Universi

ty of
Faculty
Guyana
of
Depart
Technol
ment of
ogy
Assignm Civil
ent #2 with
Environ
Title: Reconstructing Forest
mental
Ecosystems on mined outlands
Enginee
ring
Name: Neil Beeraspat
USI#: 1012008
Course: CIV 4113
Lecturer: Ms. R. Robertson
Thesis Question: Can Guyana adopt methods used by other developed countries in reclaiming
mining outlands by reconstructing the lost forest ecosystems?

Land Reclamation

Land reclamation is defined as the process of making land useful by restoring it from wetlands,
seas, lakes, deserts or mines, through drainage or irrigation. It also refers to the restoration of
land that is damaged by natural phenomena, such as erosion, or impaired by industrial and urban
processes. Land reclamation is used in various sectors in a country such as for agriculture,
beaches, landfill and mines. This research paper will only focus on mine land reclamation by
reconstructing forest ecosystems.

Mine Land Reclamation

As stated by (Sheoran et al., 2010), mining of mineral resources results in extensive soil
damage, altering microbial communities and affecting vegetation leading to destruction of vast
amounts of land. Reclamation is the process to restore the ecological integrity of these disturbed
mine land areas. It includes the management of all types of physical, chemical and biological
disturbances of soils such as soil pH, fertility, microbial community and various soil nutrient
cycles that makes the degraded land soil productive. Usually the top soil gets damaged during
mining activities.

Due to this revegetation is normally done to improve the properties of the soil, reduce erosion
and to protect the top soil from further damage during the reclamation. Reclamation of old
mining site is a very complex process. Once the reclamation plan is complete and vegetation has
established, the assessment of the reclaimed site is necessary to evaluate the success of
reclamation. By revegetating the area, it also help the rebuild forest ecosystems that were
destroyed during the initial preparation of the sites for mining of natural resources.

In an articles published by (The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA),
2011), in collaboration with the World Wild Life Funds (WWF) has continued with land
reclamation and replanting since the launching of the LCD’s initiative by the government to
promote more environmental awareness by all miners in Guyana. Reclamation practices that are
now being used by miners includes backfilling of open pits and leveling mined out lands to some
semblance of its natural gradient. Then replanting which is basically to replant native trees after
the site has been reclaimed to enable a regeneration of other plants is done.  

A reclamation project was done in Red-hole Mahdia where another mined out area has been
reclaimed and is in the process of being replanted. Different varieties of native species of plants
were planted to cover 8 acres of already mined lands. The objective behind this project is to
teach miners that they can plant a wider variety of native species of plant. This project started in
December of 2009. At the project site plants such as Mango, Fat- poke, and coconut are
incorporated in between local timber and non- timber species of plants.

Forest Ecosystems

According to (Waring and Schlesinger, 1985), forest ecosystems are described as an area
dominated by trees and other woody plants. They are also homes to various species of plants and
animals. These forest systems also help with climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and
producing oxygen. Most potential mining site are situated in these forest environments. Before
the mining starts, preparation of the site is required resulting in the destruction of these
ecosystems although measures are put in place to reduce the damage often than not most of the
ecosystems are destroyed.

To combat this problem, replanting is usually done but only after the mining has finished in an
effort to reclaim the land for future developments. During the lifetime of the mining operation,
the natural habitat to these plants and animals are often times lost to the disruption of the forests.
The top soils are destroyed and the properties of them change drastically which can lead to issues
when replanting.

Environmental Impacts of Mining

Before a mining site starts its operation, there is some amount of clearing of forest systems. Even
though practices and policies are in place to reduce these negative impacts, oftentimes there are
still damages done to the ecosystem. As stated by (Luís et al., 2011), mining activities has many
environmental impacts if facilities and equipment are not maintained properly. During the
extraction and mining of the natural resources, many chemicals are used and the excess
concentration enters into nearby streams and lakes hence contaminating the water supplies and
possible killing all marine life that live in these waters. These chemicals are spilled and can also
infiltrate into the soil and change the soil properties drastically. This can hamper the replanting
of trees when the mine is closed.

