| Abstract: | A methodology is proposed for forecasting the area of land likely to be disturbed by surface-mining activities and the portion of the disturbed land subject to rehabilitation for various land uses (farming, woodland, ponds, outdoor recreation, built-up areas, etc.). The Central Chernozem Region includes not only peat bogs, sand and clay quarries, chalk and limestone pits and phosphate mines, but also the large iron-ore operations of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, destined to become some of the leading iron-ore producers of the Soviet Union. Iron-ore, chalk and limestone pits and associated spoil banks now account for 20 percent of all disturbed land in the region, and their share is expected to grow to 40 percent. The total land area disturbed by surface mining in the Central Chernozem Region is expected to grow from 27,200 hectares in late 1970 to 63,000 hectares by 1990, or an increase of 2.3 times. According to the forecast, 46,400 hectares of the long-term disturbance will be subject to reclamation, with 16,300 hectares for farming uses, 18,500 for woodland, 8,5000 for ponds, and 3,200 for ourdoor recreation, built-up areas and other miscellaneous uses. |
