Orlov P.M., Nedoseko I.V., Zinatullin R.R. Efficiency of waste soda production as a lime reclamation agent for agriculture. International Agricultural Journal. 2023;3(393):301-305. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.55186/25876740_2023_66_3_301.
11. Akanova N.I., Trots N.M., Trots V.B., Stromskiy A.S., Stromskiy A.A. Agroecological assessment of the effectiveness of the use of clay-salt sludge of the Usolsky potash plant in agrocenoses of grain crops. Plodorodie. 2023;(2):71-75. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.25680/S19948603.2023.131.16.
12. Максимович Н.Г., Пьянков С.В. Кизеловский угольный бассейн: экологические проблемы и пути решения. Пермь: Пермский государственный национальный исследовательский университет, 2018. 288 с. Maksimovich N.G., Pyankov S.V. The Kizel Coal Basin: Environmental Problems and Solutions. Perm: Perm State National Research University, 2018, 288 p. (In Russ.).
13. Nekrasov R.V., Ovcharenko M.M., Akanova N.I. Agroecological Foundation of Chemical Amelioration of Soils. Zemledelie. 2019;(4):3-7. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24411/0044-3913-2019-10401.
14. Liu C., Song Y., Dong X., Wang X., Ma X., Zhao G., Zang S. Soil enzyme activities and their relationships with soil C, N, and P in peatlands from different types of permafrost regions, Northeast China. Frontiers in Environmental Science. 2021;(9):456-468. DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2021.670769.
15. Li J., Zhou X., Yan J., Li H., He J. Effects of regenerating vegetation on soil enzyme activity and microbial structure in reclaimed soils on a surface coal mine site. Applied Soil Ecology. 2015;(87):56-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2014.11.010.
16. Novoselova E.I., Volkova O.O. The influence of heavy metals on the activity of catalase of different types of soils. Bulletin of the Orenburg State Agrarian University. 2017:190-193. (In Russ.)
17. Magda E.V., Mazirov M.A., Zinchenko M.K. Activity of catalase and invertase by different tillage intensity soil. Vladimir agricolist. 2022;(2):24-30. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.24412/2225-2584-2022-2-24-30.
18. Bagirova Ch.Z. The effect of heavy metals on the enzymatic activity of the soils of Sumgait. Agrarian science. 2021;(10):110-113. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.32634/0869-8155-2021-353-10-110-113.
19. Perevoshchikova A.A., Malyshkina E.E., Mitrakova N.V. Analysis of the microelement composition of soils from recultivated coal dumps of the Kizel Coal Basin. Ugol’. 2023;(12):85-91. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.18796/0041-5790-2023-12-85-91.

Acknowledgements

The study was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 24-27-00324 (https://rscf.ru/en/project/24-27-00324/).