Ecological Restoration and Transformation of Maoming Oil Shale Mining Area: Experience and Inspirations
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methodology and Study Area
2.1. Methodology
2.2. Study Area and Geological Features
3. Utilization and Ecological Restoration of Oil Shale
3.1. Oil Shale Utilization History of Maoming Basin
3.2. Environmental Problems Caused by Oil Shale Utilization
4. Ecological Restoration Measures for Maoming’s Oil Shale Mining Area
4.1. Treatment of Mining Pit
4.2. Vegetation Restoration
4.3. Ecological Park and Tourism Resource Construction
5. Discussion
5.1. Key Issues of Maoming Oil Shale Open-Pit Mine Treatment
5.2. Experience and Inspirations from the “Maoming Model”
6. Conclusions
- The development and treatment of oil shale open-pit mines in the Maoming area have undergone four main stages, namely the pre-exploitation stage, large-scale utilization stage, restoration stage, and green development stage. During these stages, a shift from the model of extensive energy resource development to the model of green and sustainable development was realized. In the achievement of the transition, rigorous governance is the most crucial factor.
- The Maoming oil shale open-pit mine’s ecological restoration and treatment mostly entail pit treatment, vegetation restoration, ecological park and tourism resource construction, etc. Specific measures include pit treatment, slope treatment, water treatment, vegetation restoration, traffic improvement, pollution source discontinuation, industrial site renovation, and landscape design and construction. A system of infrastructure has been developed, including multipurpose reservoirs, a connected water network, extensive regreening of the vegetation, an enhanced traffic network, new landscape facilities, improved farming conditions, and renovated mining site sightseeing facilities.
- Based on the construction of the new infrastructure system, cultural and tourism resources such as mining culture, mining industry sites, and agricultural tourism have been exploited to achieve the integration of ecological, transportation, and cultural resources and to build a green economic development model based on the ecological restoration of oil shale open-pit mines.
- The ecological restoration and management of the Maoming oil shale open-pit mine have realized the transformation of the economic development model. This case study serves as an example for the management as well as the transformative development in open-pit mine areas, providing a scientific guide for the ecological restoration of mines in developing countries.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Zhao, D.; Zhang, W.; Xie, W.; Liu, C.; Yang, Y.; Chen, Y.; Ren, C.; Chen, H.; Zhang, Q.; Folinas, S. Ecological Restoration and Transformation of Maoming Oil Shale Mining Area: Experience and Inspirations. Land 2023, 12, 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020318
Zhao D, Zhang W, Xie W, Liu C, Yang Y, Chen Y, Ren C, Chen H, Zhang Q, Folinas S. Ecological Restoration and Transformation of Maoming Oil Shale Mining Area: Experience and Inspirations. Land. 2023; 12(2):318. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020318
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhao, Difei, Wei Zhang, Wanyu Xie, Chaowei Liu, Yingying Yang, Yingxing Chen, Chongyang Ren, Hongyu Chen, Qing Zhang, and Sotiris Folinas. 2023. "Ecological Restoration and Transformation of Maoming Oil Shale Mining Area: Experience and Inspirations" Land 12, no. 2: 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020318