2020

Two Mining Sites have been Recultivated in Talsi Municipality

Mining sites, just like forests, have their own management cycle. It starts with geological exploration works and the establishment of a mining site, which is followed by the extraction and use of mineral resources for the needs of the economy. Mining site management cycle ends with the recultivation of the deposit; the type of recultivation is chosen according to the type of extraction, which is affected by weather the extraction takes place above or below the groundwater level.

There are two mineral extraction sites “Ķeikas” and “Spāre II” in Ģibuļi Rural Territory (Talsi Municipality), where valuable material for construction needs was obtained. Sand-gravel material had been obtained at “Ķeikas” mining site since 2006 and sand material had been mined at “Spāre II” mining site since 2006.

“Ķeikas” deposit is geomorphologically located on the eastern edge of Kursa Lowland. This area is characterized by the spread of limnoglacial plains or accumulative relief formations that occur in glacial melting water basins. These are plains that are flat or flat wavy.

“Spāre II” deposit was built in a parabolic inland dune. Inland dunes were formed about 11-12 thousand years ago. They were formed shortly after the retreat of the Baltic Ice Lake (formerly the Baltic Sea stage), when wide sandy plains were exposed to wind erosion in Lake Usma. It is believed that inland dunes started to form in cold and dry climates. On the other hand, as the supply of new sand material decreased (climate and weather conditions changed), the processes of parabolic dune formation gradually subsided and it was covered by vegetation.

At the beginning of 2019, the development of these two deposits was completed and work began on their recultivation or return of the territory to forestry. Mining site “Ķeikas” in an area of 0.6 ha has flat slopes, levelled piles and the whole surface of the mining site has been covered with plant land. Currently, the area is ready for the new forest.

The material obtained in the territory is of high value and the useful mineral in this sand-gravel deposit is available in large quantities; therefore, the preparation of a new extraction site “Ķeikas II” is currently taking place next to the recultivated extraction site.

In its turn, a part of the territory of “Spāre II” deposit is occupied by a water reservoir in an area of 0.65 ha with a depth of up to 2 metres. The establishment of water reservoirs in the developed mineral extraction areas is one of the ways how to return the area to natural circulation through recultivation, while opening up new opportunities for future use of the area for forest management, fire protection, recreation and relaxation. Together with “Spāre II” deposit, the 2.05 ha part of the deposit, developed during the Soviet era and then neglected, was recultivated and arranged, and it is now home to thousands of pine seedlings.