Exploring methods and technical measures for mine ecological restoration

China is a major mining country in the world, and has experienced extensive ecological degradation at mine sites due to long-term, large-scale, and high-intensity mineral resource extraction. The resulting proliferation of abandoned mines has severely damaged local ecosystems, posing a critical and complex challenge for the ecological restoration of territorial spaces. In response to the new situation and requirements of current ecological restoration of territorial space, and to better support mine ecological restoration, based on the already implemented technical standards for mine ecological restoration, this study outlined the overall approach and basic principles of mine ecological restoration and clarified the business process of mine ecological restoration. Technical methods for basic investigation of mines and criteria for grading ecological impact, as well as methods for constructing reference systems for mine ecological restoration were proposed. It summarized three ecological restoration models—natural recovery, assisted recovery, and ecological reconstruction—based on the geological environmental conditions and degree of ecological damage of mine sites, and then provided corresponding ecological restoration technical measures for each model. The objective is to further standardize the mine environmental protection and comprehensive management in China and accelerate the progress of mine ecological restoration.