Vegetation characteristics and soil properties of artificially remediated grasslands:The case study of the Shimenhe mining area in Qilian Mountains,northwest China

The mining of limestone mines plays a crucial role in societal and economic advancement.However,mining activities have led to destructive variations in grassland ecology and soil,causing numerous environmental problems,and effective artificial restoration measures have been used to restore grasslands in the Shimenhe mining areas to different degrees.In this study,we investigated,examined and analyzed plant community structure and its correlation with soil properties across varying degrees of alpine grassland restoration in Qilian Mountains Shimenhe restoration mines using the sample method,and studied the changes in species diversity using five diversity indexes(Simpson index,Shannon index,Margalef index,Dominance index and Evenness index).This study showed that the plant community characteristics with high recovered degree(HRD)>middle recovered degree(MRD)>low recovered degree(LRD)>very low recovered degree(VLRD),11 plant genera comprising 11 species across 10 families were identified.Dominant families with robust ecological adaptability included Leguminosae,Rosaceae,Gramineae,Asteraceae,and Salicaceae.The highest Simpson,Shannon,Margalef and Evenness index of HRD grassland community species were 0.82,1.96,1.66 and 0.89,respectively.The highest Dominance index of VLRD grassland community species was 0.34,which required several restoration methods such as spraying and mulching.Soil pH and EC tended to decrease with increasing restoration,SOC,SMC,TP,AP,NH4-N,TN,AN and NO3-N tended to increase and the content of soil environmental factors contributed to vegetation growth across various restoration levels the mine grassland.In conclusion,our study indicated that the community structure gradually diversified and soil properties changed positively with the increase of restoration degrees in the Qilian Mountains Shimenhe mine,and the best results of HRD restoration were obtained.This study provides the theoretical basis for the restoration and conservation of grasslands in mining areas by demonstrating examined the correlation between plant characteristics and soil properties in restored grasslands in alpine mining areas.

Ecological risk assessment and early warning of heavy metal cumulation in the soils near the Luanchuan molybdenum polymetallic mine concentration area,Henan Province,central China

The Luanchuan molybdenum polymetallic mine concentration area is rich in mineral resources and has a long history of mining.The environmental impact of long-term mining activities cannot be ignored.It is of great significance to study the ecological risk and the accumulation trends of heavy metals in the soil of mining areas for scientific prevention and control of heavy metal pollution.Taking the Taowanbeigou River Basin in the mine concentration area as the research object,the ecological pollution risk and cumulative effect of heavy metals in the soil of the basin were studied by using the comprehensive pollution index method,potential ecological risk assessment method and geoaccumulation index method.On this basis,the cumulative exceeding years of specific heavy metals were predicted by using the early warning model.The comprehensive potential ecological risk of heavy metals in the soil near the Luanchuan mine concentration area is moderate,and the single element Cd is the main ecological risk factor,with a contribution rate of 53.6%.The overall cumulative degrees of Cu and Pb in the soil are“none-moderate”,Zn and Cd are moderate,Mo has reached an extremely strong cumulative level,Hg,As and Cr risks are not obvious,and the overall cumulative risks order is Mo>Cd>Zn>Cu>Pb>Hg.According to the current accumulation rate and taking the risk screening values for soil contamination of agricultural land as the reference standard,the locations over standard rates of Cu,Zn and Cd will exceed 78%in 90years,and the over standard rate of Pb will reach approximately 57%in 200 years.The cumulative exceeding standard periods of As,Cr and Hg are generally long,which basically indicates that these elements do not pose a significant potential threat to the ecological environment.Mining activities will accelerate the accumulation of heavy metals in soil.With the continuous development of mining activities,the potential pollution risk of heavy metals in the soil of mining areas will also increase.

Combination of artificial zeolite and microbial fertilizer to improve mining soils in an arid area of Inner Mongolia,China

