Arkadiusz Niewiadomski

Department of Soil Science and Geoecology, University of Łódź, Poland

Structural and functional changes of geographical environment in the area of former sulphur mine in Machów (Poland)

INTRODUCTION

Environment changes made by humans were documented already in 19^th century and applied to the growth of earth surface deformations caused by economic expansion. In this aspect are signed the researches of environment and landscape transformations made in the beginning of 20^th century in England and Germany. On remark deserve the papers by Robert Lionel Sherlock [15] and Edwin Fels [6, 7] which prove the influence of various types of human economy on environment. Similar researches were made for different areas in Poland [3, 5, 13, 14, 16]. For presentation of this themes fits the area of now liquidated sulphur mine in Machów, which was the biggest opencast sulphur mine in Europe. On its ground significant structural and functional changes of environment took place. The result was the area character and image transformation from agricultural through industrial to aquatic–recreational.

In the researches of human influence on environment more an more often the conservation of nature resources and its rational economy has very important value [1, 2, 4]. This aspect has significant meaning in the issue of environment restoration understood as homeostasis process and reclamation effect which aim is to restore possibly best properties of degradated areas [11].

RESEARCH AREA AND METHODS

Sulphur deposits near Tarnobrzeg were discovered in early 50. of the 20^th century. The area of Machów mine is located in south–eastern Poland in Podkarpacie region between Wisła and San rivers. Whole ground is situated between 50°34’30” and 50°28’30” of north latitude and between 21°35’ and 21°43’30” of east longitude. The exact location of research area was presented on figure 1.

Fig. 1. The location of sulphur mine “Machów” and chemical plant with biggest industrial objects.

The general surface belongs to “Machów” mine areas – the excavation, external dumping pile, sulphur processing industry plants and directly adjoined grounds comes to over 50 km². The mine was founded in late 50. and functioned on this area based on opencast method in years 1964–1992. From the mine closure the liquidation works are provided to be aimed at aquatic development of excavation with recreational destination. The recreational usage is planned also for several surrounding areas. Other fragments of degradated grounds in the area of “Machów” sulphur mine are progressively reclamated in woodland and agricultural direction or keeping primary functions. The development venture of old mine excavation as a water reservoir is now in realization. The form with average depth of about 85–90 meters was sealed up with 25–30 meters of local clay rocks. It is supposed to prevent the salty, acidic underground waters infiltration. From the beginning of February 2005 the filling of the tank with water taken from Wisła river was provided. At this moment the artificial lake is brimmed and there are works on the top of the tank executed to prepare this area for the introduction of recreational function.

Researches of environment changes were based on old cartographic materials, orthophotomaps, photos, pictures and field observations. As a main aim of the work the determination of area anthropogenization level was placed. The aim was executed upon modified Maruszczak’s environment transformation index [10]. This measure was counted as a relation between summary share of natural and anthropogenic grounds in total research area. Additionally for better presentation of study area changes the coverage of technical development was shown. For unification of results interpretation the area was divided into 170 square basic fields with surface of 0,25 km². This division was presented on figure 2.

Fig. 2. Study area basic fields division.

The study contains the area transformation analysis made in terms of structure and functions changes, that were seized in land use forms changes for several time periods. This issue was presented in table 2. Executed analysis attract attention on 2 main aspects: 1. functional – as a result of functions changes in development and 2. structural – which considers new form of the earth surface, increase of industry buildings and infrastructure with decrease of green areas. Results were presented for 4 time moments: 1940 – before the mine location, 1960 – at the beginning of mining process, 1980 – at the highest growth of mining, 2006 – after the mine liquidation. Author made also the perspective of land use in the year 2020, presented as effect of planned and carried reclamation procedures. Computer planimetry techniques were used for particular land use forms surface calculations. Present work contains additionally the quality factor of environment changes which applies the physical and chemical properties of each element of natural environment.

RESULTS

Before the beginning of sulphur mine building described area served agricultural function working on south edge of small town with couple thousand population. The discovery of sulphur deposits in the early 50. caused rapid development of Tarnobrzeg and turned to many industrial forms established on the researched area. The largest of these forms presents table 1.

Tab. 1. Main objects of mine infrastructure on the study area.

OBJECT	SIZE [km^2]
- Mine excavation	ca. 9
- External dumping ground	8.8
- Postindustrial water tank	2.6
- Deposit water purifiers	0.3
- Post–refining dumping site	0.4

Quick growth of such forms effected critical changes of area structure. It is worth to be added that development of mining ground caused displacement of local population. The settlement structure of the region was simplified by the liquidation of Kajmów village on which territory the excavation of new founding mine was located. Former agricultural areas became fallows and wastelands during the years. Part of them is not cultivated until today.

