Answer: c. the complete loss of plant life in the area occupied by the surface mine.
Open pit mining is a mining process that involves mining of earth surface, instead of underground layers. It is also, known as strip mining. It is done to extract ore and fossil fuels from the surface of earth. An open pit mining removes the subsurface soil along with vegetation growing on that surface.The mining site exhibits the mining pits, the soil in these pits changes constantly due to erosion. The soil looses it's fertility. This converts the mining site into a barren land.
Therefore, the complete loss of plant life in the area occupied by the surface mine is the most likely consequences of open pit mining on plant life.
