Engineers would separate the topsoil from the deeper soil, rather than removing all soil at once and mixing it in a single pile when preparing a site for surface mining and later restoration because of the difference in the nutrient composition of the different layers of the soil.
Topsoil refers to the topmost layer of the soil on which plants grow.
The topsoil contains the nutrients which plants require for their growth.
Deeper soil are found beneath the topsoil and lack the necessary nutrients required for plant growth.
Therefore, when preparing a site for surface mining and later restoration, engineers would separate the topsoil from the deeper soil, rather than removing all soil at once and mixing it in a single pile because restoration is aimed at making the soil useful for agricultural activities again. Thus, mixing the soil in one pile will adversely affect the nutrient composition of the soil.
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