Bringing Life Back into Former Mining Sites: A Mini-Review on Soil Remediation Using Organic Amendments
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript "Bringing life back into former mining sites: a mini-review on soil remediation using organic amendments" by Bogdan Andrei Miu, Cristian-Emilian Pop, Nicolae Crăciun and György Deák was submitted for peer review.
I read the submitted manuscript with great interest. The author turned to a very urgent problem: Reducing the environmental impact of mining by reclaiming land at the mine site. The authors have done a very good study, but the manuscript has several significant flaws that need to be corrected. Correction of the shortcomings listed below must be done to improve the quality of the manuscript, enhance the ease of perception of the presented material and increase the interest of a readers.
1.) From my point of view, there are very few keywords. Keywords enable the reader to quickly search for the necessary material and enable the author to popularise their research and increase interest and citations. But if this number of keywords satisfies the requirement of the journal, this comment is advisory.
2.) The abstract is not quite formed correctly. It is very blurry and framed incorrectly. It seems that the authors have taken certain phrases from the text and thus formed the abstract. The abstract should clearly indicate the purpose of the study, its importance for society (i.e. to characterize the problem), identify the methods and materials of the study, and the conclusions should be clearly and briefly formulated. There is no "starting point" in the abstract, that is, information about previous studies (one sentence is enough). From my point of view, in the abstract, such information begins with the statement: "Previously conducted studies have established that ...".
2.1) It is desirable to avoid narrative text in the abstract.
2.2) Try to use words and phrases: an analysis has been carried out; studied; developed; proposed; established and so on. It is advisable to start sentences in the abstract with these words and phrases.
2.3) At the end of the abstract, it is necessary to indicate the final result obtained by the authors, for example: A model has been developed that allows ...; A dependence has been established which is...; A pattern has been revealed...; An efficient system (technology) has been proposed, and so on.
2.4.) The abstract should briefly display the methods.
The abstract should be revised.
3.) The manuscript has a very large reference list (54 references in total). There is no comprehensive coverage of studies in terms of geography of citations. There are no references to European and Eastern European studies. The list of references is intended to demonstrate the depth of the author's study of the material, the relevance and interest of their research.
3.1.) The depth of study is demonstrated with the number of references - is not enough.
3.2.) Relevance – with the availability of research in recent years – is not enough.
3.3.) Interest – with the availability of research by scientists from different countries - is not enough.
Since you are publishing your manuscript in an international publication, it is necessary to demonstrate the international relevance and interest of this issue. This can be done by analyzing the studies of scientists from different countries. It is imperative to supplement the list of references with studies of scientists from different countries over the past 3-5 years to show geographical (general/global) interest and relevance.
The List of References needs to be completed.
4.) The authors have arranged the references very well and avoided group references. The authors understand that each paper you refer is unique and the studies you refer deserve more proper and careful review to demonstrate (and prove) its importance for the current research. However, they do not accompany all their claims with evidence. For example, the lines 29-31; 35-36; 37-41; 45-47.
5.) Who made Figure 1? If this is the author's merit, then it is necessary to indicate: done by the authors; if this is a borrowed drawing, then it is necessary to indicate the source.
6.) At the end of the introduction, there is no conclusion on the analysis carried out. This conclusion allows to characterize the actual question posed, the purpose of the study and the tasks to be solved to achieve this goal. For example: Analyzing the above, it can be noted that ... is a very topical issue. Therefore, the purpose of this study is ... and to achieve this, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: 1); 2); ... Such a conclusion allows the reader to understand the vector of the study, and the authors to correctly formulate the conclusions.
7.) The authors, when analyzing previous studies, make statements that are not supported by evidence (references):
7.1) Lines 29-31. From my point of view, it is necessary to indicate the source of awareness that soil degradation is increasing due to irrational control of soil resources and human influence.
