Mining has been, and remains, an integral part of human existence from Stone Age quarries
through to the iron and coal that fueled the industrial revolution, to the new materials needed …

As important mediators of numerous ecological processes, soil microorganisms play
essential roles in the recovery of ecosystems after disturbance. Using next-generation …

The ecological restoration of ecosystem services and biodiversity is a key intervention used
to reverse the impacts of anthropogenic activities such as mining. Assessment of the …

Background The use of shotgun metagenomics to analyse low-complexity microbial
communities in foods has the potential to be of considerable fundamental and applied value …

Mining activities alter soil physicochemical and biological properties that are critical for plant
establishment. Revitalisation of soil biological properties via microbial inoculations can …

Tailings are artificial soil-forming substrates that have not been created by the natural
processes of soil formation and weathering. The extreme pH environment and …

Mining of mineral resources substantially alters both the above and below-ground soil
ecosystem, which then requires rehabilitation back to a pre-mining state. For belowground …

Current methods of mine rehabilitation in the arid zone have a high failure rate at seedling
emergence largely due to limited availability of topsoil and low water-holding capacity of …

Degraded post-mining landscapes exhibit unique biotic and abiotic components and
processes relative to pre-disturbance natural ecosystems. Yet the concept of pre …

Opencast coal mining results in high loss of soil organic carbon (SOC), which may be
restored via recultivation. Common strategies include liming, topsoil application, and …