Daniel+M

__**PROJECTS**__

media type="custom" key="14823038"

media type="custom" key="13227014"

__**Successful Environmental Restoration- Mining Reclamation**__

In 1977, the United States started a program to prevent dangerous permanent effects of mining. So the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act came about to do just that. However, years before there were states that already implemented laws in order to regulate mining, such as Alabamathe Alabama Surface Mining Reclamation Commissionin 1975.

Before the mining process even begins, there are regulations that companies are required to adhere to; as well as during mining and even after the mines have been closed. Miners must always follow certain regulations set up by the law, but regardless of whether or not the laws are adhered to, mining will cause massive amounts of damage to the ecosystem. This includes ground water pollution, water-filled pits, open mines, sediment-clogged streams, potential landslides, fumes, and surface instability.

After mining, the company must flatten contour land, cover dangerous exposed chemicals with clay, cover landfills with topsoil, fence off dumps, then fence off open mines which will fill with groundwater where tailing dams will evaporate, then covered with waste rock and clay, followed by soil to allow plant growth. In areas with cultural heritage, the removal of the infrastructure is a much higher priority. However in mines such as gold mines, the miners will use special scavenger operations to trace the left over raw materials and remove them in order to treat the soil and prevent further damage.

Reclamation itself is the process of restoring an area by extreme measures. It will require drastic means to achieve the end goal with large equipment and will take a long to complete. There are hundreds of mines in America; many of them have been closed for years and some might still be active. Because of this, it will be near impossible to restore all the damaged land, but there is much potential in being able to prevent damage to fragile ecosystems and even the nearby populations. This will in no way stop the damage of a mine, but it will significantly reduce it.

**__Citations__** 1. "Mining Reclamation Success - Alabama Surface Coal Mining Commission." //Welcome - Mineral Information Institute //. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. .

2. "OSM - Reclaiming Abandoned Mined Lands." //OSM Home Page //. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. .