This paper evaluates bacterial growth in biocrusts after a large-scale mining disturbance in a hyperarid desert, using a stable isotope probing assay. We discovered that biocrust bacteria from both natural and post-mining plots resumed photosynthetic activity but did not grow following hydration. Our paper provides insights into the effects of a large-scale disturbance (mining) on biocrusts and their response to hydration, with implications for biocrust restoration practices in Zin mines.