The Committee on Mine Geo-disasters and Ecological Restoration (CMGdER) co-hosted the First Academic Conference on Mine Ecological Restoration in Beijing, China. The event was held from September 18 to 20, 2026. CMGdER is a technical committee of the International Consortium on Geo-disaster Reduction (ICGdR). It is chaired by Prof. Zhang Zizhao of Xinjiang University. The conference was held in partnership with the Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering (CSRME), the China Coal Society, and multiple national academic and industrial partners. Approximately 100 delegates attended. They came from government agencies, universities, research institutes, mining companies, and engineering organizations in China and abroad.
As a global platform, CMGdER advances geo-disaster reduction in mining environments. It integrates engineering geology, geotechnical mechanics, ecological science, and environmental engineering. It fosters an end-to-end innovation framework. This framework spans mechanistic research, technology development, and field-scale engineering applications. The conference reflected CMGdER’s commitment to mobilizing multidisciplinary expertise and cross-sector collaboration. It addressed the full lifecycle of mining-induced ecological degradation, from active extraction to post-closure restoration.
The opening ceremony was held on September 19. Prof. Hu Zhenqi gave an address. He is an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chair of the Conference. He emphasized the goal of building a sustained, open platform. The platform would support theoretical innovation, technology transfer, and engineering best practices in mine ecological restoration. Distinguished speakers included Yang Xiaojie, Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, CSRME; Liu Feng, President, China Coal Society; and Wang Lei, Director General, Department of Territorial Spatial Ecological Restoration, Ministry of Natural Resources. Their participation underscored the event’s high-level policy and scientific relevance.
The plenary program featured nine keynote lectures by leading authorities. Speakers included Academicians Xi Beidou of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Xu Minggang of Shanxi Agricultural University, and Hu Zhenqi of China University of Mining and Technology. Senior officials and internationally recognized experts also spoke. Topics included co-utilization of organic solid waste in mine restoration. The lectures also covered legal frameworks under China’s new Mineral Resources Law. Other topics included soil rehabilitation in reclaimed mining areas, adaptive technologies for extreme rainfall events, green mining in high-altitude and ecologically fragile zones, deep-sea mining environmental protection, and realization of ecological product value in post-mining landscapes.
A delegation from Mongolia added a significant international dimension. It included representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, and the Mongolian Professional Environmentalists Association. Altangerel Bat-Erdene, CEO of Greencrown LLC, delivered a dedicated presentation. He presented Mongolia’s national inventory of mining-disturbed areas. The presentation highlighted bilateral opportunities for knowledge exchange and technology cooperation. This engagement directly supports ICGdR’s mission of transnational collaboration for geo-disaster reduction and ecological resilience.
The conference also incorporated the 2026 Annual Meetings of the CSRME Technical Committee on Mining-Induced Damage and Ecological Restoration and the China Coal Society Technical Committee on Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration. Committee members reviewed strategic priorities. These included standard development, scientific publishing, talent training, and technology commercialization.
A technical field tour complemented the academic program. It visited the Zhaikou Limestone Abandoned Mine Ecological Restoration Project in Mentougou District, Beijing. The tour provided hands-on exposure to an innovative “ecological restoration + photovoltaic industry” model. The site is a national major science and technology program demonstration area. It has increased vegetation coverage from under 10% to over 90% across 43 hectares. It also hosts a 16.77 MW photovoltaic installation. This illustrates scalable integration of ecological recovery with renewable energy infrastructure.
By co-hosting this conference, CMGdER strengthened its role as a global convener for mining geo-hazard mitigation and ecological restoration. It bridges policy, science, and engineering. It advances sustainable mining practices and environmental stewardship worldwide.
About CMGdER
The Committee on Mine Geo-disasters and Ecological Restoration (CMGdER) is a technical committee of the International Consortium on Geo-disaster Reduction (ICGdR). It is chaired by Prof. Zhang Zizhao and Sui Wanghua. CMGdER advances scientific understanding and practical solutions for mining-related geological hazards and ecological degradation. It does so through international collaboration, interdisciplinary research, and knowledge exchange across the full mining lifecycle.