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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 |
Former quarry has been reclaimed and now provides fishing, boating, and wildlife habitat |
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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