Abstract
Mining industry has a significant economic contribution towards the province's economic growth, though the environmental threat a mining operation might pose cannot be ignored. The environmental consequences vary from soil toxicity affecting plant growth and disrupting microorganism habitats to water contamination through erosion and mining wastes. This project is focused on the reclamation of the largest open-pit copper mine-site in Canada, the Highland Valley Copper Mine (HVC). Highland Valley Copper (HVC) is required to conduct reclamation research on the Highland Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) as part of the site M-11 operating permit. Land reclamation aims to build and enrich the soil to encourage the establishment of plant and animal communities. One of the practical approaches in mining land reclamation is to cover the tailings (fine grained mine wastes) with a subsoil/topsoil surface to promote vegetation and ecosystem development. Various types of amendments can help facilitate this process. Organic amendments can provide the soil with the necessary organic material and carbon source for re-activating the nutrient cycle. The establishment of native plant communities is an increasing target for mine closure plans, especially as the role of Indigenous communities becomes central to mine operation and closure in BC. This study provides valuable insights on the use of organic amendments on the topsoil of the tailings and the plantation of native plants by both seeding and planting seedlings to carry out a successful ecosystem restoration process and mine reclamation.