Field application and effect evaluation of different iron tailings soil utilization technologies

Abstract Iron tailings are generated in large amounts due to the extensive mining activities, leading to the large-scale land occupation, serious environmental pollution and high ecological risks. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop economic and effective technologies for the large scaled utilization of tailings. In this study, 1132.8 m2 field experiments were carried out for 105 days in Anshan iron mine of Liaoning Province, with the aims to investigate the application and performance of sustainable utilization technologies on iron tailings, including amendments (A1, A2, A3), plants (P1, P2, P3), microorganisms (M1, M2, M3), and amendment-plant-microorganism (JT1, JT2, JT3). The results show that the applied utilization technologies can not only reduce the bulk density and pH of tailings but also increase tailing moisture and porosity. The tailing fertility gradually reached the medium and even high levels, thereby providing plants with relatively ideal growth environment. Besides, the growth of soil bacterial, fungal and actinomycete populations were stimulated to varying degrees with the utilization technologies, especially for M1 treatment. The evaluation results suggest that the performance of 12 utilization technologies were in the order of M1 > P3, JT1, A2 > JT3, A1, A3 > M3, P1 > M2 > P2 > JT2. The results of this study can provide valuable insights to improve the management of tailings so that long term effects of mining activities can be mitigated.