Interpretation of the Coal Gangue Piles Ecological Restoration Technical Specifications and prospects for technological development

As a bulk solid waste storage carrier (or accumulation body) generated during coal mining, coal gangue piles bring increasingly prominent ecological and environmental problems, and have become a key bottleneck restricting the sustainable development of coal mining areas. The promulgation and implementation of the Coal Gangue Piles Ecological Restoration Technical Specifications (GB/T 46425—2025) (hereinafter referred to as the Standard) has filled the gap in China’s national level special standards in this field, providing unified, scientific and operable technical guidance for the ecological restoration of coal gangue piles nationwide. The historical background and compilation process of the Standard was systematically elaborated on, the current situation and prominent problems of the treatment and restoration of coal gangue piles and the comprehensive utilization of coal gangue in coal mining areas were analyzed, and the scope of application, compilation principles and main technical specifications of the Standard were deeply interpreted. At the same time, the urgency and necessity of implementing the Standard were demonstrated through typical research cases, and the future development direction of ecological restoration technology for coal gangue piles was proposed, aiming to promote the standardization and normalization of ecological restoration work for coal gangue piles in China.