Restoration of mining soils is important to the vegetation and environment.This study aimed to explore the variations in soil nutrient contents,microbial abundance,and biomass under different gradients of substrate amendments in mining soils to select effective measures.Soil samples were collected from the Bayan Obo mining region in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China.Contents of soil organic matter(SOM),available nitrogen(AN),available phosphorus(AP),available potassium(AK),microbial biomass carbon/microbial biomass nitrogen(MBC/MBN)ratio,biomass,and bacteria,fungi,and actinomycetes abundance were assessed in Agropyron cristatum L.Gaertn.,Elymus dahuricus Turcz.,and Medicago sativa L.soils with artificial zeolite(AZ)and microbial fertilizer(MF)applied at T0(0 g/kg),T1(5 g/kg),T2(10 g/kg),and T3(20 g/kg).Redundancy analysis(RDA)and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution(TOPSIS)were used to identify the main factors controlling the variation of biomass.Results showed that chemical indices and microbial content of restored soils were far greater than those of control.The application of AZ significantly increases SOM,AN,and AP by 20.27%,23.61%,and 40.43%,respectively.AZ significantly increased bacteria,fungi,and actinomycetes abundance by 0.63,3.12,and 1.93 times of control,respectively.RDA indicated that AN,MBC/MBN ratio,and SOM were dominant predictors for biomass across samples with AZ application,explaining 87.6%of the biomass variance.SOM,MBC/MBN ratio,and AK were dominant predictors with MF application,explaining 82.9%of the biomass variance.TOPSIS indicated that T2 was the best dosage and the three plant species could all be used to repair mining soils.AZ and MF application at T2 concentration in the mining soils with M.sativa was found to be the most appropriate measure.

Characteristics of rock fragments in different forest stony soil and its relationship with macropore characteristics in mountain area, northern China

Rock fragments have major effect on soil macropores and water movement. However, the characteristics of rock fragments and their relationship with macropore characteristics remain elusive in forest stony soils in northern mountainous area of China. The objectives of this study are to(1) use Industrial Computed Tomography(CT) scanning to quantitatively analyze rock fragment characteristics in intact soil columns in different forest lands and(2) identify the relationship between characteristics of rock fragments and that of the macropores. Intact soil columns that were 100 mm in diameter and 300 mm long were randomly taken from six local forest stony soils in Wuzuolou Forest Station in Miyun, Beijing. Industrial CT was used to scan all soil column samples, and then the scanned images were utilized to obtain the three-dimensional(3 D) images of rock fragments and macropore structures. Next, theparameters of the rock fragments and macropore structure were measured, including the volume, diameter, surface area, and number of rock fragments, as well as the volume, diameter, surface area, length, angle, tortuosity and number of macropores. The results showed that no significant difference was found in soil rock fragments content in the 10-30 cm layer between mixed forest and pure forest, but in the 0-10 cm soil layer, the rock fragments in mixed forest were significantly less than in pure forest. The number density of macropores has significant negative correlation with the number of rock fragments in the 0-10 cm soil layer, whereas this correlation is not significant in 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm soil layers. The volume density of macropore was not correlated with the volume density of rock fragments, and there is no correlation between the density of macropore surface area and the density of rock fragment surface area. Industrial CT scanning combined with image processing technology canprovide a better way to explore 3 D distribution of rock fragments in soil. The content of rock fragments in soil is mainly determined by parent rocks. The surface soil(0-10 cm) of forest contains fewer rock fragments and more macropores, which may be caused by bioturbation, root systems, gravitational settling and faunal undermining.

Investigating spatial and temporal variations of soil moisture content in an arid mining area using an improved thermal inertia model

Mining operations can usually lead to environmental deteriorations. Underground mining activities could cause an extensive decrease in groundwater level and thus a dramatic variation in soil moisture content（SMC）. In this study, the spatial and temporal variations of SMC from 2001 to 2015 at two spatial scales（i.e., the Shendong coal mining area and the Daliuta Coal Mine） were analyzed using an improved thermal inertia model with a long-term series of Landsat TM/OLI（TM=Thematic Mapper and OLI=Operational Land Imager） data. Our results show that at large spatial scale（the Shendong coal mining area）, underground mining activities had insignificant negative impacts on SMC and that at small spatial scale（the Daliuta Coal Mine）, underground mining activities had significant negative impacts on SMC. Trend analysis of SMC demonstrated that areas with decreasing trend of SMC were mainly distributed in the mined area, indicating that underground mining is a primary cause for the drying trend in the mining region in this arid environment.

