Xiahuayuan

The selected study area, the Xiahuayuan District (Figure 1) in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, is located at 115°16′ E and 40°29′ N. This region has a temperate continental monsoon climate, with four distinct seasons, and hosts abundant mineral resources, including reserves of coal, shale, granite and other resources used throughout the territory. The region also hosts ample symbiotic mineral resources, including hematite and multi-metals. By March 2009, the Xiahuayuan District, owing to its long-time singular industrial structure, inadequate economic aggregates and serious resource shortages, was classified by the State Council of China as a second batch resource-exhausted city.