Assessment of soil properties of different land uses generated due to surface coal mining activities in tropical Sal (Shorea robusta) forest, India

• Soil pH, electrical conductivity, and bulk density increased in mine affected lands.
• Soil organic carbon, NPK decreased in mine affected lands.
• Infiltration rate of Sal forest > wasteland > agriculture land > mine face topsoil > reclaimed mine soil.
• Cumulative infiltration rate declines 75–85% in mine affected lands compared to Sal forest.

Large scale surface coal mining activities resulted disturbance of the local ecosystem by creating different land uses that alter soil properties and hydrological balance of the mining area and surrounding environment. The present study aims to evaluate the changes in soil properties in mining affected lands (mine face topsoil, wasteland and agriculture land) and reclaimed mine soil (RMS), and to quantify the changes of the selected soil properties with respect to reference Sal forest (Shorea robusta Gaertn. F.). Changes in soil properties were analyzed on a profile basis (0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm). The study indicates that soil pH, electrical conductivity, and bulk density were increased significantly, while a decrease in nutrient content (N, P, and K) was observed in the mining affected lands. The infiltration rate in RMS was found ten times lower than the Sal forest. In comparison to Sal forest, the cumulative infiltration rate declines 85%, 80% and 75%, in RMS, topsoil and agriculture soil, respectively. The overall findings of this study indicated that conversion of Sal forest into other land uses due to mining significantly reduced the nutrient contents and soil quality of the area. Reclamation of the mine degraded land in short duration does not restore the overall properties of the soils, particularly the infiltration rate, which has long term impacts on the surrounding ecosystem.

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