Rehabilitation of Disturbed Lands with Industrial Wastewater Sludge

Wastelands of the mining industry are among largest disturbed areas that demand revitalization. To reduce environmental impact and to better manage these geo-resources, formation sustainable plant soil complexes restoration self-recovery function critical points. The successful return vegetative cover at post-mining sites requires eliminating deficiency organic matter. For this, we assessed usability non-traditional ameliorants provide a understanding benefits from mutual dependencies resources. prevent losses close resource cycles, studied applicability wastewater sludge pulp paper (SPP) as an amendment counteract degradation rehabilitate human-disturbed lands. Waste rock limestone, beresite, phosphogypsum substrates were used in vitro for application peat mixture consequent grass seeding. formed was analyzed compare germination biomass growth on reconstructed soils. We efficiency ameliorant combinations by two approaches: (1) traditional technique cutting-off material measure obtained biomass, (2) digital image analysis RGB-processed photographs (r2 = 0.75–0.95). effect SPP height showed similar results: land rehabilitation with 20 cm layer mine waste dumps environmentally suitable SPP:soil ratio 1:3. However, excessive (ratio 1:1 soil) negatively affected seed vegetation.