In-situ Elimination Effect on Heavy Metals in Contaminated Soil from the Mining Area by Ramie

[Objective] The aim was to study on in-situ elimination effect on heavy metals in soil of the mining area by ramie （Boehmeria nivea （L.） Gaud.）. [Methods] Based on Xiangzhu No.3 and Zhongzhu No.1, we conducted research on heavy metals contents of plants growing in soil of Qibao Mountain orefield in Liuyang, Hunan Province, and on characteristics of enrichment and transfer of heavy metals （Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn） under influence of the two ramie species. [Result] It was concluded that trend of Cu content in different parts of ramie was as follows： rootskinleafbone; trend of Pb was rootleafskinbone; trend of Cd was rootskinboneleaf; the trend of Zn was rootskinboneleaf. In farmland A （with low content of heavy metal）, for per square meter of plough horizon, effect of Zhong 1 on heavy metals transferring volume and the period for restoration of the soil into national standard one （Category Ⅲ of Environmental Quality Standard for Soil） have been concluded. Specifically, for Cu, the corresponding values were 3 404.44 mg and 8.59 y, respectively; for Pb, the values were 3 638.5 mg and 13.52 y; for Cd, the values were 720.48 mg and 1.49 y; for Zn, the values were 37 324.8 mg and 0.67 y. [Conclusion] Soil contaminated by Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn in orefield can be rapidly restored by growing ramie.

Spatial prediction of soil organic carbon in coal mining subsidence areas based on RBF neural network

A quantitative research on the effect of coal mining on the soil organic carbon(SOC)pool at regional scale is beneficial to the scientific management of SOC pools in coal mining areas and the realization of coal low-carbon mining.Moreover,the spatial prediction model of SOC content suitable for coal mining subsidence area is a scientific problem that must be solved.Tak-ing the Changhe River Basin of Jincheng City,Shanxi Province,China,as the study area,this paper proposed a radial basis function neural network model combined with the ordinary kriging method.The model includes topography and vegetation factors,which have large influence on soil properties in mining areas,as input parameters to predict the spatial distribution of SOC in the 0-20 and 2040 cm soil layers of the study area.And comparing the prediction effect with the direct kriging method,the results show that the mean error,the mean absolute error and the root mean square error between the predicted and measured values of SOC content predicted by the radial basis function neural network are lower than those obtained by the direct kriging method.Based on the fitting effect of the predicted and measured values,the R^(2) obtained by the radial basis artificial neural network are 0.81,0.70,respectively,higher than the value of 0.44 and 0.36 obtained by the direct kriging method.Therefore,the model combining the artificial neural network and kriging,and considering environmental factors can improve the prediction accuracy of the SOC content in mining areas.

Surrounding Rock Failure Mechanism and Control Technology of Gob-Side Entry with Triangle Coal Pillar at Island Longwall Panel in 15 m Extra-Thick Coal Seams

Taking the return air roadway of Tashan 8204 isolated island working face as the background, the evolution law of the stress field in the surrounding rock of the widened coal pillar area roadway during the mining period of the isolated island working face is obtained through numerical simulation. The hazardous area of strong mine pressure under different coal pillar widths is determined. Through simulation, it is known that when the width of the coal pillar is less than 20 m, there is large bearing capacity on the coal side of the roadway entity. The force on the side of the coal pillar is relatively small. When the width of the coal pillar ranges from 25 m to 45 m, the vertical stress on the roadway and surrounding areas is relatively high. Pressure relief measures need to be taken during mining to reduce surrounding rock stress. When the width of the coal pillar is greater than 45 m, the peak stress of the coal pillar is located in the deep part of the surrounding rock, but it still has a certain impact on the roadway. It is necessary to take pressure relief measures to transfer the stress to a deeper depth to ensure the stability of the triangular coal pillar during the safe mining period of the working face. This provides guidance for ensuring the stability of the triangular coal pillar during the safe mining period of the working face.

Quality evaluation of land reclamation in mining area based on remote sensing

Several deficiencies exist in the present evaluation of land reclamation quality in mining areas.These include the absence of an established set of evaluation index systems and standard acceptance criteria,as well as the use of traditional sam-pling techniques,which are costly and in eficiency,and time-consuming.Compared with the traditional sampling survey methods,remote sensing has the advantages of a wide detection range,diverse information collection,multiple data-acquiring strategies,high speed,and short cycle.In this study,we used the Xinzhuang coal mining field in Yongcheng,Henan Province as an example to extract information and invert surface parameters using remote sensing techniques,based on national and local reclamation regulations and standards.Subsequently,using remote sensing,we constructed an index system for evaluating land reclamation quality in three aspects:reclaiming project quality,soil quality,and ecological benefits.Through the grading standards of evaluation indicators and quantitative remote sensing models,we determined the extracted information on the area of indicators,roads,ditches,soil moisture,organic matter,and ecological benefits after reclamation.Based on this,we established a quality evaluation model for mining land reclamation using an improved index and method.The evaluation units were divided,and the weight of the evaluation index was determined using the analytic hierarchy process and data envelopment analysis(AHP-DEA)method.The land reclamation quality in the study area was comprehensively evaluated,field accuracy was verified,and the results were analyzed.The results show that,except for the removal of roads,houses,and fishponds in the study area,all 13 evaluation units achieved a score of 60 points or higher.The quality of reclamation met the standards,and the evaluation results were consistent with the conclusions of the field investigation and project acceptance report,demonstrating the reliability and feasibility of the method developed in this study.The research results will provide technical support for the scientific evaluation of land reclamation quality.

