Early assessment of efforts at facilitating paths to cost‐effective restoration at a mine site in China

The Muli mining area in Qinghai Province of West China is challenging to restore ecologically because of its harsh alpine environment. This study aimed to understand the efficacy of two kinds of organic material fertilizer in remedying the mining spoil in this frigid alpine area, and to determine the appropriate type and dosage of fertilizers (granular organic fertilizer and locally available sheep manure) in ecologically restoring alpine mining areas. The fertilized fields were sown with five types of native seeds at an equal proportion while the screened mining spoil (excavated overburden during mining operation) served as the control. We determined and compared the vegetation characteristics, the spoil physicochemical properties, and the spoil microbial community in different treatments. Results indicated that the supplementation of fertilizers significantly increased the aboveground biomass of the seeded vegetation ( p < 0.05). It also markedly increased spoil nutrients, including total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium, along with a significant increase ( p < 0.05) in microbial richness and diversity. These changes were more pronounced at certain optimal dosages than at others. For instance, the spoil water content rose most significantly ( p < 0.05) only at the 2.4 kg/m 2 dosage of sheep manure and the 3.6 kg/m 2 dosage of the granular organic fertilizer. These results suggest that the locally sourced, partially fermented sheep manure was more effective than the granular organic fertilizer, especially at the optimal dosage. It can serve as an inexpensive and viable alternative in minimizing the cost of ecological establishment in high‐altitude, meadow‐surrounded mining areas around the world.