Mineral raw materials for engineering works
To the group of mineral raw materials for engineering works there have been deposits often called as “earth masses for building purposes” classified. They are usually clastic rocks of a clayey-sandy characteristic e.g.: silty sands, loamy-clayey sediments and mantle rocks, and solid rocks: sandstones, limestones, conglomerates, allocated from the deposits as not fulfilling the criteria necessary for the crushed aggregates production. These raw materials are utilized in the road industry for the road embankments building and the maintenance of dirt roads surfaces. The loamy-clayey raw material can be used for the packing and reclamation of waste disposals, for hydro-building and other purposes. The usefulness of these raw materials is determined by i.e. their geological-engineering parameters, sealing (isolating) properties and others. Usually, resources of mineral raw materials for engineering works are documented as an accompanying raw material in sand deposits or deposits of a solid rock material covering their worse, defective parts. In about 30% of cases are documented as the main raw material.
Total anticipated economic resources amount to 11.336 million m3. In comparison with 2017 they increased by 0.985 million m3 (9.5%).
There were 2 new deposits documented in 2018 with total resources equal 0.886 million m3: Wrzawy-Adam (0.026 mln m3), located in Podkarpackie Voivodeship and Sieniawa (0.860 mln m3) in Lubuskie Voivodeship.
In 2018 there were 3 new documentation with recalculated resources approved for already documented deposits. It resulted in the resources growth in Danowo deposit (Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship) by 0.121 million m3. However, 2 other documents was elaborated for the resources settlement after the exploitation end – partially depleted Narty and Narty II deposits located in Mazowieckie Voivodeship were crossed out from “The balance…”. It was due to the fact that the express road S7 building process was completed and in the deposits location area there is no demand for sands and loams for road embankments building. The resources crossed out amount totally to 0.179 million m3.
The table given below shows the current state of identification and management of mineral raw materials for engineering works resources in Poland.
The output of mineral raw materials for engineering works amounted to 0.330 million m3 in 2018 and increased by 0.150 million3 (83.8%) in comparison with the previous year. There were 12 deposits under exploitation.
Economic resources were calculated for 12 deposits. They amount to 5.101 million m3 which accounts for 86.1% of anticipated economic and sub-economic resources of these deposits.
The figure given below shows changes in domestic resources and production of mineral raw materials for engineering works in Poland in the years 2000-2018.
Prepared by: Wojciech Szczygielski
Table 1. Mineral raw materials for engineering works - million m3