ABSTRACT
Basic revegetation techniques such as seedbed preparation, fertilization, and seeding are practiced at most disturbances, but different types of perturbations require modification of these final reclamation activities. A typical northern Great Plains coal stripmine revegetation program is presented to illustrate problems and pitfalls in developing an appropriate seed mix and selecting techniques for rehabilitating such a site. As part of the development of the revegetation plan for the hypothetical northern Great Plains minesoil, the authors must develop a premine inventory. Associated with open-pit metal mines are several different types of revegetation: these include the open pit itself, waste rock removed from the pit to gain access to the ore, access and exploratory roads, drill pads, and tailings. Revegetation of open-pit slopes and associated disturbances is identical to the revegetation of waste rock. Infiltration rates are rapid on waste rock slopes but water-holding capacity is low; therefore, the sites have periodic droughts.
