The 3rd Symposium on Mine Environmental Pollution and Remediation, jointly sponsored by South China University of Technology, Southwest University of Science and Technology and China University of Geosciences (Beijing), was successfully held in Mianyang, Sichuan, from August 5 to 7, 2022, with the support of CAS Testing (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Jiangsu DDBS Environmental Remediation Co. Ltd., Guangdong Taolin Ecology and Environment Co. Ltd., and Guangzhou Prin-cenScientific Co. Ltd., and nearly 400 people from all over China attended the conference. With the theme of Building Green Mines and Promoting Low-carbon Development, the conference set up four thematic sessions: ecological restoration of mine environment in fragile ecological zones, treatment and pollution control of mine wastewater and slag, management and environmental supervision of mining waste land, and restoration of heavy metal pollution in mines and surrounding farmland. A total of 19 conference presentations, 43 session presentations and 32 postgraduate presentations were arranged, and Excellent Presentation Award and Expression Standard Award were set up in the postgraduate forum.
The conference officially kicked off in the morning of August 6, and the opening ceremony was hosted by researcher Li Fangbai, Director of the Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences. Professor Shang Liping, Co-director of the conference organizing committee and Vice President of Southwest University of Science and Technology, and Professor Yao Jun of China University of Geosciences (Beijing), the Co-director of the conference organizing committee, and Professor Dang Zhi, Co-chair of the conference and Director of the Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Ecological Remediation in Industrial Agglomerations of South China University of Technology, delivered opening speeches on behalf of the organizers respectively. The event coincided with the 70th anniversary of South China University of Technology and Southwest University of Science and Technology. Vice President Shang Liping introduced the history and future development of Southwest University of Science and Technology, a key national university in western China, and shared information about the heroic city of Mianyang, the city of science and technology in China, which gave birth to Southwest University of Science and Technology and made important contributions to China's national defense construction, and expressed heartfelt thanks to the experts and representatives who supported the development of the university. She also introduced the heroic city of Mianyang, China's science and technology city, which gave birth to SWUST and made important contributions to China's defense construction. Professor Yao Jun elaborated on the importance of mine environmental remediation and his expectations for the future of the mine remediation field. Professor Dang Zhi recalled the highlights of previous conferences from Guangzhou, the beautiful city of Rams, to Dali with its spectacular natural landscape, and proposed that this conference would focus on how to do source control and solve pollution while treating and how to link basic research results with the needs of entrepreneurs (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The opening ceremony of the conference in the morning of August 6, from left to right, are Researcher Li Fangbai, Professor Shang Liping, Professor Yao Jun and Professor Dang Zhi
The opening session was followed by a presentation on Assessment, Degradation and Restoration Mechanisms of the Water Ecological Integrity of the Yangtze River by Wu Fengchang, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and member of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, who provided new insights into the water environment of the Yangtze River basin. Professor Dong Faqin, President of the host Southwest University of Science and Technology, Researcher Feng Xinbin from the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Lin Mang from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Wu Longhua, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Feng Chunhua from the South China University of Technology, and Researcher Liu Juan from the Peking University gave excellent academic presentations in their respective research fields. In addition, Liu Yu, Director of the Department of Earth Sciences, NSFC, gave a presentation on the latest development of NSFC and the overview of the acceptance and evaluation of projects in environmental geosciences in 2022, which introduced the classification and index of NSFC and the related situation in the field of geosciences, providing precise guidance for young scholars (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Reports of the conference in the morning of August 6, the first row (left) report of Academician Wu Fengchang and (right) report of Director Liu Yu, the second row from left to right are Professor Dong Faqin, Researcher Feng Xinbin, Researcher Lin Mang, Researcher Wu Longhua, Professor Feng Chunhua and Researcher Liu Juan
Four thematic sessions were held in the afternoon of August 6. In the first session on Ecological Restoration of Mining Environment in Fragile Ecosystems, the conveners were Professor Dong Faqin from Southwest University of Science and Technology and Researcher Jiang Zhongcheng from Institute of Karst Geology, China Geological Survey. Professor Chen Xiaoqing from Chengdu Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Ministry of Water Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Chen Diyun from Guangzhou University, Professor Dai Qunwei, Professor Chen Shu and Professor Yang Gang from Southwest University of Science and Technology, Professor Wang Wenke from Chang'an University, Professor Wang Zimeng from Fudan University, Professor Jin Pengkang from Xi'an Jiaotong University, Professor Feng Xiujuan from China University of Mining and Technology, Professor Liu Shiliang from Shandong University, and Dr. Jiang Ying from Xichang College gave oral presentations. Students and teachers on site responded enthusiastically and actively communicated with the presenters to discuss the future development direction around the prevention and remediation technology of mine disaster pollution.
