Reclamation

OKD is fully aware of the fact that mining activity afflicts the surrounding landscape and therefore one of its long-term objectives is to restore the landscape affected by exploitation so that the consequences of mining activities are smoothed away and the landscape can serve for other than mining purposes.

A mining landscape is modelled in particular by surface subsidences and, contingently, burrows (waste dumps) and sludge boxes. Sometimes these post-areas return to nature spontaneously, creating a biologically valuable landscape. However, the large extent of exploitation in the Karviná region – mining in the Ostrava region has already been terminated - cannot occur without a rational attitude towards restoration of the area affected by mining activities.

Sanitation and reclamation work is substantial and time-consuming as well as financially exigent. It deals with subsidence troughs, disposes of old sludge boxes, levels burrows of rock. The scope of reclamation objectives is very diverse and includes both technical reclamation, i.e. area shaping, restoration of water courses, relocation of utilities etc., and biological reclamation, i.e. re-vegetation of the landscape. The area can be reclaimed to a number of cultures according to requirements by government authorities and the individual municipalities. Sanitation and reclamation work is carried out in accordance with applicable land use plans and depending on the requirements of administrative authorities.

Reclamation work is carried out in two phases:

• technical
• biological

Technical reclamation includes area shaping, restoration of water courses and relocation of utility lines. These are followed by biological reclamation, i.e. landscape re-vegetation. In the period of 1998 to 2003 the costs of reclamation works amounted to nearly one billion Czech crowns.

Reclamation Brochure