Chapter 5: Loosening compacted soils on mined lands

Successful surface coal mining businesses must move earth materials efficiently, so mining operations today depend on large and heavy equipment (Fig. 5-1). Track dozers and haul trucks used for mining can weigh more than 100 tons each. Wheel loaders and loaded haul trucks often exceed 200 tons. The mining industry has learned that successful reforestation of reclaimed sites requires loose and uncompacted surface materials, but some areas become compacted due to the machinery operation, traffic, and storage that are necessary for the mining business to be successful.