Assessment of soil characteristics in the vicinity of open cast coal mine and its suitability for vegetative reclamation in Charhi and Kuju of Jharkhand, India.

Coal mining is inevitable for economic growth of a country, but at the same time deteriorates the quality of the environment. Open cast mine, especially affects the top soil most negatively. In the present study, soil samples from three representative areas of mining viz proposed, operational and abandoned sites from Charhi and Kuju of Jharkhand were collected and analysed for physicochemical parameters and metals with an objective to determine their suitability for vegetative reclamation. Soil samples appeared to be slightly acidic (5.97 ± 0.66) with low EC values (101 ± 76 μScm(-1)), total organic carbon (0.71 ± 0.35 %), organic matter (1.34 ± 0.66%) and overall nutrient, especially nitrogen (167 ± 64 kg ha(-1)) contents than required for reclamation by revegetation. However, bulk density was found conducive for reclamation. Total Cr (317 ± 287 to 417 ± 393 mg kg(-1)), Cu (121 ± 72 to 344 ± 143 mg kg(-1)), Ni (171 ± 46 to 373 ± 134 mg kg(-1)) and Pb (114 ± 115 to 182 ± 145 mg kg(-1)) content were found to be higher in soil. Sitewise variation was also significant for Cu and Ni. Pearson's correlation suggested significant (p ≤ 0.05) positive inter elemental correlation between Cr-Fe, Cr-Mn, Cu-Ni, Fe-Mn and Mn-Ni. Positive geoaccumulation index (Igeo) values for all the metals except Fe, overall contamination degree of 31.10 and significant enrichment factor indicated considerable contamination. This baseline data could be utilized for vegetative reclamation planning of the study area in future.