The theme of the second session was Treatment and Pollution Control of Mine Wastewater and Slag, and the conveners were Professor Zhou Lixiang from Nanjing Agricultural University and Professor Guo Huaming from China University of Geosciences (Beijing). This session invited Researcher Xu Youning from Xi'an Geological Survey Center of China Geological Survey, Professor Li Jintian from South China Normal University, Professor Yue Zhengbo from Hefei University of Technology, Professor Zhou Jianwei from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Associate Professor Xue Chao from Fujian Normal University, Dr. Zong Meirong from Changzhou University, Professor Hu Yandi from Peking University, Professor Jiang Feng from Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Fang Di from Nanjing Agricultural University, Dr. Li Xiaofei from Foshan Institute of Science and Technology and Dr. Jin Xiaohu from South China University of Technology gave oral presentations. Students and teachers at the conference shared important advances in pollution management and prevention and control of mine wastewater and slag generation processes, and discussed their future development trends.
The theme of the third session was Management and Environmental Supervision of Mining Waste Land, and the conveners were Professor Shu Wensheng from South China Normal University and Professor Yao Jun from China University of Geosciences (Beijing). In this session, Researcher Fang Liping and Associate Researcher Sun Xiaoxu from Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Associate Researcher Han Yonghe from Fujian Normal University, Professor Liu Xingyu from China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Professor Zhu Wenkun from Southwest University of Science and Technology, and Dr. Ye Han from South China University of Technology were invited and delivered oral presentations. Among them, three foreign scholars, who were Hans Herrmann Richnow from Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltfor-schung-UFZ, invited by Mr. Yao Jun, Robert Duran from Université de Pau et des Pays de l' Adour and Gyozo Jordan from Eotvos University, gave online presentations. During the presentation, the atmosphere of academic discussion was lively, and the delegates spoke enthusiastically and actively exchanged ideas, and the participants generally felt that they had benefited a lot.
The theme of the fourth session was Restoration of Heavy Metal Pollution in Mines and Surrounding Farmland, with the conveners being Researcher Wu Longhua from Nanjing Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor Li Yongtao from South China Agricultural University. Professor Shi Zhenqing from South China University of Technology, Associate Professor Ying Han from Southwest University of Science and Technology, Professor Qiu Guohong from Central China Agricultural University, Professor Guo Xuetao from Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Professor Liu Juan from Guangzhou University, Professor Lin Hai from University of Science and Technology Beijing, Professor Lin Min from Beijing Forestry University, Professor Yang Weichun from Central South University, Professor Liang Xujun from Quanzhou Normal College, Professor Xie Yingying from Hanshan Normal College and Dr. Ke Wenshun of Central South University made an oral presentation. During the presentation, the atmosphere of academic discussion was lively and the delegates had a full exchange.
