RESEARCH SUMMARY 



Experimental vegetation plots on an acidic waste dump at the Blackbird copper/cobalt mine in Idaho were used to 

 evaluate alfalfa (Medicago spp.) hay, as an organic spoil amendment. In addition, tests were made to determine the 

 value for reclamation of three systems of seeding and 1 1 grass species. Plots on which alfalfa hay was an amendment 

 produced the highest yields of grass the first year, but production was not significantly better after 6 years. Plots planted 

 with a seeder-packer produced higher yields of grass from the beginning than those that were hydroseeded. 



The use of a rotary tiller to incorporate organic amendments into rocky, mineral mine waste for reclamation purposes 

 is not recommended. 



CONTENTS 



Page 



INTRODUCTION 1 



DESCRIPTION OF AREA 1 



RESEARCH 2 



Study Site 2 



TREATMENTS 2 



Seeding Methods 2 



DATA COLLECTION 4 



RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4 



Production 4 



Species 5 



PUBLICATIONS CITED 6 



