Destructive mining operations are affecting large areas of natural ecosystems, especially in arid lands. The present study aims at investigating the impact of iron mine exploitation on vegetation and soil in Nodoushan (Yazd province, central Iran). Based on the dominant wind, topography, slope, vegetation and soil of the area, soil and vegetation parameters close to the mine were recorded and analyzed according to the distance from the mine. To obtain the vegetation cover, a transect and plot on the windward and leeward side of the mine, with 100 m intervals and three replicates at each sampling location was used, yielding 96 soil samples. The amount of dust on the vegetation, the seed weight and seed germination rate of Artemisia sp. as the dominant species within the area, and the soil microbial respiration were measured. The relationship between vegetation cover and distance from the mine was not linear, which was due to an interplay between pollution from the mine and local grazing, while other factors did increase or decrease linearly. The results showed that, as the distance from the mine increased, the weight of 1000 seeds of Artemisia sp. was significantly increased from 271 to 494 mg and seed germination rate and soil microbial respiration were significantly increased from 11.7 to 48.4% and from 4.5 to 5.9 mg CO₂ g⁻¹ soil day⁻¹, respectively, while the amount of dust significantly decreased from 43.5 to 6 mg (g plant)⁻¹ between the distance of 100 and 600 m from the mine in the leeward direction. A similar trend was observed in the windward side, though negative effects were lower compared to the same distance along the leeward sample locations. The direct and indirect effects on plant growth and health from mining impacts generally decreased linearly with increasing distance from the mine, up to at least 600 m. Our study serves as a showcase for the potential of bio-indicators as a cost-effective method for assessing impacts of mining activities on the surrounding environment.

破坏性采矿作业正在影响大面积的自然生态系统，特别是在干旱地区。本研究旨在调查铁矿开采对 Nodoushan（伊朗中部亚兹德省）植被和土壤的影响。根据该地区的主导风、地形、坡度、植被和土壤，根据与矿井的距离，对矿井附近的土壤和植被参数进行记录和分析。为了获得植被覆盖，在矿井的上风侧和背风侧使用了一个横断面和样地，以 100 m 的间隔和每个采样位置三个重复，产生了 96 个土壤样品。植被上的粉尘量、艾蒿的种子重量和种子发芽率sp. 为区域内优势种，测定土壤微生物呼吸。植被覆盖度与距矿山距离的关系不是线性的，这是由于矿山污染和当地放牧之间的相互作用，而其他因素确实线性增加或减少。结果表明，随着距矿井距离的增加，1000 粒蒿属植物种子的重量增加。显着增加从 271 到 494 毫克，种子发芽率和土壤微生物呼吸分别从 11.7 到 48.4% 和从 4.5 到 5.9 毫克 CO ₂ g ^-1土壤日^-1显着增加，而灰尘量从43.5 至 6 mg (g 植物) ^-1背风方向距矿井 100 至 600 m 之间。在迎风侧观察到类似的趋势，但与沿背风样本位置的相同距离相比，负面影响较低。采矿影响对植物生长和健康的直接和间接影响通常随着与矿山距离的增加而线性下降，至少 600 m。我们的研究展示了生物指标作为评估采矿活动对周围环境影响的经济有效方法的潜力。