Reclamation

IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO

Oil-Dri has been practicing responsible mining long before it was mandated to do so. After mining, we restore each mine habitat to a condition that is equal to or better than it was before breaking ground. The end result may be open space, wildlife habitat, agriculture, or residential and commercial development. Some components of reclamation include practices that control erosion and sedimentation, stablize slopes, and avoid and repair impacts to wildlife habitat. The final step is usually topsoil replacement, revegetation with suitable plant species, and introducing indigenous wildlife. Reclamation is often phased to be concurrent throughout the life of the mining project.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Oil-Dri has always demonstrated a strong commitment to mining sustainability and reclamation. During the normal course of our process, we remove the overburden, or top-soil, exposing the valuable clay to prepare for mining. As overburden is removed from a mine site, it is hauled to a previously mined location and used to refill older sites. This process allows us to continuously reclaim older mines and dispose of overburden simultaneously.

To the left you can see the reclamation project from 1993 to present day of one of the mining sites in Ochlocknee, Georgia.

LAND RESTORATION

After mining, we restore each mine habitat to a condition that is equal to or better than it was before breaking ground. Our teams replant indigenous trees and plants at many of our reclaimed locations and maintain an active forestry plan across approximately 4,000 acres in Georgia. We also build ponds and introduce various fish species to preserve or increase the biodiversity of the site. Our team is continuously innovating, seeking, and utilizing better methods to reclaim mined lands.

To the right you can see the reclamation project from 1993 to present day of one of the mining sites in Ochlocknee, Georgia.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

As part of Oil-Dri’s proud history of land reclamation, our company was the recipient of the Environmental Award in 2018 for Outstanding Achievement in Land Reclamation from the Georgia Mining Association. We are honored to have received this award. We continue working at all of our mining sites to minimize the environmental effects of mining and bring purpose to the land that provided us with valuable natural resources.