Mineral deposits of the Silica plateau evaluation of selected geological factors of the environment

• Main Authors: Balá Bartolomej, Zacharov Michal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Technical University of Kosice 2001-12-01
• Series: Acta Montanistica Slovaca
• Subjects: Slovak karst; the Silica plateau; geological structure; mineral deposits; evaluation of geofactors of the environment
• Online Access: http://actamont.tuke.sk/pdf/2001/n4/4zacharovbalaz.pdf

The Silica plateau is a part of a greatest karst area in the Slovak republic - Protected Landscape Area Slovak karst (CHKO Slovenský kras). Karst areas belong to the most sensitive environments, from the point of view of impacts caused by anthropogenous activities. This area reacts sensitively, disturbing the environmental balance caused by mining of mineral deposits. Three mineral deposits of industrial rocks: one deposit of decorative stone - Silická Brezová and two deposits of building stone Silická Brezová I and Lipovník, respectively, were registered on January 1-st, 2001 in the territory of the Silica plateau. Some deposits utilized in the past namely two deposits of building raw materials (Hruov and Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka) and one Pb-Zn ore deposit (Ardovo) are also mentioned and evaluated in the paper. From the point of view of economical potential of the area, mineral deposits have a character of geopotentials. However the utilization of deposits represents negative anthropogenous impact. When compared with another forms of optimal and rational utilization of the country, e.g. agriculture, forestry, water management, construction, tourism etc., mineral deposits have a character of geobarriers. This research was carried out in the frame of the VEGA Grant No. 1/6090/1999.