The magnitude of these impacts is measured by the scale and methods of operation. In Guyana,
most small miners do not adhere to environmental policies that relate to proper mining and land
reclamation. Oftentimes after these miners finish their operation, land degradation occurs:
excavation pits are not backfilled and land is left barren no replanting of trees done.

Chemicals that spill during operation enters the waterways and contaminate the water which can
kill all marine life inhabiting these waters. There is also negative impacts to the atmosphere
though on a smaller scale. The emission of various gases during mining contributes to climate
change and global warming at a whole.

Reconstructing Forest Ecosystems on Mined Outlands

As stated earlier, there is always forest ecosystems that are destroyed before commencing of
mining operations at a new site. However, after the operations finish there are various methods
adopted by different countries in reclaiming these mining outlands. In this section of the research
paper, methods used by two different countries will be studied and compared and finally
recommendations will be made to see if Guyana can adopted these methods and in what way.

Before we go into the case studies, as stated earlier by the The Guyana Gold and Diamond
Miners Association (GGDMA) there is backfilling done at excavation sites and replanting of
trees to promote the regrowth of the lost ecosystems.
Case Studies of Reclaimed Mines

Ereen Mines, Mongolia

The Peabody Energy Ereen mining site, located on the remote northern slopes of Mongolia, was
acquired by Peabody Energy through a joint venture in 2009. However, the mine was shut down
soon after it was acquired.  To carry out the mine closure and land reclamation plan, the mine
owners allotted the resources to support 60 personnel, including a key choice for leading the
closure and reclamation effort, Vern Pfannenstiel, who had extensive experience with mine
closure and land reclamation.

In addition to the usual issues that come with mine closure and land reclamation, the remoteness
of the Ereen site posed unique challenges, which meant workers had to camp at the site. Without
the necessary specialized seeding equipment available locally, such equipment had to be shipped
from the U.S., which required five months. The US$1 million project transformed the former
mine site into 44 acres of grassland, which is now used as pastureland for traditional livestock
grazing. The project also provided a source of fresh drinking water in an area that did not
previously have easy access to potable water.

Peabody Energy carried out the restoration with the nomadic community’s cultural practices and
land uses in mind. The new community well separates drinking water from livestock water,
protecting the purity of water intended for human consumption. The design took into account the
harsh conditions typical in Mongolia. The restored landscape also incorporates a surface pond
where local herders can bring their cattle, goats, horses, and sheep to drink.

Fencing protects the reclamation area from free-roaming livestock during the establishment
phase of the project. Recent monitoring indicates that, with foliage production running at four
times that of native lands, the site has strong potential as a hay production resource, critical for
feeding local livestock during the harsh winter. The landscape is now being monitored and
maintained by the nearby communities that benefit from the water produced and the new
grasslands.
The former Ereen Mines in Mongolia restored to grasslands that are used for livestock grazing
(obtained from http://cornerstonemag.net/case-studies-of-successfully-reclaimed-mining-sites/
on 31/10/2016)
Hunlunbeier, Inner Mongolia, China

Hunlunbeier is located in northeastern Inner Mongolia in China. This area has rich coal reserves,
estimated at more than 100 billion tons. The region is also the largest natural grassland in the
world, and is characterized by a harsh winter climate and weak surface ecology. The Baorixile
coal mine, owned and operated by the Shenhua Group, is located in the region and currently
produces over 30 million tons coal per year. The grasslands are somewhat delicate; for this
reason it is important that care is taken during the reclamation process, which is ongoing and
carried out simultaneously with mining.

