Megaclasts in geoconservation: sedimentological questions, anthropogenic influence, and geotourism potential

Megaclasts are sedimentary particles larger than boulders. Their huge size and scattered occurrence make them objects that deserve geological heritage, requiring conservation. Investigation of megaclasts for the purpose faces difficulties because of the distinction between boulders and megaclasts. Local study of Quaternary large stones in Mountainous Adygeja (W Caucasus, SW Russia) suggests ~ 2 m as a suitable size criterion, although only locally. Shape, occurrence, and origin of megaclasts require additional attention. Geoconservation may result in anthropogenic disturbances of the natural landscape through removal of vegetation, access constructions, and restoration. The geotourism potential of megaclasts is partly determined by their huge size and their rare and scattered occurrence. Aesthetic qualities, local legends, and co-occurrence with prehistoric megalithic constructions increase this potential. The Maiden’s Stone in Mountainous Adygeja, which is ~ 35 m long, has been a tourist attraction already for decades. It is an impressive example of geoconconservation and geotourism connected with megaclasts. Generally, megaclasts increase the value (including the scientific importance) of the geological heritage of Mountainous Adygeja, where a geopark might be established

Necesidad de una política coherente para minerales en Europa. Discusiones y acercamientos actuales

<p>El artículo resume algunos aspectos relevantes de la política mineral en Europa. Hace un llamado a la Unión Europea para concertar políticas e instrmentos de trabajo que aseguren la disponibilidad de las materias primas esenciales y la sustentabilidad de su extración y su uso.</p

Złoża kopalin o znaczeniu publicznym (ZKOZP) w relacji do projektu Polskiej polityki surowcowej państwa

The functioning of European economies and societies requires a stable and sustainable supply of mineral resources. For 10 years now EU has been developing raw materials initiative to secure European minerals supply. In many cases, areas with known or hypothetic mineral resources, are not sufficiently valued by society and authorities, remain unprotected and face competing land uses with the risk of becoming sterilized. MINATURA 2020 project was born out of a need to develop a harmonised framework which allow a common way of identifying “mineral deposits of public importance” (MDoPI) and their safeguarding via land use planning. The project has left a useful set of guidelines and proposals how to advance on the creation of a European network of MDoPIs to avoid sterilization of “deposits worth safeguarding”. In Poland, the need for legal protection of mineral deposits has been discussed intensively in recent years. Various proposals aimed at better system of mineral deposits safeguarding, especially those which should be recognized as of public importance, have been proposed. However, until now only a few coal deposits were recognized as strategic. Currently, the Polish National Mineral Policy is under preparation. Its overriding objective is to provide access to the necessary minerals, also in the longterm perspective. It assumes among others activities aimed at protection of mineral deposits regarding land use planning system. Paper presents scope and general results of MINATURA2020 project, with details on MINATU-RA2020 methodology implementation in Poland, Project of the Polish National Mineral Policy with its objectives and key pillars, position of MDoPIs in this Project, and – finally – expected future steps related to MDoPI safeguarding in EU and in Poland.Funkcjonowanie europejskiej gospodarki i społeczeństwa wymaga stabilnych i zrównoważonych dostaw surowców. Od 10 lat Unia Europejska rozwija inicjatywę surowcową dla zabezpieczenia tych dostaw dla gospodarki UE. W wielu przypadkach obszary ze znanymi lub hipotetycznymi złożami kopalin nie są wystarczająco zabezpieczone, doświadczając konkurencji ze strony innych kierunków zagospodarowania terenu, z dużym ryzykiem uniemożliwienia przyszłego dostępu do nich. Projekt MINATURA2020 był odpowiedzią na potrzebę rozwoju zharmonizowanych ram, które pozwoliłyby na wypracowanie wspólnej ścieżki identyfikacji złóż kopalin o znaczeniu publicznym (ZKoZP) oraz ich ochrony w procesie planowania przestrzennego. Projekt pozostawił wytyczne i propozycje w zakresie rozwoju europejskiej sieci ZKoZP, aby uniknąć utraty dostępu do „złóż wartych ochrony”. W Polsce ochrona złóż kopalin jest intensywnie dyskutowana w ostatnich latach. Przedstawiono w tym zakresie różne propozycje. Tym niemniej do chwili obecnej tylko kilka złóż węgla zostało uznanych za strategiczne. W chwili obecnej w Polsce przygotowywana jest Polityka Surowcowa Państwa. Jej zasadniczym celem jest zabezpieczenie dostępu polskiej gospodarki do niezbędnych surowców w perspektywie długoterminowej. Zakłada się m.in. działania mające na celu ochronę złóż kopalin w ramach planowania przestrzennego. Artykuł prezentuje zakres i najważniejsze rezultaty projektu MINATURA2020 (wraz ze szczegółami próby implementacji metodyki projektu w warunkach polskich), Projekt Polityki Surowcowej Państwa z jego celami i głównymi filarami, pozycję złóż kopalin o znaczeniu publicznym w tym Projekcie, a także oczekiwane przyszłe kroki mające na celu lepszą ochronę złóż kopalin zarówno w całej Unii Europejskiej, jak i w szczególności w Polsce.Fil: Galos, Krzysztof. Mineral And Energy Economy Research Institute; PoloniaFil: Tiess, Günter. International Agency for Minerals Policy; AustriaFil: Kot Niewiadomska, Alicja. Mineral And Energy Economy Research Institute; PoloniaFil: Murguia, Diego Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Economía Política de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Economía Política de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Wertichová, Blazena. Technical University of Ostrava; República Chec

