A brief procedure to fabricate soils from coal mine wastes based on mineral processing, agricultural, and environmental concepts

• It was developed a procedure to fabricate topsoils from coal mine wastes.
• Steps: gravity separation, comminution/classification, amendments, and plant growth.
• A validation was conducted by Sorghum bicolor growth.
• Fabricated soils are potential substitutes for natural soils in reclamation projects.

The objective of this work was to propose a procedure to fabricate topsoils from coal mine wastes. It comprises the following steps: gravity processing, comminution and classification, amendments (pH adjustment and addition of active organic matter), soil analysis, and plant growth (macro- and micro-nutrients and metals concentration). Validation was conducted with a coal mine waste amended with steel slag and sewage sludge, which was successfully applied for Sorghum bicolor growth.