Characterization and Soil Development on Reclaimed Coal Mine Land at PT Kaltim Prima Coal

Abstract

Mining activities are part of economic development activities that utilize natural resources and are expected to guarantee the future life. Issues that will arise as a result of mining activity which may result in less negative impact on the environment are in the form of decreased soil productivity, soil compaction, erosion and sedimentation, soil movement/ soil erosion, decrease in biodiversity of flora and fauna as well as changes in microclimate. Reclamation is the end of mining activities are expected to return the land to its original state. The ultimate objective of reclamation is to improve the Quarry to the condition safe, stable and not easily eroded so that it can be recovered. To see how far the influence of the reclamation of soil properties and its development, it is necessary to observe and study in detail the characterization of soil development on reclaimed land, whether it is possible that significant changes to the development of soil formation on land reclamation to the aspect physical, chemical and biological soil properties. The results indicate that the reclamation and increased of age affects the development of land reclamation seen from morphological, physical, chemical, and biological soil properties. Increased age of reclaimed coal mine land causes changes in the morphological soil property, especially on the top layer. The most affected changes of morphological soil properties by increasing age is the color of the land reclamation and the boundaries between layers, especially on the top soil layer due to the effect of adding organic matter. Increased age in the reclaimed land causes changes of soil physical properties, ie increased permeability and soil aggregate stability, but not affect bulk density. Increased age affects the chemical properties of soil reclamation, it is seen by an increase in C-organic, N-total, exchangables Ca and Mg content on topsoil. Changes of the biological soil properties occur until reclaimed coal mine land was 5 years old which in 5th years has the highest of individuals density, diversity indices and biomass.

Kegiatan pertambangan adalah bagian dari kegiatan pembangunan ekonomi yang mendayagunakan sumber daya alam dan diharapkan dapat menjamin kehidupan di masa yang akan datang. Kegiatan pertambangan yang kurang tepat dapat menimbulkan dampak negatif terhadap lingkungan berupa penurunan produkstivitas tanah, pemadatan tanah, terjadinya erosi dan sedimentasi, terjadinya gerakan tanah/ longsoran, penurunan biodiversitas flora dan fauna serta perubahan iklim mikro. Kegiatan reklamasi merupakan akhir dari kegiatan pertambangan yang diharapkan dapat mengembalikan fungsi lahan kepada fungsi semula. Untuk melihat sejauh mana pengaruh dari proses reklamasi terhadap sifat-sifat tanah dan perkembangannya, maka perlu dilakukan pengamatan dan penelitian secara detail mengenai karakterisasi perkembangan tanah pada lahan reklamasi tambang tersebut, apakah dimungkinkan terjadi perubahan yang signifikan terhadap perkembangan pembentukan tanah pada lahan reklamasi terhadap aspek fisik, kimia dan biologi pada tanah tersebut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi dan mempelajari sifat fisik, kimia dan biologi tanah di lahan reklamasi bekas tambang batubara pada umur 0 tahun, 5 tahun, 9 tahun dan 13 tahun, sehingga dapat diketahui karakteristik perkembangan tanah pada lahan bekas tambang batubara.