Spoil heap

A spoil heap is consisted the accumulation of the “deads”, by-products of the mining, composed mainly of Schiste S, and in more minor amount of carboniferous sandstones and various residues (sometimes polluted). The term decides terri and can be also written this way. However, the pronunciation spoil heap is also widespread.

In certain areas, in particular the south of the France, in the basin of Large-Combe the and with Saint-Etienne, one also speaks about dump (term borrowed from the vocabulary of the metallurgy: slag heap of blast furnace).

The embankments of the career S are sometimes also called spoil heaps.

Presentation

A spoil heap can be of conical form, and then constitute a strong signal in the landscape, or dish and there be melted completely, especially if the vegetation settled there. Highest of Europe is with Loos-in-Gohelle in the old field of the Pas-de-Calais, it consists of a solid mass of 5 spoil heaps, including two cones which culminate to 186 m, thus exceeding more the high summit of the Flanders, the Mont Cassel .

The spoil heaps often have a great ecological richness . With the passing of years, they were colonized by all kinds of plants and animals, sometimes foreign with the area. This diversity rises partly from mining. For example, because the minors threw their cores of Pomme S or Poire S in the tip trucks of coal, the spoil heaps shelter today a hundred more or less forgotten varieties of trees Fruit iers. One can also note the proliferation of the Oseille to sheets of escutcheon, whose seeds were brought in the grooves of the wood of fir tree used in the mines. Moreover, by its dark color, the southern face of a spoil heap is significantly hotter than the surroundings, which contributes to the ecological diversity of the place. Thus the terri of Pinchonvalles to Avion gathers 200 varieties different of higher plants. About thirty species of birds nest there.

Some shelter vineyards like that of the spoil heap n° 7 of coal mining of Mariemont-Bascoup on the territory of Vault-lez-Herlaimont (Province of Hainaut) which produces 3.000 liters of wine per annum.

Underground combustion

The oldest carboniferous spoil heaps can still contain Houille sufficient to enter in slow Combustion, spontaneously or following a fire of surface. The extinction of such fires generally requires a complete unpacking, operation generally impossible to realize for technical reasons and financial. Watering is indeed ineffective and the water injection under against-productive pressure because of oxygen brought (there exists even a risk of explosion).

The weak impact of these fires on the environment and the public health generally results in awaiting their natural extinction, which can require several decades.

Landslides

The spoil heaps present a danger of Landslide. The catastrophe of Aberfan to the Wales, occurred on Friday, October 21, 1966, is an example. It made 144 victims, including 116 old schoolboys from 7 to 10 years and 5 teachers.

To become spoil heaps

Imposing and durable marks in the landscape, the spoil heaps are a stake of size in the urban development of the cities which saw them being born. Almost systematically, the idea to remove them was not even discussed. The operation is useless and too expensive on the one hand, but especially this idea runs up against the sensitivity of the inhabitants, attaches to this element of their landscape. The question of becoming spoil heaps remains posed. Do they have to remain in the state, as testimonys of the mining history? Or can they know a reconversion? Answers could be brought.

The slow combustion of certain spoil heaps (see above) is the cause of a phenomenon of vitrification of the schists which acquire sufficient mechanical capacities thus to make construction materials of them road. Some thus know a second life while being exploited to this end, such as for example the tabular spoil heaps (flat) of the site of the 11/19 with Loos-in-Gohelle (Pas-de-Calais)

In general however the spoil heaps are reconverted in green areas or of leisures. Their particular ecosystem, due to their internal heat, brings a fauna and a new flora. An example is the site of Sabatier, in the Regional natural park the Scarpe-Scheldt. The spoil heaps are reconquered by plants whose seeds are brought by the wind. Thus on the spoil heaps of the north of France one can find plants of origins as well as Mediterranean continental.

Certain spoil heaps allow various sports activities. With Nœux-the-Mines (Pas-de-Calais), a track of synthetic Ski was arranged on an old spoil heap. It is the most original idea, often quoted in example. The parapente is practiced on the spoil heaps of the 11/19 with Loos-in-Gohelle. In Belgium, a beaconing of the Transterrilienne (Path of great excursion) is finished at the end of 2005. It goes from Cop-on-the Scheldt to France to the area inhabitant of Li2ege.

Certain spoil heaps contain coal in quantity and sometimes the technological developments make it possible to exploit them again.

External bonds

  • the Chain of the spoil heaps (French association)
  • the Chain of the spoil heaps (Belgian association) (multilingual site)
  • It was once… the dumps
  • the spoil heap of Thier-with-Liege
  • Animation: evolution of a spoil heap to the wire of time (site of the Scarpe-Scheldt Regional natural park)

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