Reclamation of the Enugu Coal Mine Site at Abandonment

Abstract

Mining of coal (fossil fuel) resources in Enugu resulted in groundwater pollution/depletion and left the mine site with the potentials of air pollution, loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation and soil contamination. Other Environmental impacts were extensive soil damage, alteration in microbial communities and affecting vegetation leading to destruction of vast amounts of land and displacement of dwellers. Reclamation is the process to restore the ecological integrity of these disturbed mine land areas. It includes the management of all types of physical, chemical and biological disturbances of soils such as soil pH, fertility, microbial community and various soil nutrient cycles that makes the degraded land soil productive. Mining does not mean permanent loss of land for other use. On the other hand it holds potential for altered and improved use apart from restoring for agriculture, forestry and irrigation. This paper attempts to view the best practices for reclaiming the abandoned Enugu coal mine site which ceased production since 2002.