LAND – RESTORED
AND REBORN
Opencast mining
has always been considered interference in nature and living space. Therefore,
both coal mining and reclamation of
spoiled areas are of equal importance to the company. A socially tolerable
resettlement was provided by necessity to the people living in the region of
mining operations, which were carried
out in the course of several decades.
Restoration of
spoiled areas upon completion of mining operations, collection, deposit and
utilization of the topsoil layer in front of the longwalls of mines and dump
sites is of vital importance. Technical reclamation is carried out three
years after mining and backfilling operations have been completed. The land is returned reborn. All
of the above are various measures for the protection and restoration of the
environment in the complex.
By the end of 2005
the completion of reclamation operations
of some 41 955 decares of land and their being transferred to
the respective fund was reported. An increase in the percentage of reclaimed land is expected. In 2005, approximately
426 600 m3 of topsoil were
collected and disposed of for the
purposes of technical reclamation. To this end the amount of BGN 1 450 000 was spent.
Released mining
water is monitored continually. If necessary, hydrated lime is employed for
neutralization in front of water intake points into which that water flows.
Dust emission reduction is obtained by
means of irrigation of the inner mine roads both in the area of coalmining as
well as in the area of reclamation during
the dry summer period.
Following completion of the technical reclamation, the
land is restored with a 40 cm thick topsoil layer.
