Changes of the Geomorphology of the Area under the Influence of Post-Mining Dumping Grounds in the Mikołów Poviat (Poland)

The traditions of coal mining in Upper Silesia date back to 16th century, with the first mentions about coal extraction in the neighbourhood of Ruda Śląska, Katowice and Mikolow. Strong development of mining through centuries was not only the source of economic gains, but also the cause of significant changes in the natural environment of the region. Such changes are mainly various types of damage, e.g. subsidence, water salinity, rock mass disruptions, as well as changes resulting from the technological process – i.e. post-mining dumping grounds. The aim of this article is to assess the impact of the deposition of mining waste and its effects on the terrain of Mikolow poviat and show the changes of the structure of extractive industry in the local scale. The subject field consists of defining the localisation and geological structure of the study area, expressions of degradation of the terrain caused by mining activity, assessment of the impact of mining waste tipping on the terrain and natural environment and evaluation of the reclamation state of degraded areas. As a result of the research, a geomorphological profile has been made. The changes of the structure of extractive industry in the local scale is exemplified on the case study of recovery of coal from one dump in the northern part of Mikolow poviat .