Based on the results of an extensive literature research, we summarize the research progress of remote sensing monitoring in terms of identifying mining area boundaries and monitoring land use or land cover changes of mining areas. We also analyze the application of remote sensing in monitoring the biodiversity, landscape structure, vegetation change, soil environment, surface runoff conditions, and the atmospheric environment in mining areas and predict the prospects of remote sensing in monitoring the ecological environment in mining areas. Based on the results, the accurate classification of land use or land cover and the accurate extraction of environmental factors are the basis for remote sensing monitoring of the ecological environment in mining areas. In terms of the extraction of ecological factors, vegetation extraction is relatively advanced in contrast to the extraction of animal and microbial data. For the monitoring of environmental conditions of mining areas, sophisticated methods are available to identify pollution levels of vegetation and to accurately monitor soil quality. However, the methods for water and air pollution monitoring in mining areas still need to be improved. These limitations considerably impede the application of remote sensing monitoring in mining areas. The solving of these problems depends on the progress of multi-source remote sensing data and stereoscopic monitoring techniques.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae on three parameters: Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd accumulation, translocation and plant growth in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), showy stonecrop (Hylotelephium spectabile) and Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida). The purpose of this work is to enhance site-specific phytostabilization of lead/zinc mine tailings using native plant species. The results showed that mycorrhizal fungi inoculation significantly increased plant biomass of F. arundinacea, H. spectabile and T. pallida. The Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd concentrations in roots were higher than those in shoots both with and without mycorrhizae, with the exception of the Zn concentration in H. spectabile. Mycorrhizae generally increased metal concentrations in roots and decreased metal concentrations in shoots of L. perenne and F. arundinacea. In addition, it was found that the majority of the bioconcentration and translocation factors were lower than 1 and mycorrhizal fungi inoculation further reduced these values. These results suggest that appropriate plant species inoculated with mycorrhiza might be a potential approach to revegetating mine tailing sites and that H. spectabile is an appropriate plant for phytostabilization of Pb/Zn tailings in northern China due to its higher biomass production and lower metal accumulation in shoots.

Microbial remediation has become a prominent focus in soil pollution control due to its environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and high efficiency. The effectiveness of microbial remediation is rooted in the interactions between microbial metabolic activities and the soil environment. Various microorganisms employ distinct mechanisms for pollutant treatment, including surface adsorption, intracellular accumulation, and biomineralization. Using the Web of Science Core Collection database, tools such as CiteSpace 6.1.R6, VOSviewer 1.6.20, and HistCite Pro were employed to conduct a quantitative analysis of several key aspects: the volume and thematic distribution of research papers on microbial remediation of soils, the cooperative networks between countries and institutions, the leading journals, major research hotspots, and emerging trends. The analysis reveals that utilizing microbial regulatory mechanisms and functions to remediate inorganic pollutants, such as heavy metals, and organic pollutants, such as PAHs, is becoming a significant frontier in future research. This study provides a valuable reference for scholars aiming to understand the current status of microbial research in soil remediation, both domestically and internationally. It also offers guidance for developing efficient, sustainable, and safe remediation strategies while identifying directions for future innovative research. The specific results are as follows: (1) China, the USA, India, and other countries have a high frequency of citations in this field, and the research is more in-depth. (2) More and more attention has been paid to the use of microbial remediation of contaminated soil in the world, mainly in Environmental Sciences. (3) Major publications include Chemosphere, Journal of Hazardous Materials, and Science of The Total Environment. In the key literature, the use of microorganisms to restore the soil environment and the combination of microorganisms and plants to repair soil contaminated by heavy metals occupy a high proportion. (4) The key areas of focus include the application of microorganisms in soil inorganic pollution remediation, the application of microorganisms in remediation of soil organic pollution (crude oil and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)), and the contribution of microorganisms to soil pollutant degradation and toxicity assessment systems. The research and development of combined microbial remediation technology is the current research hotspot in the field of soil remediation, focusing on the symbiosis between mycorrhizal fungi and plant roots, the enhancement in the ability of microorganisms to absorb and degrade pollutants and their tolerance, and the interaction mechanism between indigenous microorganisms and plants.