Mining activities in arid regions of China have led to severe environmental degradation, including soil erosion, vegetation loss, and contamination of soil and water resources. These impacts are particularly pronounced in abandoned mining areas, where the cessation of mining operations has left vast landscapes unrehabilitated. In response, the Chinese government has implemented a series of legal and regulatory frameworks, such as the “Mine Environmental Protection and Restoration Program”, aimed at promoting ecological restoration in these areas. However, the unique environmental conditions of arid regions, including water scarcity, extreme temperatures, and poor soil quality, present significant challenges to restoration efforts. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the ecological restoration of abandoned mining areas in China’s arid regions, focusing on the legal framework, restoration techniques, and evaluation systems. The restoration methods, their initiation timelines, monitoring systems, and the cost–benefit aspects of various strategies are critically reviewed alongside case studies from regions such as the Mu Us Desert and Qaidam Basin. Key strategies like phytoremediation, soil rehabilitation, and water resource management are assessed for their effectiveness, while challenges in enforcement, socioeconomic integration, and community engagement are discussed. This review concludes that while significant progress has been made, further improvements in restoration practices and evaluation systems are essential for long-term sustainability. Integration of socioeconomic indicators, community involvement, and advanced monitoring technologies are necessary for successful outcomes.

Long-term and extensive mineral mining in the Kuermutu mine section of the Two Rivers Nature Reserve in the Altai region has disrupted the ecological balance between soil and vegetation. To assess the effectiveness of various restoration measures in this abandoned mine area, we compared two restoration approaches—natural turf transplantation (NTT) and replanted economic crop grassland (ARGC)—against an unaltered control (original grassland). We employed 11 evaluation indices to conduct soil and vegetation surveys. We developed a comprehensive evaluation model using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assess restoration outcomes for each grassland type. Our findings indicate that both NTT and ARGC significantly improved ecological conditions, such as reducing soil fine particulate matter loss and restoring vegetation cover. This brought these areas closer to their original grassland state. The species composition and community structure of the NTT and ARGC vegetation communities improved relative to the original grassland. This was due to a noticeable increase in dominant species’ importance value. Vegetation cover averaged higher scores in NTT, while the average height was greater in ARGC. The soil water content and soil organic carbon (SOC) varied significantly with depth (p < 0.05), following a general ‘V’ pattern. NTT positively impacted soil moisture content (SMC) at the surface, whereas ARGC influenced SMC in deeper layers, with the 40–50 cm soil layer achieving 48.13% of the original grassland’s SMC. SOC levels were highest in the control (original grassland), followed by ARGC and NTT, with ARGC showing the greatest organic carbon content at 20–30 cm depths. A comprehensive AHP ecological-economic evaluation revealed that restoration effectiveness scores were 0.594 for NTT and 0.669 for ARGC, translating to 59.4% and 66.9%, respectively. ARGC restoration was found to be more effective than NTT. These results provide valuable insights into ecological restoration practices for abandoned mines in Xinjiang and can guide future effectiveness evaluations.

Xinjiang larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) is a keystone species in the Altay Mountains, playing a vital role in maintaining ecosystem stability. This study investigates how different soil preparation techniques (ring, strip, and burrow) influence seed germination and seedling establishment by mitigating apomictic allelopathy. Experimental plots were established using artificial seeding and natural seed dispersal at soil depths of 5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm. Seedling survival and development were monitored in June, July, and August 2023. The results demonstrated that sod removal significantly enhanced seed germination by reducing allelopathic inhibition, improving seed–soil contact, and increasing moisture retention. Among the techniques, the ring method yielded the highest rates of seedling establishment, particularly when artificial seeding was combined with natural seed dispersal. Although seedling numbers tended to increase with soil depth, the differences were not statistically significant. Temporal dynamics revealed a peak in seedling survival in July, followed by a subsequent decline. These findings highlight the critical role of optimized soil preparation techniques in promoting successful seedling development. The study offers practical guidance for ecological restoration and sustainable forest management in degraded larch ecosystems of the Altay Mountains.