Open AccessA study of the impact of climate on the self-growth of limestone quarries
Author(s) -
K. P. Galaida,
B. L. Talgamer
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
xxi vek: tehnosfernaâ bezopasnostʹ/xxi vek. tehnosfernaâ bezopasnostʹ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2500-1582
pISSN - 2500-1574
DOI - 10.21285/2500-1582-2021-2-211-220
Subject(s) - land reclamation , vegetation (pathology) , revegetation , berm , erosion , surface mining , environmental science , geology , mining engineering , physical geography , hydrology (agriculture) , geography , archaeology , geotechnical engineering , geomorphology , coal mining , coal , medicine , pathology
Small limestone quarries are located everywhere. After mining operations have been completed, they are not recultivated and left for self-growing. In order to assess the process of vegetation cover restoration, field studies were conducted at 6 quarries located in different climatic zones of Eastern Siberia and Abkhazia. A description of the quarries was made, and areas of disturbed land were identified. The impact of various factors on the self-growth was studied, including the mining parameters, the size of quarries, the height of ledges, the width of berms, the angles of slopes, the composition of rocks in the surface layer, the exposure of slopes, and the composition of surrounding plants. The research identified factors that have positive and negative effects on the intensity of self-growth; recommendations for forming non-working boards were provided. Mining operations without the implementation of reclamation measures aimed to create favorable conditions for the self-overgrowing of disturbed lands, impair the process of vegetation restoration and entail long-term erosion processes, despite the favorable conditions of the subtropical climate of Abkhazia. The available solutions for land reclamation in Siberian quarries can be implemented in other climatic zones.