The Impact of Open-Pit Mining on Soil Erosion in the Mining Area of Ordos Plateau in China

 To quantify the impact of mining area development and construction on regional soil erosion， and to provide a scientific basis for future soil erosion prevention and ecological restoration in open-pit mining areas in the Shanxi-Shaanxi-Inner Mongolia region.Heidaigou and Harwusu coal mines， the largest open-pit mines on the Ordos Plateau， were taken as the research objects. High-resolution topography and vegetation status of the study area were obtained based on remote sensing images， statistical data and field surveys. The revised wind erosion equation （RWEQ） model and the revised universal soil loss equation（RUSLE） model were used to calculate the moduli of wind and water erosion in 1990，2000，2010 and 2020，respectively. The proportional changes in erosion modulus levels in the mining and natural control areas from 1990−2000，1990−2010 and 1990−2020 were calculated to analyze the impact of open-pit mining on the two soil erosion forces. The overall moduli of wind and water erosion in the study area showed a declining trend from 1990 to 2020. The proportion of areas with reduced moduli of wind and water erosion in the mining area was smaller than that in the control area， while the proportion of areas with increased or unchanged moduli was larger than that in the control area. This indicates that open-pit mining operations have accelerated the natural erosion rates of wind and water erosion to a certain extent. Soil and water conservation effors in the region have achieved periodic results. Wind and water erosion may have a certain mutual inhibitory effect，and soil and water conservation in mining areas still requires further consideration for the control of soil and water loss under combined erosion.