The nature of mining and of surface mining in particular, requires disturbing the land surface. Change and degradation of the landscape in surface coal mining areas are fundamental environmental problems in the world. Active and abandoned mines in general have widespread and heavy environmental impacts.

 Environmental problems such as erosion, decreasing of vegetation density, drainage of acidic water, are result of unreclaimed surface mine lands.

The establishment of vegetation on mining sites reduces erosion and stabilizes the sediments and re-vegetation process should therefore be a major task in any reclamation program.