7.2) Lines 35-36. It is necessary to indicate the source of information (to prove your statement) and indicate the works that study the geomechanical impact of underground mining on the undermined mass and the development of subvertical disturbance leading to surface subsidence or the formation of dips on it.
7.3) Lines 37-41. The authors discuss toxic pollution, which is a threat to the environment and human health, but do not reveal the mechanism by which this danger arises. Please be sure to include references.
7.4) Lines 45-47. It is necessary to specify the sources where the impact of industrial waste with increased concentrations of heavy metals, leading to vegetation degradation, is investigated.
8.) Considering the remark (6), I would like to note that the authors have very poorly disclosed the main subject of the study. In recent years a lot of work has been done to investigate the impact of industrial waste on the environment and to recommend measures to reduce the environmental impact. Since the mining and processing industry is a major source of pollution, the issues of reducing its impact on the environment are highly relevant.
For example,
8.1) Łupieżowiec, M.; Rybak, J.; Różański, Z.; Dobrzycki, P.; Jędrzejczyk, W. Design and Construction of Foundations for Industrial Facilities in the Areas of Former Post-Mining Waste Dumps. Energies 2022, 15, 5766. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15165766.
This paper presents the impact of industrial waste on the environment, which is characterised with the withdrawal of fertile land from circulation, and a mechanism for reclamation is proposed. From my point of view, this study could be suitable as a proof (reference) of the statement made by the authors in lines 29-31.
8.2) Rybak, J.; Khayrutdinov, M.M.; Kuziev, D.A.; Kongar-Syuryun, Ch.B.; Babyr, N.V. Prediction of the geomechanical state of the rock mass when mining salt deposits with stowing. Journal of Mining Institute 2022, 253, https://doi.org/10.31897/PMI.2022.2
This paper analyses the impact of underground mining on the undermined mass. Mining operations cause destruction of the mass above, bringing this disturbance to the surface and producing subsidence and sinkholes. Ways to minimise the impact of underground mining on the surface are suggested. From my point of view, this study may be suitable as a proof (reference) of the statement made by the authors in lines 35-36.
8.3) Rybak, J.; Kongar-Syuryun, C.; Tyulyaeva, Y.; Khayrutdinov, A.M. Creation of Backfill Materials Based on Industrial Waste. Minerals 2021, 11, 739. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11070739.
This paper considers the issue of toxic industrial waste formation and the possibility of their re-examination, as well as the need to extract valuable components. The authors in this study argue that the simple disposal or reuse of toxic industrial waste without their prior processing is not only dangerous, but also economically impractical. From my point of view, this study may be suitable as a proof (reference) of the statement made by the authors in lines 37-41.
8.4) Rybak, J.; Gorbatyuk, S.M.; Kongar-Syuryun, C.B.; Khairutdinov, A.M.; Tyulyaeva, Yu.S.; Makarov, P.S. Utilization of Mineral Waste: A Method for Expanding the Mineral Resource Base of a Mining and Smelting Company. Metallurgist 2021, 64(9-10), 851- 861.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11015-021-01065-5.
In this study, the authors investigate the impact of mining on the environment. The authors made a classification of impacts and indicated ways to minimise the impact on the soil, on vegetation in particular and on the environment in general. From my point of view, this study may be suitable as a proof (reference) of the statement made by the authors in lines 45-47.
As follows from the presented works (8.1) - (8.4) the authors of the manuscript submitted for review missed a large layer of research related to the impact of mining on the environment. If the authors become familiar with the works presented in (8.1), (8.2), (8.3), (8.4) they will be able to properly form the introduction, enrich their manuscript with international research by scientists from Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Russia, Germany and demonstrate the depth of their material, as well as eliminate the remark (3). This is important given that in line 66 the authors consider Russia as one of the countries with the largest area of mining impact, but there are no references to Russian scientists.
9.) The statement in lines 101-102 is highly controversial. Attractiveness is an expansive concept. Therefore, it is necessary to specify what kind of attractiveness has been influenced by public pressure and new policies. Please specify the source of the information (refeence).