Soil heavy metal(loid)s and risk assessment in vicinity of a coal mining area from southwest Guizhou, China

Total concentrations of arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, chromium, and copper in the soils from near a coal mine area in southwest Guizhou, China, were measured to evaluate the level of contamination, and the potential ecological risks posed by the heavy metals were quantitatively estimated. Results reveal that all heavy metals/metalloid exceeded the background values for soil environmental quality of heavy metals in Guizhou area. Geo-accumulation index(I_(geo)) showed that arsenic had the highest contamination level(I_(geo)=4) among the seven heavy metals/metalloid, and the contamination levels of mercury and lead were also relatively high(I_(geo)=3). Pearson correlation and cluster analysis identified that mercury, copper and arsenic had a relationship, and their presence might be mainly related to mining activity, coal and oil combustion, and vehicle emissions. Improved Nemerow index indicated that the overall level of heavy metal contamination in the studied area ranged from moderately–heavily contaminated to heavily contaminated level. Potential ecological risk index(R_I) analysis manifested that the whole ecological risk level ranged from high degree to very high degree(325.30≤R_I≤801.02) in the studied soil samples, and the potential ecological risk factors (E_r^i) of heavy metals/metalloid were as follows: Hg > As > Cd > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cr, and the E_r^i of Hg and As reached very high risk grade.

Environmental Geochemistry of Heavy Metal Contaminants in Soil and Stream Sediment in Panzhihua Mining and Smelting Area,Southwestern China

Mining and smelting activities are the main causes for the in creasing pollution of heavy metals in soil, water body and stream sediment. An e nvironmental geochemical investigation was carried out in and around the Panzhih ua mining and smelting area to determine the extent of chemical contamination in soil and sediment. The main objective of this study was to investigate the envi ronmental geochemistry of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn and As in soil and sediment and to assess the degree of pollution in the study area. The data of heavy metal concentrations reveal that soils and sediments in the area have been slightly c ontaminated. Geochemical maps of I\-\{geo\} of each heavy metal show that the co ntaminated sites are located in V-Ti-magnetite sloping and smelting, gangues d am. The pollution sources of the selected elements come mainly from dusts result ant from mining activities and other three-waste-effluents. The area needs to be monitored regularly for trace metal, especially heavy metal enrichment.

Effects of mushroom waste on improvement of reclaimed soil qualityin coal mining areas

Restoring soil quality is the main evaluation norm of the reclamation. In order to reveal the effects of mushroom waste on the quality improvement of reclaimed soil in coal mining areas, the physical, chemical and microbial characteristics of soil are studied. The results show clear improvement in the soil after using mushroom waste. Because of human cultivation and fertilization, cultivated soil after reclamation exhibits high comprehensive quality and the index of quality of surface soil reaches 0.64 and 0.73. The average index of surface soil quality is as high as 0.52 and 0.54. In comparison, the quality of reclaimed soil of forest land is low, with average index of 0.40. The effects of mushroom waste are mainly on the surface soil in the first 2 years after the application. After that period, with the decomposition of mushroom waste, soil quality index tends to be the same as the original soil. The quality of surface soil is higher than that of subsoil, especially after the application of mushroom waste, at which point the soil quality reaches a peak at about 15 cm. Cultivated soil after reclamation has great variance in quality, after the coefficient of 24.74%. Mushroom waste can reduce such variation, particularly with long-term use. The variance efficient falls to 3.59% after 3-year application.

