| Mineral resources are being developed and utilized on a large scale as a result of the rapidly growing demand for mineral resources and the soaring mining economy. The mining activities have caused extensive damage to land and vegetation and changed the circulation of materials and energy in the ecosystem. Consequently, the mining areas are suffering a series of environmental and ecological problems, such as desertification, poor air quality, and environmental degradation. These problems have serious impacts on sustainable social and economic development. Since metallic resources are a necessity for our social development, efforts should be made to promote reasonable exploitation of mineral resource and environmental protection.In recent years, considerable mining areas in western Liaoning Province have been waste and undergoing desertification, aggravating the soil erosion by water. The consequent environmental degradation has negative impacts on sustainable social and economic development. In Chaoyang City, there are a total of 1,299 metal mines, which covers an area of 7117.4 m2, or 78.1% of the total area of mines in this city. Therefore, it is an urgent task to deal with the waste mining areas. Ecological restoration and landscape design are considered to be effective approaches to this problem.This study is based on related ecological theories, previous research, and the data from a field survey. The characteristics of the waste mining areas in western Liaoning were analyzed. Considering the critical problems on the ecological restoration in these areas, some suggestions were made by referring to the theories and technologies of ecological restoration of waste mining areas used in China and other countries. The works undertaken by the researchers included an analysis of the local environmental situation, classification of site conditions, evaluation of soil matrix’s texture, selection of tree species for ecological restoration, soil matrix improvement, and modes of ecological restoration. The main findings were as follows:To provide a basis for implementing various restoration measures, the waste mining areas in this region were classified into the three types according to their causes: the waste quarry, waste excavation, and waste gangue. Then three modes of ecological restoration were proposed, including ecological forest plantation, economic forest plantation, and landscape reconstruction.The soil in the waste mining areas in this region was classified as Class II soil, according to the analyses of the physical and chemical properties, and the contents of harmful metallic elements in soils. This type of soil can be used as farmland and orchards after being treated and will not harm the plants and the environment.The selected indigenous tree species include locust tree, simon poplar, sea-buckthorn, and korshinsk peashrub. Some foreign adaptive species, such as Prunus virginiana, American plum, Shepherdia argentea, and Cerasus humilis, also can be introduced to the ecological restoration of the waste mining areas in western Liaoning.Land preparation is an effective technique to catch rain water and improve drought resistance and moisture preservation capability of soil. Level-terrace soil preparation was considered to be the best method for this region.The ecological restoration in the waste mining area involves several disciplines, such as forest ecology and landscape design, and it should be implemented on the basis of respect for, compliance with, and protection of nature. As long as systems engineering theory and scientific management methods are used, the ecological restoration project will certainly create a clean, comfortable and beautiful outdoor space for local residents, thus achieving harmony between human and nature. |
PDF Full Text Request