Contact Repair of Deterioration Soil Chemical and Mercury Properties with Biocanate Technology

Gold mining is an activity that utilizes natural resources by extracting the economic value of the deposits. Mining activities can produce hazardous pollutants, namely Hg (mercury) which can damage soil quality either physically, biologically, or chemically. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of biokanat application on the chemical properties of ex-mining land and to determine the effect of biokanat in reducing Hg content in Kanagarian Padang Sibusuak, Sijunjung Regerency. This study was a field experiment having 3 treatments (0 Ton/Ha, 10 Ton/Ha, 20 Ton/Ha) with 3 replicates. The experimental 9 units were allocated based on Randomised Block Design (RBD). The data results were statistically analyzed using F-test 5% level of significance. Then, it was continued using DNMRT if F-calculated > F- Tabel. The results showed that the dose of biokanat 20 Ton/Ha could increase the soil pH into 6.08, organic-C into 2.4%, P-available into 11.96 ppm, total-N into 0.23%, CEC into 2.58 cmol/kg, the basic cations especially Ca into  3.53 cmol/kg, Mg into 0.37 cmol/kg, K into 0.26 cmol/kg, and Na into 0.29 cmol/kg. Application of 20 Ton/Ha biokanat reduced the soil mercury (Hg) content into 15.96 ppm.   Keywords: biocanat, mercury, gold mining