Ecorestoration of Coal Mine Overburden Dump to Prevent Environmental Degradation: A Review

Abstract

Mine reclamation, ecorestoration and rehabilitation are some of the key techniques applied for the betterment of the mining area. Various types of mine waste are generated in mining (coal and other minerals exploration). These mine waste are probably dumped on the same site due to lack of any proper waste management system that will affects the environment vigorously. Ground pollution due to leaching of heavy metals, surface water pollution due to drainage of polluted water, air pollution due to simultaneous combustion of mine wastes are some of the important environmental problems in mining sites. Coal mining wastes in form of waste rock or Over Burden (OB) material produced from coal mining is traditionally dumped over the valuable lands India and worldwide. These OB dump pollutes the air, soil, water and landscape by dust, leachate and self-ignition due to lack of suitable ecorestoration practices. However, the impact of different disposal and treatment of coal mining wastes on environment and farmland has not been probed in detail. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals is another threat to the nearby living biota, it may be lethal too. Bioremediation, phytoremediation are some other valuable the techniques, which is frequently applied to various mine sites and shown positive outcome. In some instances poor mineral condition of this waste is not suitable for such type of waste management. Reutilization and reduction of these mine waste is important in this concern. Utilization of mine OB in mine backfilling might be good enough to reduce the volume of this waste.