Mining in Ecologically Sensitive Landscapes

Professor Mark Tibbett is a plant and soil scientist with over 25 years’ experience in research and teaching. He specialises in element cycling and plant–microbe–soil interactions with particular interest in soil microbial ecology, mycorrhiza and the rhizosphere. Having completed postdoctoral, academic and industry appointments in the UK, he spent 10 years in Australia at CSIRO Land & Water and as the director of the Centre for Land Rehabilitation at the University of Western Australia. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed scholarly articles, is the Co Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Soil Research and an associate editor of the Australian Journal of Botany and Restoration Ecology. He was an instigator and remains a co-chair of the global ‘Mine Closure’ series of conferences. He is currently Professor of Soil Ecology at the University of Reading, UK.

...... it is timely to see this multi-authored edited volume primarily directed to professional practitioners and academic researchers working in the field of land rehabilitation and ecological restoration in sensitive areas impacted by mining activities and the minerals industry more generally...... A final chapter demonstrates how a collaborative approach from mining companies, environmental organisations and traditional land owners has worked to manage effectively and conserve biodiversity in the Great Western Woodlands of Australia. It is a very appropriate finale, emphasising the need for ongoing dialogue between stakeholders from the inception of a mining plan through to restoration or reclamation and thereon to future management for conservation........this is a book of immense value which should surely find a place on the bookshelves of mining environmental managers, consultants, NGO’s, government departments and university libraries. Professor Alan J M Baker, The University of Queensland and School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

• List of contributorsTechnical reviewersIntroduction, concepts and challenges1 Mining in ecologically sensitive landscapes: concepts and challengesMark Tibbett2 Mined land reclamation in the Appalachian coalfields: a case for an ecosystem reclamation approach James A Burger3 Hidden costs of mining in ecologically sensitive areasHoward D SmithEndemism in ironstone geosystems4 Iron geosystems: priority areas for conservation in BrazilClaudia M Jacobi, Flavio F do Carmo, Felipe F do Carmo and Iara C de Campos5 Flora and vegetation surveys of the ironstone ranges of the Yilgarn CratonNeil Gibson, Rachel Meissner, Adrienne S Markey and Wendy A Thompson6 Lessons drawn from iron ore mining in the Yilgarn region of Western AustraliaRobert K HowardProgress in bauxite mining7 Mining and ecological restoration in the jarrah forest of Western AustraliaJohn M Koch8 Recovery of terrestrial orchids in natural ecosystems after severe disturbanceMargaret Collins and Mark Brundrett9 The mining-restoration system and ecosystem development following bauxite mining in a biodiverse environment of the seasonally dry tropics of AustraliaAlister V Spain, Mark Tibbett, Dieter A Hinz, John A Ludwig and David J TongwayWays forward10 Key values of metallophytes for the minerals industry in AustralasiaAntony van der Ent11 A collaborative approach for mining, environment organisations and Traditional Owners to manage and conserve biodiversity in Australia’s Great Western WoodlandsAlexander WT Watson, Simon Judd, Wayne O’Sullivan and James EM WatsonIndex