Along with increase of mining area the amount of produced and emitted directly to environment pollutants strongly grew. The most dangerous in consequences were dusts and gases emitted to atmosphere like for example: sulphuric dust, sulphur dioxide and trioxide, mists of sulphuric acid, fluorine compounds, nitric and carbon oxides [8]. The obligatory air quality norms in the range of mentioned compounds were frequently exceeded. Negative influence on the environment was emblazoned in reduction of cultivable plants crop caused by many vegetation diseases. Similar situation concerned the deterioration of ground water and soils stand. Degradation of soil cover caused the decrease of quantity and quality of biomass produced by ecosystems. In some places it led to flora cover deprivation. Thanks to area reclamation connected with alkalization the return of soils initial stand was noticed. Present situation shows that soils situated near the old sulphur mine are not contaminated and their physiochemical stand is resembling to areas where sulphur mining and processing caused no influence. It is confirmed by multiple of physical, chemical and biological researches among others by Niewiadomski [12]. The range of industry interaction on air and water also was large but variable in volume and time. That is why the global effects of interactions were smaller. Liquidation of mine and limitation of processing powers has consequently decreased. The quantity of pollutions and their values over the permissible concentrations are nowadays not noticeable.

Largest sizes of natural environment degradation were observed within the earth surface and soil cover. The mine excavation caused permanent dewastation of soils in the area of 9 km². Adding to this the results of changes made on the ground of new builded infrastructural forms we get acquire total area of about 21,5 km². Opencast mine development pressurized on earth relief. New forms founded through over 25 years of mining and chemical industry activity influenced mostly on changes of the surface. The excavation comprised the average 85–90 meters and maximum 135 meters deep cavern. The external dumping ground, where the useless rock matter was deposited, has created the pile of 60 meters average height. The largest wastewater tank height comes to 18,5 meters. All of these forms violated the image of flat area of Wisła river high inundation terrace.

Structural and functional changes of environment that were made on the area of former sulphur mine in “Machów” include big part of the whole region. The possibility of size changes prediction and also their consequences has essential meaning for spatial planning and politics [1]. Changes made in the last dozens of years in studied area are assembled in tabelaric form and presented below in table 2. They are visualising the participation of individual anthropogenic forms of land use as a result of growth and decline of sulphur mining and processing industry with the perspective of land use in the year 2020.

Tab. 2. Changes of land use in the area of “Machów” mine.

FORMS OF LAND USE	YEAR
	1940	1960	1980	2005	2020
Woodlands	6.92 %	6.82 %	7.05 %	9.64 %	5.64 %
Water areas	4.73 %	4.73 %	4.86 %	9.41 %	9.74 %
Woodland – recreational areas	–	–	–	–	5.65 %
Agricultural – woodland – recreational areas	–	–	–	–	6.02 %
Industrial areas	–	5.96 %	20.01 %	3.25 %	3.25 %
Settlement areas	7.42 %	7.51 %	8.14 %	8.25 %	8.25 %
Agricultural – woodland areas	–	–	–	8.44 %	2.57 %
Wastelands	–	–	1.64 %	5.14 %	–
Recreational grounds	–	–	–	–	2.85 %
Agricultural grounds	80.93 %	74.97 %	58.29 %	55.87 %	56.04 %

Based on executed research it was showed that the land use structure underwent diversification during the years. In the year 1940 on the study area only four forms of land use were occurred, when in year 2006 already seven. In relation with provided area reclamation some of the infrastructure objects like the dumping ground or wastewater tank conferred two or even more functions. Part of agricultural areas has considerably decreased as a consequence of succesive shut down of arable grounds for the increase of fast growing excavation area. Developing mining industry achieved the apogee around 1980. In spite of land use diversification the character of changes has to be acknowledged as negative cause of significant relief degradation and anthropogenic transformation of landscape [1, 2, 8, 16]. The area of the studies was also deprived of vegetation. The original landscape harmony presenting this surface as a dense agricultural riverside area was destructed. Following systematic restriction of mining and in effect mine closing with area reclamation caused the decrease of industry participation in the land use structure. It was ascertained by the growth of wastelands then transformed mostly into different reclamation grounds. Effect of this processes was the increase of water areas and green areas participation in connection with transformation of mine excavation into water reservoir and development of degraded grounds into woodlands and agricultural areas. The forecast for the year 2020 includes the ending of reclamation works around 2010. For this time period the maximum functional and structural land use diversity is predicted. It is worth of attention that industrial function will be constantly present because of the sulphur processing plants producing the phosphoric fertilizers based on the imported material. They will be functioning even through next 50 years.

