Integrated Wet Reclamation Technology for the Ecological Rehabilitation of Post-Mining Waste Heaps

Abstract

The exploitation of hard coal generates substantial volumes of mining waste deposited on heaps characterized by poor physicochemical properties, low fertility, and limited biological activity. These post-mining landforms pose environmental risks, including erosion, self-heating, water contamination, and ecosystem degradation. Effective reclamation strategies are therefore required to restore ecosystem functions and support sustainable land use. This study evaluates biological reclamation using bio-waste materials applied through dry and wet methods. Particular emphasis is placed on an integrated wet reclamation approach combining mechanical substrate loosening with the simultaneous application of a water – compost – seed slurry. An integrated reclamation unit was designed, consisting of a cultivator module, a pump-mixing system, slurry tanks, a compaction roller, and a spraying system, enabling all operations to be performed in a single pass. Technological analyses and operational calculations indicate that the proposed method improves substrate quality, enhances water retention, reduces erosion, and creates favorable conditions for vegetation establishment and early plant succession. The approach supports soil restoration and ecological rehabilitation of degraded post-mining waste heaps while creating favorable conditions for the recovery of ecological functions.