Modern aspects of reclamation of coal mines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51301/ejsu.2026.i3.06Keywords:
coal mining, reclamation, disturbed lands, reclamation phases, monitoringAbstract
The study aims to identify and systematize the main technical, environmental, and biological factors determining the effectiveness of reclamation of lands disturbed by open-pit coal mining. The research was conducted using documentary analysis and a comparative review of domestic and international practices. Technical and biological reclamation projects for the Severnyi and Vostochnyi coal mines in the Ekibastuz coal basin were analyzed together with published data on the restoration of coal-mining areas in the United States, Mongolia, and Indonesia. The comparison covered engineering preparation of the territory, surface runoff management, erosion prevention, soil and vegetation restoration, environmental monitoring, and the economic feasibility of reclamation solutions. It was established that the two technical reclamation options proposed for the Vostochnyi coal mine differ in the scope and total cost of the planned works. The study showed that flattening the slopes of the Festivalnyi, Konveyernyi, and Prybortovoy external dumps is constrained by the risk of spontaneous combustion of carbonaceous rocks, the location of engineering infrastructure, and the possible expansion of disturbed areas into productive land. Comparison with international experience confirmed the need for long-term monitoring of water quality, backfill stability, vegetation development, and soil-forming processes. It was also found that domestic biological reclamation projects mainly rely on natural revegetation, whereas direct planting and fertilizer application may accelerate the formation of a stable vegetation cover. The main constraints and effectiveness factors associated with the reclamation of large coal mines in Kazakhstan were systematized, and directions for adapting international approaches to the conditions of the Ekibastuz coal basin were identified. The results can be used in the development and revision of reclamation projects that incorporate long-term monitoring, surface runoff control, assessment of soil formation, and active vegetation restoration.
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