The analysis of the existing terminology related to a post-mining land use: a proposal for new classification

Abstract

The article attempts to classify and standardize the terminology used in the literature related to a postmining land use. The following terms were discussed: restoration, reclamation, rehabilitation, land development and revitalization as well as their explicitness enabling one to understand the essence of a certain process properly. On the basis of the existing methods of post-mining areas development found in the literature on the subject, certain inaccuracies related to the terminology of ways of reclamation and methods of development were shown. This situation enables one to offer a new, developed and flexible classification of ways of reclamation including all the possible forms of post-mining land use. This classification considers methods of reclamation and restoration of utility value to post-mining areas on the basis of 6 general (ngen) and 23 specific ways (nspec), which terminology is unambiguous and leaves no space for doubts as to the interpretation. The essence of the offered classification is a possibility of joining general and specific ways into semantic combinations excluding possible inaccuracies in understanding. A possible form of notation of general and specific ways is as follows: \general.specific [, \gen-eral.specific,specific[ and, possibly, \general ? general. specific ? specific[. This kind of approach enables one to consider each place individually, step out of the box and increase a number of semantic combinations from number n gen to number n gen *n spec . The offered classification may also be successfully used in determining ways of rehabilitation, revitalization or land development.

Suitable Re-Use of Abandoned Quarries for Restoration and Conservation of the Old City of Salamanca—World Heritage Site

“…However, in the remaining portions of the outcrops/quarries, reclamation actions should not hide the quarry fronts, preventing access to the material and to features of scientific and educational interest, such as fracturing and evidence of the extraction techniques used in the past. This case can be an interesting example of post-mining land use as discussed by Kaźmierczak et al [45] and Cross et al [46].…”

“…Old quarries allow us to understand the alteration process of the material, to establish their durability and provide valuable information in view of the restoration and conservation works. The Geomonumental Routes [45] are excellent examples of a holistic approach of how to promote the heritage interlocking history and science. The location of the village of Martinamor (a village dramatically affected by aging and population exodus) near the outcrops will permit the use of a rehabilitated house as a welcome centre, where visitors can have a first insight into the quarrying In order to avoid using stones that do not match the original ones, only designated materials, i.e., the same materials or materials with properties similar to those in the original fabrics should be used to avoid physical or aesthetic damage [34].…”

The Scope of Reclamation Works for Areas after the Exploitation of Rock Raw Materials

“…It should be emphasized here that, in the literature, different concepts are used regarding repair activities after mining operations. Kaźmierczak et al [1] defined terms concerning this issue as follows: restoration means returning the disturbed land to the original state before degradation; on the other hand, rehabilitation aims to Appl. Sci.…”

“…This land development includes targeted measures enabling appropriate use of reclaimed areas in accordance with the objectives of reclamation, (e.g., utilities, buildings, appropriate infrastructure for sports and recreation, etc.). In this approach, it should be emphasized that the mining entrepreneur is responsible for completing the reclamation, and the future user of the area is responsible for the land development [1], which consequently causes the costs of reclamation and land development to be borne by the mining entrepreneur and future user of the reclaimed area, respectively. Such a division leads to the situation where the mining entrepreneur will seek to minimize the value of the reclamation project, which in consequence will maximize the cost of developing the reclaimed area.…”

“…The value of financial security for reclamation depends, first of all, on the reclamation objective, as well as the function to be performed by the reclaimed post-mining area. For many years, the options for the reclamation of post-mining areas were discussed in the literature [1]. The most accurate and complete statement of objectives of reclamation and land development of post-mining areas is presented in Table 1.…”