Stabilizing Copper Mine Tailing Disposal Berms with Giant Bermudagrass

Experiments were conducted in Arizona to compare two methods, vegetative plugging and broadcast seeding, of establishing giant bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon var. ardius Harlan et de Wet) on copper mine tailing berms. Broadcast seeding resulted in less water erosion in the top 5 cm of soil 5 days after planting, but more plants were destroyed in the broadcast‐seeded plots by wind‐blown tailing 15 days after planting than were destroyed in plots established by the vegetative plugging method of planting. The plugging method of planting resulted in more vegetative cover 30 and 180 days after planting, and it resulted in more stabilized copper tailing berms than did broadcast seeding. Giant bermudagrass can be used effectively to provide vegetative cover, to stabilize copper mine tailing berms, and to reduce environmental pollution in the Southwest, and possibly in similar environments throughout the world.