Tereny pokopalniane Zagłębia Wałbrzyskiego 20 lat po zamknięciu kopalń węgla = Former mining areas of the Wałbrzych Basin 20 years after mine closures

Abstract

The article elaborates on the current state, development and utilization of former mining areas of the Wałbrzych Basin. Moreover, the paper presents the changes in the spoil tips and sedimentation basins landscape undergoing in between 1996 and 2016, as well as in facilities, which used to consitute a part of sustainable mining estate. In 1996 the areas of former mines were taken over by the authorities of Wałbrzych and Boguszów-Gorce. As that time, 181.5 ha of spoil tips and sedimentation basins were reclaimed and 164.5 ha of heaps still needed reclamation. Until 2016, 129.9 ha of grounds were reclaimed, which constituted 90% of the total area of spoil tips and sedimentation basins located in the Wałbrzych Basin. As yet, 34.6 ha of storage areas have not been reclaimed; they constitute mainly of sedimentation basins – places of yielding of coal sludge. Spoil tips were reclaimed into forests and their steep slopes were turned into turf and shrub lands. The above actions aimed at changing the spoil tips into natural terrain elevations and improving the aesthetics of the Wałbrzych landscape. The location and shape of the majority of spoil tips do not refer to the local relief. The forms differ in their shapes and size when compared to surrounding elevations and are not related to them, as a result, they constitute dissonant elements of the landscape. As yet, only two spoil tips were turned into areas of recreation, education and sport. The remaining spoil tips are planned to be adopted for tourist and recreation purposes and used a source of mineral waste for the building sector, road building and maintenance and reclamation of post-mining areas. Coal sludge excavated from sedimentation basins is utilized for fuel production and the areas of its excavation are places of sizeable excavation pits. The recovery process of the above waste is planned to be continued for the following 4 to 5 years. Then, the excavations will be turned into places of storage of building waste. After reclamation and land development, the areas will have recreation and tourist functions. As of this day, the majority of post-mining facilities has been dismantled or torn down. Their areas are mainly undeveloped and constitute post-industrial wasteland. Such land is marginally adapted to serving new functions and is not attractive to potential investors. Facilities in good technical condition were passed on to the authorities of Wałbrzych and Boguszów Gorce, as well as sold to various companies and private individuals. Currently, they serve various functions, such as: industrial, service, administrative, residential, tourist and educational. The majority of facilities acquired from mines changed their functions and use. Among the best-developed post-mining areas in Wałbrzych are “Julia” shaft, which houses a mining museum “Old Mine Science and Art Centre”, and “Teresa” shaft, which was adapted into service (car showroom and service) and residential purposes, while in Boguszów-Gorce shafts “Witold” and “Klara”, which serve tourist, educational, recreational, sport, service and residential functions. The development and use of former mining facilities in the Wałbrzych Basin is similar to that of other post-mining areas in the Western Europe, nevertheless, the standard and degree of their development is far from the Western European standards. Some of the former mining facilities are kept in good technical condition by their owners, which suggests that they will continue to serve similar functions as at present.