In the morning of August 7, Researcher Zhu Xiangkun from the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Professorate Senior Engineer Hua Shaoguang from the Sinosteel Maanshan General Institute of Mining Research Co. Ltd., Researcher Jia Yongfeng from Dalian University of Technology, Professor Zhou Lixiang from Nanjing Agricultural University, Professor Hu Zhenqi from China University of Mining and Technology, Professor Xia Jinlan from Central South University, Professor Dong Hailiang from China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Researcher Sun Weimin from Institute of Ecology, Environment and Soil Research, Professor Zhou Shungui from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Researcher Liu Chengshuai from the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor Lin Zhang from Central South University made wonderful presentations on biogeochemical directions such as heavy metal attribution and treatment technology in mining areas and soil microorganisms. The experts and participants actively asked questions, and everyone benefited a lot from the in-depth communication (Figure 3).
Figure 3. The report of the conference in the morning of August 7, from left to right in the first row are Researcher Zhu Xiangkun, Professorate Senior Engineer Hua Shaoguang, Researcher Jia Yongfeng, Professor Zhou Lixiang and Professor Hu Zhenqi; from left to right in the second row are Professor Xia Jinlan, Professor Dong Hailiang, Researcher Sun Weimin, Professor Zhou Shungui, Researcher Liu Chengshui and Professor Lin Zhang.
The closing ceremony of the conference was chaired by Professor Dong Faqin, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Southwest University of Science and Technology (SWUST), and Professor Chen Shu, Dean of the School of Environment and Resources of SWUST, delivered the closing speech. Professor Chen emphasized that the Symposium on Mine Environmental Pollution and Remediation is a series of conferences initiated by South China University of Technology, which is held once every two years, focusing on the hot issues of mine environmental pollution and remediation, aiming at strengthening the exchange and cooperation among domestic and foreign counterparts, providing directions for the future technical research and policy development of mine environmental pollution remediation, and further improving the level of mine environmental pollution remediation in China. In the special epidemic era, the conference received positive response from domestic scholars in the field of mine environment, which made the conference successfully held, promoted academic exchanges in the field of mine environment research, and created a good communication platform for China's mine environment. He quoted the words of Academician Wu Fengchang, who pointed out that the remediation of mine environment pollution should scientifically apply the holistic view of Chinese medicine, trace the root cause, diagnose the cause, find the root of the disease, classify the treatment and systematically treat it. We also need to take the problem and target as the guide, establish a complete mine environment diagnosis system in a multi-disciplinary manner, clarify the pollution mechanism and restoration principle, make the black box of mine environment into a transparent box, and promote the experimental research to the actual mine pollution. In addition, on behalf of the organizing committee, Professor Chen expressed his gratitude to the members of the special committee and the conveners of the subcommittees, the participants, the conference service staff and all the hard-working staff who participated in the organization of the forum (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Closing speech of Professor Chen Shu in the morning of August 7
In order to promote the research level in the field of mine environmental pollution and remediation and enhance the effect of academic communication, this symposium set up a postgraduate forum and set up two awards, Excellent Report Award and Expression Standard Award. The Excellent Presentation Award aims to honor students who have worked hard, strived for excellence and innovation in their academic research; the Expression Standard Award aims to provoke more people to pay attention to and think about academic standards, and contribute to a more standardized academic research environment. A total of 32 postgraduates gave academic reports in the forum, and 10 Excellent Report Award and 10 Expression Standard Award were selected after the evaluation by the judges and on-site voting, and the awards were presented at the closing ceremony (Figure 5-6).
Figure 5. Winners of the Excellent Presentation Award of the CAS Testing Graduate Student Forum
Figure 6. Winners of the Expression Standard Award of the CAS Testing Graduate Student Forum
After the award ceremony, Professor Dong Faqin announced the successful conclusion of the conference, thanked the participants for their support to the conference, the presenters for sharing their research at the conference, and the volunteers and conference staff for their hard work, and hoped to make the next conference better and to meet all of guests again in 2024.
The organizing committee of this conference advocated and practiced the environmental protection concept of plastic and paper reduction by: ① not using plastic for personal badges, reducing the use of plastic and avoiding the aggravation of plastic pollution; ② minimizing the thickness of the conference booklet, printing the conference booklet in limited quantity, not printing the paper conference abstract collection, and providing QR codes to download the electronic version of the conference abstracts to reduce the use and waste of paper.