Review on mining geo-environmental carrying capacity research in China

Mining geo-environmental carrying capacity is a new appealing,sophisticated hotspot as well as a theoretical and applied frontier which derives from mining geo-environment,ecological/resources environmental carrying capacity and geo-environmental assessment in recent years.Now it is currently in the infantile and developing stage.This paper reviewed the original,developmental and evolutional courses of carrying capacity,presented the research progresses of mining geo-environmental carrying capacity in China,summarized the different knowledges,understandings and approaches of mining geo-environmental carrying capacity research internally,and discussed the problems,issues,difficulties and the trends of this research.Every geo-environmental system has the self-stability and anti-disturbance capability.Therefore,exploitation of mineral resources within a reasonable limitation under designated intensity level could promote "Resource-Environment-Economy-Society" integrated system harmoniously developed,which is also the green power and long-term goal for sustainable development of mining and national economy.