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Crushed stone, and sand and gravel, are the main
types of natural aggregate used in the United States. Few people realize
that construction of an average six-room home requires 90 tons of
aggregate. Construction of one average-size school requires 15,000 tons.
Reclamation of a mined-out area is highly important to communities near
aggregate operations. The most acceptable method for the community, and
commonly the most economical for the producer, is to plan reclamation
before the aggregate is extracted. Aggregate can be mined with the final
land-surface contours in mind. Equipment can be used for both mining and
reclamation, and mined-out areas can be reclaimed concurrent with
extraction in other parts of the operation. |
Luck Stone Mine, Virginia
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The primary goal of reclamation is to return the land
to a beneficial use. Residential developments are a popular use for
reclaimed sites. The natural setting provided by rock outcrops and water
fulfill a demand for scenic, lake-front property. Reclaimed pits or
quarries have also been converted to industrial and commercial
properties, office parks, golf courses, parks and recreation areas,
stormwater management, farmland, and landfills.
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Reclaimed
aggregate operation becomes residential lake-front property
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Former quarry has been reclaimed and now provides fishing,
boating, and wildlife habitat
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Reclamation procedures depend on the configuration and character of
the mined-out area. Progressive reclamation typically involves three
steps: 1) terracing the pit or face walls during or after extraction; 2)
final shaping of the worked out area by replacing and recontouring the
overburden; and 3) landscaping. Reclamation plans are most effective if
operators and planners select a strategy that satisfies the land use
needs of the community and at the same time provides an economic
incentive for the operator. Many innovative actions taken to decrease
environmental impacts have been conceived and voluntarily implemented by
aggregate operators. Cooperative planning by developers, government, and
citizens is the key to successful protection and utilization of
aggregate resources. |
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