Reclamation of disturbed soil by amending the minesoil and placement of glacial till over minesoil

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00103628409367485· OSTI ID:6098623

Hanson, R G; Tucker, M; Coble, A D; Johannsen, C J

The 1977 Federal Surface Mining Control and Mining Reclamation Act (Public Law 95-87) was passed to establish a balance among protection of the environment, maintaining agriculture productivity, and the need for coal as an essential source of energy. This research was undertaken to: (a) evaluate glacial till as a plant growth material for restoring productivity; (b) evaluate routine soil tests to predict fertility status of disturbed land; (c) evaluate grass and grass-legume mixtures for restoring productivity to mined lands; and (d) compare water plant filter sludge and agricultural lime as an amendment for acid minesoil. Glacial till required only P fertilization to restore production of tall fescue, tall fescue plus birdsfoot trefoil, and orchardgrass plus birdsfoot trefoil to the level of the representative undistrubed soil. Relative yield, within each forage group, was calculated by using the average of the top 25% individual plot yields as the maximum yield. Productivity of the minesoil was not returned to the premining level during the 2 years of this study. Water plant filter sludge (93.7% CaCO/sub 3/ equivalent, <200 mesh) was more effective in the short term reduction of minesoil acidity than was agricultural lime. Results from this research show the importance of material selection for covering the acidic coal overburden to insure a high success in returning productivity of distrubed soil. 19 references, 4 figures, 3 tables.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
• OSTI ID: 6098623
• Journal Information: Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal.; (United States), Journal Name: Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal.; (United States) Vol. 15:4; ISSN CSOSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
&amp; Peat-- Environmental Aspects
017000 -- Coal
Lignite
&amp; Peat-- Legislation &amp; Regulations
510500* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource &amp; Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COAL MINES
ELEMENTS
GLACIERS
GRASS
GROWTH
LAND RECLAMATION
LIMING
MINES
MINING
NONMETALS
OVERBURDEN
PH VALUE
PHOSPHORUS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
SLUDGES
SOILS
SURFACE MINING
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
WATER TREATMENT PLANTS