5.4 Mining on slope
In case of contour-strip mining artificial shelves are created on hill slopes, these are to be reclaimed by planting local hardy species on benches. Such plantation should definitely merge with and add to the aesthetic value of the surroundings. A technique for growing greenery on such irregular stoney land is detailed next.

The chief requirements to make any plantation activity successful is soil, water and nutrients. The technique suggested for this has been generated through real-field case studies (Ghosh 1999a) on two extreme varieties of lands, one with high, deep infiltration and zero run-off while the other with high run-off, zero infiltration. Hence both the lands were having no water, no soil and no soil nutrient. Different sets of experiments were conducted for identifying the most suitable strategy on the following points for two extreme varieties of mining degraded lands mentioned above.
* species suitability,
* plot preparation technique
* stages of sowing
* process of sowing ã after care
* watering

Recommendations generated out of these experiments form a working model for soil rehabilitation/ regeneration which has been presented in the form of a flow chart of activities in Fig. 5.3 (Ghosh 1999a). The model is good for growing greenery on any barren land without requiring any topsoil.

While spreading of cowdung/ poultry/ organic compost has been suggested in the technique (Ghosh op.cit.1999), use of other waste products as listed in table 5.1 (c.f. Bradshaw & Chadwick 1980) and hydroseeding specifications as listed in table 5.2 (c.f. Bradshaw & Chadwick, op. cit) may also produce good results under certain conditions.

Table 5.1: Use of waste products in restoration of derelict soil
Material
Composition%
Special problems
N
P
K
Organic matter
Farmyard manure
0.6
0.1
0.5
24
Can be toxic when used direct on plant
Pig slurry
0.2
0.1
0.2
3
High water content
Poultry manure (brolier)
2.3
0.9
1.6
68
High levels of ammonia
Poultry manure (battery)
1.5
0.5
0.6
34
High levels of ammonia
Sewage sludge (air dried)
2.0
0.3
0.2
45
Possible toxic metals, higher moisture content
Peat (partly dried)
0.1
0.005
0.002
50
Variable, especially calcium content
Mushroom compost (dried)
2.8
0.2
0.8
95
None, except high lime content
Domestic refuse (municipal)
0.5
0.2
0.3
65
Miscellaneous objects
Straw
0.5
0.1
0.8
95
Adverse C/N ratio
Building rubble
0.05
1.8
2.0
0.5
Brick and pieces of masonry
Colliery spoil
0.03
0.04
0.4
0
Possible high levels of pyrite causing acidity
Pulverized fuel ash
0
0.05
2.2
0
High boron

Source: Bradshaw and. Chadwick, 1980