Phytostabilization of acidic mine tailings with biochar, biosolids, lime, and locally-effective microbes: Do amendment mixtures influence plant growth, tailing chemistry, and microbial composition?

Abandoned mine lands present persistent environmental challenges to ecosystems and economies; reclamation an important step for overcoming these challenges. Phytostabilization is an elegant and cost-effective reclamation strategy, however, establishing plants on severely degraded soils is problematic, often requiring soil amendment additions. We evaluated whether amendment mixtures composed of lime, biochar, biosolids, and locally effective microbes (LEM) could alleviate the constraints that hinder phytostabilization success.

Microbial response to designer biochar and compost treatments for mining impacted soils.

The Oronogo-Duenweg mining belt is a designated United States Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site due to lead-contaminated soil and groundwater by former mining and smelting operations. Sites that have undergone remediation - in which the O, A, and B horizons have been removed alongside the lead contamination - have an exposed C horizon and are incalcitrant to revegetation efforts. Soils also continue to contain quantifiable Cd and Zn concentrations.