Abstract:

The ecological restoration of mining areas is increasingly urgent due to the dual pressures of global climate change and biodiversity loss. As the main solid waste from mining, molybdenum tailings pose a direct threat to agricultural production environments and food safety due to their long-term accumulation, which not only occupies land but also induces soil acidification, water pollution, and a sharp decline in biodiversity, caused by their high content of heavy metals (such as lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As)) and acidic substances). Consequently, advancing the ecological restoration and resource utilization of molybdenum tailings is imperative. This paper systematically reviews two core strategies for addressing molybdenum tailings-related issues. First, it summarizes mainstream technologies for the ecological restoration of contaminated soil, including physical methods (such as soil introduction and electric remediation), chemical methods (such as solidification/stabilization and leaching), and biological methods (such as the use of hyperaccumulating plants). Second, it focuses on the resource utilization of tailings, which not only evaluates their potential applications in construction materials (e.g., concrete, ceramics), but also emphasizes new directions that support sustainable development in agriculture and forestry, including the formulation of reclamation substrates, the development of soil amendments and silicon-potassium fertilizers, and the establishment of forestry carbon sink ecosystems. At present, the practice of ecological restoration and resource utilization is relatively independent. The key to the future development lies in the construction of a comprehensive governance paradigm of deep integration of ‘restoration-resource-carbon emission reduction’. This integrated strategy aims to achieve three goals simultaneously: efficiently controlling environmental risks and restoring ecological functions; maximizing resource value output while reducing tailings accumulation; and significantly reducing carbon emissions throughout the governance chain. By following this integrated approach, we can systematically address the dual environmental and economic challenges posed by molybdenum tailings and directly contributing to cultivated land protection, food security, and the national "dual carbon" strategy.

Key words: molybdenum mine, tailings, ecological restoration, heavy metal, resource utilization