Response of three native grass species on dry tailings reclamation substrate amended with petroleum coke.

Surface mining around the world has produced large quantities of waste materials with ecological impacts. Oil sands mining in Canada generates large volumes of petroleum coke and tailings every year, which are stockpiled in the mining areas and must be reclaimed through capping or used in reclamation substrates. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine whether substrates of various mixes of dry tailings (DT), tailings sand (TS), and peat mineral mix (PMM) with coke amendment would support emergence and growth of three grass species commonly used in land reclamation.

Dry mature fine tailings as oil sands reclamation substrates for three native grasses.

Mature fine tailings (MFT) are a by-product of oil sands mining that must be reclaimed through capping or use as a reclamation substrate. Some chemical and physical properties of MFT make it inhospitable for plant growth, such as high concentrations of sodium, sulfate, chloride, and hydrocarbons. A greenhouse study assessed whether substrates of various mixes of dry MFT, overburden sand, and peat mineral soil mix (PMM) and caps of forest floor organic material (LFH) and PMM would support the emergence and growth of three native grass species commonly used in land reclamation.