Rehabilitation,
reclamation and restoration are all terms used to describe the repair of land
after mining. Here, restoration is used to mean restoring the land's original
use, capability or productivity. Effective restoration is dependent on good
planning before mining commences and must include a clear definition of post-mining objectives.
The physical condition of the land within the mining licence was that of an imperfectly drained soil in
permanent pasture, supporting a seasonal
supply dairying unit. During the mining process, the soil layers were separated,
with the topsoil stockpiled separately. As
part of the restoration process, the land was recontoured to encourage
surface drainage, with topsoil spread evenly over the recontoured tailings. Low
grond pressure
machinery was used to minimise soil compaction, with light discing and
harrowing used to increase water infiltration. A permanent pasture was sown,
with weed species controlled by spraying,
both before and after pasture establishment. Soil testing has been used extensively to
ensure there were no nutrient deficiencies that
good compromise pasture establishment and
performance. Controlled grazing practices were used to ensure that the sown
pastures became well established.