revegetation is generally the best long-term way to stabilize metalliferous mine wastes, because vegetation controls erosion and dust, reduces water percolation and metal transport, and can provide a relatively cheap permanent cover. However, mine waste is usually a terrible growth medium: it can have toxic metals, extreme acidity, low nutrients and organic matter, poor water retention/structure, salinity, and little microbial activity. Because those constraints vary dramatically between sites, there is no universal reclamation recipe; the authors recommend characterizing the waste and using greenhouse/field trials to identify the actual limiting factors

main approaches range from direct seeding with conventional grasses/legumes where metals are relatively unavailable, to metal-tolerant plant populations on more toxic waste, to covers/barriers where the substrate is too hostile. While tolerant plants can establish directly on contaminated material and remain stable for years, but they don’t eliminate the underlying pollution and can restrict future land use.

Overall, the paper’s philosophy is essentially: match the reclamation treatment to the waste chemistry, physical conditions, climate and desired end land use, rather than automatically importing a thick layer of topsoil.