As part of environmental protection measures, the Vostochnaya Mining Co. implemented a project to restore land at the Solntsevsky coal mine with a total area of 22 ha. The volume of investments in the project amounted to 37 million rubles.
Land reclamation at the Solntsevsky coal mine was carried out in several stages. The biological stage was carried out after the completion of the technical one and consisted of a complex of agrotechnical and phytomeliorative measures aimed at restoring the fertile properties of soils.
As part of biological reclamation, in May 2020, work was carried out to form a fertile soil layer with a predominance of peat and nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizers. During the work, 41 620 m3 of peat and 200 kg of fertilizers were used.
To improve the structure of the soil, enrichment with organic substances and increase the biodiversity of land, more than 4 t of seeds of annual and perennial grasses adapted to local conditions were sown into the pre-formed reclamation layer of the earth. Taking into account the soil and climatic conditions of the sites subject to biological reclamation, the seeding rate averaged 64.45 kg/ha. Sowing of vegetation was carried out both mechanically and manually in inaccessible places. When carrying out environmental work, the negative impact of the applied technologies, equipment and materials used on the environment was minimised.
The control of the germination and survival of vegetation on the reclaimed area was carried out in October by the forces of an organisation that carried out a set of works on land restoration at the Solntsevsky coal mine. An additional check of the condition of the reclaimed land is planned in the spring after the completion of snow melting. If necessary, additional overseeding will be performed within the framework of the warranty.