The geological heritage of the Kurkur-Dungul area in southern Egypt

The inventory of the geological heritage of Egypt is important for its efficient conservation and usage for the purposes of science, education, and tourism. The field investigations in the Kurkur Dungul area in southern Egypt have permitted to identify several unique geological features. Their type, rank, relative abundance, and intrinsic diversity, as well as importance of the entire geological heritage of the study area are investigated. Seven geological heritage types are distinguished, namely stratigraphical, sedimentary, palaeogeographical, mineralogical, structural, geomorphological, and economical types. The rank of the features belonging to the listed types ranges from local to global, and the relative abundance and the intrinsic diversity range from low to high. The global rank is established for the sedimentary type, which is determined by the wide distribution of palaeospring tufa deposits. The high relative abundance and intrinsic diversity are established for the geomorphological type. The entire geological heritage of the Kurkur Dungul area can be employed for diversification of the existing tourism programs offered at the tourist destination of Aswan, as well as for geotourism development. A geopark can be created in the Kurkur Dungul area for the better exploitation of its geological heritage. The combined development of geological and industrial tourism seems to be possible.Web of Science13711510

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining, meandering tropical rivers, and geological heritage: Evidence from Brazil and Indonesia

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) flourishes along many tropical rivers, and it still requires proper documentation in many countries, as well as interpretation in terms of rational resource exploitation and wildlife preservation. In this study we used remote sensing techniques to analyze two representative examples of ASGM: one along the Marupa River in Brazil (Tapaj6s Domain) and another one along the Kahayan River in Indonesia (Central Kalimantan). The documented spatial extent of ASGM is similar to 9175 km(2) along the Marupa River and similar to 30,427 km(2) along the Kahayan River. It was established these activities change rapidly (2-3 years) in space. Although active and inactive sites occur in both areas, a great number of inactive sites distinguish the Marupa River. It is very crucial that ASGM along the Marupa and Kahayan rivers link strongly to watercourse meanders, but also changes river valley morphology. This is an interesting evidence of coupled fluvial-anthropic morphodynamics of meandering river valleys. Geological phenomena represented in the study areas include gold resource exploitation (economic phenomenon), landforms and their dynamics (geomorphological phenomenon), and mercury environmental pollution (geochemical phenomenon). Due to remarkable spatial extent interconnection, these phenomena seem to be unique and, thus, constituting geological heritage. Identification of the latter means that ASGM sites add value to the local environment. A paradox is that illegal and mercuryreleasing ASGM needs termination, but such an action will result in the loss of the noted geological heritage value. Solution to this paradox requires careful development of plans for local management. However, it is clear that the presence of the noted heritage requires turning more attention to ASGM and their natural (river valley) context.Web of Science715art. no. 13690

Paleogeography as geological heritage: developing geosite classification

Geological heritage sites (geosites) are sites that contain information about the state and the dynamics of the Earth. Paleogeographical (paleoenvironmental) geosites preserve paleoenvironments, paleoecosystems, and other relevant phenomena. However, the value of these sites can only be fully understood through professional interpretation of the observed features. Description of paleogeographical geosites in terms of the paleospace and the geologic time they encompass is challenging, partially because of many uncertainties in the interpretations of a given geosite and in the paleogeographical, paleobiogeographical, and stratigraphical nomenclature. These geosites can be classified on the basis of facies, paleoecosystems, ichnological value, taphonomic patterns, major events and catastrophes, and geoarcheological potential that they exhibit. Some geosites comprise several subtypes, and some are especially important for construction of paleogeographical maps. Moreover, the paleogeographical geosite type always associates with other types of geosites (20 in total). These combinations form complex geosites that contribute to geodiversity. If information about the Earth's past is especially valuable for a given complex geosite, then the paleogeographical type is dominant