Almost 30 years of mining and processing industry activity caused expansion of infrastructure objects on the study area. Before the sulphur industry period the road network was short and its summary length has not exceeded 40 km. In the year 1980 the road length has come to over 100 km including mine internal roads. In 2006 it was ascertained that on the area existed over 80 km of different range roads. Apart from roads the participation of other networks like electric energy, gas mains and water supplies increased. Growth was noticed also in buildings contribution mainly in connection with sulphur processing industry and fertilizers plant. Total participation of technical development on the research area presents the figure 3.

Fig. 3. Coverage of technical infrastructure near the sulphur mine in Machów.

Changes made by reclamation treatments after the mine shut down influenced positively on the possibilites of natural environment properties restoration. The aim of permanent woodland and aquatic development introduction is the renovation of biological activity of degradated grounds. Thanks to reclamation even strictly anthropogenic forms can be perceived as seminatural. This thesis can be proved by forest–agricultural reclamation of mine external dumping ground and wastewater tank. In the vicinity of both forms new habitats of arborescent and schrub vegetation arised. Assignment of reclamated areas to adjoining municipalities let on the introduction of cultivation. All described issues proved that reclamation influenced positively on landscape harmony restoration and improvement of natural environment functioning conditions. Additionally confirmation of these observations was signified by environment transformation level determined for actual situation in 5 intensity ranges. The results presents figure 4.

Fig. 4. Environment anthropogenization level in the vicinity of “Machów” sulphur mine.

Forms possessed by reclamation activity lose its anthropogenic character because of natural – mostly woodland and aquatic development. Similar situation concerns agricultural development because such interference in natural environment is incomparably lower than mining or processing industry development. Analysing obtained results very strong transformation of former mine excavation is noticeable (basic fields: 9–13, 17–22, 28–34, 42–45, 58–63, 75–79). It is obvious with regard to triple change of area character and its function – from settling–agricultural to industrial and then to water object with recreational function. High and medium transformation level was signified on strictly anthropogenic areas represented through infrastructural objects grounds (squares: 114–115, 52–54, 68–70, 85–87, 129, 134–139, 145–150, 155–160, 162–164). Former agricultural grounds which are representing big part of researched area revealed low anthropogenization level. They haven’t change their image through the decades and the only anthropogenic interference was made on soils by the agrotechnical infuence. It is worth to be remarked that on the study area appear also natural grounds (basic fields: 1, 16, 40, 56, 72, 88, 152). In their limits the anthropogenic conversions were not ascertained. These habitats are located in the neighbourhood of flood–plaines of Wisła river and building forest–meadow natural habitats.

The change of industry objects character will happen within next dozens of years because of intensively provided reclamation works. Consequently the area transformation level can decrease through the time. Therefore it can be concluded that the area image and functionality will refer to primary stand. It is hard to interchangeably affirmed how in the future will the infrastructure network change. Probably the road network remain unaltered. The quantity of other transfer networks can be reduced by lower energy and water absorptivity of new development kinds. Presumably only the processing plant shut down will permit on this area for significant restriction of technical infrastructure quantity. Building industry in connection with expansion of recreational spaces will develop certainly. Changes of structure and functions on the study area will be strongly noticeable in the next few years.

CONCLUSIONS

1. For many years the explored area was exposed to transformations developed from interference of human activity what was proved by measured area transformation level. Many anthropogenic forms have emerged here and their stand is permanent enough to stay visible and recognizable in the landscape for a long time.

2. Changes connected with interaction of sulphur mining and processing industry affected negatively on the shape of environment, causing unfavorable structural changes and disorder of original landscape harmony.

3. The determination of area transformation level let capture which fragments of the surface still demonstrate anthropogenic character and which can be recognized as seminatural thanks to adequately conducted reclamation.

4. Reclamation activity gradually restores utilitarian value to the degradated areas and in some places even the initial image of landscape. It affected the woodland–agricultural development of former mine infrastructure objects, for example external dumping ground and wastewater tank.

5. In the area of mine the changes still take place. End of reclamation works and implementation of final recreational function will let define the full range of environment transitions that took place at the described area.

REFERENCES

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dr Arkadiusz Niewiadomski, Department of Soil Science and Geoecology, University of Łódź,
ul. Narutowicza 88, 90-139 Łódź, Poland.