10.) Lines 105-109. It is necessary to specify the source of information.
11.) In addition, the authors need to pay attention to studies of innovative technologies to involve mining and processing waste in the recycling. At present, with the development of science and technology, there are technologies for additional extraction of a valuable component to a zero level from waste of strip and sinking mining and dumps of furnace slag. The introduction of such technologies allows to increase the life of the enterprise, create additional job places in the regions of reserves depletion and abandoned mines. Such a technology is considered in (8.3).
12.) According to the requirements of the journal, Research manuscript sections contain: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions (optional). As follows from the manuscript presented, the authors provided excellent analytical material, but the manuscript is very poorly structured. The necessary sections are missing. The research objects are not described and the methods are not presented. In this study, the authors have used theoretical research methods and it is necessary to identify and describe them. There is also a lack of presentation of results and discussion. The manuscript needs to be structured competently.
13.) Conclusion section is formatted incorrectly. Conclusion – brief summary of the study without repeating the wording given earlier in the manuscript. The authors abuse repetition throughout the manuscript, and Conclusions section is no exception. Such a presentation of the material reduces the ease of perception by the reader of the information presented. In lines 240-253, the authors voice well-known facts that do not follow from the course of the study. This information is superfluous for the Conclusion. The mistake of incorrectly forming conclusions is a consequence of the incorrect presentation of the introduction noted by me in remark (6) due to the fact that when writing the introduction the aims and objectives are not formulated.
Conclusions should briefly characterize the result of the study, for example:
As a result of the study
(1) the dependence of … was obtained.
(2) it was found that ...
(3) and so on.
The conclusion needs to be revised.
Summary: The manuscript is not a finished research work. Corrections are needed. Despite the rather impressive list of comments, the authors carried out good analytical research work. The scientific component of the manuscript is really of interest to the readers. From my point of view, the authors failed to present their research correctly and clearly, which reduced its value and worsened the ease of perception of the material presented.
From my point of view, the manuscript is worthy of publication in the open press, with the obligatory correction in accordance with my suggestions. A second review is required.
Author Response
Please see attached
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
"Bringing life back into former mining sites: a mini-review on soil remediation using organic amendments" is a precise review of the uses of organic amendments in ecological restoration. There are a few changes that need to be done.
Line 34 - Waste pollution in - waste polluting in
Line 39 - "Moreover, wastes from mining activities, which are deposited in tailing ponds and dumps, can cause heavy metal pollution. " Rewrite this line with proper punctuation.
Line 35-42 - Mark a proper known with "The". make a clear flow between the lines and keep it understandable.
Line 49 - naturally. Recent evidence...
Line 71 - More information about the In-situ leaching is needed.
Line 100: Hard to understand the subtitle.
Subheading 3: Does this paragraph come under soil bioremediation through organic amendments? Is there any organic way to turn those mines into valuable resources if it does?
Table 1 - Calculate the values in a standard measurement. the table should be understandable to general readers.
Line 172 - Rewrite the sentence correctly.
Subheading 5 - consider adding new techniques like bioaugmentation and more information about compost in soil bioremediation will be more valuable to this review.
Subheading 5 - Elaborate on the process of the organic amendments in soil remediation. Adding the concept of soil bioremediation is required.
Line 250 - Rewrite the sentence correctly.
Author Response
Please see attached
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript "Bringing life back into former mining sites: a mini-review on soil remediation using organic amendments" by Bogdan Andrei Miu, Cristian-Emilian Pop, Nicolae Crăciun and György Deák was submitted for second review.
As can be seen from the submitted manuscript and the explanatory note to the review, the authors did a lot of work to make changes in accordance with the comments.
The revised manuscript is a completed scientific study on a highly relevant topic: reducing the environmental impact of mining by reclaiming land at the mine site. The revised version of the manuscript, in my opinion, fully satisfies the requirements of a scientific article and can be published in the open press.