Analysis of the Engineering Restoration Effect of Abandoned Yongledian Quarry in Beijing City Based on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties

The improvement of the soil physical and chemical properties is the most important foundation for mine ecological restoration.The experiment is aimed at undisturbed area,restored area,and damaged area of abandoned Yongledian Quarry in Beijing.Through determination and analysis of soil physical and chemical properties,it shows that there are significant differences in the composite effects of soil physical and chemical properties between restored area,and undisturbed area,damaged area,and engineering restoration effectively improves the composite effects of soil physical and chemical properties in the restored area.The single factor hypothesis test shows that soil pH value,organic matter,alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen,and total nitrogen traits are the key targets to be restored in this mining area.

Simulation experiment of AE-based localization damage and deformation characteristic on covering rock in mined-out area

The localization damage and deformation characteristics of multiple rock in mined-out area under thick soil layer were investigated by acoustic emission （AE）-based physical similar simulation experiment and damage test combined with the AE theory on rock damage. During different mining courses, the degree of wall rock suffered from mining disturbed process in mined-out area was different, so did the AE density of initial damage and fracture. Some characteristic parameters, including large events, total events, and energy rate, presented fluctuations with temporal and spatial change and take on a certain extent statistic relation. Subsequently, the percent of damage degree was defined and divided into 4 stages, and the localization damage and deformation characteristics of surrounding rock in mined-out area and coal pillars were analyzed quantitatively.

Constitutive model of disturbed soil-structure interface within mining subsidence areas

The characteristics of a disturbed soil-structure interface were studied based on the variation regularities of the disturbed soil within its mining subsidence area using direct shear tests.The effects of the initial moisture content on the shear strength parameters of the soil-structure interfaces were analyzed.The results indicate that the cohesion of the interface initially increased and then decreased as the initial moisture content increased.In addition,the friction angle of the interface decreased as the initial moisture content increased.A constitutive model of the disturbed soil-structure interface,a rigid-plastic model based on the initial void ratio and saturability(VSRP) model,was established based on the results.In order to validate this model,a finite element analysis of DRS-1 direct shear tests was conducted.The finite element model calculations coincided with the results of the DRS-1 direct shear tests.The proposed model also reflected the nonlinear features of the soil-structure interface.

Features of gas geology and its main controlling factors in Pingxiang Mining Area, Jiangxi Province

Pingxiang Mining Area in Jiangxi Province is one of the major coal-producing areas and is prone to serious coal and gas outburst, therefore, it is of significance to research on gas geological features and its controlling factors. Based on the analysis of gas data collected from geological exploration and coal mining, the research reveals that the features of gas geology vary significantly between west part and east part of Pingxiang Mining Area, and it is characterized by high gas mines with se- rious coal and gas outburst in the west part and low gas mines with no coal and gas outburst in the east part. The main controlling factors to gas geology are discussed, and the great difference of gas geology between west part and east part is the result of comprehensive effect by geological factors. Concerning the gas generation, the coal rank in the west part is higher than that in the east part, which is favorable to generate more gas in the west part than in the east part. Concerning the gas preservation, the structures are characterized by gliding nappe in the west part and by tectonic window in the east part, the surrounding rocks are characterized by poor permeability in the west part and comparatively good permeability in the east part, and the characteristics of coal rank and coal body structure are favorable to gas preservation in the west part and favorable to gas emission in the east part.

Soil Erodibility Characteristics of Reclamation Area--A Case Study in Indonesian Coal Mining

Soil erosion is one of the most important problems in Indonesia coal mining reclamation area because located in tropical areas which has high average of rainfall. Severe soil erosion leads to the unsuccessful reclamation progress in the post mine surface due to impact on steep slope and limit of seedling establishment. Considering the impact of soil erosion in mining activities, Indonesian government had issued several regulations related to erosion control. Soil erodibility is one of the main factors controlling soil erosion. It will determine amount of soil loss and total sediment. Estimation of soil erodibility aims to determine the susceptibility of soil to be eroded by water. The estimation considers soil texture, percentage of organic matter, soil structure and soil permeability. This study was integration between field work to collect soil sample, soil laboratory analysis, soil erodibility analysis using erodibility equation Wischmeier and Smith （1978） and analysis to predict soil erosion/annual total soil loss. The results show that soil erodibility in study area was calculated to range from 0.091 to 0.142 tons ha h/ha/MJ/mm and soil erodibility of the study area was categorized as very low and low. There are strong relationships between soil erodibility and soil erosion but the correlation was not fully linier due to other factors controlling soil erosion / annual total soil loss.

