Challenge

The 1,800 hectare El Fénix complex is one of the ecological ranches created by AHMSA, as part of its sustainable mining policy for the rehabilitation of old open-pit coal mining mine sites.

Rehabilitation of the mine site included earthworks to restore natural land contours, improvement of local water bodies, restoration of native flora and fauna and environmental education and ecotourism facilities.

In addition to promoting bio-diversity via a preserve for 1,600 Texan white-tailed deer and other native species, the site includes several visitor facilities, including a multipurpose hall, greenhouse, lake, fish farm, gardens and recreational areas.

The design for the site required soil protection of landscaped slopes within the visitors’ areas.

Conventional Solution

Typical slope protection methods had to be based on sustainability principles – enhance vegetation, integrate with the natural arid landscape, preserve soil integrity and prevent erosion. No one solution best matched the landscape design.

Neoloy Tough-Cell Solution

Neoloy Tough-Cell was chosen as a demonstration of sustainable construction technology to prevent soil erosion and promote vegetation at the re-engineered landscapes.

Perforated medium size Neoloy Tough-Cell was laid over a non-woven geotextile on the slope. Local soil with aggregate content was used for infill (minimum internal friction angle = 28°). Revegetation of native fauna utilizing drip-irrigation technology was planted the following winter.

The perforated Neoloy Tough-Cell provided an ideal micro-environment to stabilize the soil structure, prevent erosional forces, and shelter young plantings until they had time to establish themselves and restore a natural landscape.

Senior engineering staff of AHMSA, the site developers, observed the installation and landscaping processes. Based on this, AHMSA decided to adopt Neoloy as a preferred slope and channel protection solution for other large-scale earthwork projects connected to their mining operations.