Synergistic backfilling and revegetation approaches for ecological reclamation of small-scale sandstone mine pits in Rajasthan: a comprehensive synthesis.
Perwez A, Tailor A, Singh A, Kothari S, Sekhar A
Native Plants
Stripped quarry land can be coaxed back to life using the same principles behind successful native-plant restoration in any dry garden — choose plants that belong there, then let soil microbes do the heavy lifting.
When sandstone is quarried and the land abandoned, it leaves behind barren, nutrient-poor craters that nothing grows in. This review looked at how to fix that step by step: fill the holes with safe waste materials, improve the soil, and plant native plants suited to the harsh, dry climate. A key insight is that adding beneficial soil fungi and bacteria — the same underground helpers that make healthy gardens tick — gives newly planted species a much better chance of surviving.
Key Findings
Non-hazardous industrial waste can serve as a sustainable backfilling material for abandoned mine pits, addressing the shortage of fill material in arid zones.
Selecting locally native plant species is identified as the single most critical decision in revegetation, followed by consistent post-planting care in harsh conditions.
Inoculation with beneficial microbes — including plant growth-promoting bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi — is highlighted as a key intervention to rebuild soil health and improve plant establishment on nutrient-poor reclaimed land.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers reviewed practical methods to restore abandoned sandstone quarry pits in the arid Rajasthan region of India, where harsh conditions and lack of resources have left degraded land unreclaimed. The review identifies a step-by-step reclamation toolkit: fill the pits with safe industrial waste, amend the soil, then replant with native species supported by beneficial soil microbes.
Abstract Preview
Abandoned sandstone mines pose significant threats to the environment and safety. Despite the threats, the mined-out pits in arid areas of Rajasthan remain unreclaimed. The major challenges associa...
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