Syllabus
1. Mineral resources and environment. 2. Restoration and reclamation of land. 3. Restoration of aquatic systems. 1. Geology of mineral resources: Igneous processes, metamorphic processes, sedimentary processes, weathering processes.
Minerals from the sea.
Environmental impact of mineral development.
Geology of oil and gas.
Geology and distribution of uranium.
Fossil fuel (coal) and surface mining.
Problems of abandoned mines.
Degradation and destruction of ecosystems.
Renewable energy resources, recycling resources. 2. Relation between land mined and reclaimed.
Natural components of the landscape.
Restoration criteria.
Reclamation of land for agricultural purpose, forestry and recreational purpose.
Ecosystem creation, functions of new ecosystems, self-regulation systems.
Hazardous waste management, abandoned disposal sites. 3. Planning and evaluating aquatic ecosystem restoration.
Stresses on rivers and streams.
Fluvial restoration.
Approaches to floodplain management.
Loss of wetlands, restoration opportunities, controversies aboutthe success of restoration.
References:
Dawson G.W.-Mercer B.W.(1986): Hazardous waste management.
National Research Council (US) (1992):Restoration of aquatic ecosystems.
Landreth R.E. et al. (1991):Design and construction of RCRA/CERCLA Final covers.
Annotation
The lecture provides an overview of mineral resources and their exploitation, points out the economic and ecological aspects of mining and its environmental impact. Subsequently, it deals with reclamation (problem of abandoned mines and quarries, reclamation criteria, recultivation, possibilities of reclamation of old piles and dump, reconstruction and reclamation of land for agricultural, forestry and recreational purposes) and restoration of aquatic ecosystems (impact of mining on streams, water regime, mine water, reclamation and restoration of water channels, natural wetlands and water bodies, restoration of the landscape along the water channels affected byfloods, the possibility of using water areas in the devastated landscape).