Quantitative analysis of biotechnical reinforcement for a steep slope consisting of composite coal-gangue-soil medium adjacent to a mined-out area

The engineering and geological characteristics of a steep slope consisting of coal gangue, rock and soil medium in Huating coal mine have been comprehensively investigated. Owing to humid weather, heavy rainfall, vegetation and porous characteristics of the soil and rock mass, the steep slope will be destabilized and induce mud-rock flow or derive hazard easily. Firstly, based on the classical slope reinforcement theory, some regularity between the shear and displacement in the destabilized zone of the slope with or without root strength contribution is presented. Then, based on the experimental and statistical analysis of root strength, hydrological characteristics and stability status, etc., some possible biotechnical techniques for reinforcement of the steep slope have been suggested. These methods are important for quantitative analysis of destabilization of the slope and design of the biotechnical reinforcement.

Effects of mixed-based biochar on water infiltration and evaporation in aeolian sand soil

Aeolian sandy soil in mining areas exhibits intense evaporation and poor water retention capacity.This study was designed to find a suitable biochar application method to improve soil water infiltration and minimize soil water evaporation for aeolian sand soil.Using the indoor soil column method,we studied the effects of three application patterns(A(0-20 cm was a mixed sample of mixed-based biochar and soil),B(0-10 cm was a mixed sample of mixed-based biochar and soil and 10-20 cm was soil),and C(0-10 cm was soil and 10-20 cm was a mixed sample of mixed-based biochar and soil)),four application amounts(0%(control,CK),1%,2%,and 4%of mixed-based biochar in dry soil),and two particle sizes(0.05-0.25 mm(S1)and<0.05 mm(S2))of mixed-based biochar on water infiltration and evaporation of aeolian sandy soil.We separately used five infiltration models(the Philip,Kostiakov,Horton,USDA-NRCS(United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service),and Kostiakov-Lewis models)to fit cumulative infiltration and time.Compared with CK,the application of mixed-based biochar significantly reduced cumulative soil water infiltration.Under application patterns A,B,and C,the higher the application amount and the finer the particle size were,the lower the migration speed of the wetting front.With the same application amount,cumulative soil water infiltration under application pattern A was the lowest.Taking infiltration for 10 min as an example,the reductions of cumulative soil water infiltration under the treatments of A2%(S2),A4%(S1),A4%(S2),A1%(S1),C2%(S1),and B1%(S1)were higher than 30%,which met the requirements of loess soil hydraulic parameters suitable for plant growth.The five infiltration models well fitted the effects of the treatments of application pattern C and S1 particle size(R2>0.980),but the R2 values of the Horton model exceeded 0.990 for all treatments(except for the treatment B2%(S2)).Compared with CK,all other treatments reduced cumulative soil water infiltration,except for B4%(S2).With the same application amount,cumulative soil water evaporation difference between application patterns A and B was small.Treatments of application pattern C and S1 particle size caused a larger reduction in cumulative soil water evaporation.The reductions in cumulative soil water evaporation under the treatments of C4%(S1),C4%(S2),C2%(S1),and C2%(S2)were over 15.00%.Therefore,applying 2%of mixed-based biochar with S1 particle size to the underlying layer(10-20 cm)could improve soil water infiltration while minimizing soil water evaporation.Moreover,application pattern was the main factor affecting soil water infiltration and evaporation.Further,there were interactions among the three influencing factors in the infiltration process(application amount×particle size with the most important interaction),while there were no interactions among them in the evaporation process.The results of this study could contribute to the rational application of mixed-based biochar in aeolian sandy soil and the resource utilization of urban and agricultural wastes in mining areas.

Mechanical properties of material in a mine dump at the Shengli#1 Surface Coal Mine,China

ln-situ experiments were conducted to investigate the mechanical properties of the soil-rock mixture in the internal dump of the Shengli #1 Surface Coal Mine, China. Based on the experimental results, this study used comparative analysis and found that the shear strength of the soil-rock mixture in the dump was greater than the residual shear strength of the original rock. The results showed that the material presented in the dump as large blocks was the main factor affecting the strength of the soil-rock mixture, Numerical simulation was carried out for the analyses of three factors： different combinations of shear failure, rolling failure along with different large-block radius ratios, and mixture densities. The results illustrated that the cohesion and angle of internal friction of the soil-rock mixture are 12 kPa and 32.26°. However, in some cases the bench angle in the dump was controlled by a coupling relationship of rocks in the material. Finally, the stability of a soil slope showed a linear relationship with the large-block radius ratio and the bulk density.