Green Goldberg, S, Breslin, S, Berghofer, P, Roddy, B, Wheeler, A & Stanton, L 2026, 'A statistical assessment of the applicability of agricultural soil targets 
to woodland habitat post-mining land use', in AB Fourie, G Boggs, J Heyes & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2026: Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 1-14, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2615_128
(https://papers.acg.uwa.edu.au/p/2615_128_Breslin/)
Abstract: BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) has been collecting monitoring data on soil characteristics and soil chemistry, associated with the establishment of post-mining land use (PMLU) woodland habitat on rehabilitated landforms for over 30 years. Historically, BMA has had success establishing a woodland habitat PMLU using minimal or no topsoil growth media. However, traditionally, suitable growth media has been interpreted from an agricultural viewpoint (e.g. Hazelton & Murphy 2007) more relevant to a grazing PMLU. 
Engeny Australia Pty Ltd statistically analysed soil monitoring data from 17 rehabilitation and 15 reference sites across multiple soil profiles. The assessment compared soil analyte results for established woodland habitat and reference sites and identified analytes that showed statistically significant differences between rehabilitation and reference sites. Data was then compared to agricultural target ranges/levels derived from well-known industry literature. 
The data analysis indicated statistically significant differences between the reference and rehabilitation sites for several analytes. Less than 50% of samples from both rehabilitation and reference sites were within the agricultural target levels/range for selected analytes, including nitrate nitrogen, sodium, calcium, calcium/magnesium ratio, boron, calcium (% of cation exchange capacity [CEC]) and potassium (% of CEC). Soil data from topsoil stockpiles also showed low adherence to similar targets. 
These findings indicate that suitable growth media for the establishment of a woodland habitat PMLU are not always constrained within the traditional agricultural interpretation, and support a case for increasing the viability and suitability of growth media sources for a woodland habitat PMLU for rehabilitated mine land across Queensland.