Anthropogenic Changes of the “Old Copper Basin” Area Landscape (North-Sudetic Synclinorium) in the Light of Lidar-Based Geomorphometric Analysis and Archival Data

Abstract

While the history, techniques of exploitation and deposit parameters of the copper ores in the North-Sudetic Synclinorium have been the subject of numerous investigations, the transformations of the terrain in the so-called “Old Copper Basin” (Lower Silesia, SW Poland) have not been analysed in detail before. This paper is intended to complement this gap. The authors present the results of the detailed geomorphometric analysis of the post-mining forms related directly to the copper mining. The LiDAR-based, high-resolution Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), which have been used in the analysis and description of the landforms, are currently considered as the most accurate and precise 3D-spatial data available in the numerical form. The following anthropogenic forms are distinguished in the study area: large- and small-scale ground deformations (depressions and small sinkholes), abandoned quarries, and forms associated with the exploitation and storage of the flotation wastes – post-flotation tailings and dumps. Our investigations have allowed visualization of the spatial distribution of the forms, estimation of their total volume as well as perspectives of their reclamation and protection.

Reconstruction of Copper Smelting Technology Based on 18–20th-Century Slag Remains from the Old Copper Basin, Poland

“…0.46 at Site 1B (20th-century smelting), through 0.50 and 0.52 (at Sites 2B and 1A, respectively (19th-century smelting)) to 0.68 at Site 2A (18th-century smelting). These results are exceptionally low compared to other historical slags (e.g., [1,[9][10][11]29]), especially because they are derived from fairly young slag material. This means that the analysed set of slags is characterized by high viscosity (adverse to the v.i.).…”

“…For the construction of the wall in the southern part of the site in Leszczyna (Figure 2A), approximately 6257 m 3 of slag was used (the average dimensions of the blocks are 40 cm × 30 cm × 20 cm). Until today, the remains of long-term mining activities, such as historical building support (Figure 2B) ground deformation or quarry remnants, are visible in the area [29]. The site in Kondratów is smaller and divided into two parts: Site 2A and Site 2B (Figure 1).…”

Question of local exploitation of copper ore deposits in the Urnfield time in Poland

“…5-7 m below ground surface. The ore, however, wedges west, towards the historical smelting center (Kowalski et al, 2017;Kądziołka et al, 2020), suggesting that in the past, the ore was nearer the surface and more available for mining.…”

“…2, up to approx. 3.5 m, and the deposit declines at a That site lies within the Grodziec Syncline where Cu was also mined in the past (Kowalski et al, 2017). The entire area was named the "Old Copper Basin" in contrast to the "New Copper…”