For this site three main steps are employed for the ongoing reclamation: stripping the topsoil
prior to mining, stacking and dumping the fill into the open pits, and beautification. Before any
mining is begun, surface soil is stripped and stored for future use. The humus soil, which is 0.3–
0.5 meters below the surface, is particularly important for supporting plant life. After mining at a
particular location is complete, the stripped earth is stacked layer by layer and dumped into the
open pits in a stepwise manner. The earth is dumped into the open pits in the largest possible
quantities immediately after mining, which limits the amount of stripped earth on the grassland.
Finally, the last step of the reclamation process includes beautification of the site, which mainly
consists of introducing the appropriate ecology.

Of course, the angle at which the land is recomposed is important to mitigate the risk of collapse.
For the Shenhua Baorixile site, a hydraulic excavator and forklift were used to form the
wastepile into a series of steps with a 35° angle. The angle of this particular site was selected to
limit wastepile height as well as to ensure stability. After the shape of the wastepile was selected,
the stored humus soil was spread over the wastepile. Finally, grass seed was sown, and plants
began to grow.

The Shenhua Group continues to monitor the many reclamation sites in this area and work on
them as needed. The backfill and plant work are ongoing as the amount of reclaimed land
increases and additional grass and trees are added as necessary. Today, the reclaimed land is
used for growing fruit and vegetable crops, which provide an additional source of income to the
local community.

From 2006 to 2012, the Shenhua Group invested more than 112 million RMB (~US$18.7
million) to reclaim mining sites throughout the Baorixile coal mine area. To date, the reclaimed
land covers more than 3,850,000 m2 (nearly 1000 acres). From 2012 to 2014, Shenhua Group
expects to invest another 150 million RMB (US$25 million) on continued reclamation.

Image of the Shenhua Baorixile Site after completion of the reclamation process (obtained from
http://cornerstonemag.net/case-studies-of-successfully-reclaimed-mining-sites/ on 31/10/2016)
Comparison of both Case Studies

As seen in both of these case studies, they are both heavily funded but the transform the land into
grasslands that can be utilized by nearby villages for their daily food and livestock needs. As in
the case with Mongolia, The land was acquired by a company, funded by the company and
specialist were brought to work on the restoration project. Special seeds were sown and surface
ponds were built to supply the nearby villages with drinking water as well as new grasslands to
help with their livestock needs.

However in the case in China, the grassland found on site were very delicate and so the
reclamation process needs special care when undertaken. Before the mining in areas started, the
top soils are dug out and stored in open pits for future use. The humus was however left. After
mining was finished at a specific area, the stripped earth was then stacked layer by layer into
these open pits. Once this was done beautification of the site was undertaken which meant
planting of seeds. The area was sloped so the newly reclaimed land had to be sloped to specific
angles to limit wastepile heights and ensure stability. Once the shaping was done, the humus was
laid on top and seeds were sown. Now these reclaimed lands and used for growing plants and
vegetable which are utilized by nearby villages.
How can these be applied to Guyana?

With these two restoration projects that were carried out, for them to be studied in Guyana
funding is the biggest issue, it is really expensive to carry out the project in Guyana to the
magnitude as in these countries. However, for instance in gold mining sites in regions seven and
eight, we can adopt the methods used in Mongolia. After a particular site has finished operation,
new grasslands can be sown and used by nearby villages with the inclusion of surface water
ponds that can be constructed to connect to nearby streams to give more access to potable water
to these communities.

If we were to think about implementing on a similar basis as to what China did, this can be done
on the more small mining sites. The top soils can be dug out and placed in open pits that are to be
constructed and based on the soil profiles on site, after the mining is done the stripped earth can
be stacked and then the subsurface soil layers can be place on top of that and it can be levelled
then seeds can be sown. This can be used as in China for growing of plants and vegetables for all
nearby villages.
Conclusion

It can be concluded that reclamation projects that are done and being done around the world can
also be done in a similar fashion but to a smaller scale in Guyana largely due to funding.
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http://cornerstonemag.net/case-studies-of-successfully-reclaimed-mining-sites/ (31/10/2016)

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