Abstract
This project is exploring the potential for developing trees tolerable to degraded un-reclaimed mine site soils and tailings as a solution to re-establishing long-term tree growth on those sites. The project incorporates growing tree seedlings in an underground greenhouse grown from seeds planted in the degraded mine soils in which they will eventually be planted. The outcome of the project is expected to lead to a successful solution for re-establishing tree growth in soils and tailings containing high metal concentrations with minimal post-planting human intervention. The research is being conducted in an underground greenhouse located 100 ft below the surface in the old Orphan Boy Mine Underground Mine Education Center (UMEC) located on Montana Tech’s campus in Butte, Montana.
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Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge Scott Rosenthal, Head of the Montana Tech Mining Engineering Department, for granting permission to use the UMEC for the project and the practical underground mining class students and Larry Hoffman, their instructor, for developing the underground greenhouse.
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Opoku-Ware, C., Conrad, P. & Kukay, M. Developing Trees Tolerant to Degraded Mine Soils in an Underground Greenhouse. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 36, 269–275 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-019-0053-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-019-0053-y